Need Uni Advice Please :)

[Dav0s]

Eek, uni! Such a baffling thing.

I'm 17, first year of sixth form and really need to start thinking about where I want to go and what I want to do.

I'm quite interested in computer science, but everybody seems to do that, and no offence but anybody can do IT. I'm quite intelligent I think, hopefully I can get ABB or even AAB at A levels, and I'm doing my maths A2 level this year (1 yr early), so I'm not too bad at maths.

Is maths a good degree to do? I want to hear from someone doing it, and whether it is REALLY hard . Uni is meant to be enjoyable, and I don't want to do a course that weighs me down with so much work that I can't go out and have fun.

If I did choose computer science, I hear it involves maths modules? Or would computer science and maths be a good course? It's the old vocational course vs academic course dilemma, anybody have thoughts on which is better?

Also where to go to uni? I have looked at quite a few, Exeter, UCL, Nottingham and I can't choose. I need to hear from people who are at a good uni, I want it to have a good social life, but need peoples comments to know what is good

Just your general thoughts on uni life would be helpful, what course do you do? do you enjoy it? is it worth doing?

Thanks for the help guys

[herulach]

How are you at sciences? Physics carries a good cache, and its fairly enjoyable (although it is work, but then any useful course will be, the workload on comp sci courses is quite high too). Have you thought about engineering?

[IBM]

Do Maths...it may well be hard, but it's the degree of the future. Everyone uses maths these days, and people with outstanding degrees from reputable universities can pretty much write their own ticket these days. Everyone uses maths in business these days...I'm trying to find an article I was reading a couple of weeks ago...in Newsweek, or Time Magazine, or perhaps online which gave a list of all the businesses, and all the sectors, which are employing mathmaticians by the bucket load, and paying an absolute premium for them. I know you'll be looking at the job sector 4-5 years from now, but it doesn't look like it's ever going to slowdown....

[Byatt]

I had to make the same decision a few years ago, and I went the Maths route, and I'm pretty much certain I did the right thing.

I would say it depends where you go, where I am (Durham), Maths is probably one of the least (time wise) demanding subjects on offer, although this is mostly because it is very well taught.

If you've got a mathematical mind (how much do you get a kick out of getting to the end of problems? What module scores did you get for your AS? Are you doing Further Maths, at all?) then Maths is an awesome degree to have - it's also probably the least vocational course you can take. It's also got the bonus of everyone thinking it's really hard - you'll enjoy speaking to distant relatives and watching their reaction as they discover you do maths at university.

As to where - well, I looked at Cambridge (but buggered the interview up properly, which I am still annoyed about), Durham (specifically, University College), Bath and Nottingham. I'd also recommend Warwick, although they put too much emphasis on their bloody MORSE course (ugh statistics ugh), which put me off, at the time. I didn't look into UCL or Exeter. I would heavily advise that you go to open days wherever you're keen on - you can't really make an informed decision otherwise.

You can keep up computing as a hobby (bloody hell, I have) - just another thing to add your CV, which, with a Maths degree on it, starts to carry a lot of weight.

[Dav0s]

thanks guys, great advice

@herulach
i got two A's at science in GCSE, but never really enjyoed it, and quite physics AS level cos i didnt enjoy it, went for history instead. engineering sounds interesting, but i dont know alot about the course, or what prospects i offers, i'll look into it.

@ibm
if you could find that, it would be much appreciated

@byatt
I've been doing maths a year early since yr 9, i took my gcse in year 10 and got A*. Did AS modules in year 11, got B in C1 and A in C2. Doing stats module atm. Got a C in C3 in january, but hoping i can improve when i retake it in june. Overall I think I can get a B or maybe an A. Think this is good enough? What did you get?
If I pass the maths A2 this year, next year I will either do an AS in further maths or mechanics, depends what our teacher decides on.
As for the statistics courses, I did look at them as they seem more vocational, but you reckon its a waste of time?
As for unis, i ahvent looked into Durham, didnt know about going so far north, but what the hell. I looked at Warwick, looks nice. It seems I have to work quite hard at A levels :S
I'm glad you said maths isnt that time demanding, i imagiend being shut off all the time studying

Any more views?

[mike_dowler]

My brother-in-law did maths, as did a few friends at uni. The thing is, uni maths is nothing like A-level - it's MUCH more involved, and simply being good at (A-level) maths is not enough - you need to really have the right mind for it. I did science myself, and both physics and physical chemistry (or chemical physics) are more like A-level maths, i.e. algebra, mechanics, polynomial equations, calculus, etc. Or engineering for that matter. Trouble is, you will almost certainly need a science A-level for all of those.

You could try for an applied maths course? Or maths with CS as you suggested? I would have thought you would need mostly A's in your modules to cope with maths at unis.

Not trying to be negative - I just know quite a few people who didn't enjoy maths at uni for these reasons, and I don't want you to be one more!

[5lab]

i'd say maths or maths & compsoc would be a good way to go - it'll give you a bit of an unusual edge in the job market as everyone and his dog has a compsci degree these days..

[Byatt]

What mike_dowler said ^^ is pretty true, to be honest, however, I feel I should answer your questions...

Overall I think I can get a B or maybe an A. Think this is good enough? What did you get?

As for the statistics courses, I did look at them as they seem more vocational, but you reckon its a waste of time?

It seems I have to work quite hard at A levels :S

I'm glad you said maths isnt that time demanding, i imagiend being shut off all the time studying

Any more views?

In order:

Most decent places will want an A at Maths A-level before they let you on their Maths course - get an A this year and you'll get some nice relaxing UCAS offers (I got an A a year early and Durham asked me for two Bs). Also - sounds like the module names have changed, those Cs mean nothing to me - what did 1,2 and 3 involve, respectively?

Statistics courses: yes, they are vocational, but if you're nutty enough to like Statistics (by far my worst A-level module, got 79% in it, compared to averaging 95% in the other 5) then it'd be a solid career path.

As for A-levels being hard work - it's worth it, being at university beats the crap out of doing A-levels/GCSEs.

Also - the mixed Maths/Comp Sci option will be harder than either on their own, I would say.

[b0redom]

Well, as for everyone having a Comp Sci degree, I was told about 10 years ago that everyone would need to drive computers and there was no point in doing a Comp Sci degree. I took electronics and hated it, so I swapped over to Comp Sci anyway and did that.

"Anyone can do IT" is a bit like saying "anyone can drive a car". It's the same as comparing Fuel injection system designers to your average driver.

Basically you should stick to something you're interested in, 'cos in order to get to that 9am lecture after a night out on the lash, clubbing, a curry, a couple of hours of games, and a 4am crash, you need to be interested in what you're doing.

Just my 2p.

Tom

[dgr]

If anyone can do IT then anyone can earn a 36k starting salary.

That's what Goldman's pay tech grads.

[javalord]

If anyone can do IT then anyone can earn a 36k starting salary.

That's what Goldman's pay tech grads.

Edit : Decided I didnt care enough to leave my feedback here ....

[Firebar]

Keep it in mind that most / all Computer Science degrees involve a bare-minimum of practical experience besides programming.

I've been watching some interviewees lately as they come for next years placements. Most of them do Comp Sci and have bugger all practical experience.

I do Network Management & Design which involves a little programming but plenty of Linux / Cisco / Windows / Network stuff.

[5lab]

If anyone can do IT then anyone can earn a 36k starting salary.

That's what Goldman's pay tech grads.

wouldnt expect anything like that from uni - i recon average starting salary for compsci grads i've known is barely any more than 20k - all went to a decent uni as well.. there are larger amounts, but they're headline figures and the jobs are very hard to get.

incidentally - accenture pay ~35k last time i checked, and you can apply with any degree.

the point i was trying to make is that the market is flooded with computer science graduates now - far more grads than there are jobs, and the problems only going to worsen as more and more people take up computer science at uni. i think a maths/comp sci combination degree would give a better 'edge' when applying to a job which uses a bit of both of those skills.

[Dav0s]

Byatt:

they changed the maths A level 2 years ago i think. instead of Pure 1,2,3,4 there is now Core 1,2,3,4. Pretty much exactly the same content but in different modules, for example integration is in Core 2 rather than Pure 1.

If I worked my arse off I could get an A, at worst a very high B. Having an AS in further maths would also be an advantage when applying I imagine. Getting the A level a year early is also pretty good in itself I imagine.

dgr:

im sure jobs will be like goldust, and I'm not sure I want to condemn myself to working in IT all my life, which is a risk I take by doing a specialised coruse.

firebar:

a networking course intially looked very appealing, where do you study? just out of interest.


this new advice makes me steer slightly towards CS and maths, as I do enjoy computing, and would leave a few career options open.

thanks again guys

[Firebar]

i think a maths/comp sci combination degree would give a better 'edge' when applying to a job which uses a bit of both of those skills.

You still end up with no relevant experience, which means getting an IT related job could be very hard!

I study at Portsmouth University, currently working at the National Oceanography Centre doing some Fortran programming (not much now), but mainly Linux / Windows system administration, server and client stuff. Although we have no Windows servers apart from a SANFS one.

[Kumagoro]

Look for a course which gives you lots of options to choose different courses.

My electronics course allowed me to do other than electronics, programming, networking,
and various other things. So check the courses to see if they are fixed or if there is a choice.