OMSCS - I Got Out!
I am done!
After 7 semesters, I am glad to be done with OMSCS with a specialization in machine learning!
This wouldn’t have been possible if its not for my understanding family, friends, wonderful colleagues and company support! So, Thank you!
Overall, I am very happy to be done and looking forward to having spare time (unlike before)!
These are the courses I took and my reviews/reflections can be found in each of them!
| Semesters | Courses |
|---|---|
| Fall 2022 | Intro to Operating Systems |
| Spring 2023 |
ML4T Intro to Info Security |
| Summer 2023 | Network Science |
| Fall 2023 |
Deep Learning Computer Networks |
| Spring 2024 |
Machine Learning GPU |
| Summer 2024 | NLP |
| Fall 2024 | Graduate Algorithms |
All my notes can be found over here. For Graduate Algorithm on top of lecture notes, I made 3 separate exam notes for each part of the course.
FAQ
Here are some questions that you might be interested in (or share the same situation as me!)
Why did I start OMSCS?
When OMSCS first started around 2014-2015, I had a bunch of friends taking it and asked me if I like to join them. Unfortunately (or just making excuses) I just manage to join a technology unicorn and wanted to do my best so I did not put much thought into entertaining OMSCS.
Time flew by, and I notice how my friends progressed after OMSCS and concurrently I found a opportunity with my current employer and my new team was really supportive and encouraging at the idea of my desire to pursuing further studies so I went for it.
Why OMSCS and not other programs?
Among all possible online programs, I considered Stanford SCPD, University of Texas Online Masters and Georgia Tech OMSCS.
In the end, it boil down to
- Cost
- Online first Approach
- Community
Doubling up 3 times, why?
After I finished GIOS I sort of knew (along other online articles) that while OMSCS is easy to get in, but hard to get out. Furthermore, due to my circumstances, there are other things I want to do and other associated opportunity costs. All in all, I decided that I should attempt to graduate one year ahead of schedule, so the plan was to double up subsequent full semesters in Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and tackle Graduate Algorithm as my last semester in Fall 2024.
So, I took two easy modules to pair up to “test waters”, before taking a hard module (Ml, DL) with a “easier module” for subsequent semesters!
Any courses I wish I would have taken?
If I was younger (arguable) with more time on my hands (or perhaps taken OMSCS earlier but courses such as DL/NLP was not available), I would have wanted to take AOS, SDCC, DC, HPC. I might come back at a later time to do it, who knows - but at the very least I’ll take Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 off 
!
Overall, I felt I did not learn as much (or get my money worth) for some of the “easier” modules 
but they help me to finish the degree a year ahead of time.
What courses do you recommend someone to start with?
Any of the difficult ones! This is to prevent any culture shock / expectations very early on to avoid sunk cost fallacy and to manage your expectations very early on!
Heres my degree!
