Will College Algebra Look Bad To Employers?

[Bron708090]

I am pretty awful at math and didn't even place into pre-calc. I didn't take Trig in high school as there was a way to opt out. I didn't think I would go into a math oriented field like Computer Science until recently. Anyway, I placed into the pre-req for pre-calc which is college algebra, which I'm guessing goes over Trig as well.

 

I'm sure I can retake it, study, and place into pre-calc, but I can't retake until the semester has already started so I wouldn't be able to take any math class this semester. So I'd probably end up taking Pre-calc in the spring semester either way. I want to take College Algebra because I want a more solid math foundation, but not if it's going to be considered a blemish on my transcript to future employers/graduate schools.

 

This sounds silly now that I've written it out, but I'm still nervous about it. Like comparing transcripts, wouldn't you take the guy who DIDN'T take College Algebra as it makes him seem more gifted/harder working in the early years?

Edited August 22, 2012 by Bron708090

[ecoli]

What jobs are you applying for <= important

[Ophiolite]

This will be be greatly dependent upon what company you seek to join. I have interviewed many hundreds of people and hired hundreds. A minor issue like that would not influence.

 

What I might do would be to ask "Why did you do this course?" I would be looking for a response like "I was more interested in X, Y at school. When I'd decided on a career in computing I recognised I needed to bring myself up to speed in this area."

 

That would show commitment to the field, recognition of skills required and decision making capability. But remember, this is the approach used by one interviewer, with one company.

[Bron708090]

What jobs are you applying for <= important

 

This will be be greatly dependent upon what company you seek to join.

 

I haven't taken any of my major classes or done too much programming on my own, so I'm not completely sure yet what kind of career I'll be looking for. Right now though, software engineering or being involved in game programming are the two that sounds the most appealing. I know Google recruits at my school, and working for them as pretty much anything would be one of my dream jobs, although I don't think I'd ever get into cyber security if that helps.

 

 

I have interviewed many hundreds of people and hired hundreds. A minor issue like that would not influence.

 

What I might do would be to ask "Why did you do this course?" I would be looking for a response like "I was more interested in X, Y at school. When I'd decided on a career in computing I recognised I needed to bring myself up to speed in this area."

 

That would show commitment to the field, recognition of skills required and decision making capability. But remember, this is the approach used by one interviewer, with one company.

 

 

Awesome, thanks. That's really good to hear, especially from an employer.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Bron708090

[ecoli]

Sounds like math will be very important, especially for security jobs. If you can pull your grades up, I wouldn't be too concerned. Most employers are more interested that you have a degree than in your transcript.

[crazyspeed]

the only way i can think of it being bad is overquuilfying anywere else it wouldnt hurt cause everthing uses algibra