Computer Science Programs

[Martin]

The AIF and reference letters are very essential. Each can add 6% to your admissions average, and, not only does this mean that you will qualify for more programs, but it also means that you will get bigger scholarships.

[Dan]

I know no one every gives the time to acautly look in to Lakehead but acautly dose have a good CompSci progame and posabley one of the best tech buildings in northarmica. It is worth checking out if you like smaller class sizes and a small frendly comunity with a beftual campus.

[Martin]

Lakehead Frosh

[Genesis]

Martin wrote:

Check this out too: http://www.nanotech.uwaterloo.ca/

Yeah, I was looking at that, kind of interesting, but not so much computer related, which is what I was kinda looking into.

tony wrote:

That stuff is weighted heavily and could be equivalent of adding 10~15% to your average if you have the right stuff to put.

What would be the "right stuff" to put? Other than the Euclid and the CCC, am I supposed to have experience in something mechatronics related?

Also, who is a reference letter supposed to be from?

Hacker Dan wrote:

I know no one every gives the time to acautly look in to Lakehead but acautly dose have a good CompSci progame and posabley one of the best tech buildings in northarmica. It is worth checking out if you like smaller class sizes and a small frendly comunity with a beftual campus.

I actually did look into Lakehead, only because I think you mentioned it before, and it is an awesome campus. But Thunder Bay is pretty far away...

[da_foz]

Did you go to the university fair this past weekend? If you did and you came by the Queen's Computer table, you probably talked to me.

Its really great here (Queen's).

[Genesis]

da_foz wrote:

Did you go to the university fair this past weekend? If you did and you came by the Queen's Computer table, you probably talked to me.

Actually I did! The Queen's program was pretty interesting. Especially the cognitave science and the biomedical computing programs.

[Tony]

Genesis wrote:

What would be the "right stuff" to put? Other than the Euclid and the CCC, am I supposed to have experience in something mechatronics related?

Also, who is a reference letter supposed to be from?

I belive that the reference letter must be from ether your Calculus or Geometry teacher. So that's the one you got to make friends with over the year

The 'right' stuff' to put would be interest (not neccesarely experience since that's tough to get) in the program related aspects. Say you're an experienced programmer in C++. Say you can assemble a combustion engine. Say you're in the process of developing AMD128. Just don't forget to show that you go outside and have friends

[Andy]

da_foz wrote:

Did you go to the university fair this past weekend? If you did and you came by the Queen's Computer table, you probably talked to me.

Its really great here (Queen's).

the only reason why i'd go to queens is if i get a big entrance scholarship

[Genesis]

doge_tomahawk wrote:

the only reason why i'd go to queens is if i get a big entrance scholarship

That'd be nice.

Although Queen's is a fairly reputable school. (In the sciences at least). So I suppose even a computer science degree (Even though this falls under the math department I'm pretty sure) from there would be fairly impressive.

Although I'm seriously considering Mechatronics now.

[da_foz]

Genesis wrote:

da_foz wrote:

Did you go to the university fair this past weekend? If you did and you came by the Queen's Computer table, you probably talked to me.

Actually I did! The Queen's program was pretty interesting. Especially the cognitave science and the biomedical computing programs.

Do you remember who you talked to at the computer's booth? If it was Sat or Sun and you talked to a white guy, it was me.

[Martin]

As proven by Tony, you don't have to know any math to get into waterloo...

For the AIF, just make sure that it shows that you are very academically focused, but that you also live a somewhat balanced life. Make sure to include extra-curricular activities.

The Euclid is a definate must if you want to get into CS (or any other math program), but not so much for engineering. The general consensus is that every 10 points you get over the national average on the euclid (usually around 40), your admissions average will go up 1%. That's not on paper though.

Here's a rundown of first semester mechatronics and math (CS):
Mechatronics: not very much homework, bitchy formatting on chemistry assignments, very arrogant classmates (I'm tony's roommate, and I guarentee that people in his program are going to die when they break their backs trying to suck their own dicks). Frosh is apparently very fun. No electives. A lot of classes per week (35ish hours.)

Math: a lot of homework, but very few classes (~15 hours per week). First semester, you aren't in CS, you are in math. That is, everyone going for a BMath has the same classes as you (1 CS course, 2 math courses, 2 electives). Beginning second year, you start to take course specific classes. Lots of asian people (is this a suprise?). Frosh is alright. Very flexible (3 levels of CS class to choose from, and 2 levels for each math class). This I think is the biggest advantage that CS has over mechatronics. Programming isn't a requirement to get into mechatronics, so first semester CS courses are focusing on 'learning how to program.'

Now, don't get me wrong. There are some very nice people in mechatronics (and a girl or two I think!), and math has its share of people who are full of themselves too. Basically, do what you think is best. If you are unsure of what you want to do, take math, and take chemistry and physics as your electives. That way, if you decide to switch into engineering second semester, it won't be very difficult.

[Tony]

you need math to get into waterloo... its just that you can continue though waterloo on at 16%

and yeah... I'm under the impression is that where math lacks in hours of lecture, it makes up in homework assignments.

as for the classmates... there's a fair share of jerks (Derek he says "yarr"), but there're some cool people as well. I'm sure there are tons of dorks in math if not more

btw, Martin - doing a quick survey of the classroom, there are 5 girls in within reach without falling off the afixed chair.

[Genesis]

da_foz wrote:

Do you remember who you talked to at the computer's booth? If it was Sat or Sun and you talked to a white guy, it was me.

Yep, I probably talked to you then.

So I think I've decided to aim for Mechatronics. The averages are a bit higher, but that's kind of expected. CS at Waterloo is sounding really heavily math based, (Which is also kind of expected) and although I'm quite good at math, it's not necessarily my most favourite subject.

Engineering sounds cooler. (No offence to CS people.) Especially engineering that lets you build things and program them. Plus I enjoy chemistry and physics as well, so enigneering sounds more balanced.

[Dan]

Martin wrote:

Lakehead Frosh

The funnested part of that is that there just was another bear siting and now they got poleop trying to trap it or kill it b/c the last one was a gerzly and was like right outside my rez window. The other 2 where just black bears

Hey i makes u get to classes faster that and the -40 temps

[bugzpodder]

well as long as you are not in the math faculty, you are fine for the most part. (we all know what engineering induction looks like) but do understand that cs is in the math faculty, and in order to survive, you MUST learn math.