computer science

Hello please advice, I am applying for computer science in October. My predicted grades are A* in Maths, A in Further maths and Computer science. What university should I consider to apply to? I am very keen to go to UCL/ Birmingham/ Manchester *but not sure whether to apply or not due to being rejected?* Or is there any other good university which I could consider ?
many thanks

Reply 1

EdgeHillStudents

Official Rep

Hi!

Edge Hill offer a computer science degree which you could definitely get into with your predicted grades! The computer science department here have regular visits from industry professionals and networking events with local companies.

There are also some related extra curriculars and I help run the Game Developers Society which has a lot of computer science members who enjoy their course and are a valuable addition to the group!

I hope this helps! Please feel free to ask any questions you have! 😄

Emily
Second Year Creative Writing

Reply 2

mesub

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post

by MONS23

Grades should be fine for Birmingham. UCL now requires you to take an admissions test and you'd have to check the entry requirements for Manchester.

Have you had a look on UCAS for other universities you may be interested in? Ideally, you might want to pick a slightly risker option (perhaps A*A*A?) and then one or two safer options (AAA-AAB or below), just so you've got that good spread of chances of getting an offer.

Reply 3

MONS23

Original post

by mesub

Grades should be fine for Birmingham. UCL now requires you to take an admissions test and you'd have to check the entry requirements for Manchester.
Have you had a look on UCAS for other universities you may be interested in? Ideally, you might want to pick a slightly risker option (perhaps A*A*A?) and then one or two safer options (AAA-AAB or below), just so you've got that good spread of chances of getting an offer.

Thanks for your reply

Reply 4

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post

by MONS23

Hello,

I would recommend looking into Lancaster University, especially if you are interested in studying a practical and career-focused Computer Science degree, or are looking for flexibility within your course.
This recommendation comes from my personal experience as a Computer Science student at Lancaster, and unfortunately I cannot provide insight into CS courses at other universities.

Lancaster is a top 10 university and has an excellent reputation for its research.
Here is what I personally love about CS at Lancaster:

•

Application-based education. The course is not as theory heavy as at some other universities, and is heavily reliant on interactivity through lectures, seminars, workshops and labs, as well as learning through practical coursework assignments (the learning-by-doing approach). There are large group-based and individual projects integrated throughout the curriculum to allow you to build a range of relevant practical skills.

•

Careers support. The Careers team at Lancaster are great, providing extensive 1-1 support with personal career goal setting, CV and interview practice, careers workshops, on-campus career fairs and events, mentorship programmes, and more. Lancaster is also great at involving students into its systems. Personally, I was able to complete two paid internships within the university alongside my studies: as an Innovations Developer working with a local charity and as a Full-Stack developer at the Innovations and Partnerships team. There are many technical and non-technical temporary and part-time opportunities advertised to students through Lancaster's Employment and Recruitment service, which allows you to build industry-relevant skills. Additionally, career and industry focus is embedded into the curriculum.

•

Academic support. I have found the lecturers to be very accessible and approachable, and always had my queries answered quickly. In my experience, most of them are happy to stay after the lectures to respond to student questions and are eager to discuss their research. Furthermore, there is the Teaching Hub open usually at 9 am-5 pm for all the students to drop in to with any questions or for additional 1-1 academic support.

•

Flexibility. There is a wide range of optional modules to choose from in years 2 and 3. In the first year, you can study a minor of your choice, allowing you to extend your knowledge beyond the course. For example, you could take a Maths minor (or even a Business or Finance minor) in your 1st year. There are multiple courses: Computer Science, Software engineering, Cyber Security, Data Science, Computer Science and Maths, and Management and IT. In most cases, you can switch between these courses up until your 2nd year of studies.

•

Facilities. The new computer science labs have been just built last academic year, featuring new equipment, comfortable rooms, and cool things such as the Digital Wall, adjustable desks, Cyber Wall, etc. Most importantly, as a computer science student you have 24/7 hour access to the new labs in the InfoLab (CS building) and the recently refurbished labs in the Science and Technology building.

•

The campus and the college community culture at Lancaster are its signature strengths,and should also be mentioned.

Lastly, do not let worrying about being rejected to hold you back from applying to the universities you have listed. It is best to take your chance and pursue the university you really wish to study at, rather than settle for a "guaranteed/safe" option. However, it is best to include 1 or 2 backup options with lower grade requirements in your application (but make sure you are also happy with them!).

Hope this helps,
Polina,
Lancaster University Computing Student Ambassador.