Smallberg is a good professor, but if you don't have APCS experience, or minimal to no experience with CS in a classroom environment, with projects and such, I recommend taking CS97 because the CS31 projects and tests were rather difficult and I got a C in the class while most of my peers were getting As on the tests and projects. I regret not taking CS97 because my GPA is kind of tanked because of this, and even if CS97 is too easy for you, worst case, you'll get an A, or you can always switch out. In retrospect, I should have done more practice problems or prepared more over the summer, but CS97 was probably the better choice.

I came in with about a year of prior coding experience and some minor C++ experience. The work was very manageable for my prior experience. If you're coming into the class with just experience from APCS, you should be more than fine. If you're coming in with less experience than that, you should still be fine if you put the work in. Smallberg is a good professor. His teaching style is a little hit or miss for people. For many of the classes, you'll be following along with him as he writes a program. He'll go through the thought process behind each step start to finish and it can be very helpful. Other times it can feel slow and repetitive. Overall, he was a great cs professor.

This man actually sent us an email with code that outputs our course grade. Way too far dude

Lectures are helpful and appropriately paced, and the professor is very helpful. However, I recommend that beginners to programming take CS97 instead. I'm a business economics major and took this class because I was interested in programming. However, I'm now looking at a C or D in this class as the projects were very time-consuming and my classmates did extremely well (the median is usually 95 or above).

As in any solid computer science class, this class definitely has a homework load, but it really isn’t bad, considering. It’s also not easy, but nothing worthwhile is ever a piece of cake. Professor Smallberg is fun, chatty, helpful, and he definitely has a sense of humor. I would definitely recommend this class (but if you’re a CS/E major, you’ve got to take it regardless!).

CS31 with Smallberg is just a fantastic class. He puts a lot of effort into all the material and projects to keep it engaging. The projects do take a lot of times (I think I spent ~10 hours on some of the hardest ones) but as long as you keep looking back at the specifications to make sure you're getting all the details right, they're not too difficult. Just don't start late, so many people who drop or do poorly start the projects too late the day of and don't finish in time. Overall this is one of my favorite classes I've had here. You learn so much!

Great class. Selling physical textbook, Absolute C++ (6th Edition) for $60. Text me if interested 503-880-4378

Don't forget the semicolon!
Good times

CS31 is an easy class if you keep up with the work and the lectures. Lectures are generally quite slow with Smallberg and you'll probably lose attention quite often. Smallberg is very precise and methodical and if you take note of most things you'll be fine.

Reading the textbook is very helpful for picking up certain things that might be used on exams. I generally didn't listen in class but reading the textbook helped me catch up on all that I missed.

Projects are generally quite easy and if you start early, you'll have no problems. Midterms and finals will be fine if you know your stuff

Text: 310-913-6851 if you want cheap for lower price

He's great! Always knows what you're gonna ask when you raise your hand. He's really clear. But people in my class are... really genius, raising the standard to really high I guess. He emails you about the median of the class for every assignment and test, and the median was like 97% in average...BTW, I am selling ELECTRONIC textbook Absolute C++ (6th Edition, latest version) for $10. Text me at: 310-948-1995.