Right - I know this is a silly place to ask, but I need advice!

I'm 16, i've just started the upper 6th, and I leave for University in September 2009. I have to try to get a University before September this year, though.

I want to do a course involving PC's (obviously), and ideally a course involving hardware - the best course I can find to do is a "Computer Systems Engineering"

I really don't understand what all the terms mean (i know - i'm a n00b) but I think i'll be doing an undergraduate course.

I need input on this course (i.e. if it's a good 'un, if one University is great or shit etc).

You can see a list of Universities that do this course here.

Ideally i'd like to be near where I live atm (Between Bury St. Edmunds & Ipswich) as i'd like to stick near my girlfriend, but if needs be then i'll move away.

I'm studying Maths, Applied Science, IT & Geography (and General Studies), but i'll be dropping one in September.

HALP.

I'm a little confused, you seem to be doing two A levels in maths? Personally I'd recommend you look at the courses available and narrow them down by trying to find the better courses you realistically could get on and complete (admittedly there are only a handful of places that will offer MEng motorsport engineering so my choice was narrowed somewhat), then go on open days and if you know people at a uni ask them about it to get a proper feel of what some where is like, your perceptions may be wrong, don't just apply to courses without visiting.

D'oh.

I failed.

avoid any course programs that arent relatively old and established... unis usually have no idea what to teach you with any of the brand new course ideas... generally if your programs name consists of more than 2 words youre in trouble

unless you get into programming firmware (software) you can learn all there is to know about hardware in a few weeks and Jack, you already know 98% of it.

Outside of R&D hardware jobs dont pay very well and often times will have you on the road for repairs and installs.

The IT industry has devolved into little more than board swapping, great for school leavers as its easy to pick up, but not so great for career prospects.

R&D requires electrical knowledge and programming, so irrespective if IT is where you want to go, learn software. The pay is about 2.5 times better aswell.

Computer Systems Engineering is a little bit of everything (like Computing) but with hardware added in there, too.

Quote from Jakg :

Computer Systems Engineering is a little bit of everything (like Computing) but with hardware added in there, too.

in Hungary the CSE means you learn programing(thats ok, but you need learned programing before if you don't want an F) and phyisc but nothing with the hardwares. if you want to f.ck more and more (and thats why i wanted go on an univeristy :nana just try an economic department/crouse/univeristy(don't know what is the best word for it in the UK)

UCAS search has timed out, noob. Want to paste the list here?

Edit: I should add, you need to find a visit a Uni that seems good. I visited four Unis, once or twice each, to get an idea of the course and the campus. I'd suggest moving far enough away from home that you're forced to meet new friends, as visiting any friends at home will be quite a journey. If you're just around the corner then you're not forced to get involved with the people at Uni, which is half the point.

And absolutely do NOT live at home (if you pick a Uni nearby), especially if it's just to save money. The extra student loan will cover the rent and bills, and no doubt your folks would want a contribution anyway. A couple of my friends did this and they just haven't developed like those of us who went away. What's most sad is when it's the parents that suggest this thinking it'll be a good thing, when they're just hindering you. Sure you're likely to live with a bunch of immature wankers who'll party all night for the first year, but from then onwards you can pick people you get on with.

Quote from Bob Smith :

And absolutely do NOT live at home (if you pick a Uni nearby), especially if it's just to save money. The extra student loan will cover the rent and bills, and no doubt your folks would want a contribution anyway. A couple of my friends did this and they just haven't developed like those of us who went away. What's most sad is when it's the parents that suggest this thinking it'll be a good thing, when they're just hindering you. Sure you're likely to live with a bunch of immature wankers who'll party all night for the first year, but from then onwards you can pick people you get on with.

The main reason living nearer home would be preferable is that my GF lives nearby, although if a Uni was a significantly better i'd go to that instead.

As for the courses - attached.

Quote from Jakg :

The main reason living nearer home would be preferable is that my GF lives nearby, although if a Uni was a significantly better i'd go to that instead.

Being realistic I wouldn't let that influence your decision, from what I've heard if you're actually going to be an item for the next 3 or 4 years then how far away you are is unlikely to make much of a difference.

Quote from Jakg :

As for the courses - attached.

First, JPG for text = bad. Use PNG. Although I was amazed how many people on my course had never used a PNG, and just used JPEG for everything.

A good friend of mine did the network management course at Solent University, he said the place is a dump, the Uni has a crap reputation, lecturers are useless and the course wasn't brilliant. That said he is hard to please.

I realised a PNG was a good idea AFTER I closed Photoshop. I CBA to do it again!

I was going to look at Uni reviews later.

Thanks again.

Quote from Jakg :

The main reason living nearer home would be preferable is that my GF lives nearby,

You're going to break up while you're at uni anyway. You just are. Sorry.

So pick the town with the dirtiest women.

Quote from Jakg :

I was going to look at Uni reviews later.

League tables mean bugger all really, far better to speak to people who have been there or the unis themselves to find the ones you want to visit. Try and go to a relevant show and look around the education section, you'll soon get a good idea of the bigger picture and what each course and uni is really about, courses with the same name can be completely different and give you different career prospects. TBH the only stats that I think are worth the piece of paper they're written on are statistics on graduate careers, some unis will gloss over them others will be much more specific about what jobs people are going into. If you go to a show you may also find an independent careers organisation with links to industry, speak to them they should give you unbiased advice on what you need to do to get to where you want to.

I'd deffinitely suggest living close to home. Being hundreds of miles away from your family, your home, in a new place with loads of people you don't know is not fun.
I can't stress that enough.
(Especially if you're not living in a halls of residence with loads of other students in the same situation as you.)

Edit: Oh yeah, don't go to Coventry.

I have a friend who did the Computer Science degree in Aston at the top of that image Jak. He loved the Uni (good lecturers apparently) and the nightlife in Birmingham is good, you just have to put up with the accent!

Contrary to what is said above, I really enjoyed living away at Uni and found it incredibly fun and a great experience that really helped me think for myself and made me a better person. Of course you always have the option of going back home if you want!

Quote from Jakg :

...i'd like to stick near my girlfriend...

Man, if you want a serious advice, NEVER make a decision as important as this keeping in mind your girlfriend, NEVER. Believe me

Quote from MR_B :

(Especially if you're not living in a halls of residence with loads of other students in the same situation as you.)

Well that's the key point. You'd be silly not to live amongst others who don't know people, that's what forces everyone to get together.

Personally, I didn't end up in halls, but in some overflow accomodation that the Uni owned (a house in a resedential area). It served it's purpose but wasn't as sociable as halls would have been. The more people the better I say, as you're more likely to meet people you get on with (not just from the people you'd be living with, but people they get to know, and so on).

Quote from Bob Smith :

Well that's the key point. You'd be silly not to live amongst others who don't know people, that's what forces everyone to get together.

Personally, I didn't end up in halls, but in some overflow accomodation that the Uni owned (a house in a resedential area). It served it's purpose but wasn't as sociable as halls would have been. The more people the better I say, as you're more likely to meet people you get on with (not just from the people you'd be living with, but people they get to know, and so on).

I guess not everyones the same though. If living far away from home is going to lead to problems on your course, then that won't work. After all uni is about getting a degree.

I live in a house with 2 friends from home, and 2 friends from uni at the moment, and it's the best environment I could ask for. Halls were awful for me, my flat was full of weird or very annoying people that I would never ever have chosen to be friends with. Of course being stuck with them for a year meant I had to to a certain extent, but I never keep in contact with them now.

Whereas my friends from home, and now uni, all share the same lifestyle, interests and sense of humour. I couldn't ask for more really.

I live about an hour away from home when I'm at uni, that said I usually only pop back maybe twice a year during term time. It's just nice to have the freedom really.

As for Universities, Southampton is brilliant for Comp Sci, which is where I go. The facilities are the best of any that I saw, the lecturers are mostly great at what they teach etc. That said it's a long distance from home to you. I did notice a LOT of people at Soton come from the south and within a 2 hour drive, so clearly people do stick to unis close-ish to home.

As Becky has said, you don't need to do a degree in hardware to know hardware. You know most of it anyway, and what you don't know you can pick up in a few weeks no doubt. If you want to design hardware, you need to know the science behind it. I would suggest straight Comp Sci over any of these new hybrid courses.

Quote from NitroNitrous :

Man, if you want a serious advice, NEVER make a decision as important as this keeping in mind your girlfriend, NEVER. Believe me

If the UEA (the nearest one) is almost as Good as Southampton (or whatever) then I get to save on Rent (enough to buy a car easy) and stay near my GF (for however long that lasts). If, like i'd imagine, the UEA is a total shit-hole, then it looks like i'll be going far away.

I'm a geek, but what's the internet situation with Halls? is it all filtered crap that means you have to jump through 13-million hoops just to do anything remotely good or not?

Has ANYONE done (or doing) this course?

Thanks for ALL your help so far, will be picking up a Southampton prospectus on Thursday.

Quote from Bob Smith :

A good friend of mine did the network management course at Solent University, he said the place is a dump, the Uni has a crap reputation, lecturers are useless and the course wasn't brilliant. That said he is hard to please.

I can vouch for the rubbishness of Solent Uni. Avoid.

Quote from Jakg :

I'm a geek, but what's the internet situation with Halls? is it all filtered crap that means you have to jump through 13-million hoops just to do anything remotely good or not?

if its anything like in germany the firewalls are stong but the building is filled with fast ftps

Quote from Jakg :

I'm a geek, but what's the internet situation with Halls? is it all filtered crap that means you have to jump through 13-million hoops just to do anything remotely good or not?

Obviously this depends on the Uni in question, but from my experience you may well get quite a good speed, but expect it to be highly restricted.

I couldnt play lfs while I was in halls, despite numerous attempted workarounds. If your that worried about it, then it's probably best to avoid halls, although in your first year you will probably find you're almost living out of the local! Thats what I found anyway. Savour your first year, it's fantastic!

After careful consideration i've decided to go to UEA - It's a hell of a lot better than I thought. Going to be at the open day on the 4th.

Having only just survived high school (personal issues, not intelligence-related) I'm not really one to talk about education, but you might find this page useful when researching further education.

Or this list.