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How to strengthen your Computer Science application?

Hey! I just want your opinion on what a person who wants to do a computer science degree should tend to do during his A-level course? I mean good grades are one thing, but there's supposed to be some other kind of background to have a strong application? What kind of competitions should a potential CS student take part in? What activities should one undertake? What are, basically, the best ways to strengthen the application for a CS course?
Reply 1
Avatar for FloydRix
FloydRix
13
Do a programming course such as C++ or PHP at a local higher/further education college.

Note: These do cost.
COmputing, business or ict or economics, Maths, one science either chemistry or physics. This is just my opinion.
Reply 3
Avatar for pluke
pluke
Original post by Sinfire
Hey! I just want your opinion on what a person who wants to do a computer science degree should tend to do during his A-level course? I mean good grades are one thing, but there's supposed to be some other kind of background to have a strong application? What kind of competitions should a potential CS student take part in? What activities should one undertake? What are, basically, the best ways to strengthen the application for a CS course?


Maths and Programming are the routes to take. There is the British Informatics Olympiad if you feel like a challenge. You don't need to pay for expensive programming courses as there is so much free stuff online or in libraries. A good place to start is python
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 4
Avatar for Sinfire
Sinfire
OP
9
Well luckily I adore maths and have some experience in C++. I've done all the antiRTFM tutorials on youtube. Not much but still.

About CCNA... Where do you usually study it? In a certified Cisco centre? At college (my college is Richmond Upon Thames by the way, I only found a course which is sort of like a BTEC alongside which you can do your CCNA)? If at college, can you actually do it alongside your A-levels? I centainly do have the enthusiasm to take up something like this and really hope I'll have the opportunity to do so.
Reply 5
Avatar for Fallen
Fallen
17
Original post by Sinfire
Hey! I just want your opinion on what a person who wants to do a computer science degree should tend to do during his A-level course? I mean good grades are one thing, but there's supposed to be some other kind of background to have a strong application? What kind of competitions should a potential CS student take part in? What activities should one undertake? What are, basically, the best ways to strengthen the application for a CS course?

Read. You don't have to go overboard, but I think reading just one proper, academic Computer Science book is a good thing to do.

One of the ones I read was 'Computer Science: An Overview' by J. Glenn Brookshear. I can't recommend it enough, I could barely put it down. It covers a huge range of CS topics, detailed enough for you to fully appreciate what is happening, but without studying the underlying maths in any detail. My interviewer at Imperial College mentioned that he was glad I had read it, as he thinks it is a good read for potential applicants.

Just look through the suggested reading lists of the universities you are applying to, and pick the one or two books which jump out at you. Like I said, I don't think you have to spend all your time reading 15 books, but 1 or 2 is a great addition to your application.
Reply 6
Avatar for mujahid_e3
mujahid_e3
Where can you do these courses for free?
Thanks

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