Year 4

Classes

This year, you’ll likely mostly be taking 400 level Computer Science electives. These are fundamental classes to help you specialize in a certain area of Computer Science. Because these classes are so important, make sure to take ones that you are genuinely interested in rather than just the easiest classes they have. Your job will care more about your experience than your GPA, so it’s better to get a B in a useful class than an A in an easy class. For more info on choosing classes, see Year 1 and Year 2.

Jobs

Now is the time to be seriously searching for a job out of college. If you have a return offer from a previous internship, that’s great: apply to a few positions that you would take over your current position and relax. If you don’t have a job offer, apply early and apply often. Many of the best positions are only open during the fall, so it is important to not fall behind. Apply more aggressively than you did in your previous years. Try for 4-6 applications a day. This may sound like a lot, but your future self will be thanking you. For more information on the application process, see job application resources [insert link].

Projects

Many of the 400 level classes give you non-trivial knowledge in an area that most other undergraduate students don’t know about. Creating difficult projects with knowledge most other students at your level know very little about looks great on a resume. For example, if you’re taking an Operating Systems class, a rudimentary OS would look amazing on a resume. An AI class also gives lots of valuable knowledge for a project. If you have a resume very similar to another student, a project showing in-depth knowledge of a field will put you on top.