<shrimpx>
Smerdyakov: i was going to ask you some stuff about CMU, when you're around
<Smerdyakov>
I am around.
<shrimpx>
hi
<Smerdyakov>
I leave it up to you to determine if it is appropriate to continue in private or here. :)
<shrimpx>
i don't care if you don't :)
<Smerdyakov>
It's more about who else here minds. *shrug*
<Smerdyakov>
Might as well go ahead :)
<shrimpx>
i was looking at harper's page and clicked around to realize that i was looking at your stuff :)
<shrimpx>
i'm looking at CMU as a possibility for grad school, and i don't know anything about what things are like there...
<shrimpx>
except for what they have up on their sites... one of my profs recommends it for what i want to do (functional languages, type theory) but i want to find out more about what people are like, the community, etc... if you don't mind
<Smerdyakov>
Community is odd.
<Smerdyakov>
A lot of dedicated and serious and obsessed people :)
<Smerdyakov>
So, in case you didn't figure it out, rwh's page is out of date. I'm a PhD student at Berkeley now.
<shrimpx>
yeah i've noticed that
<Smerdyakov>
I think there is much more bureaucracy in the CS division here than in the CS dept at CMU.
<shrimpx>
ah
<Smerdyakov>
Part of CMU SCS's image is as "one big happy family," and I think that might actually be accurate.
<Smerdyakov>
Certainly the big part. Biggest CS-focused group of students in the country, I thin.
<Smerdyakov>
k
<Smerdyakov>
I would recommend applying and, if you are admitted, trying to make the most out of the meetings you have with professors on visit day.
<Smerdyakov>
And with students. They do stuff like students in your area take you out to dinner and such.
<shrimpx>
that's cool
<Smerdyakov>
And this ridiculous semi-formal style buffet dinner.
<shrimpx>
hah
<shrimpx>
is rwh fun to work with?
<Smerdyakov>
I think our personal styles might not be terribly compatible.
<Smerdyakov>
We certainly agree on ML advocacy, though. :)
<shrimpx>
haha
<shrimpx>
yeah, i guess compatibility with profs/advisors is a very personal thing
<Smerdyakov>
Like I said, he takes his research and work veeeery seriously.
<Smerdyakov>
I'm not quite so focused, I think.
* Riastradh
hiccups.
<shrimpx>
I'm doing some work with Andrew Tolmach (he's done some important things for ML and Haskell) and he's that way
<Smerdyakov>
shrimpx, I assume you've checked out the department and looked at other PL people at CMU?
<shrimpx>
Smerdyakov: yeah
<Smerdyakov>
One way to meet people if you're interested and you can get in is the Summer School on Software Security this June.
<Smerdyakov>
In Oregon, even
<shrimpx>
hmmm
<Smerdyakov>
Despite the broad name, it's all about logic and programming language based security.
<Smerdyakov>
(I just found out about it today and am considering going.)
<shrimpx>
yeah, i'm quite close to that =)
<shrimpx>
thanks, i hadn't hear about it
<shrimpx>
heard
<Smerdyakov>
If you look at the speakers and organizers list, you'll see representatives of most of the big PL schools in the USA.
<shrimpx>
yeah
<shrimpx>
Cool! Peter Lee on Proof Carrying Code
The-Fixer has joined #ocaml
<Smerdyakov>
This is no unqualified group. Everyone presenting has done some of the pioneering work on the subject he presents.
<shrimpx>
yeah
<shrimpx>
I need to get involved with PacSoft too. They do a lot of FP/Logic stuff.
<Smerdyakov>
Hm. Why "need"?
<shrimpx>
Not per se. Just to learn more about research in the field.
<Smerdyakov>
So you want to apply next winter, yes?
<shrimpx>
yes
<shrimpx>
I'm not sure I have what it takes to get into CMU/Princeton but I'll apply at 2 or 3 top schools..
<Smerdyakov>
Well, here's what it takes.
<Smerdyakov>
Do research with someone well known who will write you a solid letter of recommendation.
<Smerdyakov>
That is most important, I think :)
<shrimpx>
check
<shrimpx>
:)
<Smerdyakov>
And then, have good grades!
<shrimpx>
I have pretty good grades (3.7GPA overall, 3.9CS) but I don't know if the fact that my university is not very reputable will make that count less
<Smerdyakov>
3.7 is about the average GPA for admitted CMU PhD students, I _think_, remembering a talk from a few years back.
<shrimpx>
3.7 overall? or CS
<shrimpx>
i plan on bringing it up before I graduate... I'll finish with 3.8-something at least
<shrimpx>
bad freshman year messed me up :(
<Smerdyakov>
Overall, I think.
<shrimpx>
From what I've read, research experience and recommendation letters are crucial. And GPA and GREs matter much less. But then again, there's a lot of competition.
<Smerdyakov>
You have heard correctly, from what I've read. ;D