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Help me chose please!

Hi, I am 18 years old and I am current on my first year of my BTEC's, IT and Business. I had failed my A Level before starting BTEC. I had chosen Maths, Physics and Chemistry in my A Levels, getting an E in maths and chemistry and a D in physics. It has been almost a year that I am doing my BTEC.

Now, I think that I must take another subject because I find the Business side of the BTEC to be very boring which has lead me to not do the work. Therefore, I wont be able to achieve the grades to get into uni, if I to continue doing these subjects.

I have thought of doing one of these to options but I do not know if its right to take new subjects again, will it reduce my chances of getting into uni to do Computer Science and by how much?

So, I thought of doing either BTEC IT Extended Diploma( This is kind of similar to my BTEC IT course, but the extended diploma is 18 units and my course is 12units)(I am doing ok in the IT side of the course which is why i chose to do the extended BTEC for IT) or I take 3 A levels again and work very hard, the subjects I have decided are Maths, Physics and ICT.

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Original post by GameDev101
Hi, I am 18 years old and I am current on my first year of my BTEC's, IT and Business. I had failed my A Level before starting BTEC. I had chosen Maths, Physics and Chemistry in my A Levels, getting an E in maths and chemistry and a D in physics. It has been almost a year that I am doing my BTEC.

Now, I think that I must take another subject because I find the Business side of the BTEC to be very boring which has lead me to not do the work. Therefore, I wont be able to achieve the grades to get into uni, if I to continue doing these subjects.

I have thought of doing one of these to options but I do not know if its right to take new subjects again, will it reduce my chances of getting into uni to do Computer Science and by how much?

So, I thought of doing either BTEC IT Extended Diploma( This is kind of similar to my BTEC IT course, but the extended diploma is 18 units and my course is 12units)(I am doing ok in the IT side of the course which is why i chose to do the extended BTEC for IT) or I take 3 A levels again and work very hard, the subjects I have decided are Maths, Physics and ICT.


Just ask to be put onto the Extended Diploma. If you finish with a standard diploma it is very unlikely that you'll be able to top up.. Haven't heard of anywhere that does it.

With regards to doing A-levels all over again.. Don't bother.. Especially if you already have the requirements for to go for a degree. In CS a degree is a degree regardless of where you get it from. The only difference being that the higher ranked universities have a much much higher focus on the mathematical and theoretical side.. Which is good.. But employers are only ever going to care as to whether you can get the job done or not.

Out of curiosity what're you predicted for your course(s)? If your results total about 320-400 UCAS points then just attend somewhere that interests you and somewhere that has a work placement year.
Reply 2
I am predicted a Distinction merit. I would chose to carry on my BTECS but I know for sure that I won't get this grades because I do not work well with meeting deadlines when it come to coursework on a regular. Also, I feel that the pressure I am feeling now was more than i felt when I was doing my A Levels.

Also, I am will seriously not be able to the work if I am finding it this boring. I think I am better off starting something else, I don't mind having wait 2 years again before I go uni.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Binary Freak
Just ask to be put onto the Extended Diploma. If you finish with a standard diploma it is very unlikely that you'll be able to top up.. Haven't heard of anywhere that does it.

With regards to doing A-levels all over again.. Don't bother.. Especially if you already have the requirements for to go for a degree. In CS a degree is a degree regardless of where you get it from. The only difference being that the higher ranked universities have a much much higher focus on the mathematical and theoretical side.. Which is good.. But employers are only ever going to care as to whether you can get the job done or not.

Out of curiosity what're you predicted for your course(s)? If your results total about 320-400 UCAS points then just attend somewhere that interests you and somewhere that has a work placement year.


:lolwut:

What kind of fantasy land do you live in? Do they serve unicorn cotton candy there?

Aim for the best uni you can OP. There is a reason the Comp Sci grad job statistic is low and that is due to people from subpar unis bringing down the average.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Princepieman
:lolwut:

What kind of fantasy land do you live in? Do they serve unicorn cotton candy there?

Aim for the best uni you can OP. There is a reason the Comp Sci grad job statistic is low and that is due to people from subpar unis bringing down the average.


Posted from TSR Mobile

Not living in a fantasy land. Sure.. Definitely aim for the best possible place that you can. But there's no point in spending an additional 2 years redoing A-levels (with a slight possibility of failing again) just so you can attend a university in the top 10. If a mid-ranked university gets him where he wants to be then where's the problem? Some people are fine with working in a regular mid-sized company on a £21000-£25000 per year as a starting point then gradually moving towards £35000. Other people want to enter a bigger companies and develop the technologies and innovative software products.

The main issue with how low the statistics are is indeed related to the subpar universities. But that's only given who they accept. Some subpar universities can produce pretty good graduates. You just get far too many lazy students and delinquents at these universities which bring the average down considerably; they end up getting a 2:2 or below and only end up being able to apply for line support on £18,000 at best.
(edited 8 years ago)
Choose. You mean choose.
Original post by Anjum - Yasmin
Choose. You mean choose.


value added
Original post by gr8wizard10
value added


I'm just feeling aware.
Original post by GameDev101
I am predicted a Distinction merit. I would chose to carry on my BTECS but I know for sure that I won't get this grades because I do not work well with meeting deadlines when it come to coursework on a regular. Also, I feel that the pressure I am feeling now was more than i felt when I was doing my A Levels.

Also, I am will seriously not be able to the work if I am finding it this boring. I think I am better off starting something else, I don't mind having wait 2 years again before I go uni.

I suppose.. I assume you're attending quite a tough college? Most places just let you have a distinction regardless of whether you hand it in 3 months later.

You could restart again. But then overall you'd be about 3-4 years behind your fellow peers. What exactly do you want to do when you finish with the degree (when you go for it)? If nothing special (though your name suggests otherwise) then you could consider applying for jobs and A-levels.. Then you have more of an open choice.
Reply 9
I don't even think you can restart anymore. The government has stopped funding for people over the age of 18.
Original post by Async
I don't even think you can restart anymore. The government has stopped funding for people over the age of 18.

Yeah they stopped it for over 19.. Though you can still get DLS in the right circumstancesb (EDIT: I think)
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 11
Original post by Princepieman
:lolwut:

What kind of fantasy land do you live in? Do they serve unicorn cotton candy there?

Aim for the best uni you can OP. There is a reason the Comp Sci grad job statistic is low and that is due to people from subpar unis bringing down the average.


Posted from TSR Mobile


So starting again in college to do A levels would be the right choice right? Thats how will be able to aim for the best uni right?
Original post by GameDev101
So starting again in college to do A levels would be the right choice right? Thats how will be able to aim for the best uni right?


If you are certain that you will put in the effort required to get AAB+ then, yeah. If not, doing a BTEC in IT plus an A-level in Maths can also be good route in.

If you were to A-levels I'd recommend: Maths, Further Maths and Physics/Computing.

You have to realize that Comp Sci is not an easy degree at a top uni; it requires consistent effort and a well developed logical mind. Be prepared to face a lot of very difficult mathematical concepts and theories, as well as some complicated programming paradigms. It's not just about fooling around with code and making stuff.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 13
Original post by Princepieman
If you are certain that you will put in the effort required to get AAB+ then, yeah. If not, doing a BTEC in IT plus an A-level in Maths can also be good route in.

If you were to A-levels I'd recommend: Maths, Further Maths and Physics/Computing.

You have to realize that Comp Sci is not an easy degree at a top uni; it requires consistent effort and a well developed logical mind. Be prepared to face a lot of very difficult mathematical concepts and theories, as well as some complicated programming paradigms. It's not just about fooling around with code and making stuff.


Posted from TSR Mobile


According your profile you're just a second year applying for UNI this year. How would you know all this if you've never had first person hands on experience? Sure you might of had secondary experience but that is not always accurate. If OP wants to study CompSci at uni then why does he need Maths, Further Maths, and Physics?

I think this is bad advise. OP mentioned he got an E in maths, so why recommend Further maths? I think you're forgetting how hard maths and physics is for the average human. Our brains are not naturally wired to do maths, hence why most people find maths difficult. Suggesting further maths in order to be able to cope with a subject like "CompSci" is nonsense. And Physics? LOL.. Where are you getting these from.

And I hate this notion everybody on TSR is spreading about getting into a "Top uni". What nonsense. My whole argument is based upon this whole Top uni issue.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Async
According your profile you're just a second year applying for UNI this year. How would you know all this if you've never had first person hands on experience? Sure you might of had secondary experience but that is not always accurate. If OP wants to study CompSci at uni then why does he need Maths, Further Maths, and Physics?

I think this is bad advise. OP mentioned he got an E in maths, so why recommend Further maths? I think you're forgetting how hard maths and physics is for the average human. Our brains are not naturally wired to do maths, hence why most people find maths difficult. Suggesting further maths in order to be able to cope with a subject like "CompSci" is nonsense. And Physics? LOL.. Where are you getting these from.

And I hate this notion everybody on TSR is spreading about getting into a "Top uni". What nonsense. My whole argument is based upon this whole Top uni issue.


Oh, pottycock. Computer Science is deeply routed in mathematics, in fact, it stems almost entirely out of mathematics and is concerned with the theory of computational thinking.

You can't fool yourself into thinking people who are doing "Computer Science" degrees at universities with little mathematical content are actually studying CS. Rather, they are studying programming 101, which doesn't really help when it comes designing complex systems - as there is a lack of understanding of the underlying theory behind software and computation.

Google, Facebook and other large technology firms deal with mounds of data and have extremely talented engineers who are not only capable of implementing but also designing - you simply cannot get that insight unless you get the theoretical nuances.

The best degrees are those that retain the theoretical rigour of Computer Science but also balance it with projects and other practical aspects. Employers know this and focus their effort on recruiting graduates from the places that offer this.

To your comment about brain-wiring and finding maths difficult, tough cookies really. Computer Science is an academic subject. If you aren't academically able to handle the theoretical aspects you are better off doing one of those new fangled coding boot camps - your likelihood hood of getting a good job will be mountains better than someone who goes to a subpar institution.
Reply 15
Original post by Princepieman
*Snip*



You can't fool yourself into thinking people who are doing "Computer Science" degrees at universities with little mathematical content are actually studying CS. Rather, they are studying programming 101, which doesn't really help when it comes designing complex systems - as there is a lack of understanding of the underlying theory behind software and computation.


This is not true. Although programming classes are not as theoretical as standard CompSci, I would guess most unis will still teach the theoretical side for some modules in order to understand the under the hood parts. Also ones definition of "complex system" is really subjective. In my opinion, a complex system is not one that has to be heavily maths based. I think a complex system is one that in cooperates many different technologies and concepts. For example, in-cooperating SQL database storage, Regex and complex OOP in a big scale project is something I would regard as complex.


If you aren't academically able to handle the theoretical aspects you are better off doing one of those new fangled coding boot camps - your likelihood hood of getting a good job will be mountains better than someone who goes to a subpar institution.


Employers are more interested in how SUITABLE you are for the job, not what UNI you went to.



But with most things you've said I do agree, I've just had a very bad experience with this whole "maths" and "computer science" malarkey, and since then it's caused me to automatically jump at anybody that asserts that you need maths or have to be good at maths to be able to do CompSci/Programming. But usually when I talk about CompSci I usually mean the programming aspects.
Reply 16
Original post by Princepieman
If you are certain that you will put in the effort required to get AAB+ then, yeah. If not, doing a BTEC in IT plus an A-level in Maths can also be good route in.

If you were to A-levels I'd recommend: Maths, Further Maths and Physics/Computing.

You have to realize that Comp Sci is not an easy degree at a top uni; it requires consistent effort and a well developed logical mind. Be prepared to face a lot of very difficult mathematical concepts and theories, as well as some complicated programming paradigms. It's not just about fooling around with code and making stuff.


Posted from TSR Mobile

I wouldn't say Physics is entirely necessary, the only Physics I have done is in my games programming module where for calculating velocity, acceleration, collisions etc. I think Computing or the IT BTEC (including the programming modlues) is better preparation , even Maths, I do 2 maths modules in my first year of compsci and it can be learnt and hardly anything from the 2 modules is actually covered in Maths A level
Original post by yt7777
I wouldn't say Physics is entirely necessary, the only Physics I have done is in my games programming module where for calculating velocity, acceleration, collisions etc. I think Computing or the IT BTEC (including the programming modlues) is better preparation , even Maths, I do 2 maths modules in my first year of compsci and it can be learnt and hardly anything from the 2 modules is actually covered in Maths A level


Your course sounds fairly practical tbh. I would expect the maths to be at least FP1-FP3 standard with Sets, Recursion, etc. as well.

What's the practical to theory split of your modules?
Reply 18
Original post by Princepieman
Your course sounds fairly practical tbh. I would expect the maths to be at least FP1-FP3 standard with Sets, Recursion, etc. as well.

What's the practical to theory split of your modules?

We do Sets, Proofs, Relations, Functions, Vectors, Matrices and Probability in our Maths module we also do another theory module where we cover Number Base conversions, Logic, Circuits, Automota theory etc.

We do 2 lab modules one in Robotics and the other in Games programming

2 other theory modules more Computing based, one on The Internet, Networks, Security, Web technologies and a bit of web programming and another in Software Design which focusses on Software Engineering processes and methodologies also how to properly gather requirement, design and document software as you would in industry.

And then we do OOP in Java which is a full module where all we do is program but also have learnt about algorithms, time complexity and data structures.
Reply 19
Original post by Async
According your profile you're just a second year applying for UNI this year. How would you know all this if you've never had first person hands on experience? Sure you might of had secondary experience but that is not always accurate. If OP wants to study CompSci at uni then why does he need Maths, Further Maths, and Physics?

I think this is bad advise. OP mentioned he got an E in maths, so why recommend Further maths? I think you're forgetting how hard maths and physics is for the average human. Our brains are not naturally wired to do maths, hence why most people find maths difficult. Suggesting further maths in order to be able to cope with a subject like "CompSci" is nonsense. And Physics? LOL.. Where are you getting these from.

And I hate this notion everybody on TSR is spreading about getting into a "Top uni". What nonsense. My whole argument is based upon this whole Top uni issue.


I would could do futher maths if I wanted to but I don't really need to do it. I know i got bad grades but maths and physics was fairly stronger than most of the people that did it in my year. I just lacked in putting the effort when it came towards my exam, which I do regret not putting in the effort around that time.

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