Is it entirely impossible for me to enter a non-vacant course through clearing?
Hello, I want to do Computer Science at University but I was unable to do A-Level Maths which puts me at a disadvantage as many universities require it for the comp sci course entry. I know that they have this because I know that in a lot of computer sciences courses without the A-Level Maths requirement, the dropout rate is usually higher, and that also worries me as due to my lack of mathematics knowledge, I could join that group. I'm now looking for foundation courses, but many of the ones I'm actually interested in aren't in clearing.
Man. I really don't want to give up, and I really want to go for a strong uni in a lovely city that I could be proud I went to, with a strong course. A place where I can surround myself with smart and hardworking minds that I can make friends with and to help elevate me further. I could go on to do my BSc/MCOMP at the University of Leicester in September, but I don't know if the city of Leicester is the right place for me, nor if I will actually be able to survive the theory/mathematics modules of it. In general, I'm not really as interested as when I first applied. This is quite silly of me but how I see it is: the higher the entry requirements for said uni = the more hardworking and smart people.
My grades are A*AB.
Do you think I should just give up? I really don't want to, but at this rate, I might have to apply for foundations next year. I could be two years behind... I have emailed some universities but they have not responded back. Should I try phone calls? I hope anyone can help. Thanks!
Man. I really don't want to give up, and I really want to go for a strong uni in a lovely city that I could be proud I went to, with a strong course. A place where I can surround myself with smart and hardworking minds that I can make friends with and to help elevate me further. I could go on to do my BSc/MCOMP at the University of Leicester in September, but I don't know if the city of Leicester is the right place for me, nor if I will actually be able to survive the theory/mathematics modules of it. In general, I'm not really as interested as when I first applied. This is quite silly of me but how I see it is: the higher the entry requirements for said uni = the more hardworking and smart people.
My grades are A*AB.
Do you think I should just give up? I really don't want to, but at this rate, I might have to apply for foundations next year. I could be two years behind... I have emailed some universities but they have not responded back. Should I try phone calls? I hope anyone can help. Thanks!
Usually a lot more courses get added in clearing on A-level results day. You might want to wait and see what comes up then (and call them up quick).
That said, if you don't think you can handle the maths modules on a course not requiring A-level Maths, why do you think you would fare better on a foundation year? You'll cover the exact same content (namely, A-level Maths and Further Maths topics, and then on to the maths beyond on that in the main degree itself).
Computer science is necessarily a mathematical field. It's not a degree in programming. If your main or only interest is in learning programming you would really be best off looking at degree apprenticeships in relevant areas as then you'll actually be doing the kinds of programming/software engineering work, and those courses will focus much more on that than the formal academic side of computer science i.e. the mathematical and theoretical underpinnings of modern computing.
That said, if you don't think you can handle the maths modules on a course not requiring A-level Maths, why do you think you would fare better on a foundation year? You'll cover the exact same content (namely, A-level Maths and Further Maths topics, and then on to the maths beyond on that in the main degree itself).
Computer science is necessarily a mathematical field. It's not a degree in programming. If your main or only interest is in learning programming you would really be best off looking at degree apprenticeships in relevant areas as then you'll actually be doing the kinds of programming/software engineering work, and those courses will focus much more on that than the formal academic side of computer science i.e. the mathematical and theoretical underpinnings of modern computing.
Original post by Komodo772
Hello, I want to do Computer Science at University but I was unable to do A-Level Maths which puts me at a disadvantage as many universities require it for the comp sci course entry. I know that they have this because I know that in a lot of computer sciences courses without the A-Level Maths requirement, the dropout rate is usually higher, and that also worries me as due to my lack of mathematics knowledge, I could join that group. I'm now looking for foundation courses, but many of the ones I'm actually interested in aren't in clearing.
Man. I really don't want to give up, and I really want to go for a strong uni in a lovely city that I could be proud I went to, with a strong course. A place where I can surround myself with smart and hardworking minds that I can make friends with and to help elevate me further. I could go on to do my BSc/MCOMP at the University of Leicester in September, but I don't know if the city of Leicester is the right place for me, nor if I will actually be able to survive the theory/mathematics modules of it. In general, I'm not really as interested as when I first applied. This is quite silly of me but how I see it is: the higher the entry requirements for said uni = the more hardworking and smart people.
My grades are A*AB.
Do you think I should just give up? I really don't want to, but at this rate, I might have to apply for foundations next year. I could be two years behind... I have emailed some universities but they have not responded back. Should I try phone calls? I hope anyone can help. Thanks!
Man. I really don't want to give up, and I really want to go for a strong uni in a lovely city that I could be proud I went to, with a strong course. A place where I can surround myself with smart and hardworking minds that I can make friends with and to help elevate me further. I could go on to do my BSc/MCOMP at the University of Leicester in September, but I don't know if the city of Leicester is the right place for me, nor if I will actually be able to survive the theory/mathematics modules of it. In general, I'm not really as interested as when I first applied. This is quite silly of me but how I see it is: the higher the entry requirements for said uni = the more hardworking and smart people.
My grades are A*AB.
Do you think I should just give up? I really don't want to, but at this rate, I might have to apply for foundations next year. I could be two years behind... I have emailed some universities but they have not responded back. Should I try phone calls? I hope anyone can help. Thanks!
Firstly there is no chance of you getting into the top universities without A level Maths. Below that many good universities will accept you and most if not all of these will teach you the Maths necessary for the course. Below is a list of some good universities that accept students without Maths and their GCSE requirements. I prepared this a few years ago so you will need to check nothing has changed.
Computer Science without A Level Maths
Aberystwyth grade C or4 GCSE
Aston grade 4 GCSE
Cardiff grade 6 GCSE
East Anglia grade 5 GCSE. Accepts A level in Computing Science and other subjects
Keele grade 4 GCSE
Kent grade 4 GCSE
Lancaster grade 6 GCSE
Leeds grade 6 GCSE Accepts Computing
Liverpool grade 4 GCSE Accepts Computer science
Newcastle grade 6 GCSE
Nottingham grade 5 Accepts Computing
Queen Mary grade 5 Accepts Computer Science
Reading Maths, Physics or Computer Science grade 6
Royal Holloway grade 6 accepts CS, Maths or Physics
Sussex grade 6
Swansea grade 6 in Maths or Physics
Have you visited Leicester?
Original post by swanseajack1
Firstly there is no chance of you getting into the top universities without A level Maths. Below that many good universities will accept you and most if not all of these will teach you the Maths necessary for the course. Below is a list of some good universities that accept students without Maths and their GCSE requirements. I prepared this a few years ago so you will need to check nothing has changed.
Computer Science without A Level Maths
Aberystwyth grade C or4 GCSE
Aston grade 4 GCSE
Cardiff grade 6 GCSE
East Anglia grade 5 GCSE. Accepts A level in Computing Science and other subjects
Keele grade 4 GCSE
Kent grade 4 GCSE
Lancaster grade 6 GCSE
Leeds grade 6 GCSE Accepts Computing
Liverpool grade 4 GCSE Accepts Computer science
Newcastle grade 6 GCSE
Nottingham grade 5 Accepts Computing
Queen Mary grade 5 Accepts Computer Science
Reading Maths, Physics or Computer Science grade 6
Royal Holloway grade 6 accepts CS, Maths or Physics
Sussex grade 6
Swansea grade 6 in Maths or Physics
Computer Science without A Level Maths
Aberystwyth grade C or4 GCSE
Aston grade 4 GCSE
Cardiff grade 6 GCSE
East Anglia grade 5 GCSE. Accepts A level in Computing Science and other subjects
Keele grade 4 GCSE
Kent grade 4 GCSE
Lancaster grade 6 GCSE
Leeds grade 6 GCSE Accepts Computing
Liverpool grade 4 GCSE Accepts Computer science
Newcastle grade 6 GCSE
Nottingham grade 5 Accepts Computing
Queen Mary grade 5 Accepts Computer Science
Reading Maths, Physics or Computer Science grade 6
Royal Holloway grade 6 accepts CS, Maths or Physics
Sussex grade 6
Swansea grade 6 in Maths or Physics
If you are interested in cities how about visiting Cardiff or Liverpool.You need to ring not email. At this time of year staff will be on holidays so there will be skeleton staff and emails will take a while to answer.
(edited 9 months ago)
Original post by PQ
Have you visited Leicester?
Been there for an open day and offer holder day. I made a couple of friends, but unfortunately, none of them really had Leicester as a firm choice. The city is OK. There are some areas in the city that made me feel a little uneased but not many, but I suppose every city has that, but I still like the city life there and how close the uni is to the city centre. I'm from a small-ish city not too close to the city centre, so I'm hoping to be at a university near the city centre.
Original post by swanseajack1
If you are interested in cities how about visiting Cardiff or Liverpool.You need to ring not email. At this time of year staff will be on holidays so there will be skeleton staff and emails will take a while to answer.
Thanks. I will try to ring them.
Hey, I'm planning to go to Uni of Leicester this September for Software Engineering and I am in a similar position than you. I haven't done A-Level Maths and I only have a 5 in GCSE Maths but you shouldn't worry too much about it because you won't be the only one who hasn't done Maths since GCSE. From what I've heard there are very good lecturers for the mathematics modules that are there to help if you are falling behind.
I am in a server with a few students who have firmed Leicester for Comp Sci/SE and most of them have infact taken A-Level Maths so you would still be able to surround yourself with smart and hardworking minds that you can befriend.
I am in a server with a few students who have firmed Leicester for Comp Sci/SE and most of them have infact taken A-Level Maths so you would still be able to surround yourself with smart and hardworking minds that you can befriend.
Original post by artful_lounger
Usually a lot more courses get added in clearing on A-level results day. You might want to wait and see what comes up then (and call them up quick).
That said, if you don't think you can handle the maths modules on a course not requiring A-level Maths, why do you think you would fare better on a foundation year? You'll cover the exact same content (namely, A-level Maths and Further Maths topics, and then on to the maths beyond on that in the main degree itself).
Computer science is necessarily a mathematical field. It's not a degree in programming. If your main or only interest is in learning programming you would really be best off looking at degree apprenticeships in relevant areas as then you'll actually be doing the kinds of programming/software engineering work, and those courses will focus much more on that than the formal academic side of computer science i.e. the mathematical and theoretical underpinnings of modern computing.
That said, if you don't think you can handle the maths modules on a course not requiring A-level Maths, why do you think you would fare better on a foundation year? You'll cover the exact same content (namely, A-level Maths and Further Maths topics, and then on to the maths beyond on that in the main degree itself).
Computer science is necessarily a mathematical field. It's not a degree in programming. If your main or only interest is in learning programming you would really be best off looking at degree apprenticeships in relevant areas as then you'll actually be doing the kinds of programming/software engineering work, and those courses will focus much more on that than the formal academic side of computer science i.e. the mathematical and theoretical underpinnings of modern computing.
My reasoning for considering foundation is because at least Foundation years essentially teach you that A-Level Maths content I would need for the main degree. It's not like I'm afraid of maths, I'm really not. I like maths a lot. It was probably my second favourite GCSE subject aside from Comp Sci. But I do think If I were to jump straight into the Year 1 mathematics which is probably beyond A-Level mathematics I could struggle. If I have to cover the same content in A-Level Maths/Further Maths topics in a foundation, I really don't mind!
But, you got me there. I am indeed one of those guys who want to get a software development/engineering job. I have thought about degree apprenticeships, but I'm not sure if I can be devoted to the packed 5 days-a-week schedule, as well as the sacrifice for the university life. I know university isn't for partying obviously. But I do want to be able to hang out with friends when I can and study when I can. I used to work part-time during Year 12 for a little bit of cash but wasn't really studying too hard either, but I picked up my slack after I quit. I'm not the quickest to grasp and understand content once it's told to me so I need a lot of study time to get there, and I'm worried that balancing study and work for 3-4 years consistently may prove too difficult to me. I don't plan on graduating with no experience though. I hope that I can do a year in industry or a small internship during my time at university.
Original post by Komodo772
My reasoning for considering foundation is because at least Foundation years essentially teach you that A-Level Maths content I would need for the main degree. It's not like I'm afraid of maths, I'm really not. I like maths a lot. It was probably my second favourite GCSE subject aside from Comp Sci. But I do think If I were to jump straight into the Year 1 mathematics which is probably beyond A-Level mathematics I could struggle. If I have to cover the same content in A-Level Maths/Further Maths topics in a foundation, I really don't mind!
But, you got me there. I am indeed one of those guys who want to get a software development/engineering job. I have thought about degree apprenticeships, but I'm not sure if I can be devoted to the packed 5 days-a-week schedule, as well as the sacrifice for the university life. I know university isn't for partying obviously. But I do want to be able to hang out with friends when I can and study when I can. I used to work part-time during Year 12 for a little bit of cash but wasn't really studying too hard either, but I picked up my slack after I quit. I'm not the quickest to grasp and understand content once it's told to me so I need a lot of study time to get there, and I'm worried that balancing study and work for 3-4 years consistently may prove too difficult to me. I don't plan on graduating with no experience though. I hope that I can do a year in industry or a small internship during my time at university.
But, you got me there. I am indeed one of those guys who want to get a software development/engineering job. I have thought about degree apprenticeships, but I'm not sure if I can be devoted to the packed 5 days-a-week schedule, as well as the sacrifice for the university life. I know university isn't for partying obviously. But I do want to be able to hang out with friends when I can and study when I can. I used to work part-time during Year 12 for a little bit of cash but wasn't really studying too hard either, but I picked up my slack after I quit. I'm not the quickest to grasp and understand content once it's told to me so I need a lot of study time to get there, and I'm worried that balancing study and work for 3-4 years consistently may prove too difficult to me. I don't plan on graduating with no experience though. I hope that I can do a year in industry or a small internship during my time at university.
For a degree not requiring A-level Maths, you would still cover the A-level Maths material in first year. You just then don't cover the rest of the necessary maths material until later in the degree. So it doesn't really make a difference about when you cover the material as you will cover all the same material eventually on either route.
Degree apprenticeships aren't designed as your study is on top of a full time job, they're integrated in different ways depending on the course - so you will have day release or block release periods where you will be studying e.g. 1-2 days a week, or a week or two every month or so, and the rest of the time working and utilising the skills you are learning. Also something to bear in mind is that a "packed 5 days a week schedule" is going to be your life until retirement in most cases...such is life under late stage capitalism.
Also most people who work have time to socialise, go out for drinks etc - you just do that after the work day instead of inbetween lectures and assignments. Worth noting as well that in general the expected amount of hours to be spent studying (including lectures and other timetabled activities) is ~30-40 hours a week i.e. roughly the same amount of time as you'd spend working in a full-time job. The only difference is that when you choose to spend that time on the activities tends to be a bit more flexible (if you wanted you could spend all night studying then just go to lectures in the day, although that's probably not ideal) and it also tends to be less consistent (as you have more peaks and troughs of intensity as assignment deadlines and exam revision periods come and go - you have project deadlines while working but often these are less frequent and the time between them is spent more actively on things).
In any event, it is a personal decision at the end of the day. But if you struggle with maths, and especially if you don't particularly enjoy it, and your only reason for doing a degree in computer science is to learn programming...doing such a degree may well end up being a very stressful and unhappy experience.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Is King's College London Lenient ?
- Clearing
- UCAS Clearing
- Results day nightmare
- if I withdraw my application in ucas ，can I enter the Clearing process?
- clearing
- Clearing
- am i being realistic (life plans)
- University of Westminster now saying they don’t have a record of giving me an offer??
- Good Unis that do clearing and do buisness management
- Who is clearing available for?
- The Ultimate UCAS Extra Thread 2024
- applied for unis only close, now regretting it
- applying to biomed to do dentistry or taking a gap year?
- Ucl clearing
- queen mary’s clearing hotline
- clearing courses
- Moving to Australia during a part-time masters
- Can I get into a course needing 32 ucas points when I have 16 points?
- Switching Courses at Uni?
Latest
Trending
Last reply 3 days ago
Official University Offer Holder thread list (2024 entry)Last reply 1 week ago
TSR Decisions Drop In 2024 - open any time - help choosing university offersLast reply 1 week ago
Can I drop out of college once I have an unconditional uni offer?Last reply 1 week ago
I've been rejected by UoN Law School but given an alternative offerLast reply 2 weeks ago
2024 applicants: what's your main concern around starting uni?Last reply 2 weeks ago
UCAS Applications + Uni Applicant Thread Directory for 2024 **Official Thread**Last reply 2 weeks ago
Study now at Exeter or wait one year to study at KCL or Bristol?Last reply 2 weeks ago
Deciding between universities - Exeter vs WarwickTrending
Last reply 3 days ago
Official University Offer Holder thread list (2024 entry)Last reply 1 week ago
TSR Decisions Drop In 2024 - open any time - help choosing university offersLast reply 1 week ago
Can I drop out of college once I have an unconditional uni offer?Last reply 1 week ago
I've been rejected by UoN Law School but given an alternative offerLast reply 2 weeks ago
2024 applicants: what's your main concern around starting uni?Last reply 2 weeks ago
UCAS Applications + Uni Applicant Thread Directory for 2024 **Official Thread**Last reply 2 weeks ago
Study now at Exeter or wait one year to study at KCL or Bristol?Last reply 2 weeks ago
Deciding between universities - Exeter vs Warwick
