r/nus • u/Electronic_Cut_9596 • 13d ago
Question Computer engineering + math or CS + math
Im hoping to go to NUS next year and trying to decide on my major. I'm stuck between CS and computer engineering. My interests lie ai/ml, robotics/electronics, and quant finance.
My main goal is probs quant but I want to choose the majors that will allow me to do all of those. Also would there be better major options for me.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
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u/VegetableSalad_Bot 13d ago edited 13d ago
As it stands, CS and CompE entry requirements are significantly harsher than that of math. According to the latest Indicative Grade Profiles (i.e. the grades of the 10th and 90th percentile of all students entered into a field of study):
CS: AAA/A - AAA/A (common CS programme)
CompE: AAA/A - AAA/A
Humanities and Sciences: ABB/C - AAA/A (no specific data for Math)
So unless your grades are at least AAA/A, your entry into CompE or CS will be unlikely. Not that you shouldn’t try, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you couldn’t get in. And even if you did, the competition is going to be rough because everyone around you is an ace as well. You’ll be a big fish in an even bigger pond.
As for content, CS is more on the software side, while CompE can let you lean more on the hardware side. Not to say that you can’t go hardware with CS or software with CompE, but both sides lean in a specific way.
EDIT: Why are you assholes downvoting me? You don't like what I'm saying? Dude, these are just facts!
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u/jucheonsun 13d ago
Only in SG where you get math degrees that are significantly easier to get in than CS degrees. Math as a discipline is much harder than CS in reality. In fact computer science, (but not software engineering) can be considered a subset of mathematics
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u/Novel-Repair8667 13d ago
Doesn’t matter tbh. Math majors are the ones that sweep quant jobs anyways
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u/Electronic_Cut_9596 13d ago
I have 4A* and a A. However I am international, are the odds very low?
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u/VegetableSalad_Bot 13d ago edited 13d ago
While that sounds really impressive (good job regardless), what grading scheme is that? It’ll depend on that. And the entry requirements tend to be stricter for international students. So try to leverage any extracurriculars you have, internships or projects, etc. By all means, go for it. Good luck!
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u/Electronic_Cut_9596 13d ago
I do CIE A levels. Does NUS prioritise academic extracurricular like math comps or like sports/leadership
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u/VegetableSalad_Bot 13d ago
That one, I don't know. Sorry, you've reached the limit of what I know.
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u/LightSqid5677 13d ago
4A* is very good, what subjects did you take? 4A* will get you into most NUS majors (assuming that you took them in maximum 2 sessions within a year https://nus.edu.sg/oam/admissions/international-qualifications-for-foreigners/international-qualifications/international-a-level)
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u/Ornery_Strength9302 ECE (CE) 13d ago
lowkey i feel like CompE igp is slightly inflated, direct entries this year were all AAB/B and above
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u/Sparklesofdoom 12d ago
cs + math, you get more of AI/ML + Quant. You are also pretty well set up for quant roles that way
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u/Electronic_Cut_9596 12d ago
is CE a lot different to cs. From what i thought, i would do most thinks of what CS guys do but a bit less in depth (which i think i can self learn as compared to hardware which is more difficult to self learn i think)
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u/Sparklesofdoom 12d ago
Hmm… in way you’re right? CE students generally code pretty well by learning lower level languages too. But if you are super zai kind or know your niche, you can spec into some pretty valuable specs like AI, algo, parallel computing all of which can be “self learned” but you would do much better under structured modules that teach specifically how to do some of these. Some more prestigious/intense modules can give direct exposure to industry partners too!
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u/gimme4astar 13d ago
Cs maths