Doing well in your courses: Andrej's advice for success (2013)

(cs.stanford.edu)

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hufdr ◴[20 Oct 25 02:28 UTC] No.45639719[source]▶

Although this advice is quite comprehensive, I think it assumes that you've already kept up with the pace of the course. In some schools, the curriculum moves so fast that students are thrown into problem sets before they’ve even grasped the basics. I’d love to see how he would advise someone who's already fallen behind and trying to catch up. For many people, that’s the more realistic situation.

replies(1): >>45639915 #

1. jama211 ◴[20 Oct 25 03:11 UTC] No.45639915[source]▶

>>45639719 #

This advice is aimed at students who are already getting good-great grades but want to optimise further. Advice for students that get poor grades is quite different.

That being said my grades in university were middling to poor and once I got out I applied for jobs with my degree in hand and not a single one asked for my academic transcript. Perhaps more prestigious graduate positions might have, but I just didn’t apply for those. But I got various positions and my career took off just fine.

Now the idea that anyone would care about my university grades seems laughable. So, it’s important to remember that learning in university is important but if you don’t get amazing grades it’s not something people should stress about too much IMO.

replies(2): >>45640317 #>>45641493 #

2. 121789 ◴[20 Oct 25 05:09 UTC] No.45640317[source]▶

>>45639915 (TP) #

Plenty of places ask for GPA for university graduates, and a low ine is disqualifying. After a few years no one will ever care again, again unless you want to go to a grad school like an MBA, where a very low GPA can again be disqualifying

replies(2): >>45644520 #>>45646981 #

3. johnnyanmac ◴[20 Oct 25 08:54 UTC] No.45641493[source]▶

>>45639915 (TP) #

>Now the idea that anyone would care about my university grades seems laughable.

Sadly, this current batch of graducates can't grab anything even with decent schools and grades. Some are putting a huge emphasis only on Tier 1 schools. Crazy how quickly everything changed.

replies(1): >>45646961 #

4. skeeter2020 ◴[20 Oct 25 14:45 UTC] No.45644520[source]▶

>>45640317 #

maybe if you want to attend a top MBA program at some schools, but since it's intended for a diverse range of undergrad degrees and there are a million MBA programs you can find one that will let you in. They also focus on your final coursework where most people have by then learned how to get at least decent grades and your GMAT score so a couple of early bad years won't disqualify you.

5. jama211 ◴[20 Oct 25 17:55 UTC] No.45646961[source]▶

>>45641493 #

There is a hiring problem for graduates absolutely, and there is no silver bullet. I will say that from my understanding and experience though having project experience (even personal projects) is still more important than grades at 90% of tech jobs. It doesn’t make it easy, just less hard though of course.

6. jama211 ◴[20 Oct 25 17:57 UTC] No.45646981[source]▶

>>45640317 #

Plenty of places do I agree, but the majority don’t. Also I find that experience specific to a role is far more important.

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