Operating Systems course quandary

[svent]

I've never taken an OS course, and most schools want to see this as a pre-req for admission (I'm no longer in college). I'm hoping to get into an OS course in January at my local university as a non-degree student, but that depends if there's a spot available.

I took a Computer Organization class in college that covered the entire text by Bryant and O'Hallaron. The second half of this book focuses more on OS concepts (processes, threads, virtual memory, semaphores, files, I/O, etc.) Maybe not at the level of a full OS course, but we still learned a lot of OS stuff and even did some relevant projects.

In fact, I tried to take a course at my local school last year (I moved since then, so not the place I'd take it in January). I couldn't get a seat in the class, but I still sat in on the class the first day. That school just covers the 2nd half of Bryant and O'Hallaron in their OS class. In fact, 3 of the 4 class projects were exact projects I'd done in my Computer Organization class. Had I been able to get into that class, I would have just been spending money to see the words "Operating Systems" on a transcript and wouldn't have actually learned a huge amount (still would have learned some stuff though).

Anyway, I don't want to waste valuable space in my personal statement discussing the OS stuff I learned in my Comp. Org. class (especially since my interests are in theory), but would you recommend explaining this in one of the additional information questions on applications (in case I can't get into an OS class in January), or just saying I intend to take the class this spring?

[pentaprism]

...most schools want to see this as a pre-req for admission.

I'm not sure about this. Due to schedule constrain, my D didn't take OS for her undergrad degree.  Last year she was admitted to CS PhD program at Univ. of Washington, UC Berkeley, Cornell, Univ. of Texas in Austin, UC San Diego, and Princeton

She was a strong candidate, however: 3.9 GPA from a top-5 CS school, 2 yrs research, and strong recommendations from renowned professors.

[svent]

I see. I disagree in that most schools do list that they want to see it, although it's not as vital as certain other courses, so admission without it is certainly possible.

In any case, I'm probably going to move back to where I was last year, and just take OS there in the spring. It turns out this year it's being taught with a real OS book. I guess it's just last year's professor who "dumbed it down" a bit (for lack of a better expression). This does mean I won't take a principles of programming languages class, but oh well. That's not as important, and it's quite similar to automata theory anyway, which I have taken.

[CSallday]

I disagree that OS is a prereq as well. I know a PhD student at Stanford focusing on SYSTEMS who didn't take OS in undergrad. Don't stress about this.

[svent]

OK. Thanks.

[emmm]

I am applying without it.... we'll see how things work out.