Email Lists and Undergraduate Admissions: Difference between pages

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The CS faculty maintain a variety of email lists used to send announcements and keep in touch with the CS students and faculty. Each is described briefly below. Click on the link to a list if you wish to subscribe to the list or modify your subscription, or send email to Jeff Kinne at jkinne@cs.indstate.edu.
The department does not require admissions into our programs - any student admitted to Indiana State can declare a major or minor within our department. For information on applying to Indiana State, see the [https://indianastate.edu/admissions Office of Undergraduate Admissions].


For those authorized to send email to the lists, you send email to the name of the list followed by @cs.indstate.edu. So to send email to the CS undergraduate students, you would compose a message to cs-ugrads@cs.indstate.edu. If you are not authorized to send a message to the list, it will be automatically ignored by the email system.
== Should you Major in Computer Science ==
If you are beginning your college career or considering changing careers, you may not be certain whether Computer Science is right for you. Here are some links to pages to look at to try to get a better idea. Note that some of these are focused on what the job prospects are. In the past, CS was often cited as the best possible major for getting a good job after college. This has changed somewhat in the past few years. CS is still a good major for jobs, but it is much tougher right now to get your first entry-level position. It remains to be seen whether this is a permanent change. Given the current situation, our recommendation is to make sure you enjoy programming and problem solving, and if you do then CS is the right major for you.  


== Students (cs-ugrads, cs-grads, cs-courses) ==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_science Computer Science, Wikipedia]
cs-ugrads and cs-grads are used to contact Computer Science majors (both undergraduate and graduate) about events in the department, job opportunities, etc. The lists are updated each term to include the currently enrolled and active majors of the department. There is one list each for: cs undergraduate students, cs graduate students.  cs-courses is updated each term to be all students taking any CS courses (whether the student is a CS major or not).
* [http://code.org/ Code.org]
* [https://cacm.acm.org/news/the-outlook-for-programmers/ The Outlook for Programmers]
* [https://www.bls.gov/ooh/fastest-growing.htm Fastest Growing Occupations]
* [https://www.aei.org/op-eds/should-you-still-major-in-computer-science/ Should You Still Major in Computer Science]
* [https://www.cengagegroup.com/news/perspectives/2025/computer-science-grads-facing-a-lack-of-entry-level-jobs-and-a-career-readiness-gap/ Outlook for Entry-Level Jobs]
* Search google, bing, etc. for "why major in computer science", or "should I major in compute science"
* Talk to someone with a similar background to you that has majored in computer science. If you are in high school, ask a councilor if they can put in touch who someone who came from your high school recently and majored in computer science.


Note: students do not need to sign up for these lists as long as you have declared your major by the beginning of the semester; if you have, you are automatically put on the appropriate email lists.
If you come to ISU, the CS major starts with either ECT 130 or the first programming course, CS 151 Introduction to Programming. Most people have a pretty good idea whether Computer Science is right for them after taking CS 151. Some students still are not sure, and are only certain after taking the next course in the CS major, CS 201 Programming Structures.


The list pages are at<br>
== Advice ==
http://cs.indstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/cs-ugrads/<br>
'''3 types of universities'''  - large public research university (e.g., IU, Purdue), small private college/university (e.g., Butler, RHIT, Depauw), regional medium size state university (e.g., ISU, Ball State). They all have strengths and weaknesses. You should visit all 3 types when considering where to attend. You should try to choose where you will have the greatest chance of thriving.
http://cs.indstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/cs-grads/<br>
http://cs.indstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/cs-courses/


== Jobs (cs-jobs) ==
'''Working while at university'''  - 10 hours per week is good, 30 hours per week is too much for most people. If get A's in your courses then you are better prepared, will generally have better letters of recommendation, and are more likely to be thought of when some job opening comes up. If you have to work more than you would like in order to pay the bills, do what you can.
This email list is used to pass on potential job opportunities - internships, full time positions, etc.  Current CS students and alumni are welcome to join the list to receive these notices.  Previously job notices were sent to the other email lists, but going forward they will only be sent to cs-jobs.  '''This is an opt-in list - you need to sign up for it.'''  The list page is at http://cs.indstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/cs-jobs/


== Alumni (cs-alumni) ==
'''The most important thing''' - when interviewing for jobs in CS, in general the most important thing is what you know and what you can do. There is no way to fake that. If a good programmer is interviewing you, they will figure out what you can do. It works out best for you if you are really interested in the challenge of programming and during your courses patiently spend endless hours figuring things out. (Note - it does also matter whether you act professionally - in your courses, in your job, during the interview process, etc. Keep in mind that every instructor you have and every supervisor you have is potentially someone you will ask to give a letter of reference for you at some point.)
This email list is used to contact CS alumni about job opportunities or anything else that would be relevant to alumni. The list is updated each term to include those who have graduated. The list page is at http://cs.indstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/cs-alumni/


== Faculty ==
'''Your major'''  - have more than one in mind when you start university. Try to take the "first course in the major" for at least two majors, so that you won't be behind if you need to switch. For CS, it's tough to know if you really want to do it until you've done your first challenging programming course. Majors that are related to CS that you might consider: Information Technology, Cybercriminology & Security Studies, Computer and Electrical Engineering Technology.  
This email list is used to contact Computer Science faculty. The list is managed (not open to subscription requests). The mailing list is cs-faculty.


== Maintenance ==
'''The most important thing'''  - whatever major you end up in, the courses in the major are the most important thing you do at university. For CS, that starts with CS 151 and CS 201.
Terse information on what the one maintaining the email lists does...
* When adding or removing from lists, you normally use the "Membership Management" link and then either "Mass subscription" or "Mass removal". There are messages setup already so you don't need to type anything into the notes on those forms.  You also normally want to select to notify the subscriber but not the list manager.
* cs-alumni - mass subscription for all who earned degrees in the previous term. Do this after degrees are posted (1-2 weeks after grades are due).
* cs-ugrads, cs-grads - mass removal of all who graduated, mass subscription of all majors.  Update these when updating cs-alumni, and also about every week leading up to the start of the term and after the last day to add classes.
* cs-courses - mass removal of all from the previous term, mass subscription for all registered for the coming term.  Update these starting a few weeks before the term, and about once per week until after the last day to add classes.
* cs-faculty, cs-assistants - updated once per term or year as staffing and GA positions change.
* cs-chat, cs-jobs - these are opt-in, so all that needs to be done is approving or denying subscription requests (approve any request from an @sycamores.indstate.edu or @indstate.edu email address).
You can get to the administrative interface from the links above. For removing all from a list, you can use scripts to do this, or you can copy/paste the entire membership list into excel, then copy/paste the email column into the "mass removal" form in the web interface.

Latest revision as of 11:22, 22 May 2026

The department does not require admissions into our programs - any student admitted to Indiana State can declare a major or minor within our department. For information on applying to Indiana State, see the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Should you Major in Computer Science

If you are beginning your college career or considering changing careers, you may not be certain whether Computer Science is right for you. Here are some links to pages to look at to try to get a better idea. Note that some of these are focused on what the job prospects are. In the past, CS was often cited as the best possible major for getting a good job after college. This has changed somewhat in the past few years. CS is still a good major for jobs, but it is much tougher right now to get your first entry-level position. It remains to be seen whether this is a permanent change. Given the current situation, our recommendation is to make sure you enjoy programming and problem solving, and if you do then CS is the right major for you.

If you come to ISU, the CS major starts with either ECT 130 or the first programming course, CS 151 Introduction to Programming. Most people have a pretty good idea whether Computer Science is right for them after taking CS 151. Some students still are not sure, and are only certain after taking the next course in the CS major, CS 201 Programming Structures.

Advice

3 types of universities - large public research university (e.g., IU, Purdue), small private college/university (e.g., Butler, RHIT, Depauw), regional medium size state university (e.g., ISU, Ball State). They all have strengths and weaknesses. You should visit all 3 types when considering where to attend. You should try to choose where you will have the greatest chance of thriving.

Working while at university - 10 hours per week is good, 30 hours per week is too much for most people. If get A's in your courses then you are better prepared, will generally have better letters of recommendation, and are more likely to be thought of when some job opening comes up. If you have to work more than you would like in order to pay the bills, do what you can.

The most important thing - when interviewing for jobs in CS, in general the most important thing is what you know and what you can do. There is no way to fake that. If a good programmer is interviewing you, they will figure out what you can do. It works out best for you if you are really interested in the challenge of programming and during your courses patiently spend endless hours figuring things out. (Note - it does also matter whether you act professionally - in your courses, in your job, during the interview process, etc. Keep in mind that every instructor you have and every supervisor you have is potentially someone you will ask to give a letter of reference for you at some point.)

Your major - have more than one in mind when you start university. Try to take the "first course in the major" for at least two majors, so that you won't be behind if you need to switch. For CS, it's tough to know if you really want to do it until you've done your first challenging programming course. Majors that are related to CS that you might consider: Information Technology, Cybercriminology & Security Studies, Computer and Electrical Engineering Technology.

The most important thing - whatever major you end up in, the courses in the major are the most important thing you do at university. For CS, that starts with CS 151 and CS 201.

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