Rachel Miller (BACS 2009)

http://people.csail.mit.edu/rmiller/

Why did you decide to major in computer science?

I came to college with a lot of math experience but wanting to try something more applied. I had this idea that “real science” meant chemistry and physics and biology, but then discrete math was a total game changer for me. I fell in love with computer science and the BA ended up being a great fit for me.

Are there any things you wish you did more or less of as a student?

I focused on theory, but I took some serious programming classes too. I wish I’d taken that idea even further and had more fun with programming. Even when you’re not the best coder, you can make something that is the best for you and your friends. Make something useful. Make something that makes you laugh the hardest. (One reason computer science is the coolest — a program you make for fun can be way more accessible than a chemical reaction, or a bridge, or whatever.)

I wish I spent much less time in boring jobs. I spent a summer programming an interface for chemists, another summer making demos of someone else’s software, and wasted lots of valuable research time programming for a neuroscientist. Though these jobs were related to computer science, they definitely didn’t give me a chance to grow or learn.

Lessons learned:

• find a place that will make sure you are adding to the core functionality
• Working on the core business of a company will let you learn more. For example, you will learn more about coding at a company that have
  programs as a product. Ways to do this: work at a tech company, work at a small start up, or work in a computer science research lab.

UVA has fantastic liberal arts classes – I wish I’d taken advantage of the business and politics classes especially.

What have you done since graduating?

I’m a graduate student at MIT studying the theory of cryptography. Lots of other things too: I spent the last summer as a software engineer at Facebook, I’ve led a three week backpacking trip for high schoolers, I’ve taken a course in mediation, I’m an RA in an undergraduate dorm, I learned how to ride a bike all around Cambridge.

Do you have any advice for current computer science students?

Find a mentor. I was so, so lucky to have Professor Paul Reynolds reach out to me and encourage me to take more computer science classes, challenge myself, and push me to do research. Now that I have more understanding of how busy professors are, I realize that I was even luckier than I thought. (Thank you Professor Reynolds.)

Fortunately, there’s an easier way to find a mentor — asking a professor to be one for you. I recommend showing up to office hours of the professors you are fans of and asking them directly.

Relatedly, find someone that can give you honest feedback on how you’re doing. If you want to get a job after graduation, are you on track to get the kind of job you want? Getting feedback while you still have time to change your plans is way more productive than only getting feedback when you’re about to graduate. Also, have everyone read your first personal statement, resume, cover letter, whatever.

Value your summers and your research time — they are worth $$$ to figuring out what you want to do after college.

Maximize the amount of fun you have. If being good at what you do and challenging yourself is an important part of that for you, keep reminding yourself.