Computer Science Degree Guidance Please

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topsyturvy
Posts: 243
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:33 am

Re: Computer Science Degree Guidance Please

Post by topsyturvy »

Can someone explain to me also the fundamental of the 'gap between first and second or further choices of university on UCAS form'.

Being a first timer, do university view what choice a student has put on UCAS form. How does choices affect the selection.

Please guide or link me to another thread. Anyone from UCAS support here.

Cuddlermum wrote:Thank you for replies so far, I have taken all points for now and future on board.

Guest and KB, I suspected this may be the case with respect to RG and traditional views on 'best' uni's for CS and know that some people don't even recommend following the degree route for this subject so will look bear that in mind.

All the ones we've visited so far support the year in industry and some strongly encourage it, that is why we are definitely visiting Loughborough next month.

Essex typical offer is BBB so I am hoping that we won't need to go lower than that. Swansea is AAB to BBB, which he may get offered, as he is taking relevant A level subjects, (KB it's a long way from us but I can't ignore that the dept seems to be so in tune with what we are looking for, on paper anyway). We will look at Oxford Brookes as well though as it is relatively close to us.

We'll visit Leeds as we can catch up with family and I think it will be very different to the others we have seen, so may help to rule out a city uni (or not). Maybe we won't make the trek to York or Sheffield and also rule out Exeter on distance?

I agree he doesn't want to be struggling when he gets there and will want time to work on his own projects as he does now.

Accommodation can be researched online a little but it seems it's the 2nd and last years that are difficult in this respect.

Have also be advised by a friend (who's DS ended up in clearing) to have a decent gap between first choice and insurance offers with regard to grades. Am not opposed to a gap year as long as he is working or volunteering.

Sally-Anne I will message you shortly, thank you.

Thanks again.
mitasol
Posts: 2756
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:59 am

Re: Computer Science Degree Guidance Please

Post by mitasol »

https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/appl ... pplication" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
5. Course choices
You can choose up to five courses (all now or some later). There’s no preference order and your universities/colleges won’t see where else you’ve applied until after you reply to any offers you get.
ToadMum
Posts: 11944
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Computer Science Degree Guidance Please

Post by ToadMum »

Sorry if I've misinterpreted your question, topsyturvy, but the general idea is to make applications in the first place to five universities with a spread of entry requirements: 'aspirational', 'should be okay' and ''should be dead cert, he all else fails'. So you may get offers from all five, but at least should do from the last and one of / both / all of the middle lot

You then, from your offered universities, nomimate your 'firm', i.e. first choice, plus an 'insurance', the one you want to go to if you don't make the grade for your 'firm'. If you seriously only want to go to the one university, you don't have to nominate an insurance at all - but that means that if you don't get into your one and only choice, you have to think again on results day (apply elsewhere through Clearing, take a gap year and possibly resit, etc).

The idea of choosing an insurance with a lower entry requirement is that you are almost certainly going vere if you don't make your firm offer.

Of course, there are some courses which seem to have more or less the same requirements everywhere, or you might just not like any 'lower' courses. Or you might not do well enough for your insurance, either. But we won't go there, it's very disheartening :( .
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
topsyturvy
Posts: 243
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:33 am

Re: Computer Science Degree Guidance Please

Post by topsyturvy »

Thank you, extremely useful replies. Will be discussing with DC over the weekend on plans.
Catseye
Posts: 1824
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:03 pm
Location: Cheshire

Re: Computer Science Degree Guidance Please

Post by Catseye »

My son- too old to be called DS- has completed his first year reading CompSci at Nottingham Uni and has thoroughly enjoyed it , good academic and pastoral support on the Jubilee Campus....and he got a 1st in his first year although it does not count for his final degree but his course also has a 'year in industry'.

btw his offer was AAB since he did A level ComSci otherwise it would have been AAA

If your son wants to discuss Nottingham Uni for CompSci PM me and they can exchange e-mail addresses.

Best of luck.
Catseye
Posts: 1824
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:03 pm
Location: Cheshire

Re: Computer Science Degree Guidance Please

Post by Catseye »

BTW- he did A level; maths, further maths, physics and computer science .
topsyturvy
Posts: 243
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:33 am

Re: Computer Science Degree Guidance Please

Post by topsyturvy »

Thank you, apologies for delay in replying.

DC1 applying and checking details for Notts

Catseye wrote:My son- too old to be called DS- has completed his first year reading CompSci at Nottingham Uni and has thoroughly enjoyed it , good academic and pastoral support on the Jubilee Campus....and he got a 1st in his first year although it does not count for his final degree but his course also has a 'year in industry'.

btw his offer was AAB since he did A level ComSci otherwise it would have been AAA

If your son wants to discuss Nottingham Uni for CompSci PM me and they can exchange e-mail addresses.

Best of luck.
Cuddlermum
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2015 3:42 pm

Re: Computer Science Degree Guidance Please

Post by Cuddlermum »

Thank you everyone for your informative replies and sorry for the delay in responding.

Guest55 and KB helpful as always, some new ideas for KenR for the industry based certificates and kenyancowgirl, yes I really like seaside towns but DS not so keen, but he did like Kent uni. Catseye, I'm pleased to hear from you as I have followed your posts (promise I'm not stalking!) as I saw your son wanted to take computer science - I will send you a pm.

Here's where we are at:-
AS results (external exams) were very good (better than I expected, anyway) and DS now has high predictions for A levels, but I feel these are overstated so we are focusing the search at the same level as before, but with the hope that he may make the grades for the higher ones. He has also been persuaded to continue with 4 A levels, at least until Christmas, to see how he gets on. He now has a shortlist of 7:

Leeds AAA-AAB
Nottingham AAA but AAB if an A in comp sci A level
York AAB-ABB
Surrey AAB-ABB
Kent AAB
Loughborough ABB
UEA BBB

We have visited all of these for open days and he likes them all, but his current preference is for Leeds as he liked the city and least favourite is Loughborough as he didn't particularly like the campus. Any info that may help us will be greatly appreciated, for example I recently heard that Leeds has a reputation for being attracting the party-goers, but I don't know how you find this out if you are not "in the know" about these things.

He is scrutinising the modules, but all the ones on his list appear very similar. he just needs to drop 2 to have his 5 then he will be able to visit for offer days/interviews if he gets the chance. He is still looking at taking the year in industry and theses all comply with that, although some uni's have a higher uptake of this than others and varies each year according to job offers etc.

Other than cousins (mine but younger than me) in Yorkshire, we have no connections with any of these areas. He would still prefer not to be too far away from us in Essex, but is prepared to go to Leeds as he liked it so much. He is still nervous about the whole "going to uni" idea, making friends being his greatest concern.

He is also considering some degree apprenticeships.

Thank you all in advance again.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Computer Science Degree Guidance Please

Post by Guest55 »

The grades required are all very similar and might make an insurance choice difficult. Is there nowhere with a slightly lower grades he would consider?

I know someone in her final year at Kent doing CS, she has just finished a year in industry. She is enjoying the course.

He needs to look at what his requirements are: costs of travel, accommodation [not just halls but options beyond Year 1], campus, the sort of place he wants to live, ... whatever might differentiate between those 7.
DC17C
Posts: 1197
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:34 pm

Re: Computer Science Degree Guidance Please

Post by DC17C »

Hi my dd is also looking at CS degrees and has decided on KCL, Bristol, Cardiff, Surrey and Aberystwyth..Im not sure what some of her criteria were ...one seemed to be having a climbing wall...and decent accommodation
As far as Leeds goes I have a niece and nephew there who adore it..my niece is now doing a phd..so moved there permanently.
One thing to look at with CS degrees is bursaries and higher level apprenticeships with GCHQ if you meet the criteria...
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