OMSCS at Grace Hopper 2024
Grace Hopper OMSCS Social Hour
Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
Time: 6:00-9:00 pm (ET)
Location:
Iron Hill Brewery
1150 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Who: Open to OMSCS alumni, current students, and prospective students!
Provided: Beer tasting with appetizers
Special Guests: Dean Vivek Sarkar, David Joyner, and Alex Orso
FAQ From a Student Perspective: Bianca Santos (OMSCS Student and San Diego Local Meetup Chapter Head)
How much interaction do students have with professors and TAs?
There are plenty of avenues for interacting with professors and TAs! Each class will have its own forum (on Ed Discussion or Piazza) as an official communication channel between the professor, teaching staff, and students. Announcements from the staff will usually be posted in this forum, and students can discuss lessons and projects asynchronously. Many professors and TAs hold regular office hours over videoconference to answer any questions about the lectures, projects, or other class-related material that may not be covered directly in lectures. Recordings of these sessions are often made available for students who can't attend live. In some classes, TAs are also available in the Georgia Tech Slack channels to answer questions.
How do exams work? Does everyone complete the exam at the same time, or are different windows of submission available?
Every class is different. Some classes don't have exams, some have take-home exams (which simply need to be completed by a certain date), and some have more "traditional" exams (which must be completed by a certain date and within a certain amount of time after beginning the exam). These "traditional" exams require the use of Honorlock digital proctoring software to ensure academic integrity (e.g., some exams prohibit the use of certain resources such as notes or the internet), and professors usually allow a few days to take these types of exams to accommodate students from different time zones and schedules.
Do students form student groups? What tools do they use for that?
Yes, students have the option to form student groups, and Georgia Tech provides Slack channels and Ed Discussion forums to facilitate this. Sometimes, unofficial Discord channels are also created by students at the start of the semester. Even though these may be unofficial, students still hold each other accountable for maintaining academic integrity.
How long does it take to get through the program?
It varies! General advice for working professionals is to take one class per semester, as these classes require time to digest the material, even if some may consider them "easy". If their schedule allows, some students take two or more classes per semester (with approval from the staff). Students are also allowed to take up to two consecutive semesters off without needing to reapply for the program. Lastly, all 10 required classes must be completed within six years.
Should you take one course per semester? What is the typical workload?
I highly recommend starting with just one course in your first semester. Many students underestimate the time required to complete class deliverables, readings, and other tasks, and how all of this fits in with their lifestyle, including work and family commitments. Typically, classes require students to complete programming-heavy projects. Sometimes, a lot of writing is also involved to discuss analysis and results. While this might seem tedious, it's a very effective way to cement concepts! After all, if you can't explain it, you might not have a complete understanding of the topics.
What are the Local Meetup Groups?
Some cities and countries have their own Slack channels where students can take a break and chat, as well as schedule in-person get-togethers, such as going out for boba or sharing a meal. To kick off the Summer 2024 semester, the San Diego meetup chapter went kayaking at Mission Bay. The turnout wasn't large, but I found it amusing how we were discussing class selection and the last OMSCS Conference while in the middle of the bay.
How do you stay socially engaged?
Even though it's an online program, I've met classmates and friends by participating in Ed Discussion, Slack, unofficial Discord channels, and through the San Diego meetup chapter. Please don't hesitate to ask questions through these avenues. Many people I've interacted with have been helpful and friendly!