Computer Programming and Elite Programs

When someone says languages, if the first thing that pops into your head is C++ or Java, you sure do have a special interest in Computer Science! Computer courses are a huge thing and courses abroad abound for students pursuing the same.

To get accepted to an elite computer science program abroad, students need a combination of good grades in maths and sciences courses as well as extracurricular activities to balance it out.

For those looking to enhance their skills, there are certain cites which have regular worldwide healthy competition happening on a regular basis.

• CODEFORCES

Code forces offers multiple engaging competitions on its platform. Some notable mentions are SNACKDOWN, ACM-ICPC, RUSSIAN CODE CUP.

• HACKERRANK

This platform has over 2 million developers who engage in solving code challenges, one of the best ways to prepare for programming interviews

Codechef  is a non-commercial programming community that hosts contests, trainings and events for its worldwide membership. Students can take part in the monthly face-offs. Many local chapters in colleges, meetups, an active forum, blog, Facebook Group and a Twitter stream are used effectively to organise Codechef events.

Top Coder is the world’s largest competitive software development community and is a site that hosts online programming contests in the Java, C++, and C# languages with fortnightly online algorithm competitions and weekly competitions on design and development. TopCoder.com also occasionally doubles up as a hiring platform for developers.

Apps for Development

This is the World Bank’s initiative to harness talent and promote innovation around one or more Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) around which any kind of software application, web apps, a mobile device, or software can be developed. One think to be kept in mind though: applicants must use datasets from the World Bank Data Catalog available at data.worldbank.org.

Bitwise

Bitwise is very popular among Indian students and is an annual online programming contest that’s organised by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Kharagpur (India). Registration is free and open to all. The top prize is 40,000.

Google Summer of Code is an annual program in which Google awards stipends to hundreds of students who successfully complete a requested free software / open-source coding project during the summer

Fedora Summer Coding program connects students, mentors, sub-projects, and sponsors to provide coding opportunities as summer jobs.

Other interesting online competitions to help prepare for computer courses are:

• TCS Codevita
• Google Code Jam
• Google APAC
• Facebook Hacker Cup
• Microsoft Imagine Cup
• ACM ICPC
• Codechef SnackDown