Computer science has applications in many fields, from artificial intelligence to cybersecurity, to mobile and web development. However, computer science is also very challenging; learning requires strong perseverance and dedication. I’m currently a senior who has gone through the process of majoring in computer science at Cornell, and I can attest to how difficult the major is. Looking back, there are many things that, had I known my first year, would have saved me a lot of struggles. As a prospective computer science student at Cornell, here are some things you need to know.

You Don’t Need a Computer Science Background

I’ve found that many of the most successful students in computer science at Cornell come in with little to no background. The most significant factor for success is your passion and dedication: how often you’re willing to apply your skills, seek new opportunities, and step out of your comfort zone. I want to emphasize that Cornell’s introductory class doesn’t require any previous programming experience. If you’re worried about your skills, I would advise you to try out the introductory course. In the worst-case scenario, all that happens is that you took one class that didn’t work out!

Build Real-World Skills Early

One of the keys to preparing for your first internship in college is to gain first-hand experience in the industry. Cornell offers many opportunities for computer science students to gain real-world experience, a big one being project teams. These undergraduate-run organizations allow students to apply skills learned in the classroom to real-world problems. For example, I was a web developer and technical product manager on Cornell Design & Tech Initiative during my sophomore and junior years. This project team creates mobile and web applications for social impact. On the team, I developed features for a website called Queue Me In, which manages office hours for 17 classes and thousands of students across Cornell and Stanford. Seeing my work benefit so many people helped me gain a greater appreciation for computer science and its impact on the real world. Cornell also offers a wide selection of other project teams for students with different interests, such as Cornell Data Science for aspiring data scientists and Cornell AppDev for those interested in making mobile apps. You can learn more about project team offerings here.

Learn New Technologies

Computer science is an ever-growing field that is changing at a fast pace. Therefore, keeping up with the latest technologies is imperative to break into the industry. Luckily, Cornell has unique course offerings taught by project teams that allow you to learn about these newest technologies. Even better, these classes are specifically targeted for first-year students. I took many of these classes during my time at Cornell, and they helped me develop relevant skills for my internships. For example, in my freshman fall semester, I took a class called Intro to iOS Development, taught by Cornell AppDev. The course teaches you how to build mobile apps for the App Store, which is a very relevant skill nowadays at many companies. Furthermore, the capstone project ends with you developing a complete mobile app, which you can showcase in your portfolio to help you land internships.

All in All

To close, I want to offer a resource I wish I had known about early on as a first-year student. Cornell’s Association of Computer Science Undergraduates (ACSU) has a guide to the most relevant information for any students in computer science, which contains information related to major FAQs, graduate school, courses, research, and much more, which you can check out with the hyperlink above. This guide is specifically helpful because it is written by upper-level students who majored in computer science, so they have a lot of solid personal experience that can serve you well.