Hi forumers, I have a burning question.
What is the difference between computer science and computer engineering? I have read that NTU and NUS offer both computer science and computer engineering, so I was wondering what is the difference between these two?
Is it that what is taught is different? Please enlighten me.
Hi,
I'd encourage you to check NUS & NTU website for details.
Thanks!
Cheers,
Wen Shih
Originally posted by Han chiang:Hi forumers, I have a burning question.
What is the difference between computer science and computer engineering? I have read that NTU and NUS offer both computer science and computer engineering, so I was wondering what is the difference between these two?
Is it that what is taught is different? Please enlighten me.
NTU Comparison: http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/SCE/info-gen.asp
NUS Comparison: http://www.ceg.nus.edu.sg/
http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/undergradprog/CS_09_10.htm
These two are fundamentally overlapping subjects, and hence share quite a number of similarities between each other.
The main difference is that Computer Engineering also overlap with EE, while Computering Science is more of a purely computering course.
Oh thank you, I get it now. Computer science focus more on software stuffs while computer engineering has electrical circuits and stuffs right?
Heh I am more into computer software like programming than hardware stuffs like circuit boards.
Thank you once again.
Another question.
I read the requirements of NUS School of Computing: A good grade in either GCE 'A' level Mathematics or H1 Mathematics or H2 Mathematics
OR
Other Polytechnic Diploma with at least an A2 grade in GCE 'O' level Elementary Mathematics or at least a B4 grade in GCE 'O' level Additional Mathematics
I decided to go the computing path because I have a great passion for mathematics and mathematics is always my best subject from primary school until now. So should I aim for a JC?
i tot have passion for maths is go maths course. lol
anyway ! to JC higher chance of going uni . provided u r good enuff !
Originally posted by Han chiang:Another question.
I read the requirements of NUS School of Computing: A good grade in either GCE 'A' level Mathematics or H1 Mathematics or H2 Mathematics
OR
Other Polytechnic Diploma with at least an A2 grade in GCE 'O' level Elementary Mathematics or at least a B4 grade in GCE 'O' level Additional Mathematics
I decided to go the computing path because I have a great passion for mathematics and mathematics is always my best subject from primary school until now. So should I aim for a JC?
I will suggest that you go for the JC route unless you have very outstanding 'O' level grades, and is confident of doing very well for Computing in local polys.
Although they say a good grade, what they actually mean is A for H1 or H2 Maths, along with at least 2 As and 1B for your other core subjects.
When they say a poly diploma with at least A2 for E Maths or B4 for A Maths. they 'forgot' to mention that no one has managed to get in with a GPA less than 3.8, with exceptions being those who have working experiences in computering companies.
Moral of the story: Never trust the requirements they put on the site, the actual requirements are always much higher than the minimum requirements.
Originally posted by Forbiddensinner:I will suggest that you go for the JC route unless you have very outstanding 'O' level grades, and is confident of doing very well for Computing in local polys.
Although they say a good grade, what they actually mean is A for H1 or H2 Maths, along with at least 2 As and 1B for your other core subjects.
When they say a poly diploma with at least A2 for E Maths or B4 for A Maths. they 'forgot' to mention that no one has managed to get in with a GPA less than 3.8, with exceptions being those who have working experiences in computering companies.
Moral of the story: Never trust the requirements they put on the site, the actual requirements are always much higher than the minimum requirements.
Computer courses has a GPA requirement of only 3.4-3.5 for poly dip holders. Not all courses requires 3.8 which is more for courses like accountancy. Poly students will be able to get 1 yr off the 4 yrs course if not wrong so in the end they will be on par with JC students in terms of yrs to get a degree and a dip holder has much more experience than a JC student has especially in practical and work related experience due to poly attachment.
Originally posted by Forbiddensinner:I will suggest that you go for the JC route unless you have very outstanding 'O' level grades, and is confident of doing very well for Computing in local polys.
Although they say a good grade, what they actually mean is A for H1 or H2 Maths, along with at least 2 As and 1B for your other core subjects.
When they say a poly diploma with at least A2 for E Maths or B4 for A Maths. they 'forgot' to mention that no one has managed to get in with a GPA less than 3.8, with exceptions being those who have working experiences in computering companies.
Moral of the story: Never trust the requirements they put on the site, the actual requirements are always much higher than the minimum requirements.
Hmm I agree with you on this. :D
Thank you for your advice.
I think only YJC offers H2 computing heh. So attractive, I will surely go for it!
So JC life is basically the same as Secondary school life? Must study hard hard?
I also looked through poly, the courses are computer engineering and has alot to do with those boring electrical circuits and hardware stuffs =( .
Originally posted by Han chiang:I think only YJC offers H2 computing heh. So attractive, I will surely go for it!
So JC life is basically the same as Secondary school life? Must study hard hard?
I also looked through poly, the courses are computer engineering and has alot to do with those boring electrical circuits and hardware stuffs =( .
U can also consider taking the info comm courses and still get into computing later. Anyway it won't hurt to do comp engineering since it exposes u to the field so you will have a better idea whether you like it or not before deciding on your degree choice. For all you know, you might develop interest in it later on since interest at 16 can change by the time they enter uni.
Originally posted by Han chiang:I think only YJC offers H2 computing heh. So attractive, I will surely go for it!
So JC life is basically the same as Secondary school life? Must study hard hard?
I also looked through poly, the courses are computer engineering and has alot to do with those boring electrical circuits and hardware stuffs =( .
JC life is indeed similar to Sec school life, just that it is much tougher.
Poly life will be more similar to Uni life, on the otherhand.
As for H2 computing, quite a number of JC offers it, not just only YJC.
Originally posted by dkcx:U can also consider taking the info comm courses and still get into computing later. Anyway it won't hurt to do comp engineering since it exposes u to the field so you will have a better idea whether you like it or not before deciding on your degree choice. For all you know, you might develop interest in it later on since interest at 16 can change by the time they enter uni.
Then all the better for TS to enter JC instead if he is those who are academically-inclined.
If his mind is not set on what course to take for uni yet, having a good 'A'-lvl cert will allows him to have a wider variety of options as compared to having a good Diploma from one of the info communication courses.
Indeed, getting 1 year off for the uni course will be not bad, but then again, that is only for a certain few selected courses out of all the courses which TS can take up with if he gets a Diploma.
Originally posted by Forbiddensinner:Then all the better for TS to enter JC instead if he is those who are academically-inclined.
If his mind is not set on what course to take for uni yet, having a good 'A'-lvl cert will allows him to have a wider variety of options as compared to having a good Diploma from one of the info communication courses.
Indeed, getting 1 year off for the uni course will be not bad, but then again, that is only for a certain few selected courses out of all the courses which TS can take up with if he gets a Diploma.
A dip route is always for people who have chosen their future field of work and not for someone who has totally no idea. TS seems to have some rough idea what he wants so its not too bad and it would give him a chance to experience whether or not this is really what he wants since 2 yrs in JC won't really change your understanding of what the courses are about and their content.
Anyway its up to him what sort of education he wants. A more theoretical approach in JC or a more hands on, practical approach in Poly.
Yea I have a rough idea of what I want to be when I grow up - The computing path. But ultimately, I want to get into a local university.
I know that since I have chosen my future field of work, I should go to poly. But I am not quite confident in getting the top 10% heh.. And I can't afford to study in a private university...
But you also said that going JC is for those who have no idea of what they want to be when they grow up.
A lot of my seniors encourage me to go JC. They say if can go JC then go JC, high chance of going uni, but if go poly only 10% can go.
Originally posted by Han chiang:Yea I have a rough idea of what I want to be when I grow up - The computing path. But ultimately, I want to get into a local university.
I know that since I have chosen my future field of work, I should go to poly. But I am not quite confident in getting the top 10% heh.. And I can't afford to study in a private university...
But you also said that going JC is for those who have no idea of what they want to be when they grow up.
A lot of my seniors encourage me to go JC. They say if can go JC then go JC, high chance of going uni, but if go poly only 10% can go.
Which age did your seniors live in 10 yrs ago? Top 5 or 10% poly students then can go uni is now history and a thing of the past. JC you cockup and its still the same so who says A's cert assures a uni placing? If your batch cockup, maybe only top 1-2% can enter local uni, if your batch everyone does very well, top 15-20% is also possible since its no longer a matter of numbers but your actual results that counts. Even poly students managed to get into NUS medicine which used to be a JC exclusive course so nothing is impossible these days.
As mentioned, to get into NUS or NTU computing/computer science, you just need a GPA of 3.4-3.5 and thats excluding O's results which constitutes 25% of the criteria for entering uni. This was annouced to public and all the cutoff points are available for all to see (see links below). A GPA of above 3.5 and a good O's results and you won't have problems getting into local uni. I myself was offered a place in both NUS and NTU when my GPA was only 3.3-3.4.
Almost 10 yrs ago when i enter poly, only about 25% of the O's leavers will go to poly and at that time when i go poly, i was super odd 1 out since my school people typically all go JC. Nowadays, about 50% of the O's leavers choose poly even people with 6 pts because of the preference for a more practical and hands on education which i would say is useful for computing side courses compared to courses like say business and social science which is more theory and less practical hands on base.
Is there any reason to do 3H2 1H1 when all you want is just H2 computing and you already decided that the other fields are not of your interest? The main purpose of the different subjects is to increase your choices for uni courses which isn't something you seem to need. JC is 2 yrs of mugging but poly and uni you learn something which is more practical than just plain mugging. I believe in an interview, being a poly student and having that additional background and IA experience is a much better selling point compared to telling the interviewer you are from a top JC which just shows you can mug.
If cost is ever your concern, 1 yr less in uni saves you some money since Uni cost about $6k a year while poly cost about $2 a yr. That means 1 yr you save in uni is practically enough to pay for your 3 yrs education in a poly.
FYI
http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/oad2/pdfs/COP.pdf
http://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/gradeprofile/sprogramme-igp.html
GPA maximum is 4 right? A GPA of 3.5 should not be hard if i attend every lessons and do everywork diligently right?
And yea I have seen the poly grade profile thing. But I don't understand what the 10th percentile and 90th percentile means. Like 10th percentile is 3.54, 90th percentile is 3.95. So, getting above 3.54 means safe?
And a big thank you for your convincing and helpful advice!
Originally posted by Han chiang:GPA maximum is 4 right? A GPA of 3.5 should not be hard if i attend every lessons and do everywork diligently right?
And yea I have seen the poly grade profile thing. But I don't understand what the 10th percentile and 90th percentile means. Like 10th percentile is 3.54, 90th percentile is 3.95. So, getting above 3.54 means safe?
And a big thank you for your convincing and helpful advice!
GPA Maximum is 4 indeed.
Besides working diligently, you would also need to work smart and seek help when needed. Sometimes you might find yourself topping one/some of the modules, but even so, the GPA is dependent on the overall of all the modules, so you will have to work hard and smart consistently.
The 10th percentile means 10% of the people got GPA below 3.54, while the 90th percentile means 90% of the people got GPA below 3.95. Please do not go around thinking that 3.54 means that your are safe, because putting GPA aside, another major factor in play is the amount of places available for that particular course.
If that certain course which you will like to enter was unpopular last year, maybe someone with a GPA of 3.4 managed to get in. But if its popularity suddenly boomed overnight, and this year, it is one of the "hot" courses, even a GPA of 3.7 might not guarantee you a place. This is because a lot of people with much higher GPA are fighting for a place with you, and obviously they will be given priorty over you.
Another thing to note is that 10% of most uni courses are reserved for those with work experiences and outstanding testimonials, or special certs and awards, hence the 10th percentile more than often reflects the GPA of this group of people, not the GPA of those who got in directly from poly.
Ok I got it. Don't just look at the 10th percentile correct? Must aim way above it to have a place in uni.
Originally posted by Forbiddensinner:GPA Maximum is 4 indeed.
Besides working diligently, you would also need to work smart and seek help when needed. Sometimes you might find yourself topping one/some of the modules, but even so, the GPA is dependent on the overall of all the modules, so you will have to work hard and smart consistently.
The 10th percentile means 10% of the people got GPA below 3.54, while the 90th percentile means 90% of the people got GPA below 3.95. Please do not go around thinking that 3.54 means that your are safe, because putting GPA aside, another major factor in play is the amount of places available for that particular course.
If that certain course which you will like to enter was unpopular last year, maybe someone with a GPA of 3.4 managed to get in. But if its popularity suddenly boomed overnight, and this year, it is one of the "hot" courses, even a GPA of 3.7 might not guarantee you a place. This is because a lot of people with much higher GPA are fighting for a place with you, and obviously they will be given priorty over you.
Another thing to note is that 10% of most uni courses are reserved for those with work experiences and outstanding testimonials, or special certs and awards, hence the 10th percentile more than often reflects the GPA of this group of people, not the GPA of those who got in directly from poly.
As far as i know, the 10% special criteria ppl are NOT included in this results compilation since they go in by merit which is NOT purely academic. Most have to take entrance exams to qualify for their place and for such people, its no longer their results that matters but how well they do for the entrace exams. No uni will accept a student who shows significant inability to handle his studies and end up dropping out of school so regardless of criteria, they still need to meet a certain standard of academic ability. Do not provide the wrong info and mislead people.
Popularity of courses and annual intake are generally rather constant and unless there is a major change in market demand etc, its unlikely to change significantly and if it does change, do does JC entry criteria so there is not much difference either way.
The chemical and biological science field has been popular and has gain more popularity with S'pore's aim to become a biomedical hub etc yet there is not very significant change in admission criteria over the past 4 yrs since i was admitted to my course till i'm taking it now so such things as 3.4 jump to 3.7 is impossible over a year but slight variations of 0.1 is more practical.
Originally posted by Han chiang:GPA maximum is 4 right? A GPA of 3.5 should not be hard if i attend every lessons and do everywork diligently right?
And yea I have seen the poly grade profile thing. But I don't understand what the 10th percentile and 90th percentile means. Like 10th percentile is 3.54, 90th percentile is 3.95. So, getting above 3.54 means safe?
And a big thank you for your convincing and helpful advice!
Poly grading system is totally results base if there has been no changes over the year means your grades depends entirely on the actual results you obtain such as an A being 80 and above etc. This is very unlike uni which is base on a bell curve system.
As long as you don't slack significantly, it should not be hard to do well since your exams only cover 1 sem content unlike JC where you have to cram 2 yrs of stuff into 1 exam. Do well or die, poly gives you a chance to 'redeem' yourself even if you happen to do badly in a few modules but scoring well in the others so its a more spread out effort and not an all or nothing effort like in JC.
Furthermore, remember that O's results still constitutes 25% of the entry requirement so if you did well for your O's, thats an even larger boast to your chances of getting in since 25% is a very significant amount.
Thank you. I may consider diploma in information technology in NP, and diploma in computer engineering in TP. Both are what I wanted.
Been pondering for the whole day.... But who knows I might change my mind one day..
Originally posted by Han chiang:Thank you. I may consider diploma in information technology in NP, and diploma in computer engineering in TP. Both are what I wanted.
Been pondering for the whole day.... But who knows I might change my mind one day..
2 Polys each at 1 end of the island...
Its better to study and know you don't like it and maybe change to a business/social science degree later on which has no prerequisites than go into uni and realise that is not what you want isn't it?
Originally posted by dkcx:
Its better to study and know you don't like it and maybe change to a business/social science degree later on which has no prerequisites than go into uni and realise that is not what you want isn't it?
i dun understand, can simplify ? =x
Originally posted by yiha093:i dun understand, can simplify ? =x
Business and social science degrees can be taken by everyone regardless of the previous diploma so if TS really feels computing is not for him, he can still go for those courses as a last resort.