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Worried about taking Maths at University

Hello , first thread I've made in quite a while.

As we all know the As and a2 results came out yesterday. i got my As results AAAB and i am happy. I want to do computer science and maths at Oxford but im worried maths will be too hard for me. I found the As maths alright not hard but not completely easy. I came out with an A getting 97% , and two 85% in my other modules. I want to take computer science and maths just as it will broaden my options once i leave so i can take a sort a mixed sort of career after.

After realising that i didnt find maths easy , im not sure if i am good enough to take it with Computer science . im considering just doing computer science by itself now as less maths involved but i dont want to be glued to a computer screen all day.

Also , I have studied quite hard during this year and want to make sure i have time to have a social life as well . So if i take computer science and maths
A) Will i struggle and spend all my time indoors with no social life?
B) Will i get rubbish grades
C) Am i better off taking computer science by itself

I think i covered everything there but thanks for your help in advance.

Reply 1

ProfessorFitBoy

2

Maths is the type of subject, as u probably no, which is not necessarily always 'hard' but quite a bit of the 'hardness' comes from a lot of work studying mere techniques and how they can be applied to different problems.
Thus, to do well in maths you dont exactly have to be Ludwig Wittgenstein or Evariste Galois in mind but u have to enjoy it so much that u dont mind putting in the extra work - that IS your social life lol.

Iv often thought of reading maths and philosophy joint but thought maths could be too hard.

Iv spoken to some people who have done maths at uni and most have said that uni maths is a big shock to many as it differs considerably from a level.
But always take what others say with a pinch (or bagful) of salt :wink:

.

But i think it probly is a lot different.

No one can tell u if u should or should not do maths. You, and only you, is the person best qualified to do that.
Ask yourself seriously whether u enjoy it and r inspired by it enough to want to spend the next 3/4 years of your life doing it.
What's more, if you want to broaded your career there r always post grad diplomas/MAs/MScs which require a similar undergrad degree.

Good luck m8.

Reply 2

Unity

OP

2

Thanks for your reply but im just wondering if i do a split course there would be less maths and still the joint degree? So this would reduce the work load? Please people give me some helping advice! :frown:

Reply 3

Font

school-discuss

Thanks for your reply but im just wondering if i do a split course there would be less maths and still the joint degree? So this would reduce the work load? Please people give me some helping advice! :frown:

i applied to oxford for straight maths, and i'll do all the maths things. From waht i understand about your joint course is that you do the pure maths and skip the applied mods (mechanics and all), and do computing mods instead...not sure though...you'd get more info by ringing admissions.

I'm going to start this october, and i've just done my A-levels so bit nervous too, so i'll let you know how i get on :s-smilie:

Am sort of scared because everyone is saying it's nothing like A-levels, blah blah, which i accept, but couldn't they make it moresubtle for us freshers :rolleyes:

Reply 4

kikzen

14

im at bath doing straight maths.

man the first year was alright; not too bad - mainly a level stuff but from a uni point of view. that takes a bit of getting used to! im not the cleverest dude ever, but i got a 1st this year so its possible!

dont worry, it is a bit strange but you should pick it up :smile:

Reply 5

lou p lou

2

I was doing joint honour maths and psychology and i've lsot all enthusiasm for maths so i'm now changing course. find out whether you would have the flexibility to do this (onto single Comp Sci) at the end of first year.

lou xxx

Reply 6

Unity

OP

2

Yeah, I think you can do that. But can i ask you why you dropped out of it? Was it too hard or?

Reply 7

mussed

school-discuss

Hello , first thread I've made in quite a while.

As we all know the As and a2 results came out yesterday. i got my As results AAAB and i am happy. I want to do computer science and maths at Oxford but im worried maths will be too hard for me. I found the As maths alright not hard but not completely easy. I came out with an A getting 97% , and two 85% in my other modules. I want to take computer science and maths just as it will broaden my options once i leave so i can take a sort a mixed sort of career after.

After realising that i didnt find maths easy , im not sure if i am good enough to take it with Computer science . im considering just doing computer science by itself now as less maths involved but i dont want to be glued to a computer screen all day.

Also , I have studied quite hard during this year and want to make sure i have time to have a social life as well . So if i take computer science and maths
A) Will i struggle and spend all my time indoors with no social life?
B) Will i get rubbish grades
C) Am i better off taking computer science by itself

I think i covered everything there but thanks for your help in advance.

Uni Maths is MUCH harder - most people found school maths a doddle, particularly at Oxford. Bear in mind that the Comp Sci degree at Ox includes some maths anyway - particularly linear algebra, so you'd be OK. You won't be glued to a screen all the time anyway cos you do quite a lot of theory of computing which is written.
Incidentally, the person before is wrong - you'd do some computing, but all of pure maths plus the calculus for Mods, so it's actually quite heavy (comparable to Maths/Phil, which is meant to be superhard) and is definitely more work than maths mods as you skip out the easiest bits of maths in favour of the hardest parts of the computing degree (always the problem with joint courses in maths/physics, particularly at ox). You would be able to change to straight CompSci at the end of first year, but you'd have to play catchup over the long vac to do so.
From what you said, I'd basically advise you to do CompSci. (I do M&P, but I have 2 mates doing M&C). Good luck!

Reply 8

krish87

8

and is definitely more work than maths mods as you skip out the easiest bits of maths in favour of the hardest parts of the computing degree

what easiest bits?!!!!! i hope all the easiest bits are my dreaded applied maths bits!!!

Reply 9

lou p lou

2

school-discuss

Yeah, I think you can do that. But can i ask you why you dropped out of it? Was it too hard or?

i just lost enthusiasm for it, so i found it hard to motivate myself to do all the work needed. in dundee we do 3 subjects in 1st year and i enjoyed the psychology and economics a lot more, so i'm doing a joint in them now instead.

lou xxx

Reply 10

PennyRoyalTea

10

school-discuss

Hello , first thread I've made in quite a while.

As we all know the As and a2 results came out yesterday. i got my As results AAAB and i am happy. I want to do computer science and maths at Oxford but im worried maths will be too hard for me. I found the As maths alright not hard but not completely easy. I came out with an A getting 97% , and two 85% in my other modules. I want to take computer science and maths just as it will broaden my options once i leave so i can take a sort a mixed sort of career after.

After realising that i didnt find maths easy , im not sure if i am good enough to take it with Computer science . im considering just doing computer science by itself now as less maths involved but i dont want to be glued to a computer screen all day.

Also , I have studied quite hard during this year and want to make sure i have time to have a social life as well . So if i take computer science and maths
A) Will i struggle and spend all my time indoors with no social life?
B) Will i get rubbish grades
C) Am i better off taking computer science by itself

I think i covered everything there but thanks for your help in advance.

dude, i can't help you but i can say that im in exactly the same position as you. i am thinking of doing maths and philosophy at uni, but im really confused as to whether i should be doing maths, it just puts me off when i know there are loads more people out there better than me at maths :confused:

i got 99, 85 and 74 for my maths modules and there r people out there with 100's for all of them , im not sure i'll be able to handle it either, but at the end of the day i suppose you can do anything you work hard at, good luck with whatever you choose :tsr:

Worried about taking Maths at University

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