Education for a Roboticist

[Joesavage1]

Hi, as some of you may know, i want to become a roboticist, when I'm year 9 (which is not that near, but not that far!, its always best to plan ahead  ) i need to choose subjects to take, i just wanted some input from you guys about what you think =D, here are my options (i don't know if some are compulsory (some probably are))

English (probably compulsory)
Maths (probably compulsory)
Science (probably compulsory) (may be split up into physics ect.. i dont know)
Electronics
Food Tech.
Graphics
PSHE
RE
History
Geography
Music
Woodwork
German
French
PE
IT

Thanks

Joe

[want2learn]

I'm Scottish so don't fully understand the English system (they're way different)

COMPULSORY SUBJECTS: Maths, English(Communications), 1 Foreign Language subject, Physical Education


OPTIONAL: Physics, Electronics(Technical Education), Technical- woodwork/metalwork, Computing

Like I said before, drop READING UNIVERSITY an email or phone them, they wont always have time to talk but usually educational institutes are happy to talk for a few minutes.

Another option is looking at Reading University's prospectus for their robotics course and copying the entry requirements. Then do a search for college's (do they call them that in England?)in your area, look for the entry requirements for the courses you'll need for the robotics course. Choose these as your courses in your secondary school.

In Scotland we had/have people called 'Guidance Councilor's' , they're there to help you with these kind of decisions. You can call in at the front desk and ask to make an appointment with them. If you're not close to choosing your subjects they'll probably make an appointment for just after school finishes or during your lunchbreak. They'll even help a bit with finding things out etc.

Hope that made sense (It does in my head )

[RoBoTicS]

Hey I am in high school in the us
These are some or the classes I am taking and some I will be taking in the future
College101
Trigonometry
Chem
Honors English
Bus Computer 2

wil take next year
Networking tech
physics
College Algebra 3/Trig
AP Calculus

I would recommend you defiantly get a lot of math and computer classes to go into the robotics field

[Joesavage1]

Another option is looking at Reading University's prospectus for their robotics course and copying the entry requirements. Then do a search for college's (do they call them that in England?)in your area, look for the entry requirements for the courses you'll need for the robotics course. Choose these as your courses in your secondary school.)

Ive e-mailed them but got no anwser, i think the main robotics ones for my at the moment are: Maths, IT, woodwork, Electronics, Science.
Donno about Uni's yet, Reading looks like a good option but nearer the time ill look around.


Thanks

Joe

[want2learn]

Physics would be better than general science if you have that option.

Do you have guidance councilors at your school?

Donno about Uni's yet, Reading looks like a good option but nearer the time ill look around.

I wasn't suggesting that you apply to them now Look at the entry requirements for their robotics course (I choose them because they were the first in Britain to offer the course and to my knowledge are still the best in Britain). You never know if your grades are good enough you may be in a position where you can apply to Carnegie Melon (to my knowledge the best in the world)

Looking down the path to see where it goes before traversing it can make the journey a whole lot simpler

[Joesavage1]

Dont think we have Guidance Councillors; I figured you wasnt talking about right now apply with the Uni, and they look good so i might go with them, but I e-mailed them about entry to robotics course (grades you need ect..) and they havnt replyed (i e-mailed when u sent me that other post on the other topic). Also do you reccomend woodwork aswell, i imagined you would;


Thanks

Joe

[want2learn]

Any hands on stuff will be OK but a lot of electronic and robot design is theory so you kinda need to balance it a bit, thats why I was asking about guidance councilors.

Go to the front desk/reception at your school and ask to make an appointment with someone because you need guidance on class selection for your chosen career. They'll be able to help based on your grades etc.

Be warned, you're in for a few years of hard study. Specialist courses like robotics are limited and people apply in their thousands for the course every year, you need to show you're more suited to the course than they are!

A couple of things that will help:
1. Study as hard as you can
2. Get the best grades you possibly can
3. What you're doing now -- Building robots and building experience/knowledge (it all counts)
4.When you're old enough to work, see if you can get a few paid hours in say an electronics lab or engineering firm (mostly sweeping up to be honest). Once your foots in the door you can 'volunteer' for a couple extra hours to work alongside the guys in the lab/workshop to gain more experience. The 'volunteering' part is great because if they're a decent employer you can use the time with them on your CV for college/uni/work applications

[Joesavage1]

Lol the people at reception aint helpful (donno they just weird and tell you to go somewhere else which is unhelpful), but ill try to follow your tips =D.


Thanks

Joe

[Joesavage1]

can you give me a direct link to a page which is the home of the robotics course as i cant seem to find it.

Thanks

Joe

[want2learn]

There are a couple on offer now: (Hope they help you a bit)
http://www.reading.ac.uk/Study/ug/RoboticsMEng.asp

http://www.reading.ac.uk/Study/ug/RoboticsBSc.asp

http://www.reading.ac.uk/Study/Departments/ug-RoboticsSystemsEng.asp

http://www.reading.ac.uk/Study/ug/ElectronicEngineeringandCyberneticsBEng.asp

http://www.reading.ac.uk/Study/ug/ElectronicEngineeringandCyberneticsMEng.asp

From some of the entry requirements on these courses you'll see that Maths, English and Physics seem to be the more popular ones. You need top grade marks for these courses so be warned : STUDY EVERY HOUR POSSIBLE!!!!!

[Joesavage1]

which ones best for me?

Thanks

Joe

[want2learn]

Read through them,

Have a think about what it is you really want to do.

Talk it over with your parents and any like minded friends a couple of times over a few weeks.

Seek help at school from a technical teacher or physics teacher if you have no guidance councilors. Print off the pages and have them read it and discuss it with you.

With the help of these people who know you better than me you're bound to head down the right track.

To reiterate its your choice and only you can make it, it all depends on exactly what you want to do. A point thats maybe not that well know is that most 'robot' jobs are either in the servicing of preexisting robots or making toys

[Joesavage1]

Thanks for the reply, the e-mail has finaly come back, and im asking them fully what are the differences

Joe