Which of the following coding experiences did you have prior to university?
Coding experience prior to university can be valuable but is not required to enter the CS program at Waterloo. These opportunities may be a great way to help you decide if CS or a programming-related major is right for you.
The majority of respondents had some experience with coding before university, with many taking CS courses in high school and learning coding on their own time.
What is your favorite programming language?
The majority of students seem to gravitate towards Python and C++. This is not surprising as both are widely supported and used either in course content or frequently in the field. Shoutout to the one Go and Haskell enjoyer (TypeScript is too similar to JavaScript to count it separately)!
What is your favorite text editor/IDE?
VS Code is, as usual, the favorite code editor for the Class of 2024. It's a versatile and customizable code editor with a variety of open-source extensions available for any task.
Shoutout to the person using Sublime Text!
What operating system(s) do you mainly use?
Each of these operating systems provides its own benefits and downsides. Making the right choice comes down to your preference and comfort for daily usage.
How many hackathons have you attended as a hacker?
Hackathons are a great way to meet new people, learn new skills, or just bring ideas to life. There are various club- or committee-hosted hackathon opportunities for any skill level at Waterloo and around the world for students to participate in.
87% of respondents have had a chance to attend at least one hackathon with the most people attending 3 and a few people attending many more, up to an impressive 15!