6thYear wrote: » I was planning to do computer science in UCD because I liked it the most on the open day but people in my class told me not to put it down on my CAO because they were told it's supposed to be a bad course and they mark it harder. I looked online and I think its 85% to get a first class and 70% to get a second class. Does this mean that the same percent would be a first class in DCU or Trinity and a second class in UCD? Are their modules too easy or why is this a thing? I hope someone can help and if it's true maybe give me advice on whether DCU or Trinity is better for getting a job in programming?
6thYear wrote: » I saw that grading scheme but I'm specifically talking about th e grading for UCD Computer Science which seems to be extremely different... I guess it would be between a B+ and an A- to get a first which is somewhere around 85% for Computer science? I found their grading scheme on their website (Here: cs.ucd.ie/Grading/). I'm wondering if it's marked harder because the content on the course is easier than every other university?
mnbv wrote: » At present yes for the same percent you would get a first in any other institution in Ireland and a second in UCD in CS. Modules being too easy are apparently one of the reasons it was brought in, however the modules this is mentioned in are few and far between compared to the amount of modules it's been applied to. Ideally it is meant to be only in place in easily-quantifiable modules with a heavy emphasis on right/wrong work however this is not the case. From my experience there is not much difference between the cs courses when it comes to hiring, realistically going into the workforce there'll still be a big amount of learning to do no matter where you come from. If CS is of interest to you maybe revisit the idea of UCD again later in the year at a change of mind point to see if the grading scheme is still in place. If it is it's fair enough to consider other places but if it has been removed UCD is a great place to go for CS.
ironclaw wrote: » I did Eng in UCD but spent a lot of my time in CS as we had some cross over into our modules for Electronic Engineering. I won't lie, some of the more advance CS modules are hard but I felt they were always marked fairly and you had good opportunity to earn marks in continuous assessment or small projects. I think you are putting far too much emphasis on your final grade out of college. Honestly, if you are on a first ir 2.1, its pretty much equal in the eyes of an employer at graduate level. The only place a first will make a large difference straight out of college is if you want to progress to a PhD. After your first job, they won't give a sausage whats on the cert you picked up in O'Reilly Hall. Employers know that nearly everyone coming out of a particular course has a strength and weakness, and they tailor their employee mix based on this. Every graduate I meet can do the basics e.g. SQL, Java, C etc. But the folks that do the best are those that have experiences outside of their core area e.g. An internship where they build something, a company they formed in their basement that went bust but they learned a huge deal, or are great with others as they lead some societies etc. Concentrate on making yourself unique outside your core area and you'll land a job in a snap. Your degree gets you an interview, it doesn't get you a job. Finally, choose the Uni you like. Don't go to Trinity because your Dad went there and don't go to UCC because its 'the best craic' Go to a Uni that you like, you can easily get to or live by and has a vibe that settles with you. Don't be that person that chose a course because it was 'the best' but you hated every last second of it.
6thYear wrote: » You said a first and a 2:1 are the same but I think a 69% would be a 2:2 in UCD and a first would be 70% in DCU/Trinity. That seems like a lot of extra work for no reason if it comes down to things like internships and societies like you said
ironclaw wrote: » You are looking at this too simply in my opinion and negating a ton of more important factors. You're assuming both courses are equally hard or easy in every single respect. Which is wrong. You might get more marks with UCD in continuous assessment, which is generally easier to score higher in, versus perhaps a much heavier weighting in exams in DCU, which doesn't suit some people. So your 70% in DCU may be a lower grade to your first, but its harder to achieve overall on a consistent basis. Likewise, you might loathe every single second of DCU because of the people, vibe and commute, versus having great fun in UCD and your grades being lifted as a result. Don't get hung up on the marks you need to get a scroll of paper that you'll receive in 4 years, it really doesn't matter, its how you get that counts.
