That said, there are also large new areas of technology and industry growing around these tools and systems, and like all new fields university researchers are often at the forefront. As demand for these systems increases, universities are creating new degrees to prepare students for work in this field. In this article, weā€™re going to look at new AI-focused majors offered by USC, which has long had strong programs in computer science and business.

USCā€™s New AI-Focused Majors

USC has added two separate programs with a focus on AI, though with different goals and specializations. Weā€™ll go through each in turn, to help you understand what they offer, and if either is right for you.

This is a joint degree program offered by USCā€™s Marshall School of Business and the Viterbi School of Engineering, with students taking courses in both over a four-year degree plan. This is the first degree program of its kind, but we do anticipate other schools will follow in USCā€™s footsteps.

Students will take engineering and programming courses through Viterbi. The goal of this is not to make students better at using AI, but at creating and implementing AI tools, novel solutions and ways of training and refining these systems. Students are also required to take ethics coursework as part of this degree. 

Students will take fundamental business courses through Marshall. This isnā€™t a specialized curriculum, but is designed to help students understand the way businesses operate, and how systems are implemented through a business. The goal is for students to fully understand business environments, and to slot themselves into both existing companies and fast-paced startup environments. 

The major requires all students to complete a capstone business consulting project in their junior year. It offers unique internship and industry experiences, letting students network with companies throughout the Silicon Valley area. The program has a focus on building skills and practical applications for studentā€™s knowledge. 

This is not a full major, but rather an expanding specialization within Viterbi, specifically within the CS Department. The actual degrees you earn are in , but with research opportunities, courses, and internships available to focus on AI tools specifically. 

This course of study focuses on the creation, training, and implementation of these tools, how they can be refined and turned to novel applications. Unsurprisingly, this takes a deep understanding of computer science and programming. You donā€™t need to know coding to apply, but it is recommended you have some experience with programming. 

Students have opportunities to get involved with research on-campus, and in internships and industry partner programs. USC has also introduced an for students who want to focus even more on this specific field. This is ideal for students who want to pursue AI research. 

How to Apply to USCā€™s AI Programs

USC has a somewhat complicated application system, as many majors have specific requirements for essays or coursework, and this can vary between colleges at USC as well. To help simplify things for you, weā€™re going to go through the requirements USC has for these new AI-focused majors and programs.

For the CS major in Viterbi, there are no specific coursework or essay requirements. You simply apply to USC, and select Viterbi as your target school. Your choice of a major within Viterbi does not impact your chances of admission, all applicants to the program are evaluated based on their fitness for Viterbi as a whole, and changing your major within the school is quite easy. 

Viterbi is test optional, but strong test scores can help your application, especially if you do well on the math section. While Viterbi does not have specific coursework requirements, we do advise all students planning to apply for it have taken calculus, and those interested in CS should take coding courses in high school if possible. 

While the AI and Business program is a joint degree, students must apply to the major through Marshall. There are no additional application essays, but your choice of major does matter; make sure you select the AI major if you intend to take part in this program. 

Your GPA and test scores are quite important for Marshall. While there are no additional course requirements, as with applicants to Viterbi, we advise all students to take calculus if possible. Taking business and economics courses can also be valuable, but calculus is the most important. 

Finally, USC has just introduced a new Early Decision program. For this program, students who wish to major in accounting or business within Marshall may apply binding ED. Note that only these two majors within Marshall are currently taking part in this program; if you are interested in the AI major, you are not eligible. 

Are USCā€™s AI programs Right for You?

These programs offer very different things, so weā€™ll look at each in turn, and determine what kinds of students each will serve best, and whether it is worth it for you to avail yourself of them. 

Is USCā€™s Artificial Intelligence for Business Program Right for You?

Joint programs in computer science and business are ever popular, and for good reason. Many of the fastest growing and most profitable companies, not to mention the most talked about startups, have come from the tech sector. AI is the latest darling of this sector, and with an increasing proliferation of AI-inspired startups, it makes sense to have a program devoted specifically to these. 

This is a bit more specialized than other joint degrees in technology and business, focusing just on the AI subfield rather than the tech sector more broadly. We advise pursuing this major if you are entirely certain that you wish to specialize in AI, and if you want to focus on the business side of things.

If you want to get involved on the business side, but have enough of a tech background to understand what these tools are capable of and to be able to guide R&D, then this is a great major for you. The internship connections and hands-on opportunities are especially valuable for students who want to gain practical experience in the space. Students wanting to focus solely on business or technology, or who want a more flexible set of skills, probably wouldnā€™t benefit as much from this program. 

Is USCā€™s AI Specialization in CS Right for You?

This program is an offshoot of the wider CS major. USC isnā€™t the very top rated school for CS, but they do have a strong program, and industry and business connections that make getting a job afterwards quite easy. While this specific specialization is rather new, they do have several professors who have done significant research in the field of AI. 

As with most specializations, this lets you dive much deeper into one specific aspect of computer science, but gives you less insight into the rest of the field. If you are certain that this field is what you wish to pursue, either in business or academia, then specializing will give you a leg up. If you arenā€™t certain, however, then a more general approach can be more rewarding. 

Final Thoughts

There are many specialized majors and programs available, USC is the latest top college to offer a degree specifically focused on AI, but weā€™re certain they wonā€™t be the last. As one final note, just because these degrees are focused on AI tools, they still donā€™t accept you using AI to do the work in them, or using it in your application. That work all must be done by you. 

If youā€™re looking for the right special program to exactly match your interests, or want help crafting an application to USC that will help you stand out in a crowded field of applicants, then ³Ō¹Ļ¹ŁĶų can help. Our mentors are skilled at every aspect of the admissions process, and we love helping students show off their passions and tell their stories to admissions officers. If you want help with your application, then schedule a free consultation with us today, weā€™re always happy to hear from you.

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The Steven A Denning Technology & Management Program

As with most special college programs, this is named after someone who gave Georgia Tech a whole bunch of money so they could found this particular program. This particular program is hosted by Techā€™s , and is a two-year non-major interdisciplinary program. Letā€™s break down each of those components and what it means: 

• The program lasts two full years, with students applying, and then joining a cohort within the program.
• The program is not a major. Students earn a minor over the course of the program while pursuing their original course of study. The minor students earn depends on their home college, though students take similar courses as part of the program.
• The program is interdisciplinary, focusing on the intersection between business and technology. Most students come from business or engineering, but other students at Tech may partake as well (more on that later).
  

This is in contrast to many special interdisciplinary programs of this sort, which instead serve as your major. The benefit of that is that many companies look solely at your major when making hiring decisions. The benefit of this approach is that this particular course of study can be appended to far more fields, allowing greater flexibility for students in what theyā€™re learning and how theyā€™re applying it.Ā 

The program also partners with a number of corporations for internship opportunities for students. These are not a given part of the program, but these companies do offer recruiting pipelines for students in this program specifically. These tend to be companies in the tech sector, those in Silicon Valley who sit at the intersection of technological advancement and business. 

Denning Course Offerings

There are within the program; these are based on your school of origin, and the minor you will therefore be part of. There is a shared core curriculum; all students take courses in business and technology, but where you focus depends on where youā€™re coming from. Students in the business school take more technology courses, though in the College of Engineering take more business courses, and students in the liberal arts take a mix of both. 

Students in all tracks take part in an integrated capstone project. In these, interdisciplinary teams take on a problem posed by one of the programā€™s corporate partners, trying to address a significant managerial or technical issue with real-world implications. 

How to Apply to the Denning Program

Unlike many of these special programs, this isnā€™t something you apply to when you apply to Georgia Tech. As it is more akin to a minor than a major, you may only apply to join the Denning program as a current Tech student. Students in any undergraduate college within Georgia Tech may apply to join this program, though those who are already majoring in business or engineering are the most common applicants. 

The application process is competitive; this isnā€™t like declaring a major or minor, but involves a full application process. The application cycle is open each year for the full month of October, applications to the program must be submitted in this window. There is an information session for interested students in September. 

Once applications are submitted, interviews for applicants are held between December and February, with admissions decisions made and released by the end of February. Orientation for the program then takes place in March. As this is a two year program, only freshmen and sophomores may apply, as Georgia Tech wants to be sure all students graduate in four years. 

The application itself is only available during the application period, but they have a available on their website. Much of this is standard demographic information, making sure of who you are and where you are in your studies. The important part of the application are the essay questions; weā€™ll go over each of these, and some thoughts on how best you should approach and answer them.

What are your most important goals following graduation from Georgia Tech and how do you believe the Denning T&M Program will help you with those goals? (Maximum 2,000 characters)

They donā€™t expect you to have your whole life planned out, but you should have some kind of plan, and a clear reasoning for how this program specifically will help you attain it. As this is an interdisciplinary program in business and technology, so too should your proximate and long term goals feature the intersection of those fields.Ā 

Your focus on the program should be on what it can help you learn, and how specifically it will prepare you for the path you have chosen. Point to specific classes you will be able to take, and how the lessons the program will impart directly correlate to your future plans. 

In what type of position/company/organization do you see yourself working after graduating from Georgia Tech? (Maximum 2,000 characters)

This one relates to the former; in the first, however, you want to focus specifically on how the program will help you, while in this you can elaborate on your plans for the future in more detail. You donā€™t have to have a specific company in mind (though if you do, one the program partners with is a good choice). Instead, you should focus on the sorts of roles you have in mind for yourself, and what you want to accomplish through your work.

The program is looking for students with clear ambitions, ones who will be meaningfully helped in their journeys by what the program offers. Your answer to this question should showcase how what the program offers will help you, even if you donā€™t state it explicitly (that is, your goals should end up somewhere in the intersection of technology and business). 

Describe your work experience. (Maximum 2,000 characters)

This is straightforward enough of a question. You should describe what jobs you have had, what responsibilities you had in them, and anything important you learned. Both internships and real professional work and more sedate jobs like waiting tables are acceptable to talk about; indeed, retail and other low-level work can be a great training exercise for something like this program.

If you worked for a family business, even if it was unpaid, you can put that in here as well. You should recount all of the jobs youā€™ve had; the more there are, the less room there is to discuss each. If you have no work experience, simply say so. Donā€™t give excuses or explanations, this isnā€™t the place for that. 

Please describe your leadership experience on Georgia Techā€™s campus, from your high school, or from other volunteer organizations. (Maximum 2,000 characters)

The prioritization in this question is clear from how it is asked; you should ideally speak about what you have done thus far on Techā€™s campus, and only turn to other examples after. You want to detail what you did in a leadership position, and what impact you had through it.

Not that you can talk about both regular leadership positions (such as president of a club or student council) and irregular leadership positions, where you stepped up and assumed responsibility despite not actually being in charge. The program is looking for students who will be future leaders in industry, and so they are looking to admit students who have already demonstrated admirable leadership qualities. 

Tell us about one of your experiences working on a team. Describe your efforts and how you believe those efforts made the team successful. (Maximum 2,000 characters)

Just as the program is looking for leaders, so too are they looking for students who are able to collaborate and coordinate with their peers. After all, businesses are joint ventures, and so they want students who will contribute meaningfully, and who will be able to work collaboratively if theyā€™re part of a team. The best evidence that you are capable of this is how youā€™ve done so before.

This team can be in any setting, but we do recommend prioritizing recent examples. You want to showcase what you were able to do with the team, and how you contributed to the overall goals and results. This experience does not need to relate directly to business, and we recommend using a different experience than the one you used when you discussed leadership if possible.

Please describe your foreign language skills and proficiency. (Maximum 1,000 characters)

This one isnā€™t so much an essay as a chance to describe your proficiencies. Do not over or under-state your abilities with any of the languages you know. There is no requirement that you be fluent in other languages, but it is of course an advantage. Note that taking AP courses in a language, even if you scored a 5, does not mean you are fluent in that language. 

Is the Denning Program a Good Choice for You?

This is something you have time to consider, as unlike other special joint programs, you can only apply to join the Denning Program once you are already enrolled at Georgia Tech, so you donā€™t need to figure out all of the tradeoffs before you apply. The most important consideration is whether or not you are interested in both technology and business, and in investigating the intersection between them. 

For students interested in a career in big tech, or in joining a growing startup, this program offers a lot of opportunities.Georgia Tech has quite strong programs in both business and technology, and the Denning Program allows you to draw from both these pools. The fact the program is in addition to your major, and adapted to it, is also beneficial, far more flexible than many of these programs.

That said, this program is less extensive and in-depth than some similar ones offered at other colleges. It is a minor, something done in addition to your major of choice, rather than a full major and program of study in itself. While this is more flexible, it cannot cover as much as a more dedicated program. 

This program is also competitive, and you are not guaranteed admission. While this is true of all such programs, the fact you must already be a student at Georgia Tech when you apply means you have more limited options if you arenā€™t accepted. Georgia Tech is a great school, but we recommend not applying if the only thing you care about is this specific program.

Final Thoughts

As Silicon Valley and big tech continue to boom, itā€™s no surprise that many students are quite interested in the intersection between them. The Denning Program isnā€™t the only way you can investigate this, but it is a remarkable one, and one which we think many students might like to take advantage of. We hope that this article has given you actionable insight into this particular program, and let you decide if itā€™s a good option for you to pursue.

If you are looking for advice on which college programs will best meet your needs, or help on applying once you have found the right fit, then ³Ō¹Ļ¹ŁĶų can make your life easier. Our mentors are experts at every aspect of the admissions process, and can help you find exactly the right program to meet your needs. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more, weā€™re always happy to hear from you.

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First, of course, it is one of the best CS programs in the country. Their school of is top ranked, and highly competitive for admissions. Beyond that, however, they offer some options that many schools do not: their combined studies . In this article, weā€™re going to explore both what these majors are, and how you can go about applying for them. While these arenā€™t going to be right for every student, they are a somewhat unique opportunity, and may be just right to perfectly prepare you for the future youā€™re dreaming of. 

UIUCā€™s Blended Computer Science Degrees

These are all single major programs, not dual degrees, which award a single BS degree. These must be applied to as your primary major; they are generally hosted in another college at UIUC, and your degree is awarded through that college. Each of these programs covers the fundamentals of both computer science and the partner field, and the merger between them, how CS can be used to advance the other work done in that field. 

There are more than a dozen of these, but weā€™ll go through each of them briefly, to explore who itā€™s for and what it can offer you.

This major is hosted by the College of Media, and covers the deeply intertwined fields of CS and advertising. Itā€™s no secret how much digital infrastructure is devoted to ads, and this major is designed so you can understand both the technical aspects of that infrastructure, and the marketing principles which underpin the advertising decisions. Note that this is not about digital ads themselves, but rather the advertising environment which is created in online spaces. 

Like many public universities in agrarian states, UIUC has a very strong program for agricultural sciences. This too is advancing with the advent of new technologies, and this degree prepares you for that. From breeding practices to feeding and management, a knowledge of programming and automation is increasingly desired for entrants into the world of agriculture. 

Anthropology has come a long way from Durkheim just making things up, and this major highlights the increasing importance of data and analysis in this field of study. Hosted by the College of Liberal Arts, this major focuses both on the anthropological impact of computers, and on using programming and data science to analyze and parse the mountains of data that anthropologists must now deal with. 

Hosted by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, this major is in response to the field of astronomy increasingly relying on programming knowledge in order to help deal with the mountains of data and the need for complex modeling. This major is particularly aimed at those students who are interested in pursuing graduate studies. Students in this major are encouraged to complete undergraduate research, though it isnā€™t required. 

This major is hosted by the Grainger College of Engineering, and is in response to the increasing importance of big data in creating new medical technologies, and the increase in cybernetics and digital technologies integrated with the mechanical hardware. This major is closer to a more pure engineering and CS major, but does have some unique offerings you canā€™t get from just majoring in bioengineering.

Hosted by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, this major is in response to the increasing use of computer science in chemistry research, especially in the fields of modeling and visualization. While you still need to have the baseline chemical understanding, CS can help you both predict and explain your results, along with assisting in analyzing large data sets. This works well for students interested in industry or higher education. 

This major is devoted to research and innovation within agriculture, particularly in fields where there is a lot of data which needs to be analyzed. Everything from weather patterns to plant genetics now can be greatly speeded through computer modeling, while other aspects of farming also benefit from technical innovation. Ideal for students looking for a job in this specific industry. 

Hosted by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, this program focuses on data analysis, especially when dealing with the incredibly large data sets economists generally use. This prepares students both to go directly into industry or to pursue further work in research and academia. While this is not directly a business degree, it is often more valuable for careers in finance than a business degree. 

Hosted by the College of Education, this major is specifically designed for students who want to go on to teach computer science, or for those who want to better understand how technology can be successfully integrated with education. The use of digital devices in education is a hotly debated topic, and this major will give you the tools to understand that. This major intentionally prepares students to pursue advanced degrees. 

Geographic Information Science, or GIS, is the term used for mapmaking digitally, combining high precision data in order to create the most accurate maps possible. This major gives students the tools to model and work with data that relates to physical space, transforming maps to reality and back again. UIUC is a leader in both fields, and this particular combined major is excellent for anyone who wants to enter the field of GIS specifically.

Hosted in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, this major looks at how computers use and interact with natural language, the same as used by you or I. There is also room in this for computational linguistics, though that is its own field of study. This major is particularly suited for students who are interested in graduate school, but also offers opportunities in industry, especially as the use of natural language by computers becomes more common. 

Hosted by the College of Fine and Applied Arts, this major looks at the connections between music and technology, from audio tools to advancements in digital music and production. This is a fine arts major, but still requires the math and science skills as any study of CS does. Students in this program can also take graduate courses in the Music school. 

For any number of reasons, there are an increasing number of ethical and fundamental questions raised by technology and computer science. The point of this major is to give you the technical understanding to grasp the questions being asked, and the philosophical depth to attempt meaningful answers to them. This is somewhat niche compared to other majors, but no less important for that fact. 

Hosted by the Grainger College of Engineering, this major focuses on the quantitative models used in so much of physics. Physics looks at things large and small, generating mountains of data, and programming and modeling are needed to fully parse this, to understand what you are looking at and what it means. This major is related to the CS+Astronomy one, but includes other fields of physics as well. This major gives you a solid grounding; many graduates go on to careers in industry, while others continue their studies in graduate school. 

How to Apply for a CS+X Major

All of these work the same as any other major offered by UIUC. When you apply, you select your first choice major in your college of choice, and you are evaluated for your fit for that major and program specifically. UIUC has a single admissions office, but admission is done by both college and major. 

These majors do not have any additional application requirements. They are, however, extremely competitive for admissions, since they are . The CS major as a whole has an acceptance rate of 7.4%, while the acceptance rate across all CS+X programs is 17.4%. This is higher, but is still more competitive than any other college at UIUC. 

The released acceptance rate also does not differentiate between different CS+X majors. While we arenā€™t certain, we are reasonably confident more students are applying for CS+Economics than for CS+Crop Science. Overall, however, there is nothing additional you need to do when applying; itā€™s just very hard to get in. 

UIUC does allow you to choose a second major when you apply, and we recommend doing so if you are aiming for one of the CS+X degrees. This is especially true for in-state students; UIUC has a lot of very good programs beyond computer science, and being able to avail yourself of them even if you donā€™t get your first choice is worthwhile.

Is a CS+X Major at UIUC Right for You?

This depends entirely on what your goals are, but for many students, these combined degrees offer many more options than a pure computer science major, or a simple major in the other field. A lot of fields increasingly rely on computer science, from the need to process massive amounts of data when doing research, to the complex tools and programs which now underpin so many fields.

In general, students with two particular goals benefit the most from these majors. Those who want to pursue research which involves significant amounts of data or modeling, and those who want to enter industries which rely heavily on technology, especially in finance or business. 

Everyone who does scientific research needs to understand a small amount of programming, enough to be able to run data analyses in R and plot out the results you get. In some research projects, the amount of data you are dealing with demands more than that, and you must be able to sift through mountains of data, or program complicated models which will enable you to properly understand the reactions which are occurring. This can be done through a CS minor, but a combined degree just makes the entire process more coherent. 

For industry, many companies have begun prioritizing hiring students with some knowledge of programming, especially in certain fields of finance and consulting. This certainly isnā€™t always the case, but if you are aiming at some fields or career paths, a degree which includes computer science is much more valuable than one which covers business alone. 

UIUC isnā€™t the only college to offer combined degrees of this type, but they have an incredibly wide variety of them, and make them far more accessible than many other universities. Combined with the strength of their computer science program, they are definitely worth including on your list of colleges if you are interested in pursuing CS at a high level.

Final Thoughts

Computer science isnā€™t the only field students can go into, and it is entirely possible to get a good career without it. That said, it’s no surprise why so many students are interested in pursuing it, or why itā€™s the most popular major at so many schools. We hope this article helped you understand one particular computer science offering at a university known for them, and evaluate whether or not a CS+X degree is something that might help with your goals.

If youā€™re looking for more help finding the exact degree or major that best suits your interests, or applying to the program once you have found it, then ³Ō¹Ļ¹ŁĶų can help. Our mentors are experts of every aspect of the admissions process, and have plenty of experience guiding students through it. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can help you. 

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What are Hackathons Anyway?

Before we discuss your options for hackathons, weā€™re going to very briefly cover what these events are, and why they might be impressive for admissions officers. Put simply, a hackathon is a short-term high intensity programming or software engineering event where coders all work towards a specific goal; either collaboratively or alone. The goal of the event is to have created something usable by the end, and to develop skills in problem solving and collaboration.

What problem these events are attacking, and the methods they use, are as varied as the hackathons themselves. Some of these are competitive, with prizes for the best entrants, while others are more casual and collaborative. They are all short term; the longest last 48 hours, and most are far shorter (especially those aimed at high school students). The goal is to see how much you can get done, and how quickly.

Hackathons generally end with presentations of what everyone has done. Thus you can both show off what youā€™ve accomplished, and gain insight into how others attacked the same problem. In-person events are also great opportunities for networking, as there are many people there with similar goals and interests as you.

For admissions, hackathons serve several purposes. First, as with any competition, winning one shows off what you are capable of in comparison to a peer group. Next, the experience of a hackathon, the joy of creation in a somewhat stressful collaborative environment, is often great fodder for college essays, and shows off many of the traits and values these schools look for in students. Universities want students who can operate well under pressure, who can meet tight deadlines when needed, and who seek out academic challenges for the fun of it. Hackathons demonstrate all of these traits and more.

Top Hackathons for High School Students

Weā€™ll give details for each event on who is allowed to compete, the format of it, and any other information we think is relevant. We are putting these in alphabetical order, for convenience. 

In spite of the name, this organization offers programming events and competitions for students all over the world, all of which are free to enter and participate in. All contests are held online; they have different divisions based on age and ability level. There are four contests each season, giving students multiple chances to compete; generally different contests focus on different challenges or programming languages.

Students must take a free online in order to register; this will help determine which divisions and competitions you are eligible for. These contests are great for students looking to be actively involved; the number of competitions each year gives you many opportunities to test your skills.

This is a 24 hour free global hackathon hosted entirely online. It is competitive, and students are given a challenge to solve; they are encouraged to collaborate. There are a variety of workshops and presentations over the course of the day, and at the end, students are given a chance to present what they have made; three minutes for the presentation, and two minutes for questions.

This event happens in June, and is relatively low commitment; many hackathons are due to the short time frame. This is a good event if you are looking for an introductory hackathon, as they allow for a broad array of submitted coding projects. You must be a currently enrolled high school student to participate.

This competition is hosted by New York University (as the name suggests). This is primarily an event aimed at college students, but high school students aged 16 and up may participate if they are accompanied by a guardian. The event has multiple possible tracks; students choose which they are participating in when they sign up.

You do not need a team when you sign up (though all competitions are team based). There are opportunities to find teams at the event, or beforehand amongst other attendees. The event is in person; food is provided for free. There are prizes for top performing attendees. This is a good option, especially for students who are already based in New York.

Run by Hewlett Packard, this is an annual hackathon held in March each year for students aged 13 to 18. They support several coding languages, and students submit source code to answer the challenge of the event. Students work in teams to complete this. Teams must be led by an adult sponsor; this sponsor must be associated with an accredited school.

Teams are two to three students; single teams are permitted but not recommended. There are both novice and advanced challenges available each year. This is both an in-person and virtual event. This is a three hour event where teams try to solve as many problems as possible; the team with the most points at the end wins. This is a good event to get a sense of hackathons, and to try out various coding challenges.

This is one of the largest global hackathons, and is open to participants of all skill levels, from students to experienced engineering professionals. Put on by NASA annually in October, this competition gives participants access to NASAā€™s data, and challenges them to use it to solve specific problems NASA is facing. Entrants work in teams to complete their projects, which are then submitted and judged. 

This one is remarkable because it also has a lot of local events, allowing for in-person networking. These events are held globally; you can see if thereā€™s one near you. This is a great option for students with an interest in data science or space exploration generally, on top of the CS applications.

This was the worldā€™s first student-run college hackathon; while it is still primarily competed in by college students, any students aged 15 and up are permitted to enter. It is held each year in September, and is run by the students at the University of Pennsylvaniaā€™s College of Engineering. This is an in-person event, with students travelling from around the world to Philadelphia to compete. 

This event is free to attend; you must pay for travel costs, but lodging and food are provided. You must apply to compete; this is competitive, and acceptance is not guaranteed. You will be assigned a team and an app challenge when you arrive. This is a competition, and prizes are awarded for the best apps and projects at weekendā€™s end.

Hosted by Stanfordā€™s Association for Computing Machinery, this hackathon is only available to high school students in the Bay Area. This is held in March each year, students compete in teams of up to three to solve a number of programming challenges over the course of three hours. The number of questions varies each year.

There are both novice and advanced divisions, but all entrants are expected to have at least a year of programming experience. This contest is free to enter and participate in; there are prizes for the top-performing teams. You may use several different programming languages, depending on preference. This is a great option for students who are local to the Bay Area.

Final Thoughts

Hackathons are not the right choice for every student looking to get involved in computer science, but they are a relatively low-commitment way to put your skills to the test, and have a lot of potential for high rates of return. If you are interested in coding, and want to connect with like minded peers while partaking in challenges often based in real world practical scenarios, hackathons are one of the best ways to spend your time.

We hope that this article has given you needed insight into where to start finding these events. Of course, there are many other ways to get involved in computer science as a high school student, and to show off your potential to colleges. If you are looking for more personalized advice, or guidance on how to make your own accomplishments shine, then schedule a free consultation with us today. We have a long experience helping students find the best opportunities for them, and are always happy to hear from you.

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In this article, weā€™re going to look at what Georgetownā€™s (STIA) major is, what its benefits are, and whether itā€™s right for you. Weā€™ll also cover how to apply to it, and other concerns you might have about taking part. Letā€™s get started!

What is the STIA Major?

Under the umbrella of the School of Foreign Service (SFS), the STIA major is offered as part of the . This program was begun in 1982, with the goal of researching how developing technology and associated concerns impacted the global community. This has continued, with the program doing significant amounts of research on the global and political implications of many science and technology related topics. 

This program as a whole offers PhD and Masterā€™s degrees, but undergraduate students are invited to take the same courses and ask the same big questions. In general, this major has two key planks: 

• First, students gain a strong foundation in international affairs through the core coursework of the SFS.
• Next, students gain a strong technical background in the sciences, both in terms of how specific issues impact international affairs, and a focus on being able to communicate on these specific issues clearly.

In addition to this, students may choose an area in which to specialize within the program. There are four possible concentrations to choose from: 

• Energy and Environment
• Business, Growth, and Development
• Biotechnology and Global Health
• Science, Technology, and Security

Regardless of your area of concentration, you are expected to develop expertise in at least one field of science. Research is another core component of the major; while you are not required to join a research lab, many students work with professors on ongoing research projects. This research is also frequently interdisciplinary, with students able to pursue research in both the hard sciences and social sciences, and in studies at the intersection of the two. 

Finally, science communication is an integral part of the major. STIA doesnā€™t just want to grant you expertise in a scientific field, but to be able to share that expertise, and to be able to explain how that field relates to ongoing global issues. To that end, all students must either participate in a senior seminar, or complete an honors senior thesis. These are both meant to give you experience in sharing your ideas, and clearly communicating the concepts you have mastered. 

STIA for Pre-Meds and Engineering

STIA is not the most popular major for pre meds, but is quite good for students who are interested in public health on a global scale. Their science foundation overlaps with many pre med requirements, though it will be some effort to get all of those done along with your major requirements. The focus on research also aligns well with what premeds need to focus on. 

STIA is not an engineering major, but as a minor it can pair well with students who are majoring in engineering. If you are interested in global infrastructure or the impacts of global issues and using engineering to solve them, then this course of study can give you much-needed perspective. Note that this is done through Georgetownā€™s 3-2 engineering partnership program with °ä“Ē±ō³Ü³¾²ś¾±²¹ā€™s School of Engineering.

How to Join the STIA Major

Unlike some specialty programs, there is no separate requirement or application to join the STIA major. You do need to be in the School of Foreign Service to take the major, but students in other schools at Georgetown may apply to the STIA . This requires getting permission from the dean of your home college. You must also fulfill the course prerequisites in order to take on the minor. 

In general, this means the hardest part of taking the STIA minor is in applying to Georgetown itself. This is difficult in its own right; Georgetown is a very good school, and has a somewhat low acceptance rate. You only need to contend with the standard application however. 

We will note that Georgetown is one of the few schools which does not use the Common App for admissions. You must apply through their own portal; while this is generally quite similar to the Common App (asking for biographical information, about your activities, and for essays), it is an extra step in the process, and something you need to be aware of. 

Georgetownā€™s School of Foreign Service does ask for the following essay (as each college within Georgetown has their own unique essay prompt):

• Georgetown Universityā€™s Walsh School of Foreign Service was founded more than a century ago to prepare generations of leaders with the foundational skills to address global issues. Describe your primary motivations for studying international affairs at Georgetown University and dedicating your undergraduate studies towards a future in global service. (Approximately one page, single-spaced)

For this essay specifically, you should speak to your intended major if you plan on taking part in STIA, and describing what motivated your interests. Being able to discuss your past experiences with the intersection of technology and foreign affairs or public policy is a great way to demonstrate that you have seriously considered your options, and that this program is the best fit for your goals. 

For more advice on applying to Georgetown and answering their essay prompts, see our guide here. 

Accelerated Masterā€™s Program

Students who are currently majoring in STIA may apply to an accelerated masterā€™s program in the field. This may only be done by current Georgetown students, but allows you to complete your undergrad and a masters degree in only five years, which is quite good for some specialties. 

Is the STIA Major Right for You?

This depends entirely on your goals, both in college and beyond. Georgetown, as a school, offers a lot of benefits to all of its students, primarily the excellence of its curriculum and its proximity to the halls of power in DC. It is well known as a feeder school for governmental employees, both politicians and the core of civil servants who keep the cogs of government running smoothly. This is true for all majors, but certain paths of study lean into this more than others. 

STIA is directly positioned to help students who are interested in the intersection of global issues and scientific and technological advancement explore that nexus. While they are able to prepare students for a wide range of careers, those looking for civil service in these areas are the ones who will benefit the most. 

Of course, there is a wide amount of ground covered by the intersection of technology and global issues. From the agencies of the UN which deal directly with science like the World Health Organization, to purely American institutions that deal with issues of global import, such as NOAAā€™s study of climate change. These are just two examples; there are increasing ways technology matters and impacts the lives of people around the world. 

Other interests can also benefit from this major, from medicine to business. The broad scope of this program of study means that you can find many possible applications. It is not ideal for all students of course, but a focus on both science and foreign relations prepares you for many careers in our globalized and technology driven society. 

Final Thoughts

Many colleges have specialized majors and programs, meant to help students explore the intersections between disparate fields. We live in an interconnected world, so these programs are often an excellent way to get a leg up in preparing for a career. We hope that this article served to introduce you to one such program in Georgetownā€™s STIA major, and gave you the information you needed to determine if itā€™s right for you. 

There are far more college majors and programs than any student can reasonably be expected to research, especially with all of the other demands on their time in senior year. This is where ³Ō¹Ļ¹ŁĶų comes in. We have an in-depth knowledge of colleges and programs, and can help you find and research ones which best suit your needs and interests, regardless of what those may be. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more about how we can help you; we have a long experience with every aspect of college admissions, and are always happy to hear from you.

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To this end, universities try to admit students with a range of interests. Thus it is often far more competitive to get admitted as a computer science major than to study a less popular field. The question we then get asked is just how severe this difference is. In this article, weā€™re going to look at acceptance rates for students interested in majoring in CS at top programs, and compare them to admissions rates as a whole. Our goal here is to give you a sense of scale for this challenge. Weā€™ll also give some advice on maximizing your chances of acceptance as a CS major. Letā€™s get started!

Understanding CS Acceptance Rates

Each college handles admissions differently, with their own policies and priorities. In general, however, there are three main ways of doing things: 

• At large admissions. In this method, applications to a college are all judged in a single pool; this is how Harvard does it.Ā 
• By College. At these universities, applications are judged based on which subsidiary college students are applying to within a university, and different colleges can have different acceptance rates.Ā 
• By Major. For these universities, certain majors evaluate all applicants to that particular major separately, and the major itself has an acceptance rate. This is not true of all majors, just the most popular ones.Ā 

We are relatively certain that applying to Harvard as a computer science major is going to be more competitive than applying to study linguistics, but it is pretty much impossible to put a quantitative value on the difference. Harvard releases no information on how many students apply to which majors, and how many of them are then accepted. Their admissions pool is a monolith, and how the decisions are made a black box. 

Thus when we want to discuss just how competitive computer science is as a major, we need to look at universities that admit by major, and which are willing to release admissions statistics. Not all schools do this, but some do, enough to give us a sense of trends, and useful points of comparison. 

Computer Science Acceptance Rates at Top Colleges

Now that weā€™ve covered the limitations of the data available to us, letā€™s look at what the data actually says. Here are the acceptance rates for CS majors at top colleges that admit by major or program, and which release that data: 

Note that acceptance rates marked with an * are from older data, or estimations based on student reports. These are as accurate as we could make them given all data available.

Note also that public colleges have differing acceptance rates for in-state and out-of-state students; most colleges do not provide a breakdown of this, but University of Washington does, which is a useful data point. 

To help further illustrate this point, here is this same data represented graphically: 

Of course, this is not every CS program in the country, but we do believe it provides a representative sample of how these schools work for admissions. 

What This Data Means for You

The first, and most obvious, takeaway is that admissions to CS programs is very very competitive. How competitive varies by school and program, but we have never found a CS program that is less competitive than a college as a whole. CS is one of the most popular majors available at almost every college; even if it is not the most popular major, it is usually one of the top five. 

How much being an in-state applicant matters depends on specific schools and their policies. UW, for example, is at one extreme, with almost no out-of-state students admitted to their CS major. UT Austin is at another end; with more out-of-state students admitted to CS proportionally than to the college as a whole. Applications are still competitive of course, but whether or not a particular college weighs your residency for a CS program depends on their own admission priorities. 

Next, these acceptance rates can move a school from safety to reach. UW isnā€™t too terribly hard to get into generally; unless you happen to apply to their CS program as an out of state student, in which case itā€™s even more competitive than Harvard. This is something you need to pay careful attention to when building your college list, so you know exactly what your odds are, and how hard itā€™s going to be. 

Maximizing Your Chances of Acceptance to a CS Major

Now that weā€™ve looked at just how competitive CS majors are at top programs, you may be feeling a bit nervous. After all, acceptance rates at top schools are already quite low, and this data makes it seem like students interested in studying computer science have an even harder path ahead of them. 

The first point we want to make clear then, is that it is still totally possible to get into a top CS program. Hundreds of students are admitted into these every year, and go on to study and graduate, and do remarkable things. It is a challenge, certainly, but that is very different from being impossible. 

Here, then, are our best pieces of advice for applying to one of these competitive programs. 

Apply Strategically

This is something weā€™ve discussed before. If a school is very competitive for computer science, then consider applying as a different major, and switching later. If your background is very closely connected to CS, then check out our guide to related majors. For advice on changing majors once admitted, check out our article on the topic. 

This will not be possible for every program, especially for schools that admit directly to their computer science major, like many of the programs charted above. That said, this is the single best way to improve your chances of admission at the last minute. 

Build Candidacy

The other key way to improve your chances, especially when applying to direct-admit programs, is to have a very strong candidacy in computer science. This is something you should work to build over your time in high school, becoming the kind of student that these colleges and programs want to admit. There are several ways to do this; there is no single right way, but many different approaches that work. Some things our students have done include:

• Teaching themselves coding languages, and uploading projects to code repositories.
• Doing research in computer science, and publishing or presenting it.
• Competing in CS events, such as hackathons or programming challenges.
• Taking part in CS summer programs.
• Completing internships where you use your CS skills to assist with the goals of an organization or nonprofit.

The goal of all of these is to both build your own skills with computer science, and to show off your passion to universities. Top colleges want to admit passionate and motivated students, so showing off your own passions and skills in what you do throughout your time in high school is the best way to stand out to them.

Final Thoughts

Some college majors are more competitive than others. CS is often one of the most competitive, though this does vary somewhat by school and program. We hope that this article has given you a good sense of just how competitive CS is compared to admissions as a whole, and how this added level of competition should impact your own application strategy. 
Of course, you donā€™t have to go it alone. ³Ō¹Ļ¹ŁĶų has a long experience helping students build candidacy to showcase their computer science prowess, and in crafting successful applications to some of the countryā€™s top CS programs. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more about how we can help you with your own academic ambitions; we love helping students succeed, and weā€™re always happy to hear from you.

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Computer Science and Computer Engineering are often confused by casual observers, and often trip up students, who arenā€™t sure which they want to major in to pursue their career interests. In this article, weā€™re going to cover the differences between them, and then talk about some colleges which offer both, so we can see what specific differences are in how the majors play out. Letā€™s get started!

The Differences Between Computer Science and Computer Engineering

The first thing to note is that CS may be offered as a major through either Arts & Sciences or through Engineering, but CE is only ever offered through Engineering (itā€™s right there in the name). Note that some schools offer Computer Science and Engineering majors; these combine the fields in some ways, but are generally heavier on the engineering side.

In general, computer engineering focuses on hardware, while computer science focuses on software. Most computer engineering courses do have a significant software component however; the field is generally seen as the meeting point between computer science and electrical engineering. 

By contrast, computer science coursework almost never touches upon hardware. There may be some discussion of technical limitations of different systems or how coding needs to adapt to hardware limits, but the practicalities of constructing computer hardware are not the main focus.

Neither field is more inherently valuable, but they do have very different applications. CS degrees allow for a wide number of technology and software applications; basically any career which requires regularly working with code or other digital systems. CE, in contrast, prepares you for careers working with computer hardware. This often includes the development of new technologies, or the implementation of new ideas. 

A further important difference is that students who major in CE generally require as an engineer in order to begin many careers in the field. The requirements for this vary by state, but always involve taking a certification exam to prove you are fully qualified to work as an engineer. There is no such requirement for CS careers. 

This does depend on the work you will be doing in CE, and is only required for work as an engineer. We explain how this certification process works in more detail in our guide to engineering, but in general the amount of public trust needed in engineers is so high that certification is usually mandated by law.

Colleges That Offer Both Computer Science and Computer Engineering

There are a significant number of colleges which offer both of these disciplines, far too many to cover in a single article. Instead, weā€™ll go through a number of top programs, to look at what the practical differences are between these majors, and how students experience each. 

Carnegie Mellon University

°ä²Ń±«ā€™s (ECE) department offers a BS degree, and is accredited to train future engineers. A list of the courses available within ECE can be found ; they offer a breadth of options. The majorā€™s offer more flexibility than many engineering majors, but still require a significant number of prerequisite and core coursework. Admission may be done to the major directly, or to the College of Engineering, after which you decide on a major in the spring. 

°ä²Ń±«ā€™s College offers a major in CS, along with a number of other related fields. The has a much heavier research focus than other schools. It has the following ; these are extensive, but are slightly less than is required for a CE degree. Admission is done to the College of Computer Science; students should apply there directly. 

Columbia

°ä“Ē±ō³Ü³¾²ś¾±²¹ā€™s department teaches the fundamentals of the field, and is offered through °ä“Ē±ō³Ü³¾²ś¾±²¹ā€™s College of Engineering. Required courses can be found , with a notable number of required prerequisite and core coursework for students. Admissions is all handled by the central admissions department, but students interested in CE should apply to the College of Engineering and to their major specifically, as switching between the schools at Columbia is quite difficult. 

The Department of is interesting as it is shared between the School of Engineering and the College, thus allowing you to earn a BS or a BA in CS, depending on which of the undergraduate schools you are enrolled in. Note that the major requirements and components of these are fundamentally the same; the primary difference is which core requirements you will need to fulfill. You may apply to either, but not both.

MIT

MITā€™s majors are slightly different, and exist in different configurations. They offer two for engineering; and . Both of these are offered through the College of Engineering, and both fully accredit you for a career as an engineer. They have comparable course loads, though CSE focuses more on the software side, while EECS covers significantly more hardware topics. 

MIT also offers through the Department of Mathematics. This major focuses far more on theory and higher level math than is touched on in more engineering focused CS majors. This particular major is good for students with a very strong mathematical background who want to explore deeper theoretical work in CS.

UC Berkeley

Berkeleyā€™s Department of plays host to both the CS and EECS majors. On top of that, they provide an incredibly informative which allows students to compare and contrast the two degrees, to see which better suits their needs. We do want to note that while both of these majors are in the same department, they are housed in different colleges at Berkeley. EECS is in Engineering, while CS is in Berkeleyā€™s new College of Computer Science. 

The CS component is the same between the majors; the biggest difference is what else youā€™ll cover. CS as a major gives you more flexibility with your curriculum, and has more of the requirements of a standard liberal arts degree. EECS in contrast gets further into engineering principles, and allows you to explore the hardware which underlies computer programming.

UT Austin

The Cockrell School of Engineering plays host to the (ECE) department, which awards BSE degrees. The for this program are heavy, with significant core coursework and prerequisite classes. WHile there is still some room for elective courses, there is less maneuverability than some programs. Students interested in this major should apply to it and the School of Engineering directly. It is a very popular major, among the most popular in engineering, and transferring in once you are already at UT Austin is quite difficult. 

The Department of is located in the College of Natural Sciences, and its program awards BS degrees. It focuses solely on software, with ECE covering all of the hardware components. There are a number of core courses required in the , but fewer than ECE has. Admissions to this is again by college and major; this is among the most popular majors at UT Austin in general, and students should apply to it directly. 

Notable Exceptions

Caltech has a computer science major of course, but they have no specific computer engineering one; you are quite capable of studying CE through their electrical engineering major, or through a double major, but it is not a program of study in and of itself. 

Harvard has a computer science major, but their only options for computer engineering come through their electrical engineering major. While this is a good program, it is less focused than a pure CE course. 

Harvey Mudd is well known for their engineering programs, but these are somewhat general. They do not offer a specialized CE major, though their CS and Engineering coursework in combination will serve you well.

Final Thoughts

Computer Science and Computer Engineering are inherently linked, and together form the backbone of much of modern technology, from the screen youā€™re reading this article on to the servers hosting it. It is unsurprising that so many students want to study one or the other of these topics, and we hope that this article has given you insight into the differences in the content and presentation between them, and which will suit your needs better. 

One other major similarity between CS and CE is how popular they are, and therefore how competitive all of these programs are for admissions. We see this in admissions rates to programs which admit by major, with computer science frequently topping the list of most competitive overall. If you are concerned about your own admissions chances, or want advice on how to apply to one of these programs, schedule a free consultation with us today. We have a long experience helping students get into their top colleges, and are always happy to hear from you.

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These are very popular with undergraduates, as they combine two already incredibly popular options. Of course, not all high school students know what exactly to study to get into the world of Fintech. In this article, weā€™ll give you the full picture; what your options are, how best you can study them, and the career options once you have. Letā€™s get started!

What is Fintech Anyway?

Fintech is the term for technologies related to finance, both in terms of delivering financial systems to consumers and used by corporations themselves. This is understandably a broad field, covering everything from online banking and smartphone payments to automated trading algorithms to blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. 

This broadness makes saying things definitively about the field as a whole difficult, because what may be true for one sector may not be for another. That said, this is a rapidly growing field generally, as new technologies give significant new options for both reaching consumers and managing financial resources. 

Fintech is one of the fields of finance most open to growth and disruption, but also one with much uncertainty because of that. Technology often outpaces regulation by several years, but this can mean serious instability in certain market sectors. 

We will speak about the field generally for the rest of this article, with notes as to whether or not certain advice applies either broadly or narrowly. 

What Should You Major in to Pursue Fintech?

There are a with dedicated Fintech majors, minors, and other programs, but these are by far a minority. Further, very few of these are offered by highly ranked schools, and most instead are offered by state or local colleges.

Just because there isnā€™t a major in a field doesnā€™t mean you canā€™t study it; after all, thereā€™s no pre-med major at any Ivy League school, but they send hundreds of graduates on to medical schools each year. In the same way, you donā€™t need a Fintech major in order to enter this field. Hereā€™s what you do need:

Computer Science 

Technology is the second part of the term Fintech, but is the more important one by far. Itā€™s easier to teach someone who already understands coding and higher level math about finance than the reverse. The most important thing for any career in Fintech then is a solid grounding in computer science principles. 

A general CS degree is of use here, or you may specialize if there is a specific subfield you already know you are interested in. At minimum, we recommend minoring in computer science; else you will not have the skills you need for this field. 

The top five CS programs for students interested in Fintech are:

1. . They are well known for the strength of their CS program, and allow all students to take a selection of economics courses as well as business ones.
2. . Stanfordā€™s program is not only excellent, but highly flexible, allowing you to specialize wherever you need to grasp emerging technologies.
3. . As CMU requires all CS majors to minor in another subject, this gives you an excellent opportunity to explore other fields which will be beneficial to a career in Fintech.
4. : Generally regarded as one of the best schools for engineering and technology generally, the preparation you get at Caltech will set you up for any role focused on computers or programming.
5. . On top of a very strong CS program, Harvard has significant alumni connections to many firms using and exploring Fintech, opening up significant opportunities for networking for current students.

Finance

This is secondary; it is entirely possible to get a job in Fintech with only a CS degree, never having taken a business or economics course. That said, having some knowledge of the field is helpful, especially given how important networking is in business generally. 

We recommend taking several courses in economics or business, so that you understand the fundamentals of the field. A minor can also be useful. Further, involvement with business related extracurriculars is incredibly important, as this is a major component of networking for jobs in finance. 

You can of course double major in Computer Science and either business or economics, but this depends on the university you are attending. Double majoring is a good way to get an in-depth understanding of both fields, but the popularity of both can make doing this difficult logistically.

Here are the top five programs to study economics or business in, if your goal is a job in Fintech. Note that we recommend combining these with a CS minor at least:

1. . Pennā€™s Wharton school tops the lists of best business programs for a reason. It gives you everything you need for a successful career on Wall Street or elsewhere.Ā 
2. . Itā€™s not just the great education you get at Harvard; their alumni network and connections are some of the best in the world for students interested in careers in finance.Ā 
3. . Located in the heart of New York, transitioning from Columbia to Wall Street isnā€™t even much of a commute.Ā 
4. . Not only is their program quite good, they have a strong focus on the math and data underlying the study of economics, which is useful for anyone looking to specialize in the data heavy field of Fintech.
5. . Cornell has a top performing business program, and while located on the other end of New York, still sends many students on to careers on Wall Street.

Combined Degree Programs

There are a number of degree programs which allow you to simultaneously study both technology and business. Many of these are designed with a focus on developing new technologies and the entrepreneurship skills needed to launch a successful startup, but the skills they impart are equally useful for students interested in Fintech. 

While these programs are excellent, they also tend to be incredibly competitive for admissions. This makes sense; both computer science and business are among the most popular majors available, and any major which combines them is going to be even more so. While you can also simply double major, these combined degree programs are a step above this, and are definitely worth looking into.

Here are our top five combined degree programs in business and economics:

1. . Students double major in Wharton and the College of Engineering, and learn the tools of both in combination.Ā 
2. . The Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology program is meant to equip students with the skills they need to be the next Silicon Valley startup, but it translates equally well to Fintech careers.
3. . Brown technically doesnā€™t have majors, but this program allows students to combine their studies of these two fields, preparing them to apply the skills of one to succeed in the other.
4. . UT Austin offers the honors Computer Science and Business program, where students enroll in two separate honors programs, taking courses in each.Ā 
5. . This major combines Economics, CS, and Data Science, and allows you to dive deep in each. Combined with MITā€™s strong alumni network, students with this major have no trouble finding positions in Fintech.

How to Find a Job in Fintech as an Undergrad

Finding a job in Fintech is similar to finding any other job in finance. Note that this is different from finding jobs in tech; while this discipline sits at the intersection of these two fields, the companies which overwhelmingly work in Fintech are based in business and finance adopting new technologies, rather than originating from tech companies. 

Thus finding a job relies not just on what you do in the classroom, but what you do outside of it. All of the following are key to finding a job in Fintech: 

• Pursue finance related extracurriculars. Your resume will be important for finding jobs, and involvement in business organizations will help. Business honors societies can also help a lot here, as alumni from these organizations tend to love helping each other out.Ā 
• Look for internships. Landing an internship with a company often leads to a job offer in the future. Even if it doesn’t, the experience and connections you make will help you secure further opportunities.Ā 
• Work on networking. We have a longer explanation of how and when to do this in our general guide to careers in business, and the same information applies here.Ā 

Employers are going to be looking specifically for your technical ability here; while knowledge of finance and business is incredibly helpful in navigating the industry, it is your technical skills which will land you a position. Most major financial firms are moving into Fintech; with the way the industry is going, they have no way of avoiding doing so. 

How to Explore Fintech in High School

As with many fields of study, you donā€™t need to wait until you enter college to begin exploring Fintech. While the options for exploring this specific intersection are going to be limited in high school, there are still ways you can learn relevant skills or concepts, or gain practical experience. 

The first, and simplest way is by gaining experience with coding and computer science generally. There are many ways to do this, through academic coursework, extracurriculars, and summer programs. While this may not be directly related to the field of Fintech, experience with programming generally will help you build the skills you will need to succeed in the field, and help you when you apply to study technology in college. 

If you are more ambitious, you can look for internships and opportunities which specifically combine business and technology, or make your own. Helping a small nonprofit by coding an app that tracks their purchases or manages donations is a great introduction to how technology can impact the field of business, and make things easier for people to conduct their business.

Final Thoughts

It is unsurprising to find an intersection between business and technology, and the careers in this niche are increasingly popular and prevalent. While majors to study this field specifically are rare, special programs and a growing interest means there are plenty of ways for students to get involved with Fintech in undergrad, or even earlier. 

We hope this article has provided a solid introduction to the field, and what you need to know to pursue both your studies and a job in it. As with many other careers in business, the college you attend has a significant impact on your chances of landing a job with a top firm. If you are looking for advice on applying to one of these top colleges, or want to know which specific major will do the best job of positioning you for a job in Fintech, schedule a free consultation with us today. We have a long experience working with students, and are always happy to hear from you.

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There has been much talk about the ability of AI to write programs, and speculation on how this will change the field of computer science, and the career prospects for programmers. In this article, weā€™re going to break this down to the details; what we know for sure, whatā€™s just hype, and how the growing presence and power of AI tools will impact students seeking to major in computer science. Letā€™s get started!

Note on Sources

While we here at ³Ō¹Ļ¹ŁĶų are experts at college admissions, that doesnā€™t mean we know everything. This article was written in collaboration with our Computer Science Research Mentors, Doctors Farah Kidwai and Rebecca Beason. To learn more about them, and the research program theyā€™re part of, see our page here. 

Will AI Replace Programmers?

This is perhaps the most relevant question, because one of the major draws of CS as a major is the perceived career safety it offers. There is a big demand for experienced computer programmers, and any impact of AI on this job market will send aftershocks through colleges and beyond. So is this something you need to worry about?

Probably not. 

As with all complicated questions, there is some nuance here, but in general, there will be no major shortage of programming positions caused by AI in the near future. There are several reasons for this, and we are not saying all careers are safe. Weā€™ll break down what we know, and what AI can and cannot do currently. 

Lag Time

Computer science is an incredibly fast moving field when compared to most other disciplines. In archaeology, for example, the people youā€™re studying arenā€™t getting any deader, so thereā€™s no real rush to publish. Advances and discoveries happen, but at a sedate pace. In computer science, technology changes by the month, with new techniques, breakthroughs, software, hardware, and capabilities debuting regularly. 

AI is built on large data inputs filtered in over time. This means it must generally lag behind the curve, as new discoveries are processed, analyzed, and finally fed into training data. Most of the data sets AI is built on are a year or two old. For most fields, this is only a small impact, but for computer science, this is a very long time. 

Specific Skills

Currently, there are certain tasks Ai is very good at; querying databases, extracting and compiling data, and writing general programs are its main areas of strength. The more niche and specialized a request is, the less likely an AI will be able to complete it with any degree of competency. 

Expertise in specific domains is not yet something AI can emulate, leaving a lot of leeway for subject matter experts. In addition, there are certain areas where we do not want AI operating for security or safety concerns. Terminator was just a movie, but that doesnā€™t mean we want autonomous decisions in military applications. 

The Ouroboros Problem

Ouroboros, the snake eating its own tail, is an apt metaphor for one of the problems AI is beginning to run into. The strength of these models is only as good as the data fed into them, and feeding a model data generated by another AI is a major problem. The model begins to feed upon itself, and the outputs produced become less and less useful and viable. This is not yet a major problem, but is a significant weakness in AI, and is part of why the need for human programmers remains. 

Will AI Impact Coding Careers?

Yes. A lot. Ai is a tool, a powerful one, with limits weā€™re still finding, and which are still expanding. While AI will not be able to unseat programmers, it will definitely impact the work they do and how they do it. 

Some careers in data entry will likely be entirely replaced, as this is one of the things AI can reliably do. There will still need to be a person to check the numbers, but the long work of doing it will be easier to automate. Other careers in databases will likely be fully transformed or automated as well, or have a significant portion of their duties taken by AI. 

In other careers, AI will fill other niches, as a research aid, or drafter, or a way to build scaffolding that will need to be fleshed out by a human afterwards. You cannot yet trust all of the information sourced through AI, nor does its code run reliably, but it is still a useful starting place for many tasks. 

When and how AI will be used will vary a lot by field and discipline; those few programmers still working with COBOL will likely never make use of it, while others will need to interact and interface with AI tools quite often. In your time at college, you will be able to control just how much you will be expected to interact with AI, based on what you decide to specialize in within computer science. 

How Will AI Impact Computer Science Majors?

As AI entwines itself with the entire field of programming, so too is it being felt in computer science departments and majors. Of course, each college is handling this differently, as they adapt to changing circumstances as they see fit. We will go through the changes we have seen already, and some we anticipate going forward. 

New Specializations or Certificates

AI is increasingly its own subfield within computer science. Much like cybersecurity or data science, it too is something colleges are allowing students to specialize in. This is important for anyone who wants to work in this field; understanding the back end of these processes, what goes on behind the curtain is key for any student who wants a career dealing with AI. 

These specializations are not a major in themselves, but may give you a slight leg up when angling for a career directly relating to AI. They can also be useful for students who want to make better use of AI tools in their own disciplines by understanding the code which underpins them. 

New AI Majors

Some colleges are going further, and creating full majors to study AI, generally as a subfield within computer science or data science. These are rare still, but we expect the number offered to expand. Universities are old, and have a great deal of institutional momentum, so it takes them a long time to change and adapt. 

These majors will cover much of the same ground as a standard computer science major, but with more of a focus on using and forming the code which underpins AI, and on understanding how the algorithms which govern its behavior operate. As with all niche majors this may limit your options slightly, but if you know you intend to work with AI, they are a great option for you. 

Changes to Workflow

A change being seen across disciplines and majors is the increased use of AI for cheating, especially on homework assignments and essays. Some students have always been keen to find loopholes, but the ability of AI to evade many plagiarism checkers is opening new doors for academic dishonesty.

This is happening in computer science as well, as AI tools offer programmers some easy shortcuts. The code written by AI does not always work, and sometimes has questionable errors, but it can write code. The use of AI to cheat in these courses is lower than in purely text based classes, but it is occurring.

We recommend that students not use these shortcuts. There are various ethical reasons not to cheat, but there are also practical ones. The homework you are assigned is designed to help you practice and master certain skills, and tests then allow you to demonstrate that mastery. If you arenā€™t trying to learn and master these skills, then why are you at college in the first place? Every job you get will assume you have the skills associated with your degree, and if you relied overmuch on AI, then you may find yourself overwhelmed when you enter the workforce. 

This applies to non-CS classes as well. Putting aside the overwhelming irony of cheating in an ethics class, the point of college is to help you learn to tackle complex problems. Outsourcing that skill means you donā€™t develop the mental muscles you need, and leaves you with a shortage of skills that employers expect from graduates of a top college. AI will impact the workflow of students in many majors, but we recommend avoiding its use in this way. 

Final Thoughts

We are still in the development stages of AI, and waiting to see just how powerful it becomes as a technology. While it clearly has great potential, just how much of the hype will be realized is uncertain. It is certain, however, that while it will greatly impact the entire field of computer science, programming careers will remain relevant for quite some time. 

Of course, the new popularity of AI is only driving an increase in the number of students who want to study computer science, and increasing competition for a limited number of seats at top programs. If you are looking for help with your own application, or creating the kind of candidacy that top colleges want from students, schedule a free consultation today. We have years of expertise at helping students apply to top colleges, and are always happy to hear from you.

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In this article, weā€™re going to examine one such example, that of male students of Indian descent trying to enter computer science. Weā€™re going to look at the potential challenges these students face, and why they exist. Then weā€™re going to see how this looks in practice, by examining how an ³Ō¹Ļ¹ŁĶų student got into Carnegie Mellon University’s prestigious Computer Science program. Letā€™s get started!

Why it Can be Harder to Apply as an Indian Male

There are two factors at play here. The first is that colleges are looking for some diversity in their programs. This is not just racial or gender quotas, but a diversity of backgrounds, viewpoints, and experiences. Admissions officers often assume, correctly or not, that students from similar demographic backgrounds have similar views on the world, and similar experiences that shaped them.

Thus if they want to bring a diversity of viewpoints into a program, then some candidates from less common backgrounds are advantaged. If there are a lot of students from a single seemingly shared background, then each of them is slightly disadvantaged. 

This then leads into the second issue these applicants can face. Namely, that the more applications an admissions officer sees with similar themes, the less any one of them stands out. This is not to say that all Indian male applicants are identical, but many of them fall into the same trap of presenting what they believe admissions officers want to see, and in so doing accidentally decreasing their odds of acceptance. 

Admissions officers review thousands of applications each year; while being truly unique is quite hard, you should try to let your authentic voice come through, and represent yourself in a sincere manner. In the next section, weā€™ll examine what this can look like, and why it works. 

What an Activities List Should Look Like

The activities you do in high school signal to admissions officers where your interests and passions lie. Here are the activities Student A listed on his Common App: 

Analysis

This is all very nice, but what does it tell us about Student A, and what he did right?

First, and most importantly, Student A has a clear passion for computer science, and has a lot of experience in that field. His top four activities are all CS related, all fairly significant accomplishments, and all serve to demonstrate his intellectual vitality; his drive to learn and grow for the sake of discovery and joy of learning. 

This is the first thing universities check for on an activities list; whether youā€™ve really explored the subject you are interested in majoring in. This is especially true for subjects like computer science, where there are many avenues for high school students to get involved. Student A has not only taken advantage of these opportunities, but has done so consistently, and at a very high level. 

This initial spike is important, but it often is not enough on its own. Your activities list is an admissions officerā€™s first introduction to you as a person, and you want to show them your personality. You shouldnā€™t invent items, but you should show off the breadth of your interests. Student A does this, and in so doing also shows off character traits universities like to see; his skill at leadership, his devotion to his community, and just a hint of weirdness. 

Essay Examples

Carnegie Mellon University asks for three essays, each seeking to understand a different aspect of your character. Weā€™ll go through each of Student Aā€™s essays, and examine how they position him for °ä²Ń±«ā€™s computer science program. 

Essay 1: Why Major

My mom put her hand in front of the cobra and it lunged forward. ā€œIt worked!ā€ my little brother and I exclaimed in unison. Ten-year-old me was fascinated: how could a few lines of code make the robot snake I programmed ā€œseeā€ the motion of her hand?

Today, when I hold up my iPhone, the deviceā€™s sensors use highly optimized algorithms to reliably ā€œseeā€ my curly hair and dark brown eyes. Eager to learn more about this technology, I spent months completing DeepLearning.AIā€™s courses on everything from logistic regression to convolutional neural networks. I simultaneously worked on my first computer vision project at Emory University, training Googleā€™s MediaPipe deep learning model to recognize 19 new gestures from the call sign to thumbs up. I spent long nights tuning hyperparameters until the computer recognized my fist, elated to see the dots on my screen marking the joints of my hand in real time. As I transfigured my fist into the shape of a peace sign, I envisioned how the same technology could be used in augmented reality glasses to help translate sign language and ease communication between deaf people and those who donā€™t sign.

As my project came to a close, I continued to explore the other applications of computer vision in collaboration with my Emory University mentor, working on Kaggle competitions related to medical imaging and botanical classification. At CMU, I hope to work with Professor Srinivasa Narasimhan on his research using light curtains to help robots navigate diverse terrains, and Professor Shubham Tulsiani, who has developed a method to allow robots to learn everyday tasks by watching videos of humans. From autonomous vehicles to diagnosing diseases, I foresee a future where computer vision is ubiquitous and I am eager to be part of making that vision a reality.

Analysis

The point of these essays is to demonstrate your past involvement with the substance of the major, and explain why you want to devote yourself to this course of study. Student A does this well, tracking a single theme from their initial interest to in depth research and mastery. 

Your own reasons for pursuing computer science should be personal, and come from a place of interest and passion. You should talk about past experiences, and any projects you have worked on which illustrate this passion and love of learning. There is a great realm of possibility in computer science, and you can explore any aspect of it in this essay. 

You should have some notes on how you want to explore these subjects at CMU specifically, but this is not the main thrust of the essay. That said, each school has their own perks, and if they do not ask for a ā€œWhy Usā€ essay, bringing some of them into your ā€œWhy Majorā€ essay is a good idea. 

Essay 2:

Many students pursue college for a specific degree, career opportunity or personal goal. Whichever it may be, learning will be critical to achieve your ultimate goal. As you think ahead to the process of learning during your college years, how will you define a successful college experience?

In The Gene, Siddhartha Mukherjee asks what makes humans different from chimpanzees, although we share about 99% of our DNA. From my work on machine learning, I have seen that computers are quickly approaching and even surpassing human levels of intelligence. So, what makes us human? I grapple with this question and try to find the answers in our complicated history, biology, and culture. Iā€™ve played music from Vivaldi to John Williams, read about the history of cancer, and closely followed current events and political debates.

Through °ä²Ń±«ā€™s expansive curriculum, I will combine computer science with the study of biology, music, and politics to continue exploring all the complexities of human expression. I plan to join the University Orchestra and take classes like Modern Biology, Music History I, and Non-Violent Conflict and Revolution to broaden my understanding of our shared humanity. Iā€™m eager to discover the possibilities for machine learning to develop better diagnostic tools, compose original music, and fact-check our representatives.

As part of my journey to understand the human experience, Iā€™ve dedicated myself to serving my community. One way Iā€™ve done this is by leading my schoolā€™s Key Club as vice president. Beyond volunteering over 100 hours, I organized a Thanksgiving can drive, collecting 2000 cans to donate to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. At CMU, I will build on this experience by joining the Balance Boxes program while simultaneously using CS to acquire the tools to make hunger a thing of the past. I see a future where advanced machine learning and computer vision models can dictate the best times to plant crops and detect early signs of blights so that no one ever has to go hungry. I want to be a part of building this future.

Analysis

This is a weird prompt, mostly because it isnā€™t always clear to students what it’s asking. In this essay, Student A demonstrates their fit with °ä²Ń±«ā€™s culture and campus, and in so doing shows how he will contribute as a student at the university. 

Colleges want to admit students who will fit in with their culture, and who will make campus a more interesting and enjoyable place to be. Student A touches on a number of his past activities, and ties them all directly to opportunities at CMU, showing how he and the school fit together perfectly. He never comes and says heā€™s a great fit for the campus, and he never has to; this essay clearly demonstrates that fact. 

It is good to be focused in your extracurriculars, but you should strive to tie different facets of your interests and personality to different offerings on campus. This is especially true for students who belong to a group that is often stereotyped or miscounted, such as Indian males. This helps set Student A apart from his peers, and shows the range of his interests and experiences. 

While colleges are not allowed to use race as a factor in admissions, unconscious biases do exist. Essays like this are a great way to combat or counteract them. You donā€™t have to be zany or strain to be something you aren’t, but instead authentically represent yourself, and show how you fit well with what a university is looking for in students.

Essay 3:

(300) Consider your application as a whole. What do you personally want to emphasize about your application for the admission committeeā€™s consideration? Highlight something thatā€™s important to you or something you havenā€™t had a chance to share. Tell us, donā€™t show us (no websites please).

People have always jokingly referred to me as a ā€œthird parentā€ to my younger brother. When my dad moved for work a few years ago, that joke became a reality. Because my mom had to leave early for work, it was my job to wake my brother up and get him ready for school. As I gradually assumed more responsibilities, I recognized that the care gap extended beyond housework; there were also intellectual roles to fill.

Since my dad used to tutor me, I helped my brother with math and computer science. When his eyes lit up as he finally got his first for-loop working, I realized I have the ability to help others reach their full potential.

Eager to put this ability to work, I joined CodePath, a national nonprofit dedicated to providing cost-free CS education to disadvantaged children. As a chapter head, I led several high school volunteers, mentoring them on their teaching styles and stepping in to teach when needed. From helping a shy student come out of her shell to choosing the volunteer with the right combination of patience and aptitude to teach a gifted blind student, I grew my chapter into the most successful in the Atlanta region.

Since then, Iā€˜ve become a regional director, more than doubled the existing chapters near me to 11, and hosted four summer camps, teaching over 200 students and focusing expansion on less affluent areas. In addition to applying my experience in computer science to my degree, I hope to build upon my work at CodePath by creating a registered student organization that provides free advanced CS education to high schoolers in the Pittsburgh area and bring my leadership skills to student organizations like the Carnegie AI Safety Initiative and All University Orchestra.

Analysis

This essay prompt is remarkably open, even by the standards of college essays. CMU is inviting you to discuss anything at all, to highlight any traits you have which you have not had a chance to discuss elsewhere in your application. This is a gift, and we recommend you take advantage of it. 

In the example above, the student shares a story of his volunteering experience. This shows both his skills as a leader, and his dedication to his community. These are two traits all colleges look for, but which are especially key for students interested in computer science. 

There is a perhaps undeserved stereotype of CS students, where they would rather sit alone in a room coding than interact with others. While this is not true of the majority, the image persists in popular culture, and is a worry for admissions officers. After all, they want to admit students who will actively engage with the campus environment, not shun it. 

This essay is a great chance for you to demonstrate how you will actively engage with the campus community, by showcasing how you have done so where you are right now. After all, past performance is the best predictor for future action, and demonstrating youā€™ve actively engaged with your current community is the best sign youā€™ll do so going forward.

You can, of course, discuss anything with this essay, but Student A demonstrates his ability to care for his community and give back, something colleges are eager to see in all students, especially those studying computer science. His explicit desire to do so when he enters university is the cherry on top.

Our Results

You know already that Student A got into CMU; thatā€™s why weā€™re using him as an example after all. Hereā€™s what his parents had to say, after he got his admissions results: 

³Ō¹Ļ¹ŁĶų assisted my son in gaining admission to the countryā€™s top-ranked computer science program! As immigrants from India, my wife and I were unfamiliar with the U.S. college admissions process, which differs significantly from Indiaā€™s exam rank-based system. Initially, my sonā€™s college essays focused heavily on academic achievements. However, ³Ō¹Ļ¹ŁĶų helped him emphasize his personality and other interests in revised drafts. They also helped him with college selection and helped him stay organized while applying to several colleges. Of course, your child still has to do all the work and write all the essays, but having an expert review and provide feedback is invaluable. I would highly recommend ³Ō¹Ļ¹ŁĶų for your child.

Whatever your own situation is, and whatever major you are pursuing, we can help. The deck often feels stacked against certain students, especially when they are already stereotyped into specific fields. Indian males going into computer science are often overlooked through no fault of their own. We help students demonstrate their intrinsic worth to admissions officers, and show off why they are worthy of a place in a top college. 

Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can help you tell your story, and help you navigate the college admissions journey. 

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