1. Do I need to have a programming background to take H2 Computing and do well?
No, you do not need to have any prior programming knowledge. The course is designed for absolute beginners. However, you would need to pass the selection test in order to take H2 Computing.
To do well in H2 Computing, as also for any other A Level H2 subjects, the students must put in consistent effort, strive for mastery and have a strong grasp of the subject to make real-life applications.
2. Is there H1 Computing?
No, the Computing subject is offered only at the H2 level.
3. What are the Subject Combinations offered with H2 Computing?
YIJC offers two Subject Combinations currently:
H2 Computing / H2 Mathematics / H2 Physics
H2 Computing / H2 Mathematics / H2 Chemistry
H2 Computing / H2 Mathematics / H2 Economics* (refer to Q5 and 6)
meet the criteria to do H2 Mathematics;
meet the criteria to do H2 Physics, H2 Chemistry or H2 Economics; and
pass the Computing Selection Test.
5. H2 Economics with H2 Computing is a new Subject Combination. Will it be useful for my university and career options?
Yes it is a new combination. Computing is now not just for the Science or Engineering students. Many industries depend on big data and machine learning to help grow their businesses. As such, there are more university courses/programmes that prepare the students for the data analytics required by the growing needs of the industries.
6. Will all 3 subject combinations with H2 Computing be offered in YIJC?
The college is constraint by the limited resources and will not be able to offer a particular Subject Combination if there are only few students opting for that combination.
As such, YIJC will only be offering 2 of the 3 Subject Combinations for the 2021/22 admission depending on the number of eligible students opting for the combination.
If you are keen to offer H2 Computing with H2 Economics, and could also do H2 Computing with either H2 Physics or Chemistry, you may consider submitting your first choice with H2 Economics and second choice with either H2 Physics or Chemistry.
7. Can I know more about the Computing Selection Test?
The Selection Test involves a series of questions which requires simple coding. No prior experience or background is required. This test is designed for students without any prior knowledge.
In order to be eligible for the Selection Test, the student must select a subject combination with H2 Computing in his/her first 2 choices during application on the Admin Portal. Once that is done, the student will receive the notification on the date/time and venue to report for the Computing Selection Test.
There will be clear instructions with a worked example preceding each question.
The purpose of the test is to assess the student's ability to:
follow instructions,
understand the given examples,
recognize pattern,
learn and apply the concepts,
consolidate and adapt to other scenarios.
For more information, please refer to our Computing Selection Test page.
8. What will the students learn in H2 Computing?
The Computing students will learn :
Programming (Python) - Procedural, Object-Oriented and Socket Programming
Database with SQLite and NoSQL
Networking
Web Application Development with frontend HTML/CSS and backend scripting for database
9. Does the college provide laptops for the Computing students?
No, the college will not allocate laptops specifically for the Computing students.
The college has some laptops available to loan to the students in general for their use during lessons in the school, so the availability of the laptops will depend on the demand at that time.
Students under financial assistance (either MOE's FAS or the college) can purchase a laptop and data plan at a subsidised rate under the NEU-PC programme.
Computing students are strongly advised to have their own laptops, installed with all the necessary on-course software.
* Students may inform the Computing teachers if they need to loan a laptop during the lessons.
10. What are the recommended laptop specifications?
If you are considering of getting a new laptop, you may wish to consider the following specifications:
1. Operating System (OS) : Microsoft Windows 10
Rationale :
i) The GCE A Level Practical eExam will be conducted on school laptops with Microsoft Windows OS.
ii) MOE provides on-course software installation only for the Microsoft OS platform.
"Good to have" Features and Accessories
2. Processor : Intel Core i5 or better or any equivalent CPUs (eg AMD, Ryzen ...)
3. RAM (Memory) : 4 Gb (min) / 8 Gb (recommended) or above
4. Local Hard Disk : (min) 50 Gb of available storage space
5. Large Screen - easy to work on
6. Light weight - easy to carry around
7. Long Battery Life
8. Touch Screen with Stylus - handwriting and drawing
9. Pointing device or external mouse - easy to work with
10. Earphone and Microphone
11. Warranty for at least 2 years
12. Suitable Carry Bag
* There is no need for a CDROM drive. USB Thumbdrive will be used for transferring data files.
Please note that these "good to have features" will increase the overall cost of the laptops, they are just good to have and not must to have!
11. Why is laptop with Windows OS recommended? Is it OK if I download and install Windows 10 on my MacBook?
The software installation package provided by MOE/CPDD has been tested to work with Windows laptops, we will not be able to support if the student encounters technical problem when using with MacBook (with Windows 10).
Secondly, we will be using Windows laptops for all the school's and A Level's Practical exam, you will need to be familiar with the keyboard, mouse and the function keys available in a Windows laptop.
In our past experience, most of those students using Mac tend to be unfamiliar when using the Windows platform.
Be assured that we want to prepare the students well for the A Level exam and would like them to be familiar with the exam environment and the hardware used.
12. I heard from my parents/others that we can always learn Computing on our own in future. Why should I take H2 Computing now?
Yes, back in those days when they didn't have the opportunity to study Computing in their Secondary Schools or Colleges, they had no choice but to learn it on their own during their University or after.
But the world is different now, technology has pervasively changed the world and education, children are learning them at very young age. By the time you enter University or workplace, you will be surrounded by people with all their prior experiences in the IT-related stuff. More importantly, H2 Computing has a strong focus on theory, as well as practical. The dual focus ensures that students not just get a headstart in coding, but also develop better fundamentals in computing concepts.
Taking H2 Computing at A Level also opens up a whole list of opportunities, especially in the choice of courses in the universities and future career.
13. Which are the other colleges offering H2 Computing?
Hwa Chong Institution (HCI)
Raffles Institution (RI)
National Junior College (NJC)
Victoria Junior College (VJC)
Anglo Chinese Junior College (ACJC)
Nanyang Junior College (NYJC)
Temasek Junior College (TJC)
Dunman High School (DHS)
River Valley High School (RVHS)
Jurong Pioneer Junior College (JPJC)
For any further clarification, you may reach us at Computing@yijc.edu.sg.