What should i do?

[Manveer]

My Computer Science class (grade 12) has been cancelled, According to Waterloo's site, they are looking for a high mark in computer science *I want to go into software engineering* in addition to a good performance in contests.

I plan to write the Euclid, and CCC, and my marks for Computer science were 93% in gr 10, and 88% in gr 11. Im also taking engineering, and my physics and math marks are al right. Should i switch schools because my school (Sandalwood Heights) doesn't offer ICS anymore, or should i stay here? And because we dont have ICS anymore, will i even be able to take the CCC?

Programming is one of the things i enjoy the most, and i want to make it my career.

[Night]

I'm assuming this is for next year as the Euclid and CCC for 2012 have already passed.

There are two levels for the CCC: one for people with a maximum of 1 CS credits ("Junior"), and one for people with more than 1/if you're a daring Grade 11 student ("Senior"). If you talk to a teacher in your school, you could probably get them to sign you up next year for the CCC (on the Junior unless you do programming/algorithms/etc. on your own time within the next ~10 months and feel like you can do the Senior one). The CCC is "recommended" but not required (same with the Euclid).

Not sure what Waterloo's SE AIF is like, but for CS it had asked "Do you plan on writing the CCC?", while not specifying level. One of my friends applying entered the Junior-level contest as she's only completed the grade 11 course and is doing ICS4U now (I did the Senior as I did ICS4U last year). I think some schools don't even offer ICS3U at times.

Waterloo's Engineering website says the following (emphasis mine):

Quote:

In addition to the Engineering course requirements listed above, applicants to Software Engineering are required to have experience developing well-structured, modular programs, demonstrated by at least one of the following:

Strong performance in a programming course such as Grade 11 or 12 Computer and Information Science or equivalent
Strong performance in a programming contest
Significant work experience
Other (must be explained on the Admission Information Form)

It says "OR" and "At least" so I suppose that you should be fine with ICS3U, but I believe they've said that ICS4U would be a great asset. If you're really worried about it, maybe you could take ICS4U online? If you do some side-projects and/or find a summer job involving programming/etc., then you could list that on the AIF which would probably help.

[Manveer]

Thanks so much Night! Ill try to find out if i could do an Online course or summer school, but i doubt it. (I'm in Peel region).

Im teaching myself Javascript atm using Codecadamy.com, great site, and ill do HTML after that. Hopefully i can put that on my application.

[Night]

I forgot to mention: on the AIF it asks why you've re-done courses or taken them outside of normal school. If you do take ICS4U outside of school due to your school not offering it, you'll probably want to indicate that on your AIF in that section.

[hamid14]

for grade 11 computer science, you should have no problem getting above 90s of you are interesting in getting into the field of software engineering. Cause I have seen the grade 11 class of 2012 for computer science, and they are doing really well. And sorry about your grade 12 cancellation, that course would have looked really great on your application.