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Re: Gcse ict
Just from experience i'd say go with computing (i don't want to actually sway you here) but from the prospective of a university computing is a mathematical and technological subject (with a lot of theory and practice chucked in). Further maths is well, just furthering maths.
It's also dependant on the style of teachers you have to teach you, because if your computing teacher is just going to regurgitate from the syllabus text books without really knowing what's going on then it's not worth it. Especialy when it comes to the coursework tasks.
But yeah, to give you an idea of what the computing course actually entails:
- CPT1: Basic Theory leading to a 1 and a half hour exam.(goes over everything at the bottom end of computing)
- CPT2: is usually Networking concepts(sometimes with security, etc. but they've made a few changes to the syllabus this year), again leads to a 1 and a half hour exam.
- CPT3: is learning and using a programming language to complete a given task, programming wise this is usually a simple "bespoke" software writing task, you then have to go and write about 40 pages of documentation, and it's done over about 6 months(Depending on your school).
Then year 2 goes:
- CPT4: Programming techniques, this builds on what you learned in CPT3, and is examined with a 1 and a half hour exam.
- CPT5: Advanced systems development, basic theory behind developing an advanced system for a business or company, it basically goes over how you'd make a specification for someone and how you'd find out their needs... Exam again
- CPT 6: (This is the one i loved) a free-reign kind of programming project, you find the client and the need, and then provide them with the software, then write a heckload of documentation, it's not hard it just takes time but the freedom is brilliant. haha. Quite a lot of open source software comes from this, also quite a lot of people who do good find a way to market their software.
I don't know much of the further maths course. But the four examined units are about 100 pages of A4 text-book work each, that you'll probably read a few times. And depending on the teacher you have you'll either just get regurgitated to or actual expereince (which i think you should let be a big factor in your deciding process, my teacher had a loooong background in computing beforehand and i've attained A grades in each of my units(with one pending), and 100% in CPT4, i'm sure i wouldn't have done anywhere near as well with a regurgative teacher)...
Anyway, good luck with whatever you chose to do.
Cheers,
Jamey
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