University of Warwick

Coventry

Computer Science in Warwick

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Reply 40

Jai Sandhu

Original post by EricAteYou

At my school it's the requirment :/ Apprently without an A* it's likely you will struggle ( due to ability ).

I scraped the boundary for GCSE A* and should be aiming for a high A* in FM, GCSE is a really bad indicator.

University of Warwick

Coventry

Reply 41

MatthewAteYou

Original post by Jai Sandhu

I scraped the boundary for GCSE A* and should be aiming for a high A* in FM, GCSE is a really bad indicator.

That's more reassuring I guess, also quite interesting.

Reply 42

Jai Sandhu

Original post by EricAteYou

That's more reassuring I guess, also quite interesting.

I also know people who got 100% in GCSE maths and then failed at A level, one of them had to drop to AS after getting 1/32 in a C3 test.

Reply 43

MatthewAteYou

Original post by Jai Sandhu

I also know people who got 100% in GCSE maths and then failed at A level, one of them had to drop to AS after getting 1/32 in a C3 test.

Wow... Do you think it's more the workload or difficulty that trips people over?

Reply 44

Jai Sandhu

Original post by EricAteYou

Wow... Do you think it's more the workload or difficulty that trips people over?

I think people expect it to be like GCSE where you can revise the night before. Also, the workload is really not that bad if you want to get by, if you want to excel you need to work a LOT. Most of the A levels are not that challenging if you put work in.

Reply 45

petrichor12

Original post by m00c0w

Hi, first year CS student here. We only really do Java in the first year, though we do a tiny bit of C as well. Yes there is an web development module which most people take in which we covered HTML, CSS, Javascript, jQuery and PHP.

Hi, how different is g403 from g400 and how to decide between the two ? thanks

Reply 46

IanZzz

Hello, How strong is the CS department? How many students are there?

Reply 47

ssat108

I have finished writing my IB exams last week. I have been offered a conditional place to study computer science in Warwick. However, I have to get a level 6 in my IB higher maths. My maths paper did not go as well as I had hoped it to be. I am not sure if I can achieve a level 6 in maths. Does any one know if Warwick offers a place for level 5 in maths. I really loved the place when I visited on the applicant open day. It would break my heart if I did not secure my place here.

Reply 48

Computer Geek

Original post by BouncyCastle

If you did end up going to Warwick for computer science can I ask for your opinion on the department? The quality of teaching e.t.c

On average, it's good. Teaching quality can be amazing in some modules (like CS132 or CS261) or absolutely horrific (like CS130 or CS259). I guess some lecturers really don't care about teaching and hence just butcher their modules.

I have gotten a mid first or higher on every module so far, but tbh I don't really care about the teaching on the course, since there really isn't too much CS knowledge on the course that I would actually consider to be useful for employment. That kinda stuff you learn independently and I guess the only reason I'm still doing the course is so I can get the certificate and leave, as the university+course combination overall has a decent reputation in industry. This is in line with universities like Southampton CS or UCL CS or Manchester CS but not in line with the likes of Cambridge CS, Oxford CS and Imperial College C. In terms of employable skills, you won't be getting too much from the course, but they expect you to get that in your spare time (if you have any). By this I mean learning programming languages that are actually used in industry and not just as a learning tool for the degree, or interview skills and things similar to that.

The department can be crowded at times, but most of the time it's quite easy to find somewhere to sit and do some work. Some lectures can be completely full forcing you to sit down on the stairs, and some can be so empty that you're one of 5 people who have the unfortunate luck of attending.

If you have any specific questions, just let me know and I'll try and be as honest as possible.

Reply 49

Computer Geek

Original post by BouncyCastle

Thanks for the response! :smile:

Can I ask if you had the choice would you do CS at Warwick again would you or would you go choose another uni like the ones you mentioned?
Also do you think the work and the work load is difficult? How much free time do you have?
Is there opportunity to get involved with the academics research?
Are the other people on the course enjoying it?
Have you managed to secure any internships?
Do you think the degree is worth it considering the cost? I am looking to become a software developer after graduation.
Are the links with industry good?
If I got say a 2:1 would the reputation of the uni and course help with getting software jobs?

Thanks in advance, sorry for all the questions
Also, what year are you in?
:smile:

If I had the mentality I have now, I woulda done the SAT and gone to study at an American school like Stanford. But you can't really change the past, and doing another undergraduate degree in the exact same subject is entirely pointless.

For most of the year, the workload is manageable, with the ends of each term being quite challenging (in terms of time). I'd say I get a lot of free time when there's no work to do and just lectures to go to, but I get no free time at all when there's assignments or exams.

Yes, there is opportunity to get involved in research carried out by one of the academics, but it's about them choosing you, and they normally only choose you if you come top of the class for their module. I personally think it's a waste of time and CS research at smaller universities like Warwick isn't necessary anymore.

I can't think of anyone who actually enjoys the course, I think most people just wanna get it done and leave. It gets quite boring at times, to the point where your exam marks can suffer as a result of how boring it is.

Yes, I managed to get 5 offers for internships this year, and I ended up going for a tier 1 investment bank (I'll leave you to guess which). That was a fun experience, given me plenty of motivation to finish this degree.

I doubt a CS degree is worth doing anymore. It's the traditional route to becoming a software developer, but now-a-days, people are paying for coding boot camps and creating startups to bolster their experience rather than attending university.

Links with industry are okay, though it's mostly investment banks, and not big tech firms like Google, Facebook, Microsoft or similar. IBM seems to be an exception tho, since they have a big office near the university. Morgan Stanley and BAML sponsor key year 1 modules, and Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank sponsor key year 2 modules, with other banks interested in getting involved too.

I doubt any employer would care about you having a 2:1 in CS, they would be more interested in what you have to offer them, what kind of experience you have in developing commercial software, that sort of thing. Though they'd probably say "nice" or something when they see it on your CV during an interview.

And I'll be going into Year 3 of the MEng.

Reply 50

Computer Geek

Original post by BouncyCastle

Thanks so much for the response. :smile:

I'm guessing the internship at the investment bank wasn't software related?

It's disappointing that a lot of people don't enjoy the course. Do you think that is becuase of Warwicks course or becuase it is cs?

I have been considering taking a year out and applying to Oxford (I got the grades). Right now I have an offer to start at Warwick this year but I could turn it down. Do you think that would be advantageous?

And those firms like google e.t.c are the ones I want to work for so maybe Warwick isn't the best for that. It's unusual that this was posted:

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/dcs/news/?newsItem=8a17841a5dcc9f3d015de627e3f1202c

This suggests that the students are really happy.

Can I ask how you managed to get the internship offers? Is that something the uni sets up or did you sort that out yourself?

Do you think the other students ability on the course is high?

I have also seen that only 65 percent get 2:1 or above on the course and that 10 percent drop out. Do you think that could be right?

Thanks in advance for the response

The internship was technology related, as every investment bank has its own technology division, and like to think of themselves as a technology firm with a banking license when really they're just a banking firm with a banking license.

It's Warwick's course, a lot of things could be done better, there's a lot missing from it which could be interesting if it was put in, and more effort could be put in by the lecturers to make it provide more employability skills.

If you think Oxford will offer you a place after taking a gap year then by all means go for it, but remember they are incredibly picky, and it might not end in the way you want it to end, making you waste an entire year of your life on something that may never have happened. That being said, if I were you, I'd go for it (I had the grades for Cambridge but I chose Warwick because of how close to home it is, and cuz I knew that just because I had the grades, doesn't entitle me to any offer to study there).

If I'm honest with you, firms like Google don't normally take on CS undergrads from the UK, mainly because most of the UK's CS courses are shockingly bad. They'd rather just stick to what they know is working great for them; grads from the big US schools. So if that's your ambition, maybe you should give the SAT a go to see if you can get any school in the states.

That post is just standard propaganda that any university would post if they had the chance; why take it seriously is my question?

You sort out any job offers yourself, the university doesn't help you. I think I applied to about 30 different schemes and got 5 from that 30 (which is amazing according to some people).

Yeah, almost everyone on the course comes from a Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry background, I think the average grade from my personal experience is A*AAA, but I've seen higher. There's this one guy that got 98% in M and 95% in FM and still chose to come study at Warwick lmao.

65% 2:1 seems about right, but it should probably be higher as I haven't seen anyone get lower than a 2:1 overall. 10% dropout rate seems a bit inflated, though a lot of people seem to drop out for medical reasons and not because they hate the course.

Reply 51

Computer Geek

Original post by BouncyCastle

Thanks for all of your detailed responses.

Yeah I know I still only have a small chance of getting into Oxford and it would most likely be a waste of a year (I only got A*AA which is there minimum standard offer)

University is a massive investment and I don't want to waste my time and money at Warwick if the course is not that good.

A student who was giving a tour (they weren't from the cs department) said that cs students often get funding from employers for good work. Does that happen often?

Have you heard of many students from the course getting jobs at any of the big technology firms? I appreciate what you said about the poor cs education in the UK.

Interestingly I tried to find where they got the results from that survey from and couldn't find anything else that actually agreed with the figures they gave.

I am quite inclined to turn down my place and self teach programming and try and get an apprenticeship, although my concern is there is no guarantee I would be able to get on any apprenticeship scheme but my place at Warwick is confirmed right now.

In that case, it's probably not a good idea, as you'll be competing with people who are predicted 3 A* or higher. Oxford rarely ever take anyone predicted the minimum standard offer, unless you're from a really bad school (like bottom 5 percentile type bad).

I never said the Warwick course is a waste of time, at the end of it, you'll probably still get a job somewhere. It just won't be at Google.

The funding from employers is complete crap, unless he was talking about the prizes they give out when you come top of the class for anything. In my experience, the prize for that has only ever been a maximum of £100 in Amazon vouchers.

I've seen someone on an internship at IBM, and a few grads who work at IBM full time. But by big if you mean Apple or Google, then no. But at the end of the day, it's down to the person, and I don't think going to Oxford or Cambridge will improve your chances of getting into a Google internship.

You have to remember that the NSS is filled out by students, and most of these students don't want to tarnish the reputation of their degree just so that their comments are heard. At most universities, theres a strategy that is used where most students give positive feedback, even when they absolutely hate it.

Reply 52

Computer Geek

Original post by BouncyCastle

Oh and a couple more questions if that's ok.

Are the academics friendly and open to chat with students a lot?

And I've heard that the contact hours are in the 20s per week?

Cheers

Sure, again I'll just be brutally honest.

Depends on who it is, if said academic is linked to one of the poorly taught modules then don't expect to be able to talk to them.

Contact hours shouldn't really be an accurate measure of anything, since most of the work you do on a CS degree is in your own time. That being said, 20 hours a week of contact time is about right.

Reply 53

username3093384

Hello, I am gonna do C|S art warwick this year. What campus should I apply for? I have never been there so I want to chose one that is close and I can just walk