DePaul University

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Major: Computer Science
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: South Asian Straight Male

Summary

I’m part of the Computer Science Society (CSS), I participate in a lot of intramural sports, and I’m part of the South Asian Student Association.

Background

Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: South Asian
Sexual Orientation: Straight

High School Experience: Public high school in Chicago, IL with a graduating class of about 500 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Computer Science
Minor: None

Extracurricular Activities: I’m part of the Computer Science Society (CSS), I participate in a lot of intramural sports, and I’m part of the South Asian Student Association.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
The Computer Science Society has helped connect me with a lot of companies and recruiters. They bring in a lot of variety.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
We have weekly homework. For exams, there’s usually one midterm and one final, and some classes have weekly quizzes. A lot of the assignments are programming based. Most of the time the bulk of the final grade is 50% assignments and 50% from the midterm and the final.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
In terms of especially well, there are small classes so you get more one-on-one interaction and can always ask questions. One thing they don’t do well is having a different variety of classes. In computer science, there is the back-end and the front-end, but a lot of the students work a lot on the back-end and not the front-end. [The average class size is 24.]
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
I think it’s more collaborative. You usually have class discussions and then work in pairs. For homework assignments, you usually do it on your own, but in class is more collaborative work.
How accessible are your professors?
They’re moderately accessible. They provide reasonable office hours.
What has been your favorite part of the academics at DePaul?
The people you meet. In a lot of my classes, we’re so collaborative that I’ve met a lot of cool and smart people. Just working with them helped me understand my classes better and what I want to do.
Why did you choose your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I am happy with my choice. I took a lot of computer courses in high school and I wanted to continue that in college.

Reasons to Attend

1) They have a good Computer Science program.
2) The way they [set you up with] networking opportunities with companies.
3) The number of resources they provide if you need help with classes or getting socially active on campus.

Reasons Not to Attend

1) The commute between the two campuses.
2) The Chicago weather.
3) The night classes. Some of the professors work from 9-5, so it’s the only time they can teach.

Around Campus

How has being a commuter student impacted your experience at DePaul?
It’s harder to find a group of friends in other majors.
How do you like going to college in your hometown?
It’s really nice. I like being around my friends and family here. It’s in the city, so it’s a lot better than just spending time on a college campus.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
We have a lot of night classes, and there are cops around campus so it’s secure to go from classes to the train station. We have two different campuses and they are both safe.

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
We usually just hang out off-campus. There are lots of bars and clubs in Chicago not near the DePaul campus, so we usually go there on the weekends. If we don’t have plans, we’ll go to the gym on the weekends.
How happy are you with the weekend options? Is there anything you would change if you could?
When I go to a club, I’ll usually spend the night at a friend’s house. I’m less happy about it because of the restraints of being a commuter.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
One of my friends I met through my classes. Another friend I met through going to the same mosque, and now we both have the same major.
How would you describe the overall social scene at DePaul?
I think it’s moderate. They try to do a lot of events for students. It’s harder for sports because the teams aren’t that good. For other events, a lot of students go to those.
To what extent do you think people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
A lot. It’s common to see diverse groups of friends around campus. [The undergraduate population is 52% White, 8% Black, 20% Hispanic, and 11% Asian.]
How would you describe the student body?
We have two different campuses, Loop Campus is downtown and the other is in Lincoln Park. Students that go to the Loop are very similar and have a more social personality. I think people in Lincoln Park usually stick to their own groups.
How do you like the size of DePaul in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How was transitioning to a school with [about 14,000] students?
I think it’s fairly good. The number of students in the Computer Science department makes it easier to find people and friends that had the same high school background.
How would you describe the Muslim community on campus? How strong is it?
It’s fairly strong. I think there are lots of groups for it, so it’s easier to find friends that way, especially on the Lincoln Park campus.
How has the two campus system impacted your social experience?
I don’t really like it. I think it’s harder to schedule back to back classes if they are on separate campuses.

Careers

Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
The Computer Science Society club posts job openings on their Facebook group, which has been helpful.
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I used it before a career fair to review my resume. They gave good feedback on how to improve it and they also hold mock interviews.
Have you learned any computer programs or computer languages that will be helpful professionally?
I’ve learned Java, C, C++, and Python.

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, how accommodating was the office to your needs?
Yes, I have financial aid and the office is okay. It’s a lot easier to get a response from them if you go into the office, compared to an email.