Safety Unis for CS

Safety Unis for CS

I just started Year 13 and I am considering applying to Cambridge, so I need to get my application in soon. I was wondering what unis are good to put down as my safety? I am currently predicted A*A*A*A* in CS, Maths, FM, Phys, and my personal statement is coming along well (I just need to refine it a bit). I have also registered for the TMUA, but I feel less confident that I'll do well in that, so I don't want a lot of unis dependent on that.
I'm considering Cambridge, UCL, Warwick, KCL and Birmingham, but I don't know if I should apply to Imperial as well instead of Birmingham and have 1 safety. How competitve is KCL and how much importance do they put on personal statement? Is having all of Cambridge, UCL, Imperial and Warwick a bad idea?
Also, to anyone that's gone through the clearing process this year, how easy is it to find CS courses in clearing? Do a lot of good unis (York, Birmingham etc) have spaces on the CS course for clearing?
Thanks to anyone who's able to help me out!

Reply 1

Rob Bellic

Original post by mpoc321

Safety Unis for CS
I just started Year 13 and I am considering applying to Cambridge, so I need to get my application in soon. I was wondering what unis are good to put down as my safety? I am currently predicted A*A*A*A* in CS, Maths, FM, Phys, and my personal statement is coming along well (I just need to refine it a bit). I have also registered for the TMUA, but I feel less confident that I'll do well in that, so I don't want a lot of unis dependent on that.
I'm considering Cambridge, UCL, Warwick, KCL and Birmingham, but I don't know if I should apply to Imperial as well instead of Birmingham and have 1 safety. How competitve is KCL and how much importance do they put on personal statement? Is having all of Cambridge, UCL, Imperial and Warwick a bad idea?
Also, to anyone that's gone through the clearing process this year, how easy is it to find CS courses in clearing? Do a lot of good unis (York, Birmingham etc) have spaces on the CS course for clearing?
Thanks to anyone who's able to help me out!

Tbh out of your list: Cam, UCL, WW, KCL, Birmingham, only Birmingham is an actual safety. Replacing it with Imperial would mean you'd have no safety's. I personally know people with 4A* predicted rejected from Cambridge, Imperial and UCL.

Most of the top 20 CS courses rarely go into clearing anymore, so, relying on it is a risky strategy. Although, Birmingham may have been in clearing this year, idk for sure.

Reply 2

mesub

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Rob Bellic

I don't believe Birmingham cleared for CS this year.

Reply 3

mpoc321

Original post by Rob Bellic

Tbh out of your list: Cam, UCL, WW, KCL, Birmingham, only Birmingham is an actual safety. Replacing it with Imperial would mean you'd have no safety's. I personally know people with 4A* predicted rejected from Cambridge, Imperial and UCL.
Most of the top 20 CS courses rarely go into clearing anymore, so, relying on it is a risky strategy. Although, Birmingham may have been in clearing this year, idk for sure.

Ok, so would some good safety choices be Southampton or Bristol for CS? Also, I know that there were some problems with KCL CS admissions system this year, so would you recommend going for this?

Reply 4

Rob Bellic

Original post by mpoc321

Ok, so would some good safety choices be Southampton or Bristol for CS? Also, I know that there were some problems with KCL CS admissions system this year, so would you recommend going for this?

For Bristol and Southampton, potentially yes, although competition at these Unis have also increased in recent years. Generally most Unis at the AAA - A*AA level would be a suitable safety with your predicted grades. What I can't stress enough, though, is to check out the Course structure to decide which unis to opt for. CS League tables tend to fluctuate wildly when looking at CS unis at the AAA to A*AA band.

KCL is a good option to put down but I've heard that the admin staff were so overwhelmed with CS applications that they had to let some of them auto-reject. If you like the course, and want to go there, I'd say put it down, provided you have a safety or two as well.