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advice_column [2018/05/19 12:36] – [On grades and cheating] editadvice_column [2019/04/23 14:04] – [What courses to take] edit
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 You might be tempted to think by overloading you are getting more “units” per dollar (of tuition) out of CMU.  Don’t confuse that with how much learning and retention you are getting for your dollars.  Overloading is not worth it. You might be tempted to think by overloading you are getting more “units” per dollar (of tuition) out of CMU.  Don’t confuse that with how much learning and retention you are getting for your dollars.  Overloading is not worth it.
  
-=====What courses to take=====+=====What courses to take (updated 4/23/2019)=====
  
 There are so many different courses you could take as an ECE undergrad at CMU. This can get really confusing. The suggestions below are simply a representation of what “I” would have taken had I been an undergrad in ECE today. There are so many different courses you could take as an ECE undergrad at CMU. This can get really confusing. The suggestions below are simply a representation of what “I” would have taken had I been an undergrad in ECE today.
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 There are still the Free Electives. They should not all be technical, but it does give me the time to take a few more courses (without overloading).  Here are examples of some courses I would consider choosing from (as a student interested in computer architecture). There are still the Free Electives. They should not all be technical, but it does give me the time to take a few more courses (without overloading).  Here are examples of some courses I would consider choosing from (as a student interested in computer architecture).
  
-  * 18-340:          Digital Computation                                                                        +  * 18-340:          Hardware Arithmetic for Machine Learning                                                                        
   * 15-411:          Compiler Design   * 15-411:          Compiler Design
   * 18-422:          Analysis and Design of Digital Circuits   * 18-422:          Analysis and Design of Digital Circuits
-  * 18-441:          Verification of Computer Hardware Systems                                        +  * 18-740:          Graduate Computer Architecture                                                     
-  * 18-643:          Reconfigurable Logic   + 
-  * 18-740/1/2:          Graduate Computer Architecture                                                    +I would be tempted with  
 + 
 +  * 18-330 Introduction to Computer Security 
 +  * 18-349 Introduction to Embedded Systems 
 +  * 18-403 Microfabrication Methods and Technology (this I actually did as an undergrad) 
 +  * 18-461 Introduction to Machine Learning for Engineers 
 +  * 18-464 ULSI Technology Status and Roadmap for System on Chips and System in Package
  
 I would make it a point to take a few fun, non-ECE courses (freshman-level intro courses are just fine).  I would make it a point to take a few fun, non-ECE courses (freshman-level intro courses are just fine). 
  
 I would also include a senior project.  If I were interested in going to graduate school, I would start my senior project the summer before the senior year.  I would not try to do undergraduate “research” during the semester with a full course load.  Lastly, I would do a technical internship in the industry the summer before my junior year. I would also include a senior project.  If I were interested in going to graduate school, I would start my senior project the summer before the senior year.  I would not try to do undergraduate “research” during the semester with a full course load.  Lastly, I would do a technical internship in the industry the summer before my junior year.
 +
 +I do not recommend undergrads (especially if heading to PhD) to hurry into or take a lot of graduate courses.  You do want to take THE one in your specialization (18-740 in my example) before you apply. May be just one more (18-643).  As IMB, I trust you are mature enough to pick what you need and what is good for you for whatever you have planned for your own future.
 +
 +I do not recommend undergrads (especially if heading to PhD) to hurry into or take a lot of graduate courses.  You do want to take THE one in your specialization (18-740 in my example) before you apply for PhD. (Okay, may be just one more, 18-643.)  As IMB, I trust you are mature enough to pick what you need and what is good for you for whatever you have planned for your own career future.
  
 Again, this simply reflects what I would have done as an undergrad. If you don’t like what you see here, don’t be shy about asking another professor closer to your area to tell you what he/she would do. Again, this simply reflects what I would have done as an undergrad. If you don’t like what you see here, don’t be shy about asking another professor closer to your area to tell you what he/she would do.
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 **Cheating:** **Cheating:**
-For anyone even contemplating cheating, you should understand it is just not worth it.  First of all, cheating cannot fix the fact that you really don't know or aren't able to do what you will need in the subsequent courses and in your later life.  Second, although the chances of getting away with any one isolated instance of cheating is typically quite good, any one incident is also unlikely to have a noticeable positive impact on your semester letter grade.  For that, one has to be cheating systematically, and one will surely get caught for that. Third, think back to when you were little and how your mother could always tell when you lied.  She couldn't read your mind; you were just more obvious than you think.  Similarly, we (professors), having spent basically our whole life in school, know a lot about cheating and cheaters. You are not going to easily fake us out with something we have not seen before.  Lastly, by watching a student over the course of a semester, we (professors) have a very good sense for what is a student's expected performance and trend.  You will get the grade you worked for.+For anyone even contemplating cheating, you should understand it is just not worth it.  First of all, cheating cannot fix the fact that you really don't know or aren't able to do what you will need in the subsequent courses and in your later life.  Second, although the chances of getting away with any one isolated instance of cheating is typically quite good, any one incident is also unlikely to have a noticeable positive impact on your semester letter grade.  For that, one has to be cheating systematically, and one will surely get caught for that. Third, think back to when you were little and how your mother could always tell when you lied.  She couldn't read your mind; you were just more obvious than you think.  By watching a student over the course of a semester, we (professors) have a very good sense for what is a student's expected performance and trend.  You will get the grade you worked for.
  
-For someone who is already feeling the pressure to cheat, you should realize that this is the symptom of a much deeper problem.  Some how you have let your study fall behind and out of control. If you continue the same course, your problem will only snowball.  The only way to recover is to identify the problem and to change what you are doing to regain control. Cheating is a poor patch job that does nothing to fix the root of the problem.  I encourage everyone to take at look at [[https://www.cmu.edu/student-affairs/ocsi/academic-integrity/prevention.html |this very helpful page]] on how to avoid being caught up in this bad situation in the first place. (Notice their suggested way to address academic integrity is to do better in the first place so there is no reason to consider cheating. I fully agree with this.)+For someone who is feeling the pressure to cheat, the wrong thing to do is to succumb (obviously). The right thing to do is to recognize it as the warning sign of a deeper problem.  Some how you have let your study fall behind and out of control. If you continue the same course, your problem will only snowball.  The only way to recover is to identify the problem and to change what you are doing to regain control. Cheating is a poor patch job that does nothing to fix the root of the problem.  I encourage everyone to take at look at [[https://www.cmu.edu/student-affairs/ocsi/academic-integrity/prevention.html |this very helpful page]] on how to avoid being caught up in this bad situation in the first place. (Notice their suggested way to address academic integrity is to do better in the first place so there is no reason to consider cheating. I fully agree with this.)
  
 I use the following definition in my course syllabus: "To put it plainly, if what you are about to do is not a truthful reflection of your knowledge, ability and effort, you are about to cheat. More importantly, if what you are about to do is going to get you a better grade without helping you learn the course material, you are about to cheat."   I use the following definition in my course syllabus: "To put it plainly, if what you are about to do is not a truthful reflection of your knowledge, ability and effort, you are about to cheat. More importantly, if what you are about to do is going to get you a better grade without helping you learn the course material, you are about to cheat."