CS, Is it possible?

[Nefel]

I'm really hoping to go into CS but I don't know if I'll be able to with my grades, how competitive is CS in waterloo/UFT? My projected marks are

85 Computer Enginnering
92 Computer Sci.
87 Advance functions(repeated)
80 Tech
73 Calculus
76 English
75 Physics(Ryerson requries)

Average (UFT / waterloo): 82.1
Average (Ryerson): 81.3
Applying to Ryerson UFT and waterloo

Also I'm not very strong in math but I understand the concepts and know what i'm doing ,just my teacher doesn't give any part marks =/ your either right or wrong

[knowthyself]

If you recognize that you are not very strong in math, then CS may not be the right choice for you. On the other hand, if you recognize that you are not very strong in math, then that is the first step toward *becoming* stronger in math. Figure out where your weaknesses are and focus on them. If you really want something in life, you will likely have to work hard for it. But regardless of how tough your HS math teacher is, your University math professors will be harder.

Nefel @ Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:14 pm wrote:

I'm really hoping to go into CS but I don't know if I'll be able to with my grades, how competitive is CS in waterloo/UFT? My projected marks are

85 Computer Enginnering
92 Computer Sci.
87 Advance functions(repeated)
80 Tech
73 Calculus
76 English
75 Physics(Ryerson requries)

Average (UFT / waterloo): 82.1
Average (Ryerson): 81.3
Applying to Ryerson UFT and waterloo

Also I'm not very strong in math but I understand the concepts and know what i'm doing ,just my teacher doesn't give any part marks =/ your either right or wrong

[rdrake]

Nefel @ Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:14 pm wrote:

I'm really hoping to go into CS but I don't know if I'll be able to with my grades, how competitive is CS in waterloo/UFT?

From what I've heard, quite competitive.

Nefel @ Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:14 pm wrote:

My projected marks are

85 Computer Enginnering
92 Computer Sci.
87 Advance functions(repeated)
80 Tech
73 Calculus
76 English
75 Physics(Ryerson requries)

For the love of God bring up your English mark. I cannot begin to express how frustrating it is to read written answers from first year students.

Nefel @ Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:14 pm wrote:

Also I'm not very strong in math but I understand the concepts and know what i'm doing ,just my teacher doesn't give any part marks =/ your either right or wrong

I asked one of the calculus professors at Waterloo about that once. He said often those who did bad in high school calculus try harder in university than those who coasted by.

Either way, submit a decent AIF and you should have a fair chance.

[jcollins1991]

rdrake @ Wed Dec 01, 2010 11:43 pm wrote:

For the love of God bring up your English mark. I cannot begin to express how frustrating it is to read written answers from first year students.

Why? English marks in highschool are more about reading bullshit Shakespeare and writing useless reflections on books, not about your ability to write comprehensible answers (though that certainly is part of the mark). Getting math marks up would be more useful, and learning what types of things in math you like could be helpful in figuring out how to study in university.

[mirhagk]

I actually have the same sort of question, I mean most of my marks (except english, because I don't care about shakespeare or poetry) are mid 80%'s and my computer science mark is in the 90%'s.

I really want to get into university, and I'm kinda scared that my marks are too low.

[Tony]

jcollins1991 @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 11:34 am wrote:

Why?

Because your English mark is important for getting admission into University programs.

[jcollins1991]

Tony @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 1:30 pm wrote:

jcollins1991 @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 11:34 am wrote:

Why?

Because your English mark is important for getting admission into University programs.

If someone has a good reason to have a lower mark in English then no reasonable university would reject them based solely on that mark. UW math is more concerned about someones marks and their interest in math than their English mark, if someone isn't good enough at writing to pass the ELPE (English Language Proficiency Exam) then UW will make them take an equivalent English course to help them improve.

edit: That's not to say you should sacrifice time and effort in English to improve in math courses, but if you have a choice to get better in either subject then math would be your best choice.

[Tony]

jcollins1991 @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 1:46 pm wrote:

edit: That's not to say you should sacrifice time and effort in English to improve in math courses, but if you have a choice to get better in either subject then math would be your best choice.

I would argue the opposite. I know of someone being rejected from admission into CS solely based on the English mark.

Special considerations might be taken if "good reasons" for a low mark were to be documented and submitted, but that is all very subjective.

[jcollins1991]

Tony @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 1:59 pm wrote:

I would argue the opposite. I know of someone being rejected from admission into CS solely based on the English mark.

Special considerations might be taken if "good reasons" for a low mark were to be documented and submitted, but that is all very subjective.

I know it's all subjective, and for any extra considerations to be made you need a great deal of documentation, and it all changes from university to university. But considering the fact that he's expecting a low 70's mark in calc and a mid 70's in English, calc seems like a better choice If UW sees someone with a repeated Advanced Functions course I think they'll be more interested in that person improving their math skills than seeing them get a good grade in English.

[Tony]

Looking at this particular set of marks, I think you're right. I'm of an opinion that given the same average among all the classes, those with less deviation are better -- bring up the lowest grade, which in this case happens to be Calc (in typical cases it's English instead).

[knowthyself]

English is very important because: A) You learn to communicate effectively. B) You learn creative and critical thinking skills. Both of these are of utmost importance in the real world (AND the academic world), but neither are learned in math class. Math is 99% memorization, whereas in English you need to produce new ideas.

[mono-1-rulz]

I am a first year at Wloo now, and i know a friend who got in with a mere 72 in english but his other marks were high though so that might have played a part. As for being strong in math, I have been looking at the course requirements for a CS graduate and there isn't much higher level math after the second year but you would have to be good at picking up mathematical concepts cuz it helps you understand better. Having said that, you might wanna concentrate more on Calc cuz first year Calc carries on from highschool basically and builds on it. Other than that, fill out the AIF and make yourself look good. Good luck!

[mono-1-rulz]

knowthyself @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:07 pm wrote:

Math is 99% memorization.

I hope you are kidding lol.

[rdrake]

knowthyself @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:07 pm wrote:

English is very important because: A) You learn to communicate effectively. B) You learn creative and critical thinking skills. Both of these are of utmost importance in the real world (AND the academic world)

QFT.

knowthyself @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:07 pm wrote:

Math is 99% memorization.

False.

One of the most essential skills any academic can have is strong communication skills. You must present work both in written and oral forms.

[knowthyself]

I completely agree. You absolutely must have strong communication skills. Are you saying that those skills are developed *in* math courses, or *for* math courses (plus others of course)? I would argue that they are typically not developed *in* math courses.

I exaggerate the 99% part to draw attention to the point. And I'll probably be lynched here, because saying this here is tantamount to going to a church and shouting that god doesn't exist... On an English assignment, you typically have to come up with a new idea. On a math assignment you have to remember identities, formulas and so on, iteratively go through them in your head to figure out which one fits the problem, then go through the steps to solve for the solution. When you have a question in English like, 'write an essay about how you feel about such and such', you will temporarily go through the same mental process -- scan your memory for when you considered that type of question before, and try to remember what your answer was. And when you can't find it, because its a new question, you have to create a new idea. A dumb computer can solve math problems, but a computer can't (as far as I know) write an original essay about Hamlet (I'm half-expecting to be corrected here . So I'm arguing that English requires creativity, creativity equates to greater intelligence (as opposed to pulling something out of memory like a computer), therefore English is very valuable.

That being say too, I'm not saying that math isn't! I'm in CS myself for the record, and I love math - I think it's exciting and interesting. I just find that it gets a little old hearing math- and tech-heads going on complaining about English and saying that it's useless and using that as their excuse for their own poor performance in it.

rdrake @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:28 pm wrote:

knowthyself @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:07 pm wrote:

English is very important because: A) You learn to communicate effectively. B) You learn creative and critical thinking skills. Both of these are of utmost importance in the real world (AND the academic world)

QFT.

knowthyself @ Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:07 pm wrote:

Math is 99% memorization.

False.

One of the most essential skills any academic can have is strong communication skills. You must present work both in written and oral forms.