Week 4. Class: CST 300 - Major Pro Seminar

 Part One: Set Your Educational Goals

My goal is to graduate from the CS program with a strong understanding of core computer science concepts and score above the national average on the Major Field Test. I want to strengthen my skills in algorithms, systems, and software engineering so I can grow in my current software development role and take on more advanced projects with confidence.

Part Two: Set Your Career Goals

My career goal is to move into a senior or lead software engineering role within the next few years. I want to become someone my team can rely on for architecture decisions and mentorship. I can picture myself leading major projects, making technical decisions, and helping others grow.

Part Three: Take a Wild Guess of Your Percentile

I feel reasonably confident about taking the ETS Computer Science test in 18 months. Based on the sample content, I'd probably land around the 75th percentile. I already have a job in software development, and with continued learning through coursework and practical experience, I believe I'll be well-prepared to handle most of the test areas, especially programming and systems.

Part Four: Keep Up With Your Learning Journal

This week, I learned about ethical arguments and how to apply ethical frameworks to current technology issues. It was interesting to take a step back from technical topics and think about the broader impacts of CS work. The discussion around AI especially caught my attention - the benefits and risks it brings to society and jobs like mine. I also learned about the ETS Computer Science test, which I hadn't looked into before. Now that I know what to expect, I plan to use it as a benchmark to measure my progress in the program and where I still need to improve. This week helped me reflect on my technical and ethical growth as a CS student.

Comments

  1. M. Camila CaicedoJune 3, 2025 at 3:29 PM

    Hi Stan,
    You are indeed a focused person, you have great goals, both academic and professionally. You want to grow in your current software role while you prepare to become a leader. I can definitely picture you as a senior software engineer and becoming a mentor that others look up to. Your reflection on ethical issues was interesting, you are indeed thinking above just coding. Using the ETS test as a benchmark is a smart move. Keep up the great work Stan!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jose CaicedoJune 3, 2025 at 6:24 PM

    Hey Stan,

    I really like how clear and focused your goals are. It’s cool that you’re already working in software development and still pushing to get stronger in areas like algorithms and systems. That kind of mindset will take you far.

    Your plan to move into a lead role and help others grow is solid. I can actually picture you leading a team and making big decisions.

    I think 75th percentile is a good guess, but honestly, with your experience, you might score even higher. Keep it up, you're on the right track.

    Jose

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 2. Class: CST 300 - Major Pro Seminar

Image
  Part 1: Review and Reflect Learning Strategy After reading Learning Strategy, I can say that my top 3 items that I am good at are: Creating and Following a Study Schedule: I habitually block out study time in my calendar, which keeps me on track and prevents the possibility of being late. Choosing a Distraction-Free Environment: I’ve set up my work desk specifically for studying - it's a quiet and comfortable space where I can focus. Everything I need is within reach and neatly organized, which helps me stay on task and avoid unnecessary distractions. Active Reading with SQ3R: Before diving into a chapter, I survey headings, turn them into questions, and then read to answer them. That helps me retain key concepts. Here are the top 3 items that I need to improve:  Tendency to Cram When Tired: I sometimes push into late-night review sessions when I'm already exhausted, which makes studying inefficient and causes stress levels to spike. Inconsistent Note Organization: Although ...
Read more

Week 5. Class: CST 300 - Major Pro Seminar

 Part One: Support and Comment on Teammates' Goals My first comment is here and the second one is here . Part Two: Possible Capstone Ideas Three possible capstone projects I might pursue include a web-based incident reporting system, a performance tracking dashboard, and a scheduled report delivery platform. The incident reporting system would allow users to submit, review, and manage incident reports through a secure web interface. The performance tracking dashboard would present key employee or departmental metrics using interactive charts and tables, helping managers analyze trends over time. The report delivery platform would let users configure recurring report schedules and automatically generate and send formatted reports via email. Each project would be built using modern web technologies and structured to support real-time data interaction, role-based access, and reporting capabilities. These ideas would allow for the creation of functional, scalable systems that address r...
Read more