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STEP for computer science?

do any universities require applicants to sit a STEP paper for computer science/ computing?

Could you please tell me for the following unis:
cambridge, imperial, ucl, oxford?

i thought you had to for cambridge but does not mention it on the website..? :smile:

Reply 1

eliotball

Not usually, but maybe for Maths and Computer Science.

Reply 2

clarityy

Imperial and UCL don't.
Cambridge and Oxford probably do, but if you looked carefully on the cambridge website then maybe it doesn't.

Reply 3

clarityy

Actually I just checked the Cambridge website and yeah they do require you to take STEP for SOME colleges, so depending on which one (they may transfer) you basically do I suppose. I'm guessing you have to for Oxford as well.
But UCL and Imperial don't, it's AAA for UCL and A*AA for Imperial, unless you want to do Maths and Computing at Imperial where it's A*A*A (incl. A* in Further Maths at A-level).

Hope that helps :smile:

Reply 4

eliotball

Original post by clarityy

I'm guessing you have to for Oxford as well.

Oxford do not use STEP ever, including for straight maths. They have an admissions test that fulfils the same requirement but is generally considered easier than STEP.
http://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/specimen-tests

If you are applying for computer science then STEP might be useful for developing your problem solving skills even if you don't need it? Might be worth having a go and not being put off at first to see if you might gain something from it anyway. Try working on some questions from this:
http://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/undergrad/admissions/step/advpcm.pdf

Reply 5

Oxford Computer Science Dept

Original post by roflcopter94

do any universities require applicants to sit a STEP paper for computer science/ computing?

Could you please tell me for the following unis:
cambridge, imperial, ucl, oxford?

Here at Oxford we don't use STEP papers when making offers for our Computer Science courses.

All applicants sit an Aptitude Test - details, including sample questions and answers can be found here: http://www.comlab.ox.ac.uk/admissions/ugrad/How_to_apply#Aptitude_test_for_Computer_Science Most applicants sit this at their own school.

For 2012 entry we will normally make an offer of A*AA on three A levels including at least an A in Maths. For Computer Science, and Computer Science & Philosophy students the A* must be in Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Computing. For Maths & Computer Science students the A* must be in Maths or Further Maths.

Further information here: http://www.comlab.ox.ac.uk/admissions/ugrad/Computer_Science_at_Oxford

Hope that helps.