Computer Science

[W0tnow]

My son is just doing GCSEs. He is interested in CS, Bath will be his first choice. He’ll be doing 4 A levels (CS, Math, Further Math, and a language, though he may drop the language at AS level depending on how he is going).

Is anyone willing to share what uni their child has been accepted into for CS, and at what predicated grades?

I know this is a stressful time for many! I hope you’re all doing ok! X

also, there is no AS level in UK schools, so be aware of that

They still exist in Wales and can count to 40% of final A-level.
(Wales, Scotland and N.I differing slightly to completely from English system)

Thanks. Err. What is clearing? (We really are flying a little blind here!)

Clearing is when they fail to get the grades and their first offer and second place offer reject them - UCAS then try and place university course places left with students. Can work out but there tends to be a higher drop out rate I believe.

The UCAS ages are worth looking at - to see how to apply to what course there are and their requirements. DS is thinking along computer science lines taking maths, further maths, physics and computer science - first AS levels sitting next summer then going on to A2 parts for A-level.

Once he started first year of A-levels we'll keep an eye out for open days to take him to.

You might want to keep an eye out for any career fair near you - they often have university stands and information about applications.

https://www.whatcareerlive.co.uk/?

ds2 has been rejected from Aston and Birmingham despite already having AAA at A level. Clearly they are looking for an all rounded individual which he is not. So not just about A level grades - his GCSEs were comparatively poor though.

When we went to NEC career fair we tried to talk to Birmingham stand about computer science - instantly dismissed weren't interested in talking to DS.

Other universities with good programs and high entry requirements were much more forthcoming and welcoming - it put DS off them TBH- they must have high numbers of applications for that course.

This is what I find so confusing. Aston has BBB entry requirements for CS on their website?

I would not be certain that he is home fees, based on what you have said and the current rules, although he may be. I have not had cause to become familiar with the rules around UK students living in the EU. Certainly there is a grace period after Brexit.

What is likely to happen is the universities will send him a fee status questionnaire to complete in order to establish his fee status. They tend to be long and complicated and each university has a different one.
It is up to the individual university to decide on the fee status, and it is not particularly unusual to find that different universities make different decisions about the same student.

It is worth noting that those universities that had places in clearing and for which courses, varies from year to year. That is especially the case if one is using the "covid years" as a guide. Some universities inadvertently made far too many offers so any up with more students than they would normally. Others like Bath were much more cautious in their offer making last year than in a typical year, and so had more places in clearing that they would in a more typical year.

Computer Science is hugely popular at the moment amoung students. It is difficult and expensive for universities to increase the number of places (compared with say History) as the computer labs are expensive and have limited space.
It is not unheard of for a student applying to study computer science tonot get any offers of a place, if they have solely applied to the most oversubcribed universities even if they are predicted A*s in their A-levels. So for computer Science in is especially important to apply to a range of universities and to want to go to them all.

@jgw1 I’m being guided by this DoE publication. we meet the criteria on page 8. Bath university has confirmed as much after a visit there. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1123697/Eligibility_rules_for_home_fee_status_and_student_finance_from_the_2021_to_2022_academic_year.pdf

Every student with an overseas address applying as home fees student who I have supported has had at least some universities send them a fees questionnaire. As I said before even in cases where I felt utterly certain and gone through the guidance in detail, different universities have made different decisions about the same student.

Hi @W0tnow not sure if anyone has answered your qu about applying before taking exams.

It works like this:
Most students apply for uni in autumn of year 13, so, yes, before taking A levels. Schools and colleges supply predicted grades to support. So if like ds2 your predicted is AAB, you might apply somewhere which typically offers AAA, then maybe a couple of places which offer AAB, then maybe one or two which offer, say, BBB, as insurance.

Then you may get five offers or fewer, depending on the strength of your application and how competitive your course is. Ds2 got offers of AAB x3, ABB and BBC. You pick one as firm and one as insurance. You sit your exams and on results day you find out if you have got in. If you got the grades for the offer then you are in. Sometimes even if not. Hth

Thanks @jgw1 . Another question…what is a fees questionnaire?

Forget that, I’ve just found the information!

@jgw1 thanks again for your insight. I do feel utterly certain that we meet the criteria, but I see it’s not up to me and gulp I guess time will tell. Sadly the UK will be off the table if not. We have 3 children and international fees are just not an option. In what way do you support students if you don’t mind me asking?

thanks @clary i think I just have to get my head around the uncertainty of it all. In my day you chose your course after your results therefore already knowing you were in.

So do schools in England, if they choose to. DS2's old school still does AS, using the results as the basis for their predicted grades for UCAS.

@W0tnow it might be useful to have a good look at the UCAS website - there is a lot of information on there (including a facility to search for courses and their entry requirements etc); it's not just the application form.
https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate

DS is first year CS at Durham. He was predicted A star, A star, A, A (in Maths, F Maths, CS and Physics.)

His (contextual) offers were:
Durham AAB
Nottingham ABB
Lancaster BBC
And rejections from Imperial and UCL.

Thanks! What did he have to put on his personal statement? Was it something more substantial than ‘gaming and shirking house hold responsibilities?’

I’m totally sucked in by Durham btw. It’s gorgeous!

Look on TSR for top unis they would probably need AAA as a minimum.

The personal statement needs to demonstrate a love for the subject. With CS there needs to be a love for Maths too (particularly for ‘top’ courses where the course is Maths-heavy).

Show how you’ve used Maths in a CS project. Talk about how you approached a tricky problem. Have you enjoyed a particular book? Talk about favourite languages. Mention any clubs or volunteering done in CS field. Any competitions/challenges eg Bebras, Maths Challenge, iDEA, Olympiads.

They aren’t that interested in seeing a rounded individual- the love of the subject needs to shine!

I know it’s already been mentioned, but CS is VERY competitive. Make sure you have a range of unis on the list to ensure you get at least one offer. I have heard of 4 x A star students getting no offers as they put 5 aspirational institutions.

Oh, and just because the standard offer is eg A star AA, say, it doesn’t mean that they will actually offer to people predicted that. For example, Imperial really only accept people with at least 4 A stars even though the published standard offer is less than that.

My DD is just finishing up her CS degree at Swansea.
Maths, Physics and CS for her A-levels but was shafted by the Covid Centre Grades algorithm in 2020. She did not make her grades on results day, so accepted Swansea (3rd choice), but by the Monday, everything was upgraded and would have made her first and second choices (Nottingham and Queen Mary's).

She's had an up and down time at Swansea, mostly to do with her first two years with Covid restrictions.

She's happy with her degree, although is not sure about going into computing. She likes the soft skills that she has developed, particularly by being in choirs.

The plus side is that she has a lovely boyfriend who was also shafted on results day. I've showed him the family ring.

Worth noting that Imperial sometimes (I have no evidence of this being the case for CS) make offers depending on the predicted grades an applicant has. So you are predicted 3As, ok, get them, you are predicted AAA, well that could be your offer for the same course.

Offers for Computer Science at Imperial are very much the standard:

Astar Astar A for applicants presenting three A-levels
Astar AAA for applicants presenting four A-levels

There is usually a STEP requirement as well. However, most of those who receive offers are predicted all Astars.

Hmm. Ds has an offer for compsci at Imperial. He's predicted 4 A stars and his offer is 2 A stars and 2 As at A level.