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Web development work experience - relevant to CompSci?

Hello :smile:

I was offered to do a project for a web-based startup where I would design a page for them, after asking them about any possible work experience I could do. The problem is that I'm still having doubts about whether it would actually help my UCAS application or not. I'm applying for Computer Science (probably joint with Maths) degrees and aiming at Cambridge / Imperial / Bristol if possible.

It's not really a normal work experience placement so I have to give a few details:

I have to design a single webpage using HTML / CSS / Javascript, which would end up actually being a part of the startup

The project is meant to take me a month to months

Since it's a tiny startup (<10 people of which 2 are in the UK), I will probably have to work from home and have several meetings to see how the project is moving

I have no programming experience in web design, though I'm not completely new to programming


What's worrying me in the project is that it's not really related to anything I would do at a CompSci course. I'm guessing that maybe this could come useful in a project during the degree which involves making a web interface for whatever I'd be doing. Of course if I'd want to get a job in webdev (which I probably won't), this would be really nice to have. And this by itself would make me learn a lot about work in industry.

Would the admissions tutors actually care about this if I put it in my personal statement?

Also, since the UCAS deadline for me would be the 15th October, would this really be worth the potential weeks of work? I still need to start my personal statement and do some further reading so this is likely to get in the way.

Of course I don't expect TSR to make my choices for me :biggrin: but I'm wondering just how valuable this would be to my application.

TL;DR:
is a (big) webpage project relevant to a CS application?
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 1
It's relevant to a CS application, but not really relevant to a CS degree if that helps. A lot of people applying for CS talk about how they first got into code through Javascript since it's such a natural extension of the basic websites you make when you learn HTML and CSS. You'll also gain valuable skills in professionalism and being part of a tech team, which sounds like rubbish but would actually look pretty mature on an application.

Don't forget the other stuff too like reading around the course, extracurriculars and maths/problem-solving related things.
Agree with the above response. I think that HTML/CSS isn't relevant to a CompSci degree because it's not programming, however the general idea that you can pick up a language and get good at it is something good to show on your statement. Also, showing that you can work as part of a team is a big plus in statements as it means you can blab on about communication skills and the likes :smile:

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