The Student Room Group

How much does a computer science student study out side of lessons?

I am going to uni next year and hopefully a Russell group one xD
But I was just wondering how much CS students have to revise outside of lectures/labs and how many hours of classes are there each week generally. I know it depends on each uni. So what about something like Cardiff/Bristol?

Also if you don't mind can you suggest specs for a good laptop that I can use. The minimum.
By my research I found it should have at least:
8gb ram
125 SSD
i5 quad core 2.5 ghz
and maybe a graphics card if really needed.

do you think that would be acceptable?
Hey! I'm planning on studying computer science next year aswell and dell has some really good laptops, I have one coming tomorrow as we speak haha.

Mine cost £749 (was on sale)
and has:

8GB Ram
i7 8565H processor
Has a graphics card (but mostly because I want to also be playing games like gta on it)
1.92kg
and 128GB SSD along with 1TB HDD

BTW, u are really gonna want atleast 512 of SSD or save up whilst using an external hard drive while doing the course to get the best performance while running programs, and the i5 you found sounds pretty sweet :O

Although I don't know much about study hours and stuff, I did alot of research about laptops and the ones you would need for a computer science degree.

Some people even opt into taking a hceap laptop to lectures and keeping a powerful desktop in their room because they find it more efficient.
Original post by HanimalGurl
Hey! I'm planning on studying computer science next year aswell and dell has some really good laptops, I have one coming tomorrow as we speak haha.

Mine cost £749 (was on sale)
and has:

8GB Ram
i7 8565H processor
Has a graphics card (but mostly because I want to also be playing games like gta on it)
1.92kg
and 128GB SSD along with 1TB HDD

BTW, u are really gonna want atleast 512 of SSD or save up whilst using an external hard drive while doing the course to get the best performance while running programs, and the i5 you found sounds pretty sweet :O

Although I don't know much about study hours and stuff, I did alot of research about laptops and the ones you would need for a computer science degree.

Some people even opt into taking a hceap laptop to lectures and keeping a powerful desktop in their room because they find it more efficient.


Hay, thanks so much for the useful info it helps out so much!
By the way what is your dell laptop called? maybe there is a cheaper i5 version that I can check out haha
And have you decided what uni you want to go to? 0.o
Good Luck!
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by kurro
Hay, thanks so much for the useful info it helps out so much!
By the way what is your dell laptop called? maybe there is a cheaper i5 version that I can check out haha
And have you decided what uni you want to go to? 0.o
Good Luck!


My laptop is dell inspiron 15 7000, graphics are amazing but idk if I got a faulty version because the sound it sometimes scratchy when watching videos and the SSD was filled with the most useless dell apps.

I submitted my UCAS app on Thursday :

•

Exeter

•

Loughborough

•

Swansea

•

Gloucestershire (already received offer)

•

Liverpool hope


I don't think I did enough research about the university options and was looking at the type of people I would be competing with so then based it off of that.
(edited 5 years ago)
Thanks for telling me, i will check it out :smile:

I applied to Swansea too, but they want ABB. And im not sure I can get that haha
I'm like trying my hardest to get ABB and beyond, the Dist (might be moved up to a dist* if I retake the exam) is there already so I just need to get BB.
Original post by HanimalGurl
I'm like trying my hardest to get ABB and beyond, the Dist (might be moved up to a dist* if I retake the exam) is there already so I just need to get BB.

That's lucky then haha

so what are you other two subjects? Mine are math, chem and art.
Ayy I recieved an offer from swansea a few hours ago! And my subjects are ict, maths and chemistry.
Original post by HanimalGurl
Ayy I recieved an offer from swansea a few hours ago! And my subjects are ict, maths and chemistry.

ooooof good job my g
what grade requirements did you get? 0.o

I shoulda took ICT/CS fml :frown:
(I thought physics-dropped, maths, and chem was better as it gave me more options. I was totally wrong.)
(edited 5 years ago)
They didn't specify ABB as ICT is a CTEC (similar to BTEC as vocational with 2 exams), so 120 UCAS points.

Also I wish the best for you.

Did you do AS exams? and which subject would you say is your strongest?

Physics is god damn awful, most people I know either dropped it, kept it or had to redo year 12.
Original post by HanimalGurl
They didn't specify ABB as ICT is a CTEC (similar to BTEC as vocational with 2 exams), so 120 UCAS points.

Also I wish the best for you.

Did you do AS exams? and which subject would you say is your strongest?

Physics is god damn awful, most people I know either dropped it, kept it or had to redo year 12.

Oh i see.

Thank you! :smile:

Yeah i did AS, my strongest was maths(B). But the thing is when we had to choose our options in year 11 i chose maths-mechanics becuase i am terrible at stats. But when i joined AS they told me that everything is changed and we have to do stats too ffs.
Original post by HanimalGurl
My laptop is dell inspiron 15 7000, graphics are amazing but idk if I got a faulty version because the sound it sometimes scratchy when watching videos and the SSD was filled with the most useless dell apps.

I submitted my UCAS app on Thursday :

•

Exeter

•

Loughborough

•

Swansea

•

Gloucestershire (already received offer)

•

Liverpool hope


I don't think I did enough research about the university options and was looking at the type of people I would be competing with so then based it off of that.


Hi @HanimalGurl :hello:

It's great to hear that you have applied for the Computer Science course that we have to offer here at Hope.

If you have any specific questions regarding the course, please feel free to give me a shout. I'd be happy to share my experiences of being a student at Liverpool Hope if you would also like to know about the extra curriculum things you can be involved in.

Ruth :santa3:
Original post by kurro
Oh i see.

Thank you! :smile:

Yeah i did AS, my strongest was maths(B). But the thing is when we had to choose our options in year 11 i chose maths-mechanics becuase i am terrible at stats. But when i joined AS they told me that everything is changed and we have to do stats too ffs.

Yh you have a high chance then I achieved a D in AS maths because i was working every other day and had no time but this year I quiy my job and have been doing okay
Original post by HanimalGurl
Yh you have a high chance then I achieved a D in AS maths because i was working every other day and had no time but this year I quiy my job and have been doing okay

Are you planning to resit any of the maths papers? (im re-sitting the stats paper)
And how do you find organic chemistry hahah I LOATHE it this year.

And on the other hand I coulnd't get a job haha - i was searching throughout the year, applied to 5 and got rejected by all. Interviews are hard haha

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