billrach

I have a B in calc 1 and a D+ in Calc 2, will these keep me out of all MSCS programs? I got a 166 on the GRE Quant section.

I PM'd you. Could you tell me how many schools you're applying to?

I'm going for professional programs. My goal is to switch careers, get a software engineer job. I have no interest in getting a PhD. My list right now 3 top 10 schools 3 Schools ranked in the 20-30 2 Schools ranked between 30-50 2 Schools ranked between 50-75 Just wondering, are masters programs beyond ranked beyond 50, very easy to get into (even w/o a CS background)?

Whats a safe number of schools to apply to for MSCS programs? I don't have an undergrad in CS so I feel like every school is a reach for me. I have decent GRE's though V:159, Q: 166, AW: 4.5. GPA is decent 3.4 (Business Major), but not amazing. I'm not sure how selective MSCS programs are. I know for PhD most people have to apply to more than 10 programs. I have 10 MSCS programs so far. Is that a safe number? I had 3 other schools I'm considering, which would make 13 total.

What CS coursework did you take?

What do your stats and background look like? You could look at Berkely M.eng, Illinois MCS, and Wisconsin MCS, which are coursework only degrees. Doesn't GAtech require an MS thesis?

I have a little computer science background. In one of my statistic courses we did significant data analysis with SAS and R coding. I'm getting this professor to write a LOR for me. He wants me to draft the LOR for him. How should I write this letter so I don't come across as someone who confuses computer science with coding? In other words, I want to convey how this course makes me a good candidate for a computer science graduate program, not just a good programmer.

I'm applying for Masters programs in computer science, but I'm not quite sure if I want to continue to a PhD program or go straight to industry afterwards. Is it OK to state that I'm unsure? How would you talk about this?

Are LOR's from TA's, Grad Students and Lecturers far superior to letters from Professors? I have very few Professors that know me well. I can probably get 2 out 3 letters from Professors. But the 3rd one I really don't have a good professor to ask. I have 2 TA's/grad students who know me well. They each TA'd 2 courses that I took. I have a lecturer (only has a masters degree) who taught me for 3 semesters. I got A+ in all 3 of her courses. And she knows me well. What do you guys think?

Thanks, that's exactly what I was thinking of. Were any of your professors ticked off that you had such a wide range of admissions deadlines? That means they have to fill out forms for about a 6 month period.

How and when should I ask professors for LOR's? I plan on applying for Fall 2015. The deadline for my programs have a huge range. Some are due in December, and some are due May 2015. 1- The thing is a lot of schools don't notify your letter writers until after you submit your application. So for my schools with a May 2015 deadline, should I submit the applications at the same time as the schools with the December 2014 deadline? I figure some professors just want to fill out the forms all at once. And don't want to do some in December and then a few more in May. Or should I just take my time with applications and inform my professors as the deadlines come up? 2- Should I contact my professor first, and then start the applications after they agree to write LOR's for me? Or should I almost be done with my application by the time I ask them for LOR's? 3- For my schools with December 2014 deadline, should I be contacting professors right around now? I probably won't finish my SOP until around November, maybe late October at best.

How are MS in Software Engineering degrees viewed by employers? If my goal is to get a software engineering job, will a MS in Software Engineering be sufficient? Will employers view it as inferior to a MSCS?

I'm interested in this question as well. What about professsional degrees like 'Master in Software Development' or 'Master in Software Engineering'? Would those be viewed as inferior to pure CS degrees when it comes to job recruiting? Some very reputable CS schools like CMU have software engineering degrees, but I was wondering how much value those degrees have.

Do CS grad schools really care about your calc 2 grade? Calculus is rarely directly used in CS.

What CS and Math courses have you already taken? Are you already admitted to the program? If so, would you mind positing your stats? I'm interested in UT Austin as well, and I didn't major in CS.

Thanks for your clarification icydubloon! Those were the same things I worry about too in regards to pursuing a MS in Computer Science without a BSCS.

Would you give me some reasons why you believe a BSCS is better than an MSCS please? Aurora15, thank you very much! I will look into those schools.

First of all, I don't have a CS degree or any experience working in the tech industry so take my advice with a grain of salt. But I noticed that the BS in CIT does not have a data structures or algorithms course. These are generally very important courses for a programming/software developer position. I guess it really depends on what you want to do after your degree. I think the community college CIT degree will be good enough to get you into an IT/Network/Database job. But if you wanted to get a programmer/software developer job, I would recommend getting a BS in CS at TAMU. But again, I'm not the most knowledgeable about this.

Another question, is there any benefits of having an MS over a BS in computer science? I've looked at job postings and very few job postings actually list MS in computer science as a requirement. Will having an MS make it easier for me to get a job/lead to higher pay?

Thank you for your insight PhDerp! Another related question. If I only care about getting a job, is the prestige of the university important? I'm from NY. So I could get instate tuition at schools like SUNY Stonybrook, Buffalo, Albany and Binghamton. I already know Stony Brook is well recruited for CS. But what about SUNY Buffalo, Albany and Binghamton? Will those be good enough to get a software engineering role? By the way, I'm not obsessed with landing a job at google/microsoft/facebook. I just want to get my foot through the door. And if anybody else wants to weigh in on the masters vs second bachelors topic, that'd be great too. Thanks everyone!

Does LEAP include computer science? If so does anyone know the course requirements? They don't have it on their site. Another question, LEAP awards you both a BS and an MS in engineering? Or just an MS?

Thanks so much for your reply D3veate! I was wondering though, do you think someone completing an MS in CS would have any holes in his knowledge? Would I miss out on any of the foundations and fundamentals that are taught in a BS program? For example most MS programs don't include a data structures course. And most MS programs are only about 10-15 courses, whereas a BS generally requires more courses. Would an employer ever think that someone with just an MS in CS would have holes in his knowledge? I know data structures is very important for employers. I'm sure I can just take an undergraduate Data Structures course though.

Hi, so I know there are many 2nd bachelor's vs MS threads. But I was wondering, if my only goal is to get a software engineering job, which is better? Assuming I have no interest in doing research or pursuing academia, which is better? I didn't major in CS as an undergrad, and I haven't taken any CS courses. (I have taken a few coursera courses though). I know that if I were to do an MS in CS, most programs would have me make up undergrad coursework. I'm thinking that this would be the same time as getting a 2nd bachelors. I'm not sure how the price would break down. MS is normally more expensive, but I would get no aid for a 2nd bachelors. One last question, I've seen a lot of job postings that state 'BS in computer science or equivalent'. Would an MS in computer science without a BS in computer science satisfy this requirement? Would getting an MS prevent me from applying to entry level positions? I think I would have to apply to entry level jobs since I have no relevant job experience. Thanks

Depends, what are your stats? GPA/GRE? Research?

Just had a general question regarding these types of programs. If the goal is to get a job after completing the MS degree (no plans to get a phd), does the specific title of your degree matter? For example UPenn's degree is called Master in Computer Information Technology and Uchicago's is called Professional Masters in Computer Science. And there are degrees like 'Masters in Information Systems', etc. Do employers view these degrees as lesser degrees compared to degrees that are specifically called 'Masters in Computer Science'?