Computer Science

[HigherNature]

Hi everyone.

I was wondering if you could steer me in the right direction for research.

DS in Y12 wants to do computer science. He is not doing further maths for A level though.. He's doing Music, Maths and Chemistry (and CS of course). High Achiever.

What universities should I be looking into? I know he's doing his own research and talking to his teachers about it, but he's so stressed he doesn't want to discuss it with me. I am not from the UK so would appreciate some direction.

I believe that without further maths, Oxbridge and Imperial are no longer options. I am just wondering which would be the best universities to do Computer Science that perhaps might have musical opportunities too (classical)?

Thank you all.

[ShanghaiDiva]

Warwick.

[ClerkMaxwell]

Glasgow. Could even study music as an outside subject for 1-2 years alongside CS or could just join in university or wider music scene.

I suspect StA and Edinburgh are similar.

[Howshouldibehave]

Warwick
Birmingham
Nottingham
Liverpool


Are those all good. It depends where you live and how far he wants to travel as well. What about Oxbridge?

There’s no ‘of course’ for having CS at A level-you don’t need it for the degree in most cases.

[Oratory1]

Birmingham - good for CS but also has a great music department which offers scholarships to students studying other subjects but who want to keep up their music. Numbers studying music are not high so they encourage other students to get involved at every level

[Oratory1]

Warwick and Manchester also highly regarded but without needing FM

[HigherNature]

@Oratory1 thank you that's so interesting to hear, I had no idea. I have taken a quick look and it doesn't look like Computer Science would be a qualifying one for Music scholarship though...

[derekthe1adyhamster]

my DS is applying to Birmingham (top choice)
Manchester
Exeter
Southampton.

He was rejected from Cambridge

[Oratory1]

That's interesting, we are probably thinking of different things. The ones I am aware of cover music tuition only and are available for those on any undergraduate programme apart from music. I think you need to be grade 8 in your chosen area to apply. The point is though that high level music participation is available and encouraged for 'non music' students

[HigherNature]

DS achieved grade 8 piano 2 years ago and is grade 7 in another instrument. If he wants to do Computer Science as his degree, but still have the opportunity to do music, which universities should I be looking at?

[Phphion]

Warwick has music scholarships, exhibitions and bursaries open to students studying any subject. They are awarded by audition and interview: warwick.ac.uk/services/musiccentre/scholarships/

There are a lot of ensembles, etc., at Warwick as the Arts Centre, which has a concert hall and other facilities is on campus. As they have no actual music degree students, they don't monopolise the opportunities and facilities in the way they might elsewhere. But realistically, there will be very few universities where there is no opportunity to do some kind of music outside of a degree course.

[OnlyTeaForMe]

Durham
Bristol
York

[SabrinaThwaite]

I believe that without further maths, Oxbridge and Imperial are no longer options.

That’s not quite correct.

Imperial prefers FM but it’s not essential, Oxford requires an A* in Maths, or if you study FM as well then at least A in FM, and Cambridge varies as some colleges require FM and some don’t.

You could also look at UCL, KCL and Edinburgh, as they tend to rank highly in the UK lists.

[SabrinaThwaite]

Re Birmingham musical scholarships - you may well be eligible as Computing falls within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

www.birmingham.ac.uk/undergraduate/funding/music-scholarship.aspx

Worth asking the question?

[SeasonFinale]

With an Oxbridge application if your school offers FM then they expect you to have taken it. The offers without FM are generally for those whose schools do not offer FM so beware of making an application if school offers it but he has chosen not to.

[3Muses]

It is worth looking at how much maths content the courses include. Warwick is very maths heavy compared to some others and I know from my DS's experience the friends he knew who applied without FM did not get an offer although that doesn't mean others didn't.

[HigherNature]

So in my DS's case, he did not take FM because it would have clashed with Music.

[MarchingFrogs]

No idea whether she was in receipt of a music scholarship, but one of DS1's friends at Birmingham (not studying Music, or CS, I'm afraid, although another friend did do CS) definitely played in a university orchestra.

[Oratory1]

Yes, DD2 BF (studying music at Birmingham) says most of the people practicing, 'hanging out' and studying in the music dept. don't actually study music, they just play in the ensembles, or sing in the choirs or just like the atmosphere and the study space - it is beautiful.

[Yebanksandbraes]

Following as my niece also wants to do CS at uni.

[SaltyMermaid]

@SabrinaThwaite although the requirement doesn't say they have to have FM the vast majority of student applying for computer science will have FM. The top unis do not care if you have taken computer science before they want maths and FM. Not all sixth forms offer it which is why they cannot say it is compulsory but not having it will put a potential candidate at a disadvantage compared to others. They also want to see you handle the workload of 4 A levels, especially Oxbridge.

Ds applied to Cambridge so I don't know huge amounts about Oxford however we were given information at a parent's evening at sixth form for Oxbridge candidates and the statistic were for all students not just computer science. A massive 42.3% of those admitted to Oxford had A A A* or better. However only 18.6% of applicants were predicted those grades which shows how disproportionately they offer to the top of the top for obvious reasons.

@HigherNature Birmingham has a fantastic reputation for music. I have no skin in the game and I am aware of that so it must have hit my radar at some point over the last couple of years and I have stored that information.

[SabrinaThwaite]

@SaltyMermaid

You can’t take Further Maths in Scotland. It doesn’t exist as a subject.

[SaltyMermaid]

@SabrinaThwaite but I also don't know what Scottish Highers/Advanced Highers cover in terms of maths content and if there is any further maths content. As a student applying from Scotland I assume they won't have A levels either.

What I was saying is that those that do not have FM are at a disadvantage to those who have it. That is why it is not compulsory but if you are applying to Cambridge you sit CTMUA entrance exam or MAT if Oxford. Imperial also have a post applicant test. I think a candidate with just maths A level would struggle with these tests unless they undertook a deepening of maths outside of the classroom. Past papers are online. Ds did 2 years of A level maths in one year, they then spend this year doing 2 years worth of FM, again in one year. He got a decent score but did not ace the CTMUA. He spent a lot of time doing MAT past papers to prepare.

I will be honest, my degree is English Literature but Ds1 has 4 offers from unis for Computer Science at RG unis and was interviewed by Cambridge following the CTMUA (TMUA) test. His predicted grades are A A A A. He is hoping to increase that A to an A as he is borderline.

This thread isn't only about the OP, this thread will be viewed by others such as YeBank and also SeasonFinale works in a sixth form and has backed up what I said, if a sixth form offers it, a student should take it. If students are applying to Oxbridge then the likelihood is that the other universities on their UCAS will be in the top 20.

In cold hard facts (for Cambridge as I know where the stats are on their page) for Computer science in 2019 the number of applicants was 1330, the total number of accepted places was 116. How many of those do you think had FM? When you have that many to choose from the only way to not take FM and still be offered a place is to ace out the CTMUA.

[DahliaMacNamara]

The 4 A level workload isn't strictly necessary.. It's perfectly possible to get a CS offer from Oxbridge with 3 A levels, though I'd agree that the A level in Computer Science is less desirable than Further Maths.

[HigherNature]

@SaltyMermaid, such helpful and useful info, thank you. Still reading and digesting...

[SabrinaThwaite]

@SaltyMermaid

I appreciate that MN is very English centric but my point was that FM can't be compulsory because not all schools / UK systems offer it.

Congratulations to your DS BTW.