Cambridge, Oxford or any others?

No it was quite a popular book actually, "The New Turing Omnibus". It just bored me, to be honest, even if I was good at it I don't think I'd really want to do it any more because I just love science (real science) for the sake of science! I definitely will be doing a lot of computation in my degree but it's very much applied - more mechanics and physics I'd have thought than all of the very abstract and theoretical things you do in CompSci.

I think that book would bore me too. I was recommended it but barely read it-not at all like anything on our course.

Most of our course is theoretical, but I love the bits best where theory meets practice. So in our graphics class, we were making models of people dance. We also had to do a group project, and in mine we built a virtual piano with a "guitar-hero" -like game.
I also do philosophy too...the most interesting module was in cognitive science.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 61

UnknownDude

OP

12

Original post by Blutooth

x

Original post by Chlorophile

x

Original post by TVIO

x

Ty again guys for helping me! It all sounds soo interesting! I really love Computer Science not because I stay on my computer or I play games but I love what you can do with it. You can completely change people's lives with computer science. Now then even though I'm in year 12 and I should really be focusing on my AS Levels, I still want to know if I should be taking STEP or MAT. I really don't want to because they're reallly hard. Let me put it this way, I got two A*s in Maths GCSE without trying (not tryna sound arrogant :P). Then AS Maths was abit new to me but not too hard. I've already completed C1, C2, M1 and I'm doing FP1 (C3 and M2 left to go) and I'm finding it straightforward and easy. In the Mocks I got two As. So far Maths AS is looking easy. Now I signed up for this course called the STEP Correspondence Course which they send us STEP assignment and they mark it for us (markings are terrible :s). So far, I'm finding STEP really hard and I really don't want to do it. My school doesn't offer help for STEP, but they do for MAT.

Now then enough of the stories... Can someone please tell me if you take any entrance exams for these courses (STEP MAT):

1) Cambridge, Computer Science
2) Cambridge, Computer Science with Maths
3) Oxford, Computer Science
4) Oxford, Computer Science with Maths
5) Imperial, Computer Science
6) Imperial, Computer Science with Maths

Original post by ThatPerson

Firstly, forget about rankings. Past a certain point they do not matter. They're good to get an initial collection of universities that you can then research and see what appeals to you, so you can select your 5 choices. Beyond that, they're not much help. Do not select a university purely on reputation, look beyond that at the actual course that you will spend 3-4 years of your life studying.

Yeah, I'm thinking of doing that but not extensively as Research and World Ranking. Like come to think of it, I really want to go to a university where it's actually good to live in.

Reply 62

TVIO

12

Original post by Chlorophile

That's not meant to be an insult... it's just not a science. When do you use the scientific method in Computer Science? The dictionary definition of science is "the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the natural world through observation and experiment" and even with my limited knowledge of CompSci I fail to see how that applies to the subject...

Nah I know I was just kiddin with you. It's an engineering discipline that ventures closer to abstract maths than most.

Reply 63

TVIO

12

Original post by UnknownDude

Ty again guys for helping me! It all sounds soo interesting! I really love Computer Science not because I stay on my computer or I play games but I love what you can do with it. You can completely change people's lives with computer science. Now then even though I'm in year 12 and I should really be focusing on my AS Levels, I still want to know if I should be taking STEP or MAT. I really don't want to because they're reallly hard. Let me put it this way, I got two A*s in Maths GCSE without trying (not tryna sound arrogant :P). Then AS Maths was abit new to me but not too hard. I've already completed C1, C2, M1 and I'm doing FP1 (C3 and M2 left to go) and I'm finding it straightforward and easy. In the Mocks I got two As. So far Maths AS is looking easy. Now I signed up for this course called the STEP Correspondence Course which they send us STEP assignment and they mark it for us (markings are terrible :s). So far, I'm finding STEP really hard and I really don't want to do it. My school doesn't offer help for STEP, but they do for MAT.

Now then enough of the stories... Can someone please tell me if you take any entrance exams for these courses (STEP MAT):

1) Cambridge, Computer Science
2) Cambridge, Computer Science with Maths
3) Oxford, Computer Science
4) Oxford, Computer Science with Maths
5) Imperial, Computer Science
6) Imperial, Computer Science with Maths

Yeah, I'm thinking of doing that but not extensively as Research and World Ranking. Like come to think of it, I really want to go to a university where it's actually good to live in.

Yeah GCSE maths is very very easy if you enjoy maths. Be aware of the step up to A2, it's MUCH harder than AS but quite manageable with work.
1) Might take a college test like the TSA or churchill had their own maths aptitude test when I applied. Some colleges give STEP offers.
2) As above, and STEP is mandatory.
3,4) MAT
5,6) No MAT. STEP not required in theory, but in practice they give out tons of STEP offers (1 in STEP II being the worst this year for pure CS yay me :frown:

, and 2 in STEP III being the worst for JMCs this year)

Reply 64

Blitzkrieg15

11

Original post by TVIO

That's not easy to teach. I'm still unsure if it can be. You have to develop it yourself with practice. STEP was indecipherable to me at first but I'm slowly getting there with practice. There's no secret, just hard work.

There must be a methodology you use for a STEP problem?

Reply 65

Blutooth

16

1) Cambridge, Computer Science - Nil (usually TSA)
2) Cambridge, Computer Science with Maths -STEP
3) Oxford, Computer Science -MAT
4) Oxford, Maths and Computer science-MAT
5) Imperial, Computer Science-? (Most likely nIl)
6) Imperial, Computer Science with Maths-?(most likely MAT)

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 66

TVIO

12

Original post by Blitzkrieg15

There must be a methodology you use for a STEP problem?

Me personally? I've not done enough STEP to know if that's possible, but in my experience so far there's not a 'set method' as the questions are so varied. But they do follow a general format, in which there's usually an easy-ish first part to get you into the question. The second part may use something you found out from the first part, and the 3rd part almost always tied up what you've done so far. They need creativity to solve and it's difficult to spot the leap in logic necessary. It gets slightly better the more you do, but I really don't know how you could possibly teach it.

Reply 67

TVIO

12

Original post by Blutooth

1) Cambridge, Computer Science - Nil
2) Cambridge, Computer Science with Maths -STEP
3) Oxford, Computer Science -MAT
4) Oxford, Maths and Computer science-MAT
5) Imperial, Computer Science-? (Most likely nIl)
6) Imperial, Computer Science with Maths-?(most likely MAT)

Important distinction to #4 yes, it's quite different from Cambridge's with maths. I believe Imperial's is also similar to Oxford's as there is an equal split with maths and computing, though the course recently switched from being run by the maths dept. to the computing dept.

Reply 68

Blitzkrieg15

11

Original post by TVIO

Me personally? I've not done enough STEP to know if that's possible, but in my experience so far there's not a 'set method' as the questions are so varied. But they do follow a general format, in which there's usually an easy-ish first part to get you into the question. The second part may use something you found out from the first part, and the 3rd part almost always tied up what you've done so far. They need creativity to solve and it's difficult to spot the leap in logic necessary. It gets slightly better the more you do, but I really don't know how you could possibly teach it.

Are you looking for rules? Or just logic?

Reply 69

TVIO

12

Original post by Blitzkrieg15

Are you looking for rules? Or just logic?

What do you mean? STEP questions use familiar maths content but apply it in different ways and sort of see how well you cope. If you can understand what they're doing and extend it then you'll be good at STEP. But they're often testing quite high level mathematical thinking that forces you to make connections between different parts of maths to solve the question.

Reply 70

UnknownDude

OP

12

Original post by TVIO

Yeah GCSE maths is very very easy if you enjoy maths. Be aware of the step up to A2, it's MUCH harder than AS but quite manageable with work.
1) Might take a college test like the TSA or churchill had their own maths aptitude test when I applied. Some colleges give STEP offers.
2) As above, and STEP is mandatory.
3,4) MAT
5,6) No MAT. STEP not required in theory, but in practice they give out tons of STEP offers (1 in STEP II being the worst this year for pure CS yay me :frown:

, and 2 in STEP III being the worst for JMCs this year)

Original post by Blutooth

1) Cambridge, Computer Science - Nil (usually TSA)
2) Cambridge, Computer Science with Maths -STEP
3) Oxford, Computer Science -MAT
4) Oxford, Maths and Computer science-MAT
5) Imperial, Computer Science-? (Most likely nIl)
6) Imperial, Computer Science with Maths-?(most likely MAT)

Hmm... Is the 'with Maths' worth it?

Original post by TVIO

Me personally? I've not done enough STEP to know if that's possible, but in my experience so far there's not a 'set method' as the questions are so varied. But they do follow a general format, in which there's usually an easy-ish first part to get you into the question. The second part may use something you found out from the first part, and the 3rd part almost always tied up what you've done so far. They need creativity to solve and it's difficult to spot the leap in logic necessary. It gets slightly better the more you do, but I really don't know how you could possibly teach it.

The thing I hate about STEP is the algebra. Like there is never numbers, just algebra.

Reply 71

Blitzkrieg15

11

Original post by TVIO

What do you mean? STEP questions use familiar maths content but apply it in different ways and sort of see how well you cope. If you can understand what they're doing and extend it then you'll be good at STEP. But they're often testing quite high level mathematical thinking that forces you to make connections between different parts of maths to solve the question.

But why is this not in the A level Maths exams anyway? It used to be in the 90s.

Reply 72

TVIO

12

Original post by UnknownDude

Hmm... Is the 'with Maths' worth it?

The thing I hate about STEP is the algebra. Like there is never numbers, just algebra.

In response to your first point: Personal preference, take a look at the course modules and see what you like more.
Point 2: Most high level maths is algebra/abstraction, taking specific ideas and generalising them is an important concept to maths (and CS for that matter). What do you mean by 'numbers' exactly? Like arithmetic or sums? I personally hate those sorts of questions, as I'm prone to numerical error but I'm stronger on algebraic skills.

Reply 73

TVIO

12

Original post by Blitzkrieg15

But why is this not in the A level Maths exams anyway? It used to be in the 90s.

Yeah, of course it did. And everyone that took A level maths in the 90s is good enough to get into Cambridge to study maths. (sarcasm!)

Reply 74

Doones

21

Original post by clh_hilary

... With actual CEOs and millionaires, Oxford tops Cambridge by a comfortable margin but I cannot see how that should be relevant to you.

Billionaires FTW
http://cambridge.tab.co.uk/2014/06/02/wanna-be-a-billionaire-come-to-cambridge/

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 75

El Salvador

21

Original post by jneill

Billionaires FTW
http://cambridge.tab.co.uk/2014/06/02/wanna-be-a-billionaire-come-to-cambridge/

Posted from TSR Mobile

OMG both barons read history.

STEM what?

Original post by clh_hilary

OMG both barons read history.

STEM what?

History Master Race.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 77

zimbo97

9

Original post by UnknownDude

Wow.. Thanks man! I guess I'm picking Oxford.. Bye Bye Cambridge!

Mate you have around 10 months before you have to send off your application. Lets not pretend that the decision you make now is final. If I were you I'd put aside thoughts of university and concentrate on your AS. I'd also remind you that Oxbridge turn away exceptional candidates, my friend scored over 195/200 UMS in all her AS levels and predicted 3A* but was rejected.
So try not to expect a place.

Finally, you wouldn't guess it from reading this but employers care a lot more about the quality of your degree rather than the university you got it at. A 1st from UCL should be more highly regarded than a 2:1 at Oxford.

Reply 78

UnknownDude

OP

12

Original post by jneill

Billionaires FTW
http://cambridge.tab.co.uk/2014/06/02/wanna-be-a-billionaire-come-to-cambridge/

Posted from TSR Mobile

Just by looking at the articles that newspaper makes, I know that it's biased. xD Who actually makes the articles?

Original post by TVIO

In response to your first point: Personal preference, take a look at the course modules and see what you like more.
Point 2: Most high level maths is algebra/abstraction, taking specific ideas and generalising them is an important concept to maths (and CS for that matter). What do you mean by 'numbers' exactly? Like arithmetic or sums? I personally hate those sorts of questions, as I'm prone to numerical error but I'm stronger on algebraic skills.

Personal Preferance? Hmm... I'll take CS. And when I mean numbers, I mean like in M1, where they give you a problem with some numbers and you solve it. Like the algebra gets soo confusing and you don't know where to go.