Education A-Level Choices

What are the best A/AS levels options to pick, if you want to carry on to do Computer Science at Uni. Besides Maths, and ICT
Thanks.

 

It really depends what you're good at. If you're good enough at maths, further maths is definately a good option, and recommended by places like Cambridge.
Those are the two main ones, even computing isn't a requirement at most unis. Obviously they prefer sciences over stuff like art though.

I took Maths, Further Maths, Physics and English at AS, and dropped English for A. With A's in these, I've got offers from Edinburgh, Warwick, and York.

 

Oh right, I chose Maths, English, Computer Studies and Physics, I'm hoping not to drop any for A levels. However, my school doesn't offer many choices, there is only one kind of Math.

 

I'd say stick with what you've chosen, physics and maths will be useful for the computer stuff, english is a nice subject that's just a bit different and should bring in some skills you can use.
Back when I had to choose I chose Maths, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. I'm still doing them now, so continuing all four is easily do-able, but you have to be committed to it, and you have to love every subject or you will eventually give it up.

 

I don't see anything wrong with your choices.

 

don't take ICT it's bolocks... computing I knew more than the computing students just from background knowlage and electronics so is probobly the same. I don't rearly see the need for english but physics and maths are quite imprortant (especialy maths) if studying a tecnical subject. If your school does electronics I would take it as there is a fair bit of electronics in some of my friends CS classes and also it's quite easy (well with ok teaching - its one of the "hardest" in terms of the number of passes if the marks weren't normalised (I get upset about that because I get almost 35% higher than people who also get "A's") and you get to build nice things. Also if your school teaches it like mine there will be more programing than in computing!

I took: Further Maths, Maths, Physics, Electronics I didn't do well in further maths so droped down to doing an AS in it so that I would get A's in maths so keep in mind if you can deal with 10hrs of maths a week or not (I had one day with double - double maths :| )

 

I took Maths, Computing, Electronics (with general studies aswell)

Physics is a good idea aswell though (you take 4 now right? or is it 5?)

They kinda covered all the bases for me as my degree wasn't very focused on any aspect until the final year when you chose the direction you wanted to go in.

For me it was a software route

 

Nope, my school doesn't give the option of electronics, the closest option to that is Design & Technology and i'm doing that now for GCSE and I hate it. I might not be able to do Physics as it clashes in the same option block as English, which is one of my top subjects, so I would rather choose that. If I can't do physics do you think I should go for another Science?
Thanks In Advance.

 

If you want to get into computing the other sciences are a waste of time, biology has nowt to do with computers and chemistry, also nowt.
Do you actually want to go into CS? I had this predicament, then I remembered I hate IT with a passion. Focus on what lessons you enjoy now, because if you hate them now you'll hate them even more in A level.

 

I chose maths as I got my best GCSE grade in it so naturally I though I would do alright in A level. I moved school (to a better school) for A level and I blame it on the teachers. I'm doing sh*t in maths but I had already decided to drop it for A2. By the sounds of it, you will be more comitted than me and you choices, my best advice is to take your favourite subjects through to A level (after talking to A level students) I wish I had done that because I want to be a doctor so chose Chemi, Bio, Maths and Psycho. Theyre all really difficult and, I do enjoy them but theres more hard work than fun.

 

I wouldn't commit to dropping maths just yet mate. I was doing terrible in AS too, but A2 is just far easier once you get all the AS stuff out of the way.

 

it's my least favourite subject so at the moment it looks as if it will be the one I drop but only time will tell I suppose.

 

A2 is dependent on AS without a good grasp of the AS you will utterly fail A2 but without maths you can't be a scientist or engineer

 

I mucked up my a level maths, i got 90% in one exam, 80% in another, but ended up with a C in the end, revision is key guys!!

 

i took physics, maths, electronics, computing for a level. I would say that computing gives you a good source of background info. Maths is pretty important too. a little bit of advice is if you find a uni that you really want to go to, do their scholarship test. often you will get some credit even if you dont pass.

 

I didn't have the choice of computing at my 6th Form, so I did programming night classes for free at my local adult education centre.

A-levels I did: Maths, Physics, Chemistry
AS: Further Maths, French, General Studies.

I think it's always good to have a language at GCSE, but great if you can take it further for future employers.

Check what universities want for your course areas if you want to go to Higher Education, but above all: choose what you enjoy there's no point spending two years doing something that you find dead boring and decide to drop out of or get bad marks.

 

I personally always say do what you are capable of. No point doing 4 hard subjects in which you aren't confident in them. Do 2 hard ones, one easy one and the last one being a subject you like. That is what I did and I think you might find it more enjoable.

 

don't most cs courses require maths anyhow?
As to other choices i dont think it actually matters all that much.

i did maths, further maths, history, and politics for my A-levels
Got into uni to do CS and then changed to Maths & AI cos CS was pants.

And now im doing a Law Conversion, people make a big deal for a-levels being career/uni choices but in the grand scheme of things the choices you made dont matter all that much bar a few exceptions like going into medicine etc.

PS. maths a-levels were possibly the easiest exams i have ever done, they pretty much only have 3 or 4 different types of questions in each paper which they then change the wording/numbers slightly.
Just do the past papers lots and lots and youll be fine... Whatever you do dont do maths at uni tho as its mind warping and useless in the real world.

 

The modules they'll be looking for are most likely Maths, Physics and Electronics. Computing is a double edged sword and simply isn't offered everywhere, so I wouldn't worry about it unless you want to do it.
Be careful not to specialise too much though. I studied Maths, Physics, Electronics to A2 and Computing and Critical Thinking at AS. Dropping computing turned a few heads given my chosen university course but didn't actually matter in the slightest. I'm now in my 4th and final year of an MEng Computer Science & Cybernetics and I'm not too thrilled at the idea of working directly in computing or engineering. There's a part of me that wishes I'd done more science and specialised less.

Study what interests you, only then take into account what you're good at and what they'll want you to have.

 

Is there much money to be made following a career in computers?