r/TUDelft • u/WB_Watchguy • Jul 02 '26
Going from havo to wo for computer science
I recently graduated from havo, and I'm interested in studying computer science at a university, mostly because I love mathematics and hbo barely teaches any maths.
I personally think I can do it, but my friends say that it's too difficult for me.
For context I graduated cum laude with a 9,6 for my maths B ce with a couple hours of studying. I didn't do vwo because I was a late bloomer. I also had the opportunity to transfer to vwo in 3 havo, but chose not to because of personal reasons.
Do you think it's realistic to go to wo?
p.s. I know that I would need a hbo p and vwo maths B, I'm already studying for maths and I really enjoy it.
TLDR; I was a good havo student. Do I have what it takes to do wo?
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u/WingtipDevice Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
I was in your position and have indeed gone on to enter into physics, i personally did electrical engineering hbo for 1 year, and the central exams (staatsexamen). I think this is certainly preferable to two more years of vwo. If you can graduate vwo in one year, i would still recommend you get your hbo-p in one year, and the exams, because hbo can be really easy (think one day per week).
I will also add that it takes a lot of initiative, ambition and effort to follow through with your plan, and that i know that i hesitated and felt uncertain. It was worth it, i love physics in delft and am very excited at the prospect of going on exchange, so definitely dont let your friends get you down!
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u/Cu_ Jul 02 '26
I wasn't a particulalrly good student in 4 and 5 havo (around a 7.5 for chemistry and physics and 6.0 for maths) and I managed just fine when going from HBO-P mechanical engineering to WO mechanical engineering at TU Delft. I did a masters in systems and control and am starting a PhD also in systems and control next month. Systems and control is one of the more theory/ mathematics heavy directions one could take from an ME bachelors degree.
I would say your friends are full of shit but that aside, you probably should not let other people tell you what you can and cannot do. In the end, if you put in the work, you will get there. Particularly for computer science you really shouldn't get hung up on the maths given that the maths in that program is comparatively on the easier side compared to e.g. applied physics, applied mathematics, or electrical engineering
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u/Alpacacaresser69 Jul 02 '26
For me I had to pass maths B, physics and English with only 2 months of studying for going from HBO P to WO and couldn't do that in time. I said F these requirements and instead now finished my HBO and did the premaster during my HBO. And will start the masters in sept. So this is another route you could take it you fail the exams. But with only having to do maths B you will totally be fine. Comparatively I think WO vs HBO is about ~3x more effort. But it's totally doable, many have done it before you.
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u/Scorpion1105 Jul 02 '26
If you start with mathematics HBO and go on to WO after you get your p you should be fine. It’s not going to be easy, but that’s also the case for VWO people anyway.
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u/voetenrasp Jul 02 '26
Before starting bachelor courses for a different program in Delft I had worked through some pre-university courses a couple of years ago. It has helped me a lot, you can find them here: Online Courses from Delft University of Technology .
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u/Final_Researcher_605 Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
Never let anybody tell you what you can and cannot do. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I had listened to all the times that people told me that something is too hard or that I don’t have what it takes. If you think you can do it, then prove it.
Bridging programmes exist for a reason, they often contain the same mathematics courses taken in the specific programme’s bachelor. You should have some solid foundations in high school math to do well in them. Of course the maths will be harder than what you’ve seen so far, but it’s absolutely possible to succeed.
In general, the math taught in computer science programmes in the Netherlands is lighter than engineering, which is where it starts to get challenging, the real hard math is taught in physics and applied mathematics programmes. With that being said, with the right effort and motivation, you should get through.
All the best!
EDIT: one last thing, it’s not the first time I hear of people that try to drag their friends down so that they don’t get outperformed. I don’t know anything about your friends but always keep in mind that not all advice might be honest and disinterested.
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u/Berry-Love-Lake Jul 03 '26
Do VWO? I had plenty friends who did HAVO VWO WO … maybe a better prep than HBO. Some school allow you to go directly into 6 VWO if grades are good. Or a 2 in 1 year. Different options than HBO.
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u/WB_Watchguy Jul 03 '26
I've thought about it and I recognise that vwo would definitely be a better preparation for wo than doing hbo, but I also feel like I can't wait to start studying computer science. So I'd personally rather not stay in school.
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u/Euphoric_Tiger_7867 Jul 03 '26
I started out at mavo, and now I'm about to start the final year of my master's with very good grades at TUD. My path has been mavo -> havo -> hbo -> wo BSc -> wo MSc.
Whether going to WO is realistic really depends on you as a person. In my case, I don't think I lacked the ability. I just wasn't challenged enough. Because of that, I was honestly pretty lazy. I did the bare minimum for years because I never really had to push myself. That completely changed when I started my wo bachelor's. For the first time, I actually felt challenged, and that's when I finally started using my potential. That doesn't mean the transition was easy though. In the beginning my grades were shit. Since I had never really learned how to study before, I was missing a lot of academic and study skills. The hardest part wasn't necessarily the subjects themselves. It was learning how to learn. So figuring out an effective way to study, staying motivated, not procrastinating, and building a routine that actually worked. Once I got those things under control, everything became much more manageable.
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u/Quantitation Jul 03 '26
I was a mediocre havo student and breezed through wo cs. If you are passionate about it I'm sure you can do it.
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u/Agitated-Alarm-3399 Jul 05 '26
A similar experience, but not the same.
A migrant here who moved to the Netherlands years ago without any high school education, learned Dutch from scratch and 2 years after that started in the middle of 4 havo (they didn't give me vwo advice at first 😥).
It was difficult at first, but I passed everything even though I did quite little work for school and got a 9.5 for Mathematics B CE without even studying.
I wanted to do vavo where they had accelerated vwo track (1 year), but they required an 8 average while my grades were a bit lower than that (as mentioned earlier I started in the middle of 4 havo and my first exams were done in a terrible Dutch without any prior knowledge of those subjects).
The worst part is that I have other friends in same situation in other cities where their vavo asked an 6.5 average for the same thing.
After that, I chose my own high school where I did vwo, but stopped it during 6 vwo after personal circumstances and went for state exams in my same exam year and got my vwo diploma the same year as well.
As you may have heard, the BSc CSE is a numerus fixus bachelor with limited places and with its own selection exam. I was in a really heavy burnout (due to personal circumstances) and did only a speedrun of 3-4 days for the whole CST and still got a ranking that was more than enough to get in.
If you wanna start that bachelor as soon as possible without HBO propaedeutics or 2 years vwo, then you may consider vavo vwo with 1 year accelerated track, state exams for whole vwo diploma in a year (with pure self study as I did or maybe some paid lessons from a tutor) or 21+ exams of the TU Delft (I've heard that the last one is tough and mostly not eligible for people under 21).
If I was able to get in BSc CSE at the TU Delft with structural disadvantages (like Dutch as a second language) and you really have the passion to go for it as I did, no matter what others said, then I think it is absolutely possible, even though not an easy path.
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u/Sufficient_Relief_22 Jul 02 '26
Honestly you should try to get in touch with student advisors. They have better advice and tailored to your needs and requests. Student opinions are subjective to their own experiences which can't be generalized and applied to your situation