SCS Class Availability

AnotherLurker · 07-30-2012, 04:32 PM

Hi there,
I am looking to apply to H&SS (Economics) and also purse an additional major in CS with the possibility of transferring into CSC if my grades are good enough in the beginning CS classes. My question is, what is the availability usually when registering for the first few classes in the CS sequence? I got a 4 on the AP CS so I can place out of the introduction class. Do the first few classes in the sequences usually get locked out? How does class registration work? I have heard those in the specific school get priority obviously, but after that is it first come first serve? Do upperclassmen get priority first?

Any comments are greatly appreciated.

renaissanced · 08-01-2012, 11:27 AM

Hello - discrete math major here (MCS) who has taken several CS classes (not to mention I was seriously considering minoring in or altogether switching to CS for a long time). In my experience registering for the first few CS classes isn't all too difficult if you're not in the major; at worst you might get waitlisted, but give it a couple weeks and you'll almost surely get into the classes you want. Personally I've gotten into every CS class I've ever wanted with little difficulty. Double majoring or switching into SCS is possible, but your grades in lower level CS classes have to be very good to do it. Upperclassmen get to schedule first so they get priority in that sense.

Lavy27 · 08-02-2012, 04:15 AM

Its actually not that easy to register for CS classes if you're in H&SS. I'm in H&SS and is currently waitlisted for my CS class....

CMUCompFinance · 08-02-2012, 07:14 AM

Lavy27, renaissanced pointed out that

Quote:

at worst you might get waitlisted, but give it a couple weeks and you'll almost surely get into the classes you want.

AnotherLurker · 08-02-2012, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Hello - discrete math major here (MCS) who has taken several CS classes (not to mention I was seriously considering minoring in or altogether switching to CS for a long time). In my experience registering for the first few CS classes isn't all too difficult if you're not in the major; at worst you might get waitlisted, but give it a couple weeks and you'll almost surely get into the classes you want. Personally I've gotten into every CS class I've ever wanted with little difficulty. Double majoring or switching into SCS is possible, but your grades in lower level CS classes have to be very good to do it. Upperclassmen get to schedule first so they get priority in that sense.

Thanks for this. This was quite helpful. Do you have any idea if they give priority to people with similar-esque majors to CS. Basically, do they give preference to MCS or Engineering over people from Tepper or H&SS? Or from what you can tell, it is equal chances to everyone not in SCS? Thanks

Greekfire · 08-06-2012, 04:29 PM

I don't think there's a preference aside from ECE majors (since they need certain programming classes—however, they may already have reservations for those).

Transferring into CS is relatively easy if you do well in the intro classes:

15-112 (unless you have AP CS credits)
15-122 (unless you took AP CS AB before it got discontinued and can get credit)
Concepts of Mathematics (21-127), or the new CS-major replacement which is, I believe, 15-151?
the infamous 15-251

A friend of mine did quite well in the above and successfully transferred. If you look on the department website they explain what courses you need to enroll in and complete to be considered as a transfer/double major (I'm pretty sure it's close to the above listed).