How To Get Into Waterloo Computer Science | Part 1: Top 6 Average + My Stats + Advice + Memes
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- Thank you for watching, I hope you were able to find value in this video!
Here are some relevant links you can check out:
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Unfortunately Grade 12 was quite a challenging year for me, with all the uncertainty surrounding university applications. So I made this video to share some insights that I would have liked to learn a year ago.
If you have the drive and passion to find this video and the dedication to excel in school, I sincerely believe you are one of the applicants Waterloo CS is looking for.
Feel free to comment if you have any questions, I will try my best to help you out!
Edit: Unfortunately the course workload is taking much more time than I expected, so I'm not sure when I will be able to make another video. However, I will still try to answer any questions you have regarding the AIF to the best of my abilities.
Music:
Hamilton - My Shot
Feel free to skip forward to the time-stamps below:
Top 6 Average Intro - 1:49
My Marks - 2:26
Prerequisites - 3:45
Fast-tracking - 5:20
Electives - 6:40
Spares/Repeated Course - 7:13
Recommended Course - 9:07
Final Thoughts - 10:17
Baha başaran 👨⚖️🤵👰
Nice Video! I am applying to waterloo CS this year and I am probably gonna end around a 95 average just like you but this year it's gonna be even harder cuz of mark inflation. I hope I can get in!
Thanks! A 95% average should be enough to meet the cutoff. As you mentioned, I am not quite sure as to how the cutoff may change due to online school and mark inflation this year. As long as you have contests and ECs to put your AIF, you should be a very competitive applicant!
Thank you for making this video and it definitely makes how to get into Waterloo much more clear for me.
By the way, just a few questions:
1. Do you know some friends who have applied with alevel (the British System) and what are their grades?
2. Do I need to include some samples of my side projects (eg URL of my website) when applying? And do I need to code the side projects all by myself or using a template is acceptable? Also, if I worked with my team (met online) and have made some addons for a game, are they counted as extracurriculars (as I didn’t make them independently)
Thank you again for making this video and it would be greatly appreciated if you could spend a couple of minutes to answer these two questions!
Wish you all the best!
Glad it helped!
1. No unfortunately, the majority of people I know applied with their Ontario Top 6 Average, so I don't have much knowledge on the alevel requirements.
2. I believe there is an extra info section on the AIF where you can talk about your side projects. Using a template is definitely acceptable, just make sure it clear in your repository readme. Likewise, make sure you acknowledge your contributions for team projects.
Let me know if this helps!
This made me stressed.
Don't worry man, Grade 12 is just one of those years that is stressful but eventually everybody gets over it. If you have any questions or concerns, I'd more happy to help you!
Thank-you, this is was pretty helpful. I just really, really wished I had found it in grade 11. Wish me luck!
No problem, glad you found it helpful. Best of luck!
I know I'm a bit late - but UW has said that as long as spares are "not the result of taking a course outside of regular day school then it should not be an issue as long as you meet admission requirements."
Hey Yuvraj, that's really good to know! Do you have a link for where you received this information?
@@heywilliamwang I don’t have a link but it’s from a reply to an email I sent to the CS Undergraduate Recruitment Office - here’s the entire quote,
“There is nothing inherently wrong with spares, however, spares shouldn't be the result of taking a course through summer school/night school/etc. as if a course is repeated or taken outside of regular day school, it may jeopardize chances of being admitted to Computer Science and the Faculty of Mathematics. However, if a spare is not a result of taking a course outside of regular day school then it should not be an issue as long as you meet admission requirements.”
@@yuvrajdwivedi8719 Wow, that's super interesting. Thanks for sharing the email!
@@heywilliamwang you’re welcome!
Mr. Ho would be proud of your Weeliams
Henreees, I am a loyal follower of Mr. Ho's saying of forever "climbing the mountain of knowledge".
Wait, are you referring to Mr. Ho of Victoria Park CI?
Hi William!
Great video! I had a few questions about extracurriculars when it comes to university applications.
1. How important are extracurriculars for admission (compared to marks)?
2. Would making coding projects or participating in coding competitions count as extracurriculars?
3. Would you recommend grinding extracurriculars I'm not very interested in just so I can boost my AIF?
4. Lastly, are there any coding-related extracurriculars you would recommend?
Final question: Currently I'm in grade 10, interested in coding and math, but absolute garbage at english. I'm thinking of preparing for the CCC since I think it would be cool to get on the website. I'm also considering prestudying for grade 12 math (already finished g11 textbook), as well as exploring a bunch of things in coding (machine learning, data structures, graph theory, ...). Anything you would recommend me to do considering I have quite some time before university applications? (Btw I'm not in IB.)
Sorry for so many questions. Thank you very much for the video! It's very informative and it's nice hearing from your finst-hand experiences!
1. Extracurricular are important, but I believe marks are weighted more.
2. Yes!
3. Do not force yourself into ECs you're not interested in. Follow your passion as that will shine through in your AIF.
4. Depends on your school! E.g. my school has programming clubs and robotics teams I could join.
Final Question: First of all, congrats on thinking about these things now! You are way ahead of the curve. I would say study what you're interested in, but there's no need to force yourself. As long as you have passion for your work, that will be evident in your application.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Pursue your interests and that will truly allow you to thrive and show passion through your ECs!
@@heywilliamwang Thank you so much for your advice!
@@AD-io4tp Happy to help! If you have any more questions, feel free to comment.
thank you for making this video! I will be grade 10 students!
and i have a few questions. I don’t have much information about Canada curriclum… so if i ask some stupid question, forgive me 😅. also,, i’m bad at english so if i ask the same questions that you’ve already mentioned… i’m sorry 💧
1.Do I need to take computer engineering?? I mean is it helpful?
do you think that class will be helpful to show my passion to computer science?
Our school has only computer engineering… other class is construction or tech.design…
2.Top 6 mark average should be 98? What’s the average??
3.How many projects do I need (how many projects do you think I should do?)
How many projects / What projects did you submit??
4.I heard that student council activites are good activites to write in my aif!! do i really need it?
5.do you mean that whether i choose physics or food and nutrients, waterloo will consider the same score? even if the intensity of study is different?
If i understand correctly,, then whey did you take chemistry and physics??
6.What class did you select for top 6 marks(courses)?
I mean physics or chemistry… and there are a lots of math courses!!
8.I saw your marks, but why do you have 7 behind your course name??
ex.MCV4U7
on my course selection sheets, there is just written like MCV 4U without 7
9.What is CIA4U7 class?? I can’t find it in my course selections!!
No worries at all, here are my responses to your questions
1. Not mandatory - you can take it if you like but it's not necessary for admissions.
2. It changes every year but high 90s is ideal, mid 90s is good too
3. Quality over quantity in my opinion, it would be more impressive to talk about one very done project than 10 low quality ones
4. Not mandatory - do it if you like but there are tons of other activities you can use to distinguish yourself
5. Yes exactly, the Top 6 Average doesn't take into account the difficulty of the courses
6. Both physics and chemistry were in my top 6!
@@dogyuncha 8. I believe 7 is the course offering for IB students versus the normal 1. But the last number doesn't matter, the first 5 tell you the course
9. Grade 12 Economics!
@@heywilliamwang Thank you for your respond! I asked to my school career counselor! and she said we have the ICS course! but only in online classes 🥲
so i’m gonna talk about that course with counselor and I’m planning to take that class!! I hope you get good grades 😁
Loved the music and the memes 😄
Thank you Matthew! Truly inspired from your vid 👌🔥
I really liked how in depth you went into the marks part. It really provided a lot more information for me that I didn’t know before. I am curious about your statement about spares. You said that Waterloo looks down on taking spares, so does that mean in Grade 12 I should take 8 courses instead of 6?
Hi Abdul, according to the Cheriton School of CS admissions website: "We prefer that students take a full course load in high school whenever possible."
I interpret this to mean that applicants should take full course loads in Grade 12 "whenever possible" when it comes to CS admissions. However, if you have circumstances that make a full course load not possible, you should be fine if you explain it in a reasonable manner on the AIF.
Hope my answer was helpful! Feel free to let me know if you have any more questions.
Link: cs.uwaterloo.ca/future-undergraduate-students/applying-admissions
@@heywilliamwang wait so I shouldn’t take 2 spares in grade 12 then even though I have the 6 required courses?
@@heywilliamwang for example, if my extra curriculars are really nice like Student Council and Deca, does that make up for having 2 spares in grade 12?
@@malika0174 Since Waterloo's view on spares depends on your specific situation, I highly suggest you to call or email the admissions office at Waterloo. They respond pretty quick and can give the most accurate and up to date information that is specific to your situation.
If I were you, I would likely take two of the easiest Grade 12 courses I can find so I can boost my Top 6. How confident are you in your 6 required courses? Sometimes it's better to have an extra Grade 12 course just in case you don't like an elective or you didn't do well on the midterm/exam.
In the end, contacting the admissions office will be your best call as you can go into detail about your situation, and they can provide you an answer that is specific to your situation.
that was such a helpful video!
Awesome vid William!
Thanks Micah, wouldn't have been possible without seeing your video when I was applying!
you should make a video on thoughts after 1A or first year!
You should make one too about SYDE, I would 100% watch !!
I'm one of those people who struggle with English. I got an 85 in grade 11 and I'm trying to push it to a low 90 in grade 12. Any advice to do well in English? I'm focusing on making more consise and short sentences and writing in the active voice (to minimize fluff in my writing). Do you think that would be a good idea?
Hello Sky, I'm quite glad you brought up this question.
Have you started your Grade 12 English course, or do you have it in the future? If you haven't started it, I would highly recommend reaching out to your future English teacher and simply asking them what it takes to succeed in their class.
Every teacher has a subconscious rubric that they mark from, so if you are able to produce works matching their criteria, you should be able to perform better than if you didn't know what the teacher wants from you.
I would be more than happy to elaborate if you have any questions.
Amazing video I am only in year 8 but I love coding and Waterloo is my dream university I hope I can get in one day :)
Thank you! If you are thinking ahead by this much, you will be very prepared when your time comes to apply!
hey i really enjoyed your video.
you mentioned that its best to fast track your courses in highschool. If you do bad on lets say a grade 12 math course that you fast tracked in gr11, would it be possible to retake it for a better mark? fast tracking seems a little scary since i saw that it mentioned that you shouldnt retake courses or whatever
Great question, I believe Waterloo evaluates repeated courses different. Fast-tracking is definitely not required if you don't feel ready. My advice would be look at the Grade 12 math course material and see whether it looks doable. I recall you are able to drop and switch high school courses within a certain time frame without penalty, so that's a possibility for you to try out Grade 12 math and switch out without it appearing on your transcript. Hope this helps!
holy shit, 95 averge isn't high anymore. Just curious, are honours math students able to transfer to cs now in waterloo? (during the first 2 weeks of their first semester in waterloo)
Hello, a 95 average is still high, but due to grade inflation, some applicants just have really high admission averages. As for your second question, I am not really sure. I believe a transfer from Math to CS is possible since they are in the same faculty, but I can't guarantee it will happen in the first 2 weeks. Feel free to contact an admissions officer as they can give you a more knowledgeable answer.
How did you get physics so high? Any tips because I have functions and physics next quadmester together. Which I think might be stressful. Any tips on how to do well in functions gr11 and physics gr 11 in the same quadmester? (For someone who only had an 83 in gr 10 math)
Hi Eric, for me, it was a combination of having a good teacher and IB curves. I went over every question on the IB Physics Questionbank before each unit test to aim for 100%.
Since you are still in Grade 11, don't worry about marks too much and focus on understanding the concepts. Always reach out to your teachers if you are confused about anything so you can be prepared for evaluations. Does that help?
Hi, I'm taking IB diploma as well. I did bad in math HL last year and only got a 87- this transfers as advanced function on my top 6. However, I'm doing a lot better this year and have a 97 so far (equals to calculus and data management credits). Also I have a 98 in IB English. Do you think the low mark in advanced function will largely impact my application?
@xr44 Ma0ijx Hello there, glad to see you are an IB student as well!
Firstly, I highly suggest you to call or email the admissions office at Waterloo regarding your situation. Obviously, an 87 in Advanced Functions is not ideal, but you have a 97 in MCV and 98 in English, which are honestly enough to satisfy the cutoff.
If you feel you can re-take MHF and raise your advanced functions mark to the 97 range like Calculus, then it might be beneficial for your application, seeing your other two prerequisites are already super high.
Ultimately, contacting the admissions office will be the best option, as you can go into detail regarding your situation. Feel free to let me know if you have any other concerns!
@@heywilliamwang Thanks for the detailed response! I will email the admission office
Hey! I'm a grade 12 high school student looking to apply for Waterloo CS and SE. I'm currently in the process of completing my AIF and I don't have any connections with Waterloo students. Is it possible that you could go over my AIF question 1?
Hello, as much as I would like to help you, I highly advise against sharing your application information with anyone on the internet. There are always risks to people plagiarizing or posting your information online, so I hope you understand why I wish for you to not risk sharing your AIF online, including with me.
There are many example AIFs online that you can look at, and please find trustworthy family members or friends to look over your application in person. If you have any questions, let me know and I will be happy to elaborate.
Actually I'm a grade 12 student I'm thinking to apply for cs in waterloo. Actually I'm from a board which is not internationally recognized but when I calculated my GPA it was around 3.9. So would there be any chances of me to get into university of waterloo?
Hello Patel, unfortunately I am not familiar enough with the international application process to provide facts. I would suggest for you to contact the Waterloo Admission Office directly so you can get the most accurate information for your situation.
What does a 3.9 GPA from your board convert to in terms of percentages? I know my IB grades were converted to percentages when I applied, so it is possible international GPAs might be converted as well when they evaluate applicants.
Once again, since you mentioned you're from a board that is not internationally recognized, contacting Waterloo directly with your questions will likely be the best option.
love it
My favorite kpop dancer Charles Liu
hey william, i want to know when u submit your offer, is there a selection of computer science, or you just have to choose math then get into computer science after the first year. Pls answer
Computer Science and Math are separate programs at UWaterloo! So if you receive an offer for Computer Science, you are in the program. It is under the Faculty of Mathematics FYI
Hi William do you know if there is a min cutoff marks specifically to gr 12 AF and Calculus, which admission office looks into?
I don't recall there being a minimum cutoff for the Grade 12 math courses, but they are also required courses in the Top 6 average calculations!
Does what you said at 8:47 apply for all universities? Does it say that on Waterloo’s website?
Hello, Waterloo states in their 2020 admissions guide that the admission average for CS is low to mid 90s for your top 6 courses. This means the electives you take do not matter as long as you meet that cutoff.
If your program requires Physics or Chemistry as a prerequisite (e.g. engineering), then of course the situation would be different. Similarly, the situation may be different for other universities. Does that help?
Wait, since ur in IB and u got a 5 for math, is it a 5 on the ib scale? In my school a 6 is equivalent to 96-97 and a 7 is 98+
Hello Frank, the following are IB to OSSD conversions for my school: a 5 is 84-92, a 6 is 93-96, and a 7 is 97-100.
According to my math teacher, I was predicted a 6 for HL Math. However, since I am in Ontario, only the converted OSSD marks matter. It might be different if you are applying with your IB scores out of province.
Suppose you take grade 12 english in a night school would the uni will consider it?
Hello Tirth, Waterloo will definitely considers summer/online/night school courses. The only concern is your admission score may be adjusted due to the decrease in difficulty of night school compared to regular school courses.
However, if you have a valid explanation for why you are choosing to take Grade 12 English in night school over regular school in your AIF, then there shouldn't any adjustments to your admissions score. Does that answer your question?
Hi William, I am so stressed about this and do you think, taking easy electives will not affect my AIF and what extracurricular activities should I start.
Hey I dropped grade 12 CS 4 days into it in grade 11 so I could take it next year in grade 12, will I be penalized for this?
Will it show up on your transcript? If it doesn't then you are okay. I'm pretty sure dropping a course 4 days in won't be reflected on your transcript but I would confirm with a guidance counsellor. Hope this helps!
Hey I’m doin* online mandarin right now because of two things: first is my Chinese background, I wanna be able to write Chinese fluently bcuz it’s my mother tongue, second, my school doesn’t offer mandarin course. So is it ok for me to do online mandarin?
Hello Frank, you can certainly take the course. The only concern would be whether Waterloo would accept it as part of your Top 6 without adjustments.
Normally, Waterloo would adjust marks from online/night/summer school courses since they are easier, but if you have a valid explanation on your AIF, you shouldn't penalized in any way. E.g. as you mentioned, you can state that your school doesn't offer the course, so your only option was to take it online.
My marks so far are
MHF 100
ENG. 85
My English class median was 63, our teacher was the worst marker in school, do you thing I should mention this on my AIF?
Hello Yazan, a class median of 63 is extremely low in my opinion. Class averages should be around 75 as that is what is considered an average grade in Ontario. Thus, I agree that if you have space on your AIF, you should definitely mention it.
Also, if you don't mind, try emailing the Waterloo admissions office for clarification. They will provide a much more up-to-date and definitive answer for your specific situation.
Hi, I'm currently a grade 11 student from Alberta, and I just had a few questions.
- Do AP courses help at all in applications? Is it worth it to stress over them at all?
- How much does scoring well in contests such as the Canadian Computing Competition or Euclid matter compared to maintaining a 95+ average?
- To clarify, does Waterloo wait for your semester 1 marks in grade 12, or should I just rely on the courses I'm taking in my grade 11 year?
- Just me being greedy, but will it be too late to get another stab at the Canadian Computing Competition for a Waterloo application in my grade 12 year? I highly suspect it's far too late past the admission date, but you never know.
Thanks in advance 🙏, Alberta is weird and things are just confusing. I'm honestly mainly worried about Humanities, my school doesn't actually offer separate English and Social Studies courses, they've instead opted to offer them as a single integrated course that spans the entire year, and I'm not sure how Waterloo will recieve that. Considering how important English is, it'd be incredibly worrying if Waterloo didn't recognize Humanities as an English course, I should probably contact a guidance counsellor about that.
I've currently got a 96 in Physics 20, a 99 in Math 30, and a 100 in Humanities 20. I'm hoping I can maintain high marks, but I'm stressed as fuck. I'm honestly just amazed I've managed to keep a 100 in Humanities, and unfortunately I lost the 100 in Physics when I bombed a unit test recently. In math I choked really hard on a quiz at the beginning of the course and got locked into a 99, but it's still pretty good I guess.
Honestly, it's like 1:30am on New Year's Day and I can't sleep because of stress, hopefully I can clear my mind once it's time for exams and second semester.
Hi ramennoodle, I will try to answer your questions to the best of my abilities, but I highly recommend you to contact the Waterloo admissions office directly because my info may not all be accurate.
1. I don't remember seeing a section on the AIF for AP courses, so I don't think it's worth if you're solely doing it for admissions purposes.
2. Average 99% of the time comes first. There are always people accepted for high averages and no contests, but very little vice versa. So I would suggest for you to write the contests but not worry too much about it, because you can't really study for them anyways.
3. Waterloo usually waits for your sem 2 midterm marks in grade 12, so gr11 courses are usually irrevelant.
4. The CCC is usually in Feb, and they release decisions in May so your gr12 CCC results will likely be considered.
I heard Alberta's grading is harder, so there might be some sort of adjustment that will raise your average compared to applicants from other provinces. Honestly anything above a 95 is only marginally significant.
Hopefully I was able to help, let me know if you need me to elaborate on anything!
This was really helpful! I'll look to contact the admissions office, thank you for the help
Hey William,
The specialized program that I'm in is killing my average right now (it's called TOPS incase you cared). If the admission average is a mid 90, then do you know if it would be possible to get in with a low 90 average and a strong AIF as a part of the lower end of the spectrum? Do acceptances even work like that? Thank you so much.
Hello again Sky, I do know MGCI, a TOPS school in Toronto. I am sure Waterloo factors the difficulty of the TOPS program, and a low 90s average in TOPS will likely meet the cutoff for Waterloo CS. Personally, I do believe a low 90 average from TOPS and a strong AIF will make you a very competitive applicant.
Obviously, I can't say anything for sure, but please feel free to contact the Waterloo Admissions Office regarding their views on specialized programs like TOPS. I'm sure they can give a much more conclusive answer to your inquiry. Does that help?
@@heywilliamwang Thank you so much for the speculation. I've tried asking them about it and it seems they refuse to say anything other than that it 'fulfills the U level requirement'. If by some miracle I get into Waterloo, I hope I can see you in person to thank you for answering all of my questions.
@@skyblue4230 No problem at all. It's almost always harder to achieve high marks in a specialized program because everyone is so try-hard, but Waterloo usually adjusts for these things. Best of luck!
Hi William, does computer science have an adjustment factor?.
Great question! As far as I know, there's no public adjustment factor similar to the one that Waterloo Engineering released.
damn nigga i applied to laurier cs cuz i aint gettsing no 90s in every course
Do jobs count as extracurriculars? If so, will it negatively affect my aif if I haven't worked before (excluding co-op and other small jobs like cutting grass or PC building (should I add that even tho it's nothing?))
Great question, I believe there is a specific section in the AIF that asks you about your previous employment experiences. I didn't have any but I'm sure it's helpful if you do, even if it's small gigs like cutting grass and PC building.
@@heywilliamwang Thank you, that does reassure me that it is still possible to get without getting a legit job. But you don't think Waterloo will take my lawn cutting business seriously? Thinking I'm only talking about cutting my own lawn? (Even tho that isn't true and it's cutting the lawn for clients)
@@nathandault7209 I believe any job experience is better than no experience. Specify that you are cutting lawns for multiple clients and make sure to not undersell yourself!
Any tipss for grade 12 math and physics ?😭😬
Hello Sam, sorry for the long response, but hopefully you can gain some useful information. Since I was in the IB program, our tests and evaluations were composed of questions from the IB questionbank. This meant we had a Physics as well as Math questionbank. What I would do is just grind the questionbank before each test and do all the questions under unit we were being tested on. Obviously, sometimes you don't have enough time, but after the first few questions, we start to see the pattern and it's basically the same question but with different input numbers.
That's essentially my experience with IB Math and Physics, but I can't say for sure the same will work for non-IB grade 12 physics and math. My tip is to just practice, since questions in math and physics are just the same questions with slight modification to the numbers you need to plug in. I would be more than happy to elaborate on certain areas if you're interested.
hey! where can I find the websites you mentioned at the end?
Here you go!
williamuw.github.io/ChanceMeMrGoose/
williamuw.github.io/AccommodateMeMrGoose/
what is the tuition fees for CS in u waterloo?
Hello Tanveer, it was around $8000 per term for me as a domestic student. However, I'm not sure about the cost for international students. You can probably find more accurate tuition information on Waterloo's website.
what is the difference between computer science and software engineering? i need an engineering degree so i mad a correct choice of SE? and also getting SE in waterloo is more difficult than getting CS? what are the percentage to get into it
Hey James, I believe Software Engineering combines Computer Science with Computer Engineering, so if you are interested in CS and CE, I think you made the right choice. SE should be more difficult because engineering faculties have their own AIF section and video interviews, and the admission averages are likely higher.
@@heywilliamwang what if i chose computer engineering? will i get to learn software there too? and in what amount relating to hardware. plus i need an engineering degree but CS in waterloo has science. so im bit confused due t high averages, im thinking to switch to computer engineering. what do u suggest, if i want to be a software engineer so i should take ce or not?
or maybe u can tell me your insta id. ill dm u my questions and ans me whenever u are free. will that work?
@@JamesChugh Computer Engineering is a good choice too if you want to learn software as well as hardware. If you want to work as a software engineer, all three programs (CS, CE, SE) are good choices. If your main objective is to be in an accredited engineering program, then CE works too.
Be advised that CE more hardware-based, so you spend a lot more time learning embedded systems, low level programming, circuits, etc as opposed to software.
@@heywilliamwang what if i take computer science? i will be learning software with maths there too plus ill have a a job in engineering sector right? u said 97 is the average in CS then what abt SE?
what were your ECs?
Clubs:
CaYPT Team Member
VPCI Orientation Camp Executive
Stage Crew (Sound Booth Manager)
Computer Lab Management Team
VEX 4914 Team Member
FRC Team 4914 Lead Video Editor
Music Council General Member
Athletics:
Badminton Team (Boys Doubles)
Boys Curling Team (Vice)
Music:
Senior Concert Band (1st Chair Horn)
Stage Band (Trumpet Soloist)
@@heywilliamwang thanks, congrats as well
Hey man how are the coops like this year for cs
Hello, I am in Sequence 4 so my co-op search starts in the Spring term. From what I have heard, co-ops are harder to come by for CS this year, but it should be easier than other programs if you want to work in software.
Yo I want ask a question, do you still play games in high school after you finish ur work?
Great question! I did in Grade 9 and 10, but became super busy with schoolwork and extracurriculars in Grade 11 and 12. I still did play games in Grade 11 and 12, but it was quite rare, definitely not everyday.
I would say if you are not doing IB, you should have plenty of free time for games and other activities!
@@heywilliamwang I’m doing IB, I guess Il just stop playing cause Waterloo cs it’s my favorite school
@@Shusui0000 I would say moderation is key. If you can finish all your schoolwork early, I don't see why you can't play some games.
Best of luck with IB!
@@heywilliamwang oh ye one more question, do you have suggestion to do some competition for Waterloo cs?
@@Shusui0000 Honestly do as many competitions as you can or when convenient.
Worst case scenario, you don't win anything, and it's a good learning experience.
Best case scenario, you win a prize or distinction that you can now talk about in your AIF!
hi,
I have taken up a CS online certified course by the Harvard University, but now that is affecting my school exam, that course takes up a lot of time and so what should I do,
Should I continue or discontinue with that, and at a whole how much impact do these extra courses make on the application and what is better, a 3% increase in the core subject, or a certificate by Harvard university stating my good marks in that and even that I have completed that course.
Thanks
I am in class 11 now and want to do my bachelors in Cs at Waterloo.
@@alankritverma1839 Hello Alankrit, having the initiative to take a certified CS course online is very impressive! When you say class 11, I am assuming you mean grade 11?
If you are deciding between a 3% increase in your grade 11 marks or the CS certificate, it might be better to prioritize the CS certificate as Waterloo does not consider grade 11 marks for regular decision. However, if this online course is impacting your grade 12 top 6 average, then I would suggest for you to focus on your top 6 average. Does my answer help?
@@heywilliamwang ya , thanks man , that cs course would take about 4months , and i will be able to complete it before my grade 12 starts and thanks, hearing this from a freshman really means a lot. Thanks
@@alankritverma1839 No problem! If you can complete it before grade 12 starts, then it shouldn't impact your top 6 marks which is great. You can talk about it in your AIF, as it shows initiative if your school doesn't offer CS courses. Otherwise, it should help if you take CS courses in grade 12.
what was your total predicted and final ib score?
These were my converted IB scores:
HL English: 5 -> 92
HL Math: 6 -> 95
SL Chemistry: 7 -> 97
SL Economics: 7 -> 97
SL Physics: 7 -> 99
Since I am an OSSD applicant, Waterloo does not see my actual IB scores, they only see the OSSD transcript for my Top 6.
do u find that a lot of the kids in cs at waterloo from from ib?
also did u find that your marks in gr 10 (pre-ib) go down significantly compared to gr.11 and gr.12? I'm in gr 10 rn and i feel like our school isn't preparing us that much for what real IB next year is gonna be like
@@mel60925 Hello, to answer your first question, I would say there's a sizable number of IB students in Waterloo CS. That was the case for me regarding the students from my high school and the people I know, but of course the case might be different for you.
To answer your second question, my grade 12 marks were the highest simply due to me putting in a lot more effort. Depending on your courses, the difficulty of IB can vary a lot. In my experience, the hardest aspect of IB was the workload, so if you can learn good time management and work ethic in gr10, then you should be prepared. Does that help?
@@heywilliamwang Thank you sm
I have 97 calculus, 96 physics and 94 advanced function so far, Do I have chance to get into Waterloo CS this year?
Hello FengShi, if your Top 6 Average is in the low-mid 90s range, then you are a very competitive applicant for Waterloo CS.
@@heywilliamwang Thanks man and I got one more question due to covid this year will it be easier to get into Waterloo?
@@fengshili5624 No problem. Unfortunately, I am not sure about this year's situation, as it could easily go both ways.
If grade inflation occurs due to online classes, then it might be harder. Conversely, if people do worse in school due to COVID, it might be easier as you mentioned.
@@heywilliamwang ok ty!!!
@@fengshili5624 You should join the waterloo 2021 applicants discord. But basically there is a chance they might overaccept for CS like they did in 2020 (200% increase).
why my food and nutrition so much work tho, all food science ahhh
Many of my friends said it was a bird course, but I feel like it ultimately depends on the school you go to as well as the teacher. I can see how some teachers can make the course harder than it needs to be.
Wuts the song in the transition
The song is "My Shot" from Hamilton
Does grade 11 matter a lot?
Hello boi, I believe it only matters for early acceptances. More often than not, Waterloo looks at your 2nd semester midterm grades before making a decision.
Thus your grade 11 marks don't matter as much as your grade 12 marks.
Did you go to hack the north I think I remember you
Yes I did haha
No Math contests???
Hi Tyseer, I recall getting top 25% on math contests like COMC, CCC, Euclid, and CSMC.
goodstuff man
Thanks man! I remember seeing your video on this topic too, wish it came out a year earlier haha.
Hi
Can you please share if you had any programming experience while applying? If yes, could you share what did your work included? I am a high school student, and was wondering what could I start working on to be a strong applicant.
Any tips /advice is highly appreciated !
Thank you
For sure, my programming experience mainly consistent of Computer Science classes taken since Grade 9 and from my own personal side projects (websites, Java applications). If your high school has CS classes, definitely take them as it will give you a taste of whether you enjoy the content. Furthermore, it will provide the foundation for you to start experimenting with your own side projects.
Let me know if you have any questions!
So when is part 2 coming man 😪
Hi Abdul, unfortunately I have midterms until November 😭😭. I will try my best to make a part 2 after midterms, assuming I don't have too much work then.
The good thing is AIFs aren't due until February I think, but I will still try to get it out ASAP. If you have any urgent questions, feel free to let me know!
@@heywilliamwang so... you still busy? ;-;
@@skyblue4230 Yeah, sorry man I have finals coming up and the difficulty of my courses has increased substantially since Midterms and same thing for the workload for ECs. I'll see if I have time to make a video over the Winter break.
Until then, if you have any urgent questions you want me to answer, let me know!
@@heywilliamwang good luck man
Hello William,
I'm once again here to bother you. As I did my courses in a specialized highschool program, my MHF credit was a course in calculus and my MCV credit was a course in classical algebra. Since Waterloo is getting my courses on my transcript, would it be a good idea to put the actual names of the courses rather than course codes on my AIF? Thanks so much.
Hello Sky,
Although I was technically taking HL Math in Grade 12, I still put MHF and MCV on my AIF because those are the credits Waterloo is looking for. As you mentioned, course names can vary between schools, but the course codes for MHF and MCV stay the same.
If I were you, I would email the admissions office at Waterloo, asking for clarification. They will likely provide a much more up-to-date and specific answer to your situation. Does that help?
Hey man loved your video! Would taking a spare in grade 12 penalize my chances? I couldn’t find anything online about that. Please let me know!!
Waterloo may have changed their policies regarding spares during the pandemic, so if you want the most accurate information, I would suggest for you to email their Admission's Office directly.
Waterloo generally prefers a full courseload in grade 12, but if you have circumstances that require you to take spare, provide an explanation on the AIF and you should be fine.
can u link the website
Hello, I have linked a few relevant websites in the description, let me know if there is a specific website that isn't linked.
@@heywilliamwang your website where it tells us our chance of admission
@@justiceraven2024 Do you mean this website williamuw.github.io/Engineering/? Note that the probability data does not account for this year's situation.
HI, I got 94 average. I plan to apply for CS or Computer electrical Engineering in Waterloo or UOFT. Do you think I have a high success rate? I got 99 points in Both Advanced Function 12 and Calculus and Vector, but only 88 points in English 12.
Hi Hans, a 94 average is competitive for CS and very competitive for CE at Waterloo. I can't speak for certain for UofT but I recall the admission requirements were high 80s to low 90s for UTSG CS/CE so you have a very high success rate.
thanks for your reply, I would also like to ask how the University of Waterloo conducts the CO-OP Program at this stage of the epidemic?
@@hanschen3942 No problem. Unfortunately, I can't really comment because I don't have my co-op term until next year. However, Waterloo releases co-op statistics that you can look at online.
@@heywilliamwang thanks!
If I am in ib, do I apply with my converted Ontario marks, but still let them know I was in the ib program?
Hello, assuming you are in Ontario, then OUAC will send your converted OSSD marks to Waterloo. This means your actual IB scores don't matter, only the converted OSSD top 6 do. As you mentioned, you can definitely state that you are in the IB program in your AIF.
Hey bro what was your ECs like?
My ECs were pretty average, mostly school clubs and some leadership positions.
Thank you! Are you planning on making that AIF video?
@@Kn17tybn No problem, unfortunately I am quite busy with schoolwork + side projects right now. If you have any questions, I can try my best to answer them.
@@heywilliamwang oh I see, no worries. So what’d you do in terms of loo contests? How’d you score? And for the 900 character prompts on the AIF, do you have any general tips to make mine stand out? I have a 97.7 top 6 and some okay ECs/work experience but I feel like marks will be hella inflated this year so I’m really trying to perfect my AIF.
@@Kn17tybn I mostly got top 25% for the loo contests and I tried do write as many contests as possible since they can only help your application. Just think about what separates you from the other applicants and write that in your AIF, I wouldn't say there are many useful tip except showing Waterloo who you are outside of your stats. You already have a solid top 6 and having work experience is really good.
Yoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo