Applying for GA positions

[kraus]

Hi everyone,

I am starting my graduate program in Computer Science (M. Sc.) this Fall and I had some questions regarding applying for GA positions.

I have been offered GAship but I need to apply for the open positions and secure one in order to receive the funding. The department has made available the list of open positions and I am planning on applying soon. I have never done any TA work before but I have done internships for software development companies. I also have a Master's in Engineering with a thesis on a CS topic. Is my lack of TA work going to hurt my chances along with me being a new graduate student? Could you recommend steps I could take to strengthen my application for the positions? How should I tailor my resume?

Would really appreciate any pointers.

Thanks.

[timuralp]

Most of the time the requirement for TA a CS class is proficiency in the class (getting a grade > A- is one way to show it). The applications vary between schools. In some schools, the only part is selecting the classes one is eligible to TA (the grade requirement) and nothing else. Also, students with guaranteed funding who are not on RA will frequently get priority. The left overs are split somewhat randomly. One possibility is contacting the instructors for the classes ahead of time as they can request particular students to TA the class. If one has successfully filled a TA position for a class before, the chances improve, so you might be at some disadvantage.

The software internships won't be of much help, as no one knows what exactly you've done and it certainly wasn't class curriculum material. It might be easiest to get a TA position after the first semester (especially, for the grad classes you take now), but definitely toss your name in the hat to start with.