Computer Science at Bath?

[PraxxtorCruel]

Hi, I'm 22 years old, currently in an access course and I reside in London. I've received an invitation to attend an interview on the 29th of Feb at Bath. Now distance wise that's around a 250 mile return trip. They can't be that excited about wanting to see me? Is it normal for universities to ask you to come for an interview from quite a distance? I also received an offer from Royal Holloway which I thought was good for me as it wasn't too far from London to travel back and forth, but got interested in Bath when I noticed their rank. Although it does look like Royal H has a more interesting course structure compared to Bath, but Bath seems to have the reputation and well developed departments. The e-mail has stated that it is informal and that my intelligence won't be tested. Am I likely to be taken seriously when compared with A*A*A* students coming from A-levels .

Is it worth going?

Thanks

 

[alwyn]

I would go if I were you, not every course has interviews but some do and there is nothing you can do about it.
+ look at their required grades for the course up on UCAS and if you think you can achieve the grades I don't see why they wouldn't take you seriously.

Bath is a great university, Good luck.

 

[PraxxtorCruel]

I would go if I were you, not every course has interviews but some do and there is nothing you can do about it.
+ look at their required grades for the course up on UCAS and if you think you can achieve the grades I don't see why they wouldn't take you seriously.

Bath is a great university, Good luck.

Thanks alwyn, did you study at Bath?

 

[sunlitsix]

http://search.ucas.com/cgi-bin/hsru...HAHTpage/search.HsEntryReq.run?n=1073955#CSRA

Typical offer: Pass an Access to HE Diploma and obtain grades of Distinction in units which have a total value of at least 12 credits and Merit in units which have a total value of at least 21 credits. Level 2 units must include passes in Maths and English.

And GCSE Maths at A unless you've got maths AS or A2 level.

Am I likely to be taken seriously when compared with A*A*A* students coming from A-levels .

Is it worth going?

Thanks

They will look at experience combined with the Access course, if you're interested in Bath Uni then of course it is worth going!

 

[PraxxtorCruel]

http://search.ucas.com/cgi-bin/hsru...HAHTpage/search.HsEntryReq.run?n=1073955#CSRA



And GCSE Maths at A unless you've got maths AS or A2 level.



They will look at experience combined with the Access course, if you're interested in Bath Uni then of course it is worth going!

Thanks for the link, their website states nothing about needing an A in gcse maths. Better rehearse my lines.

Typical offer: Pass an Access to HE Diploma (Science or Computing) and obtain grades of Distinction in units which have a total value of at least 12 credits and Merit in units which have a total value of at least 21 credits. We will specify which credits we expect you to achieve a Distinction in. Level 2 units must include passes in Maths and English.

 

[Bear]

I went to Bath as a mature student and got in with a BTEC NC with HNC maths (did the extra maths module to get up to speed). That was in 1996. I had an interview aswell but it was fine, it was very informal and wasnt technical at all from what I remember (I was doing Electronics and Communications engineering)

 

[sunlitsix]

Thanks for the link, their website states nothing about needing an A in gcse maths. Better rehearse my lines.

At the very top :

GCSE/Standard Grade/Intermediate 1&2/Equivalent Qualifications

Subjects and grades required GCSE or equivalent: Grade A in Mathematics (if not offered at AS or A2 level).

Unless these are not required along side the Access Diploma? Haven't Bath Uni stated any other qualifications you might need with your Access?

 

[PraxxtorCruel]

Go for it. I was on an Access Course, when I was invited up to LSE (I applied for their law course) - I made a stupid error when taking their exam paper*, but otherwise I reckon I'd've been accepted**... hey-ho!

(*+**Obviously I would say that, but it's true!)

Lol, they probably thought you were too good for them. By the way are you finnish or just living there?

I went to Bath as a mature student and got in with a BTEC NC with HNC maths (did the extra maths module to get up to speed). That was in 1996. I had an interview aswell but it was fine, it was very informal and wasnt technical at all from what I remember (I was doing Electronics and Communications engineering)

Thanks for the input, can you by any chance remember any of the questions they asked and did you end up studying at Bath?

At the very top :

Unless these are not required along side the Access Diploma? Haven't Bath Uni stated any other qualifications you might need with your Access?

Weird, well I don't see why they would want me to come for an interview, If I already don't meet the requirements as I had to state all previous qualifications on the ucas form. Like you said I believe its excluded when it comes to access students?

 

[PraxxtorCruel]

All the past papers required, amongst other things, for two essays to be written. I went in, did the other stuff (a précis and some maths), then wrote two essays. I subsequently discovered that it'd be changed, and only one essay had been required... so they only marked one, and obviously I'd only spent half as long as I should have on it, etc. But meh, Sheffield's amazing, and I get to play American football, ha.

I'm in Finland on exchange (it's my third year - I had two in Sheffield, now one here, and then I'm back in Sheffield for 2012/2013).

Oh damn that was unlucky, but sheffield sounds so awesome. How you finding finland by the way?

 

[sunlitsix]

Weird, well I don't see why they would want me to come for an interview, If I already don't meet the requirements as I had to state all previous qualifications on the ucas form. Like you said I believe its excluded when it comes to access students?

They've invited him for interview... that means they're happy with his qualifications (well, the ones he's on course to get).

I'll be honest I didn't think of it that way!

 

[Kenai]

Bath is a nice place and a decent campus, definitely worth going for a look, it's not really that big a trip in the grand scheme of things, London to Bath, shouldn't take any more than 2 hours or so? Can always stay over at a hotel if you're worried about being tired or anything like that.

Interview is an entirely normal part of the application process at many unis too, don't worry about it, nothing sinister going on

 

[Natwee]

You're a mature student, so it doesnt really matter if you have the entry equirements stated on the site about GCSE's etc.

I got offered a place on the degree i started, with just GCSE's.

 

[PraxxtorCruel]

Stupid, rather than unlucky! I wouldn't change it now, though, if I had a time machine.

Finland's cold... but epic! Very interesting courses, been on fun trips, etc. Mainly, I'm just glad I'm not in my final year (like most of the people I started uni with are).

Yeah I'm just utterly suprised someone would choose Finland over other countries such as America, Japan, China, Germany etc, I'm not saying Finland is bad, just that you don't hear much about them lol. (I'm finnish by the way)

 

[PraxxtorCruel]

You're a mature student, so it doesnt really matter if you have the entry equirements stated on the site about GCSE's etc.

I got offered a place on the degree i started, with just GCSE's.

What!? That's awesome, when was this and what did you apply for and which university?

Bath is a nice place and a decent campus, definitely worth going for a look, it's not really that big a trip in the grand scheme of things, London to Bath, shouldn't take any more than 2 hours or so? Can always stay over at a hotel if you're worried about being tired or anything like that.

Interview is an entirely normal part of the application process at many unis too, don't worry about it, nothing sinister going on

Interviews are terrifying, as you have to make a good first impression otherwise all of it is for nothing . I'll be trembling before I even get off the train.

 

[Kenai]

Interviews are terrifying, as you have to make a good first impression otherwise all of it is for nothing . I'll be trembling before I even get off the train.

A university interview is not terrifying, don't work yourself up about it.

The interviews I had were more 'formal chats' than anything. I can't really remember if I had an interview at Bath, so if I did, it obviously wasn't that bad

 

[Natwee]

What!? That's awesome, when was this and what did you apply for and which university?

Law, at MMU in 2007

 

[Bear]

Thanks for the input, can you by any chance remember any of the questions they asked and did you end up studying at Bath?

As I said, it was really informal. He basically wanted to know why I wanted to study the subject, would I need to get a job to survive etc. It was more questions to know if you really wanted to go there and to see you really wanted to make a go of it, after all they might be turning someone else down so you can have that place so they want to know you are serious.

Yes I ended up doing a 4 year MEng graduating in 2000, Bath is fantastic and such a lovely city.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

I lectured at Bath for a number of years. It is a straight forward interview, just to make sure you are a normal human being

Take it seriously, but it is very informal.

 

[PraxxtorCruel]

There are some good international law people here (Martti Koskenniemi/Jan Klabbers/et al, and that's an area I'm a fan of), then there's more funding for European places (Erasmus grant + zero tuition fees), I get to do sports law, and the education system's really respected. Those were my main reasons. Seeing the northern lights/St Petersburg/etc has been good, too!

I toyed with putting down New Zealand - the people who got that were stoked... but then soon afterwards the earthquake hit and those exchanges were cancelled .

Awesome, totally forgot about the northern lights etc, well I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying yourself. Yeah the tuition fees kick it old school .

As I said, it was really informal. He basically wanted to know why I wanted to study the subject, would I need to get a job to survive etc. It was more questions to know if you really wanted to go there and to see you really wanted to make a go of it, after all they might be turning someone else down so you can have that place so they want to know you are serious.

Yes I ended up doing a 4 year MEng graduating in 2000, Bath is fantastic and such a lovely city.

Thanks, I appreciate that. It has put my mind at rest for now. I hope I sound worthwhile when I go.

I lectured at Bath for a number of years. It is a straight forward interview, just to make sure you are a normal human being

Take it seriously, but it is very informal.

~Wipes sweat of his forehead~

Did you ever interview access students? Generally what did you look for?

 

[hybrid572]

I studied at Bath, and actually did a number of Computer Science modules as part of my maths course. The computer science lecturers are by-and-large very good and there are some real experts in their field. The CompSci course is fantastic and there's good job prospects.

Definitely go for the interview, and do a placement year- they're vital!