Is there a point in pursuing computer science if maths doesn't come naturally to me?
I've been on a break from A levels for the past few months and my father has decided for me that when i return i will study computer science simply because i have an interest in Linux and programming. maths has never come naturally to me and i'm also a girl who'd rather not be in a majority-male course because i'd rather not be pestered due to my unfortunate looks.
My father insists that, similarly to a person he works with's daughter, i could get an apprenticeship somewhere from just doing the A level and have a good life that way, however i highly doubt i'd pass the interview as i lack any natural charisma and struggle with eye contact. Even if i had the skills, i absolutely couldn't pass the interview.
I lack the maths skills to study maths in A levels and thus university isn't an option for me. If i don't do this i won't have a course and will probably have to spend the rest of my life friendless, poor, ugly and bedrotting like I've done all year so far.
is my father being unrealistic for banking on me getting some kind of apprenticeship? if you couldn't tell from reading the post, i'm not exactly the kind of person that a company would want to take on.
My father insists that, similarly to a person he works with's daughter, i could get an apprenticeship somewhere from just doing the A level and have a good life that way, however i highly doubt i'd pass the interview as i lack any natural charisma and struggle with eye contact. Even if i had the skills, i absolutely couldn't pass the interview.
I lack the maths skills to study maths in A levels and thus university isn't an option for me. If i don't do this i won't have a course and will probably have to spend the rest of my life friendless, poor, ugly and bedrotting like I've done all year so far.
is my father being unrealistic for banking on me getting some kind of apprenticeship? if you couldn't tell from reading the post, i'm not exactly the kind of person that a company would want to take on.
Hey there! Computer science at uni is actually a lot of theory and not that much programming, thats why unis require you to take mathematics A-levels as it really helps you with the theory part. Working in the industry though, a lot of times, don't require you to do anything remotely as deep as that. There are so many paths you could take in the field that you could pursue without good mathematics skills. (most commonly software engineering, web dev etc)
Considering that you won't be going to university, I feel that its important for you to develop your programming and computer knowledge and experience right now. Try to learn more from online courses (Coursera courses / CS50x on Edx etc), and/or experiment with some projects to get a good foundation. You can take advantage of the time others would have spent on uni, to work on your programming skills and build your portfolio early. (whether it be anything from simple websites, games, to automated bots)
You don't have to continue with A-levels since you are not applying to unis, however, I do recommend you to finish them as it's still good to have some formal certification of high-school education.
Regarding apprenticeships, I cannot speak from experience but there are a lot of companies out there. As long as you have a portfolio showing ambition, then there will be opportunities for you. LinkedIn is a great tool to build your network and find startups where you can get internships from. This will have to be after you are somewhat confident with your programming foundation skills though. In the early stages, you can probably find communities of your hobbies/interests on Discord, where you can meet friends and create programs for them to build your experience.
So if you really have an interest in programming and Linux over everything else, you should definitely pursue CS. Feel free to ask me more questions!
Considering that you won't be going to university, I feel that its important for you to develop your programming and computer knowledge and experience right now. Try to learn more from online courses (Coursera courses / CS50x on Edx etc), and/or experiment with some projects to get a good foundation. You can take advantage of the time others would have spent on uni, to work on your programming skills and build your portfolio early. (whether it be anything from simple websites, games, to automated bots)
You don't have to continue with A-levels since you are not applying to unis, however, I do recommend you to finish them as it's still good to have some formal certification of high-school education.
Regarding apprenticeships, I cannot speak from experience but there are a lot of companies out there. As long as you have a portfolio showing ambition, then there will be opportunities for you. LinkedIn is a great tool to build your network and find startups where you can get internships from. This will have to be after you are somewhat confident with your programming foundation skills though. In the early stages, you can probably find communities of your hobbies/interests on Discord, where you can meet friends and create programs for them to build your experience.
So if you really have an interest in programming and Linux over everything else, you should definitely pursue CS. Feel free to ask me more questions!
Original post by thestarman
I've been on a break from A levels for the past few months and my father has decided for me that when i return i will study computer science simply because i have an interest in Linux and programming. maths has never come naturally to me and i'm also a girl who'd rather not be in a majority-male course because i'd rather not be pestered due to my unfortunate looks.
My father insists that, similarly to a person he works with's daughter, i could get an apprenticeship somewhere from just doing the A level and have a good life that way, however i highly doubt i'd pass the interview as i lack any natural charisma and struggle with eye contact. Even if i had the skills, i absolutely couldn't pass the interview.
I lack the maths skills to study maths in A levels and thus university isn't an option for me. If i don't do this i won't have a course and will probably have to spend the rest of my life friendless, poor, ugly and bedrotting like I've done all year so far.
is my father being unrealistic for banking on me getting some kind of apprenticeship? if you couldn't tell from reading the post, i'm not exactly the kind of person that a company would want to take on.
My father insists that, similarly to a person he works with's daughter, i could get an apprenticeship somewhere from just doing the A level and have a good life that way, however i highly doubt i'd pass the interview as i lack any natural charisma and struggle with eye contact. Even if i had the skills, i absolutely couldn't pass the interview.
I lack the maths skills to study maths in A levels and thus university isn't an option for me. If i don't do this i won't have a course and will probably have to spend the rest of my life friendless, poor, ugly and bedrotting like I've done all year so far.
is my father being unrealistic for banking on me getting some kind of apprenticeship? if you couldn't tell from reading the post, i'm not exactly the kind of person that a company would want to take on.
yes you can do computer science without maths coming naturally but from the sounds of it, it doesnt sound like that's what you want to do for a levels. however if you do take it you dont necessarily need to take maths for uni, you are able to get into loads without maths a-levels, for example i know someone going to northumbria universirty for computer science who doesn't take maths and doesn't like it that much either
Original post by thestarman
I've been on a break from A levels for the past few months and my father has decided for me that when i return i will study computer science simply because i have an interest in Linux and programming. maths has never come naturally to me and i'm also a girl who'd rather not be in a majority-male course because i'd rather not be pestered due to my unfortunate looks.
My father insists that, similarly to a person he works with's daughter, i could get an apprenticeship somewhere from just doing the A level and have a good life that way, however i highly doubt i'd pass the interview as i lack any natural charisma and struggle with eye contact. Even if i had the skills, i absolutely couldn't pass the interview.
I lack the maths skills to study maths in A levels and thus university isn't an option for me. If i don't do this i won't have a course and will probably have to spend the rest of my life friendless, poor, ugly and bedrotting like I've done all year so far.
is my father being unrealistic for banking on me getting some kind of apprenticeship? if you couldn't tell from reading the post, i'm not exactly the kind of person that a company would want to take on.
My father insists that, similarly to a person he works with's daughter, i could get an apprenticeship somewhere from just doing the A level and have a good life that way, however i highly doubt i'd pass the interview as i lack any natural charisma and struggle with eye contact. Even if i had the skills, i absolutely couldn't pass the interview.
I lack the maths skills to study maths in A levels and thus university isn't an option for me. If i don't do this i won't have a course and will probably have to spend the rest of my life friendless, poor, ugly and bedrotting like I've done all year so far.
is my father being unrealistic for banking on me getting some kind of apprenticeship? if you couldn't tell from reading the post, i'm not exactly the kind of person that a company would want to take on.
Hi,
I'm not sure how much maths is in A-Level CS but I can say in university, it is a couple modules sprinkled across the three years. It is good that you know what you're interested and have a passion in, you're already ahead of 80% of your peers. Getting a degree apprenticeship has absolutely nothing to do with your looks, it is about your skills and character which is something you'll develop during your A-levels. Nowadays, there are so many resources available to you if you struggle to do the interview stage, you need to remember that the interviewer isn't out to get you or make you trip up. If you get to the interview stage, it's because the company sees your potential and just want to get to know you more and to see if you'd be a good fit, meaning it shouldn't be nerve-wracking at all! If you struggle with conversations like this or feel your social skills could do with a bit of work, go on forums and offer to tutor people or join groups based on whatever interests you have. You'll need to go outside your comfort zone but this is the first step in improvement. I'm sure you're a lovely person and you'll do great things, don't be so tough on yourself! If you want my honest opinion, skip uni and just go for a degree apprenticeship in tech. You'll make lots of friends + some serious bank by the time you graduate. I don't think your dad is unrealistic at all, he clearly sees that you can become something good if you just push yourself a little bit, it seems you also know this just from making this post.
If you're really conscious about your looks, going to the gym and getting a skincare routine will do wonders. But I wouldn't worry too much about this!
Original post by JamJ05
yes you can do computer science without maths coming naturally but from the sounds of it, it doesnt sound like that's what you want to do for a levels. however if you do take it you dont necessarily need to take maths for uni, you are able to get into loads without maths a-levels, for example i know someone going to northumbria universirty for computer science who doesn't take maths and doesn't like it that much either
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