Early thinking about university

[michaelp]

I know I'm only in grade 10, but I've started to look at courses that I would need for university programs, like software engineering and computer science.
When I looked a Waterloo, the requirements were English, Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors, Physics, and Chemistry. While looking at other universities, most did not have the strict requirements that Waterloo has. (Can't remember what university it was, but I'm pretty sure that the only requirement was English??) Would it be safe to say if I took these courses in Grade 12, it would fill the required courses for most other universities computer science or software engineering programs?
So, assuming I'd take these in grade 12, my grade 11 would look something like this so far:

English( ENG3U )
Functions( MCR3U )
Physics( SPH3U )
Chemistry( SCH3U )
Computer Science( ICS3U )
Group 1 credit needed for graduation in Ontario
--Unknown--
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For Calculus and Vectors( MCV4U ), it says Advanced Functions( MHF4U ) is a prerequisite, but it also says they may be taken at the same time. Is it like that for all schools?
Also, a question about how University degrees work. If I want to go into Comp Sci or SE(let's just say computer science), what else do I take while getting a degree for computer science? Does it depend on the University?
And does anyone have anything to say about the difference between SE and CS? From what I know, SE is more focussed on the process of making large programs and designing them, while CS is more about designing algorithms.
Thanks for any help.

[jbking]

Within Computer Science, you could choose to double major or not, to do co-op or not, to do some minor for a few of the other choices you'd have with such a program. It does vary a bit from school to school and there can be different degrees to some extent from when I last looked.

SE is more focused within software compared to CS. CS also does hardware that isn't necessarily part of SE. You may want to look at the "Systems Design Engineer" for another program at Waterloo that may be of some interest to you as another thought.

[DemonWasp]

The following advice might be UW-specific, but probably isn't:

Take all of the math you can, right now. Yes, I'm including that Data Management course in this. Do it all, and do well in each course, because that'll make your life way easier in university (more important than making your life easy right now). Taking Computer Science or Computer Engineering courses are gravy. Do especially well in English if you want to go into Software Engineering, where communications are stressed more.

About half of the CS courses at UW are Applied Math courses being sneaky. The other half are actually focused on implementations, but tend to require a very strong math background to follow well.

[andrew.]

michaelp @ Wed Jan 27, 2010 2:22 pm wrote:

For Calculus and Vectors( MCV4U ), it says Advanced Functions( MHF4U ) is a prerequisite, but it also says they may be taken at the same time. Is it like that for all schools?.

Yeah. It's semestered if you take both. If your school is semestered, then you will have AF first, then CV later. If it's non-semestered, they will make that course semestered (like civics and careers) except that you have AF everyday for half the year and then CV everyday for the other half. Basically, no matter the school, double math is semestered.

[ProgrammingFun]

What is the policy of uWaterloo regarding IB graduates?

[michaelp]

@jbking: What would the main difference be between a minor and a major? AFAIK, a major takes 4 years, and doing a double major, from what I've read, is just getting a degree in 2 areas. How does getting a double major or a major and minor differ?
I don't know much about how taking courses in university works, so bear with me.
@DemonWasp: Grade 11 or 12 data management? On our secondary school course directory( which can be found here), there is only a grade 12 one. From that course directory, I can't see any other grade 11 maths to take.
@andrew.: Okay. My school's semestered so I would probably have Advanced Functions first semester and Calculus and Vectors second semester, assuming I took those two courses. I think my brother is doing that now with Grade 11/12 accounting.
@ProgrammingFun: What?

[DemonWasp]

The grade 12 one, which, as I recall, doesn't require the grade 11 one. If you look carefully you'll note that grade 12 Computer Engineering has "Grade 11 CS OR Grade 11 CE" as its prerequisite: that should save you a couple of courses.

[[Gandalf]]

Quote:

For Calculus and Vectors( MCV4U ), it says Advanced Functions( MHF4U ) is a prerequisite, but it also says they may be taken at the same time. Is it like that for all schools?

Pretty sure it is, yeah. If you can, take Functions first, but if you can't, it's still perfectly doable.

Take Data Management in grade 12 for sure.

Quote:

How does getting a double major or a major and minor differ?

This is usually university specific, and it can get semi-confusing. Do yourself a favour and not worry about specifics like that at this point, it'll become clearer once you start applying and more-so once you begin university.

Suffice it to say, if you stay on track with whatever plan you set yourself, you'll usually graduate in 4 years, plus any time you spend in co-op or work.

[michaelp]

@DemonWasp: Based on what I see on our school's course calendar, there is only a grade 12 data management course. It's prereq is just grade 11 functions.
@Gandalf: Ah, okay. Thanks for the advice.

[Euphoracle]

ProgrammingFun @ Wed Jan 27, 2010 6:46 pm wrote:

What is the policy of uWaterloo regarding IB graduates?

If your grades are good enough, you may be able to get a half credit for your first term calculus course, which is what a friend of mine did (I however elected not to). Personally though, I'd recommend against it for two reasons: 1) IB did _not_ cover a lot of the stuff you will learn in 137, especially the less plug-n-chug way of looking at integrals and derivatives, 2) You could get a prof like Zorzitto in first year and it will be a really enjoyable class which will make you feel really bad for missing lectures

However, if you do get a decent grade on the IB exam, you very well could skip the first calc class if they accept it.

Oh but the algebra course in first term, I don't think the IB credit will cover that and trust me you really don't want to miss that class (not because it's the most engaging material in the world, but it's something you probably haven't seen before and it is very different than highschool math). Not sure if you can use it to skip linear algebra in second term though.

For other IB credits (are there any? lol I only did math) I have no clue

[ProgrammingFun]

Thanks.
Yes there are IB credits for Science, Math, CS I think), English, and French (I think),

[jbking]

Difference is usually a combination of number of courses and depth of courses. For example, for CS minor at Waterloo there are 8 required CS courses and a couple Math courses from the 2007-2008 Undergrad calendar. In contrast, the major requires at least 13 CS courses and 5 Math courses, looking at the same undergrad calendar.

Minors are usually either a subset or different path of courses compared to majors. I remember back when I was in Waterloo, part of the degree requirement involved having 10 non-Math courses and so some students would do a minor in some other subject they liked outside of Math. There is also the limitation of what one can get on the degree, so that while I did a double major and completed the requirements for a minor, only the double major is on my diploma though there was a letter noting I met the requirements for a Pure Math minor.