Computer Science

Dracky Wei · Senior

Overall, I think Computer Science is a great fit if you're aiming for a high‑paying career. But what you learn in school alone — theory, algorithms, and systems — isn’t enough for today's market. Employers expect practical coding skills from day one. That’s why CS majors must be proactive—building side projects, mastering version control and DevOps tools, and studying new languages and frameworks beyond coursework.

As a USC CS student, I like how the program balances theory and real projects. The classes are fast paced, but they feel useful, and many courses connect to what companies use in practice. It is also easy to find a lab, a team, or a project group if you want research or hands on work. Career support is a big plus. There are many job events, info sessions, and alumni chats, so you can learn how hiring works and get referrals. In Los Angeles, there are many startups and tech teams, and USC also has strong links to big companies. Many students land internships during the school year or in summer, then turn them into full time offers. Overall, USC CS feels busy and competitive, but the resources and the network make the effort worth it.

I’m specifically a Computer Science Games major, so I have more projects and less math, which could be why I find it more manageable. The projects are more time-demanding, and there are especially a lot more group projects.

USC offers a comprehensive CS curriculum with strong core coverage (algorithms, systems, AI, machine learning, databases) and numerous electives across areas like machine learning (CS 467), cybersecurity, data science, and robotics (CS 499).

A hamster wheel that never ends that demands 80hr/wk only to slap you in the face with crumbling job prospects and depression. The amount of things you will have to balance by the end of your studies would astound even the judgiest of people. 80% of what you learn in school is not relevant and is just there to force you to be a better problem solver and gain more experience in life in general. You will not come out of school a specialized computer science agent. Instead you will likely come out as someone who knows a little about a lot in a many places of computer science, and honestly, that's all you need to succeed. Other than that it is great, you learn to wield a tool that enables you to build whatever your imagination desires. As long as you have motivation, and you rarely will, you can be great and feel great. The people are really nice though.

CS at USC has been pretty good so far. I have been able to learn more about the behind the scenes of computers and programming in C++. The clases are very theoretical so I hope to learn more projects and applications soonZ

Saturated major, good opportunities if you work hard and work early, good technical skills to have no matter what job you go into. Not great for socializing

If you already have programming experience, the classes are typically much easier.

Has a rep for being super hard, but I do not think it is deserved. Put in the work and actually pay attention and learn and it is relatively easy.

Computer Science for Grads is very customisable. Only 1 mandatory course and 7 electives so you can focus on what you like.

It’s a really great and challenging major but it is very fulfilling. After taking classes, making projects, being able to see all you’ve don’t is satisfying!

It is math heavy and workload may feel heavy sometimes. Algorithms and Data structures are the best part of the course.

Studying Computer Science is both challenging and rewarding. The coursework builds a strong foundation in programming, algorithms, and systems, while advanced electives let you explore areas like AI, algorithms, and software engineering. It’s fast paced and problem solving based, but professors and peers I met during my undergrad are very supportive. You’ll gain both theoretical depth and practical coding experience by studying CS.

I think that computer science is a very high earning field but the bar of entry is getting progressively higher which makes it harder to break in but also makes it easier once you do.

If you already have experience with programming, the courses are typically much easier

The reason why I chose computer science is because I was in the robotics team back in high school, that was the time I found how interesting was computer science. So when I got in college, I chose this as my major and continued to explore this area. All the faculties I met at my school is professional and kind and I think it is worth my tuition. However, I am not sure if I want still recommend computer science as a major for high schoolers to pursuit because the incur of AI is serious, meaning you may not find a job after you graduate!

If you are someone who is genuinely curious about how things work, enjoys logical puzzles, and is self-motivated to tackle difficult problems, CS is a fantastic choice. The skills you gain—not just coding in Python or Java, but the ability to think algorithmically and systematically—are perhaps the most valuable of any degree in the modern era. My biggest advice for new majors: Don't just focus on grades. Build things. Personal projects, open-source contributions, and internships are where the real-world skills and portfolio are developed.

Its a mid major that used to have a place but not really any more in school. take it but expect to put a lot of work to be any good or get anything good out of it.

The major is a lot of fun, and you learn a lot of interesting stuff. Good fit if you like problem solving!

shit school with trash cs program, fake rich kids pretending to have learned sth. of course with high pressure tho