Computer Science help

[Mrcrysis2000]

Hi Guys  just wondering if i could have some help, Pretty much i'm going to University in the UK to do Computer Science i'm just worried that its a little out of my league so i was thinking if anyone had done the course or something similar and also how hard is it?  because i'm kinda worried about not being able to do coding, I've done a little with Visual Basic made a calculator and a stop watch. just wondering is all  

 

Thanks guys 

[alpenwasser]

Living in Switzerland I obviously haven't visited a UK college, but over here (at

the most difficult level), the basic rule is simple:

Work hard, stay disciplined, and you will be able to keep up as long as you're more

or less intelligent (which I'm assuming you are ;)). It doesn't take a genius, you

just shouldn't be dumb. ;)

Besides that, don't be afraid to ask questions, even ones you think are stupid, and

be persistent until you have a satisfying answer. It doesn't take a genius to keep

up, but if you're not (for example, like me and most other people), you just need to

work hard.

Usually, a course here is structured very much from the ground up (many people who

study computer sciences have never really programmed anything until they enter

college, and this I personally know from a guy who studied that), however it will

advance rather quickly (obviously, otherwise you would never get to anywhere

interesting), which means discipline and hard work.

Bottom line (from my personal experiences): Pay attention, work hard, and you'll be ok.

[Mrcrysis2000]

Thank you I'm just thinking like I'm stepping out of my league with computer science but you've reassured me thank you for your help :)

[DarkEcho]

I am just reaching the end of my first year of Computer Science in the UK as you can tell <-- at Lincoln. Not the greatest University but the place itself is great. Anyway my experience of the course so far is that they really baby you through it in the first year. I expect next year to ramp up a lot. Generally they think that most students just go off drinking in the first year which to my disappointment a lot of my peers do.. like every day. 

 

Moving swiftly on, depending on your university, they cater for literally all skill levels to begin with, which can be a drag if you already have some experience.

 

All in all, don't worry about it, you will find you have plenty of time to get all your work done and plenty of time to get to grips with everything.

 

Just as long as you don't go out drinking everyday and then start you assignments the day before they are due you'll do great.  :rolleyes:

[alpenwasser]

Thank you I'm just thinking like I'm stepping out of my league with computer science but you've reassured me thank you for your help :)

No problem, sometimes we just need a reassuring pat on the back. :)

Just follow this advice:

Just as long as you don't go out drinking everyday and then start you assignments the day before they are due you'll do great.  :rolleyes:

[Mrcrysis2000]

I am just reaching the end of my first year of Computer Science in the UK as you can tell <-- at Lincoln. Not the greatest University but the place itself is great. Anyway my experience of the course so far is that they really baby you through it in the first year. I expect next year to ramp up a lot. Generally they think that most students just go off drinking in the first year which to my disappointment a lot of my peers do.. like every day.

Moving swiftly on, depending on your university, they cater for literally all skill levels to begin with, which can be a drag if you already have some experience.

All in all, don't worry about it, you will find you have plenty of time to get all your work done and plenty of time to get to grips with everything.

Just as long as you don't go out drinking everyday and then start you assignments the day before they are due you'll do great. :rolleyes:

Thanks I've picked coventry university for it as it's close to home and stuff and thanks for telling me your experience :)

[majorawsome]

If you also have any questions don't be afraid of books! They don't bite and they also have a vast array (See what I did there?) of knowledge.

[WhatARoaster]

I'm just finishing up my last year doing a course called "computer and electronic systems", it's effectively half a CIS degree and half a EEE degree. Ilike yourself only had experience with VB, and was worried about getting a hold of coding. But in first year they teach you like you've never coded whatsoever so it shouldn't be too hard for you to pick it up.

[GoodBytes]

Something to remember is that Computer Science is not an easy field. I brings science, math and engineering together. It's a unique field that does this.

However, it doesn't mean you need to be some kind of super smart elite student. You got accepted in University, because the University evaluated that you can do it.

The secret with computer science is to study. No last minute homework. No partying around. You have to study hard. Go at the library if you must.

It is said that studying computer science must be seen as a full time job. 7h of per say (study+class).

If you do this, you should be able to get B, B+, A- grades, which is very good. Depending on the department, class, and University, your Computer Science classes might be bell curved. This means that your grade letter at the end, is a letter grade on how you compare to the rest of the class. So for example, if everyone gets 20%, and you have 70%, you get A+. If the class gets 50%, and so did you, you'll get a C grade. Usually, this will be mentioned in the course outline if it uses this system or not, and of course, you can ask your professor.

Usually, University assumes you know nothing. So, when you'll start Computer Science, you'll be thought on computer hardware, and programming classes. So, no worries there.

And remember, if it's too much, drop a course, and take less classes per semester. Sure it will take you a bit more time to finish, but who cares. No one will ask. If it means passing your classes, go for it.

[criso8]

You won't know unless you try. At first it may seem boring as you won't be able to do anything cool but it will get more interesting and fun. Also don't be scared if the intro courses are extremely hard. Intro comp sci course may be some of the hardest courses in university becuase they want to pick out those who aren't completely dedicated to majoring in cs. This is in part because of the crazy rise in enrolment in comp sci classes in recent years. If you do make it through the intro courses everything after that will be much easier.

[GoodBytes]

Correct. But this is also true for any engineering, law, med, science (biology, chemistry, physicists, etc), programs. They do this funnel effect.

You start with huge classes, and you'll end up with small or medium size high-school classes at the end.

 

This is not to scare you. If you are determined and you know that this is what you want to do for sure, then you don't have to worry. Just study and you'll do fine.

Most student end up changing programs, as they see its not for them, some fails and drop out, and the main reason are (I believe, this is my opinion, no stats, I could be totally wrong):

 -> Students really can't even focus reading a paragraph in a text book. This is when they see that Comp Sci isn't for them.

 

 -> Students don't know that university is not high school or college, you can't just go out and party. BUT that does NOT mean you can't have a life. Like I said, if you treat university like your job. Where study+class for 7h each day, you have after that time, and week-ends to yourself (well it depends on the amount of classes you take. And if you have coming up exams or not).

 

 -> Don't know how to study properly or don't have the right attitude (that can be fixed, usually universities have programs to help you, ask. Don't wait until you have the class final grade. Act quick!).

[DarkEcho]

Correct. But this is also true for any engineering, law, med, science (biology, chemistry, physicists, etc), programs. They do this funnel effect.

You start with huge classes, and you'll end up with small or medium size high-school classes at the end.

 

This is not to scare you. If you are determined and you know that this is what you want to do for sure, then you don't have to worry. Just study and you'll do fine.

Most student end up changing programs, as they see its not for them, some fails and drop out, and the main reason are (I believe, this is my opinion, no stats, I could be totally wrong):

 -> Students really can't even focus reading a paragraph in a text book. This is when they see that Comp Sci isn't for them.

 

 -> Students don't know that university is not high school or college, you can't just go out and party. BUT that does NOT mean you can't have a life. Like I said, if you treat university like your job. Where study+class for 7h each day, you have after that time, and week-ends to yourself (well it depends on the amount of classes you take. And if you have coming up exams or not).

 

 -> Don't know how to study properly or don't have the right attitude (that can be fixed, usually universities have programs to help you, ask. Don't wait until you have the class final grade. Act quick!).

 

I really hope you are correct because currently there are about 30 - 40 people sitting around me that think because they bought the latest iphone 5 that entitles them to be able to do the course having studied history or something not related at all (some have also barely scraped GCSE Maths). That said most of them have passed the work we've been set which in my opinion isn't hard enough to weed out the 'unsuitables'. That's the only thing that has bothered me so far in that I've been working hard and seemingly nobody else has but they're still passing. I realise I'm generalising and there are plenty of others on my course that are probably in the same boat.

 

Come to think of it I haven't seen too many 2nd year and above people.

[Zonked]

The way to prepare for going to uni for comp sci (I assume you will be starting in September ) is to simply start programming now, learn a language and with it a lot of concepts will come too. Making your first year of uni a lot less stressful. If my assumption about you starting in September is true, then you have loads of time.

 

Good luck!

 

By the way Computer Science is awesome! I am currently in my last year of my masters degree in computer science at Birmingham University.

[alpenwasser]

Correct. But this is also true for any engineering, law, med, science (biology, chemistry, physicists, etc), programs. They do this funnel effect.

True. I did mechanical engineering, and around 36% of people didn't pass the exams

after year one (there's courses which have higher percentages, and it also depends

on the year, IIRC we had a rather high percentage of passing students in our year).

Even after that, it was still the same thing up to when I left (got sick, couldn't

keep up anymore).

Hard work will usually be rewarded with success, and laziness with failure.

[Cheesebaron]

I have been through a B.Eng. and continuing on my M.Sc. right now.

 

First couple of semesters were all about getting the basic knowledge about programming, algorithms, math, databases, UML and stuff like that. Pretty basic stuff and if you pay attention you can get though those courses pretty easily.

Third and fourth semester became a little bit more hardcore as we had to learn the internals of computers and program FPGA's make C code and all kinds of low-level stuff. From then on you got to choose courses yourself and come up with a Bachelor Thesis.

Even some of my less intelligent peers got through this with some trial and error, so basically it should be possible for anyone with a little bit of brains between his ears to do computer sciences. Just be persistent and disciplined and you should get through it.

[robwor]

I've just finished my exams for my final year of computer science and it was great. As some have said 1st year isn't really the hardest thing in the world as they try to get everyone to the same standard of coding by the end of first year. I had only done an A-level it IT (how to use MS Office imop) and had only self taught the very basics when I started but by the end of the year you wouldn't have guessed it. The second/third year really builds on this basic knowledge and puts it into practice more. Don't forget its not just coding, there is quite a bit of theory in there as well which can seem boring and pointless at times but it makes sense as you move on through the years.

 

I know its a while away but don't see first year as a scrape by at 40% because it will make it harder in the long run and if you want to do a year in industry, which I highly recommend most companies won't look at you unless you've got a 2:1.

 

One thing I will say is that there were about 50% that dropped out in our first year because they came in with the view of "I like gaming so therefore the only course for me is computer science".

 

Work hard, play hard and ask questions will get you through just fine. 

 

Good Luck!

[MathijsZ77]

Unless they teach you how to land a rocket in a rabit hole on the other side of the world I guess you would be just fine  :D

[GoodBytes]

robwor is correct.

I would like to add. If anyone tells you "10% of classes in Computer Engineering (or wtv Engineering degree) is only useful". They don't understand what University is about. While it is true that in practice, a lot of stuff you'll learned won't be useful in day to day life. It is important to know, as it allows you to understand what's going behind things, and also, it's about the thinking process. Computer Science is not coding all day. That's the job of a programmer. A degree you can get in College.  Computer Science is about engineering/designing/creating and optimizing. Also, University prepares you NOT for the work field, but rather research & development. In other words, for your Master degree, and also later in your career life, where you'll need to do some research, to find the best approach onto something, and so on. So such statement is untrue, and it shows that this person doesn't understand the spirit of University, which is about research and developement, not code monkey.

[alpenwasser]

robwor is correct.

I would like to add. If anyone tells you "10% of classes in Computer Engineering (or wtv Engineering degree) is only useful". They don't understand what University is about. While it is true that in practice, a lot of stuff you'll learned won't be useful in day to day life. It is important to know, as it allows you to understand what's going behind things, and also, it's about the thinking process.

^^^ This! Also, I've never understood those people who only want to learn "useful" stuff.

Isn't it nice to know more things? I like that! I spend an enormous amount of time learning

things I will never, ever be able to apply in any profession I could possibly work in (I'm

quite interested in paleontology for example, there isn't really much of that in mechanical

or electrical engineering, same with biology, archaeology, history, astronomy).

I have spent countless hours on Wikipedia (and other sites, or watching documentaries) acquiring

so-called "useless" knowledge simply because I actually enjoy learning stuff (of course I'm not

interested in everything, but still, my interests go far beyond what would be required

for being able to make a living). How else would I have found out about such awesomeness as

Andrewsarchus or any other of those fascinating prehistoric creatures?

Anyway, </ranting ramble of enthusiasm and nerdness> :lol:

[Darkfeign]

Computer Science is a lot of programming, and a little to a lot of maths. So if you're comfortable with some maths and more importantly really, really enjoy programming (as you'll spend countless hours in code) then it's the right move for you. If you're not too keen on looking into more advanced languages than VB then perhaps not. I'm just finishing my third year here at Cardiff and it's been one hell of a struggle this year. The final year project (that I think most universities do) is a serious task to undertake and will have you struggling through code in pretty advanced ways so you need to enjoy learning from errors and silly mistakes you make along the way.

I know it's generic but it's just about problem solving. If you have a passion for solving problems and you're not scared to learn new languages (at least one a year before you leave university, to an intermediate level) then go for it.

[cadel546]

computer science is not all that hard. there will be times when youll need 500 hour energy drinks but for the most part is peaceful lots of useful and useless math lots of fun physics classes uhhhh this one time i had physics with calculus together as one class since you are new to this (i guess) dont be afraid, calculus and physics go well with each other.. as for the computer side if you like it youll be good at it.

[GoodBytes]

I never had this course, nor will have.

But every university teaches Computer Science differently. Computer Science is a very new field. So there isn't any standard way of teaching. I know some University thinks that because you do gaming, and in gaming you have graphics, you need to take art classes with it (computational art to be specific). Some Universities have "specializations"/option in Computer Science: System Software, System Hardware, Gaming, Web development, etc. Where it is Computer Science, but a portion of your program electives varies based on the option you take.

[Zonked]

Give 'Think Python' a read. It's a great introduction. 

[vlad1500]

Computer science is basically a lot of problem solving using algorithms. So if you are good at logic and math go for it :)

[Yepik]

when I was studing CS major I used http://thenewboston.org/tutorials.php

helped for most part to understand basic concept. Remember that CS is all about  you knowing what you are programming( understanding of C paython C++ PHP Html or Java vocabulary is very helpful with not causing major  logical bugs)