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student:advising:start [2019/11/12 13:29] – remove references to CS 139 mayfiecsdepartment:advising:start [2023/08/14 16:13] – [Advising FAQ] normanap
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-====== Incoming Freshmen FAQ ====== 
  
-Q. Can you tell me more about **CS 101**? 
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-A. CS 101 is a new course that gives a broad overview of computer science, rather than focus solely on programming. It's designed to be as difficult as CS 149, but it concentrates more on fundamental concepts than technical skills. See the [[https://w3.cs.jmu.edu/cs101/|CS 101 website]] for more details. This course is currently an elective, but there are plans to make it required for all CS majors at some point. It's definitely worth taking. 
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-Q. I have **no programming experience.** What should I do? 
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-A. About 2/3 of our incoming majors have no programming experience, and CS is only offered in about 25% of high schools nationwide. So we really don't expect students to have any background. There's nothing specific to prepare for CS 149, but I can give you a few pointers if you have some extra time this summer. The best place to start learning to program is [[http://code.org/|Code.org]]. 
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-Q. What type of **laptop** is recommended for CS majors? 
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-A. Pretty much any laptop you can find will do. I finished my PhD on a $300 netbook with no problem. Now I have a Macbook Pro because I like the hardware. But it's more a question of personal preference than recommended specs. In my opinion, the most important aspect is how large/heavy it will be to carry around all day. 13-inch is popular among students and faculty. 15-inch has a nicer display but costs more. 
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-The Macbook Pro is fairly top of the line but overpriced. If you plan to buy a Mac, wait until the next model comes out. They always keep the same prices and upgrade the hardware periodically. Keep an eye on [[https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#Retina_MacBook_Pro|MacRumors]] to know when to buy. And order via the [[https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop|Apple Store for Education]] to get the student discount. Or just get yourself a reasonable PC and install [[https://www.linuxmint.com/|Linux Mint]] as a 2nd OS -- that's what we use in the CS labs. 
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-Q. As a CS major, is there any **software** I should purchase? 
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-A. Nope, pretty much everything we use is free and open source. Some students prefer to buy Microsoft Office (you can get the student price at the bookstore). But I recommend using [[https://www.libreoffice.org/|LibreOffice]] instead, which not only is free but also superior in a number of ways. All the fancy development tools we use for doing computer science are freely available, developed by CS people for CS people. It's a great community to be a part of. 
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-Q. When/where should I **get textbooks** for my courses? 
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-A. You should go ahead and buy/rent your books before the semester begins. Visit the [[https://www.jmu.edu/bookstore/|JMU bookstore]] website to find out what you'll need for each course. I recommend shopping around online to find the best deals (e.g., [[https://www.amazon.com/|Amazon]], [[https://www.ebay.com/|eBay]], [[http://www.bigwords.com/|Bigwords]]). Since the first day of class is only a few weeks away, you'll want to order soon. Of course, you can always visit the bookstore when you get here if you need anything last minute. 
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-====== Freshmen Spring Enrollment FAQ ====== 
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-Q. What is the difference between **CS 227 and MATH 227**? 
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-A. CS 227 and MATH 227 are essentially the same class. The main difference is CS 227 is taught by a CS professor (e.g., Mata-Toledo) and MATH 227 is taught by a Math professor (e.g., Jones). Only CS majors take that class, so just pick whichever one fits your schedule. 
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-Q. Should I **wait** another semester to take **CS/MATH 227**? 
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-A. No, unless your math placement score prevents you. CS majors typically take both 159 and 227 their 2nd semester (in addition to any other math courses like calculus or stats). Both 159 and 227 are required in order to move on to CS 240 next fall. 
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-Q. I'm not getting what I want. May I request an **override**? 
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-A. If you have an unusual circumstance, then it might be possible to work things out. However please don't ask for an override just because you "really want" a specific section of a course.  
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-====== Upperclassmen Advising FAQ ====== 
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-Q. I'm just finishing up CS 149. What should I take next semester? 
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-A. CS 159 and CS 227. 
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-Q. I'm just finishing up CS 159 and am applying for the major. I think I'll **meet the 3.0 GPA requirement**. What should I take next semester? 
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-A. You will receive an email after being admitted to the major that will tell you which courses to sign up for. It will be one of CS 240 and CS 261, as well as possibly CS 345 or some other course. 
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-Q. I'm just finishing up CS 159 and am applying for the major. I do anticipate the **3.0 GPA requirement being a problem**. What should I do? 
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-A. Make sure you meet with your CS 159 instructor to discuss your status and likelihood of admission to the major. If the latter is not a given, you should go ahead and register for CS 159 to save a seat in case you have to re-take it. If you are admitted to the major, drop CS 159 and see the previous question for what to do. If you are not admitted to the major, re-take CS 159 and see if you can use the remaining credits that semester to start picking up a minor or a second/alternative major. 
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-Q. I just finished CS 240 or 261. What should I take next semester? 
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-A. Whichever of the two that you haven't finished, plus anything else you can take given prerequisite and class scheduling restrictions. See Dr. Kirkpatrick's [[https://w3.cs.jmu.edu/kirkpams/advising.shtml | unofficial prerequisite map]].  
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-Q. Can you give me an **override into CS 330**? It's the only CS elective I can take! 
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-A. No. Every semester we have a dozen people with the same predicament and we cannot accommodate everyone. If you don't get in, wait until next semester when you have more prerequisites and thus more options. This would be a good time to start looking at picking up a minor with your extra class slots next semester. 
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-Q. Can you give me an **override into CS xxx**? I need it to graduate! 
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-A. If you absolutely need a specific course to graduate *this* semester, talk to the undergraduate program coordinator--they are the only person who can give you an override. 
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-Q. I need to graduate in three semesters. Should I **take CS 240 or CS 261 first**? 
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-A. Yes, both. Sorry, they are both prerequisites for so many courses that if you haven't had either and you want to graduate in three semesters you'll need to do both at the same time (and probably 345 as well). It will be quite tough, but with these timing constraints you might as well get used to hard semesters. If you can afford it, it would be far better to stay longer and move at a more reasonable pace. 
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-Q. I have a lot of **extra class slots** in my last two years. What should I do? 
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-A. Congratulations! You've been on top of things and are well-positioned to pick up a minor or second major. Recommended minors include math, robotics, telecom, and logic & reasoning. Obviously, personal preference holds weight here as well. If you are interested in chemistry, music industry, or theatre, do it! JMU is a liberal arts college and you should take advantage of that. 
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-Q. Do you offer courses during the **summer or Maymester**? 
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-A. We generally do not. On occasion, a faculty member may decide to offer one during the summer session, but that does not happen often and only for particular courses. We never offer courses during Maymester.