<p>Alright here’s the deal. I’m writing my essay for Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science which basically asks me why I want to go to CMU and why I want to major in Computer Science. Well one of the things I’ve been doing lately is I have been self studying Java through Stanford’s Open courseware program and it’s really my only encounter with programming. Is it safe to throw in that bit about me learning Computer Science through a Stanford source, while applying to Carnegie mellon? or should i just say I used “the internet” to learn most of the Java.</p>
<p>Basically how do you think a CMU admissions officer will see me having learned something from a Stanford University source. Will he look at it as showing strong initiative or will he look at it as showing little interest in CMU and rather just praising stanford?</p>
<p>Nah. I don’t think it matters. As long as your essay is not all about Stanford, it is not very risky. Besides, being more specific always helps as it shows them that you are not just talking about fluff.</p>
<p>It should be fine, as long as you don’t end your essay “and so that’s why I want to attend Stanford.” Definitely better to be specific about what and how you’ve been learning programming than being too vague.</p>
<p>I’d say specifying the Stanford course would be better than “The Internet” since it would show you’ve got some definite guidelines as to what you’re learning and it’s not just some random BS website on BASIC thrown together by a thirteen year old on Geocities.</p>
<p>And if you’ve got time you could go do open sourceware at MIT and learn Scheme too. I know my son did that, though I’m not sure it made it’s way into any of his essays.</p>
<p>Just don’t dwell on the fact that it was from Stanford and put emphasis on how you took the initiative to pursue something you’re interested in.</p>
<p>Though, I should not that CMU does have their own version of free on-line classes :P</p>
<p>i obviously wouldn’t know the answer but in my opinion it’s fine. there are tons of people that write down “researched with so and so at Columbia over the summer” “did a so and so program at Johns Hopkins” and yet they apply to schools that are neither Columbia nor Johns Hopkins. you know what i mean right?</p>
<p>It should be considered as a sign saying that you are interested in the subject not the school</p>
<p>The answer would be no, it doesn’t matter. CMU is aware that universities make resources available online for anyone to look at it. It is no different than watching an MIT video lecture on CS or browsing course notes. Rather, it might be encouraged.</p>
<p>More importantly, however, would be your emphasis, you obviously don’t want to make it sound like that by taking specifically Stanford’s program that you’re more advanced. It would help to focus on your thirst for CS knowledge, and in doing so you decided to enroll into this open courseware. By the way, are you graded through this online system? That would make it more substantial.</p>
<p>Saying that you learned Java on the Internet would be vague and imply a lower level of commitment. So you should certainly cite the Stanford source, and note that it was a course that you enrolled in and were graded on (if you were)…</p>
I know my son did that, though I’m not sure it made it’s way into any of his essays.</p>