申請指南｜牛津劍橋電腦科學專業

2. 劍橋大學對獲得計算機專業錄取的學生的描述

劍橋計算機系給出的一組關鍵數據

Typical Computer Science entrants
(A Level and IB)
For 2017, 2018 and 2019 entries, the majority of entrants from an A Level background achieved at least grades A*A*A* (81% of entrants). All took Mathematics, 96% took Further Mathematics, 85% took Physics, and 59% took Computing.
For the same period, the majority of IB entrants achieved at least 43 points overall.
This information is intended to give you a sense of the academic standard of our typical A Level entrants. We welcome applicants from a range of qualification backgrounds.

上述關鍵數據翻譯如下：

學習A Level的學生大部分都是A*A*A*的成績，而且全部學了數學課程，96%學了進階數學，85%學了物理，還有59%學了計算機。而IB學生大部分都是總分43分(HL 777)以上的成績。

所以，常規錄取要求只是作為參考，真正想要拿到數學專業錄取，而參考劍橋官方給的這組數據更有實際意義。

3. 牛津大學關於計算機類專業錄取參考標準的表述

牛津大學計算機系對學生的期望表述

A tutor’s – eye view of admissions interviews
(not Computer Science specific)In three words: ability, potential and commitment.
Our courses are very mathematical, so we are very much looking for students with a proven flair for mathematics. We are particularly looking for students who achieve top grades. As a general rule, we recommend that you take as much advanced maths as your school allows. (See specific guidance on Further Maths A-Level.)
We are not looking for candidates with any specific knowledge about computers.
We do look for an interest in computing and a curiosity about the way computers and computer programs work that will support you through your three or four years of study.
Most people nowadays have the chance to work with computers at home or school, and we expect you to have taken these opportunities and to be able to talk enthusiastically about your experiences.
If you are applying for the joint course with Philosophy, the Philosophy interviews are often orientated by your interest (e.g. what you have said on the personal statement). You will also need to demonstrate a critical and analytical approach to abstract questions, the ability to defend a viewpoint by reasoned argument, and a desire to delve deeper into the way we think about things.

其中三個關鍵詞非常重要：能力、潛力和投入。 招生官特別提到計算機專業涉及非常多的數學，期望學生能在數學上取得優秀的成績，而並沒有對學生在計算機方面的知識儲備有任何要求。但是，牛津計算機專業需要的是對計算機和編程感興趣、充滿好奇心的學生。 如果是申請計算機與哲學方向的學生，則對學生的批判思維能力有一定的要求。

4. 豐富的課外活動對申請計算機專業有多大幫助？

牛津大學對申請計算機類專業的學生在課外活動方面的期望表述

Tutors make the admissions decisions based on your academic abilities and potential alone: extra-curricular activities do not form part of the selection criteria in any subject. We aren’t looking for any specific computing knowledge, but we are looking for people with a genuine interest in the subject. So we do want to hear about your computing- and maths-related experiences. Your super-curricular activities (subject-related undertakings that could be anything from summer schools to competitions, background reading to programming experience) can help us build an overall picture about you. We don’t have a checklist of things we want you to have completed: we’d rather hear about what you’ve chosen to do, and what excited you about it. It doesn’t have to be earth-shatteringly original.

簡單解讀一下：

牛津大學並不像美國頂尖大學那樣把課外活動、競賽成績作為錄取的重要參考依據，而是更關心學生的學術能力和潛力。對於申請計算機專業的學生而言，計算和數學相關的經驗則是招生官更看重的方面。

那麼，牛津計算機類專業和劍橋計算機科學專業到底申請哪個更容易被錄取？來分析一下往年的錄取數據就知道啦~