BA Computer Science at TESC - recommendations?

[ghjm]

I'm planning to do a BA in Computer Science at TESC. I have applied, but not yet enrolled, and would appreciate any advice the community can give me before I put my money down. I have some old credits from NCSU, and I've also done a bunch of CLEPs in the past couple weeks. Here's what I have so far towards the degree requirements:

English Composition

• CLEP College Composition with Essay (65)
  

Humanities

• NCSU Symbolic Logic
  
• NCSU Philosophy of Science
  
• CLEP Humanities (61)
  

Social Sciences

• CLEP Social Sciences and History (75)
  
• CLEP American Government (69)
  
• CLEP US History I (55:mad
  

Mathematics

• NCSU Calculus I
  
• (need Calculus II)
  
• (need Discrete Math or Linear Algebra)
  

Natural Sciences

• NCSU Chemistry with Lab
  

General Education

• AP Physics
  
• CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature (80)
  
• (need 6 more credits)
  

Computer Science Low Level

• AP Computer Science
  
• NCSU Programming Concepts
  
• NCSU Data Structures
  
• NCSU Computer Organization & Assembly Language
  

Computer Science High Level

• NCSU Operating Systems
  
• (need 12 more credits)
  
• (need TESC Capstone)
  

Free Electives

• FAA Private Pilot
  
• (need 23 more credits)
  

There are 21 credits worth of CLEPs that I think I can still do with minimal effort (US History II, Western Civ I & II, Intro to Business Law, Human Growth & Development, Principles of Management and Principles of Marketing), so that will finish the general education and leave me 8 more free electives, which I can do with FEMAs (or whatever).

So here are my questions:

1. Should I pay $8000 for the the all-in year at TESC for the math and UL computer science, or try to cobble together a miscellany of cheaper credits from elsewhere? If the latter, where?
   
2. Has anyone done the UL CSC courses at TESC? Are they worthwhile?
   
3. I have a great deal of IT industry experience, including RHCE and F5CE certifications. Does anyone have experience getting PLA or other credit for IT certifications beyond Microsoft and A+? Do they ever give UL credits for PLA?
   
4. What's the best way to get Calculus II done? I did Calculus I at NCSU, a good few years ago. I'm going through Calculus I on MIT OpenCourseWare, just to remind myself of the details. Any recommendations on where to go for Calculus II? Should I take it from TESC or are there better (easier) options?
   
5. Any advice in general? What questions should I be asking, that I haven't asked yet?
   

[ncpenn]

Management Information Systems DSST and the TECEP Networking tests are the only cheaper upper level CS tests (cheaper credits) I could really find. I think there's also a discrete math class from a Texas school (don't remember which one), but it had prerequisites.

I'm in a similar position, and I've decided to pay for a year of TESC and take most of the computer science coursework there (with free electives and general ed gotten as you said through tests and FEMA/etc).

[dposborne]

For CALC II, I ended up taking CALC I over again as a refresher (I had CALC I from my schooling in the Navy over 20 years ago). I took both online through TESC and it was not an easy task. I ended up with decent grades but only because of the obscene amount of time I put into studying and working with online tutors (which TESC offers for free). Some resources I used to help with the classes:
"The Humongous Book of Calculus Problems" by W. Michael Kelley
Trig, Calculus I and Advanced Calculus II tutor DVD's by Jason Gibson
TI-Nspire CX CAS Graphing Calculator

If you do decide to take the class online, pick Professor Charles Wang as your mentor. I had him for both classes and he is VERY lenient in grading. Also remember that since you will be taking this class online, you are pretty much going to be teaching yourself Calculus. The tutors help a lot (with homework mainly), but ultimately the burden falls on you to retain the knowledge for the midterm and final exams...

I have also read that others on here have taken CALC I and II through Graduate School USA Graduate School - Course Details which is supposed to be pretty much self paced with just a final exam to take...

[ryoder]

I took computer architecture COS-331 I think at TESC and it was challenging but rewarding.
I too have a lot of industry experience as a programmer and I did learn a few things in the course.

My advice is to fill in your gen eds with prereqs for a MBA program. Before you say you will never do an MBA never say never.
Don't mess around with FEMA credits when you can learn management, marketing, micro, macro, stats, biz law, accounting etc.
These CLEPs will teach you a lot about business and put you in a position to take on a MBA later on.

Definitely do the TECEP Networking Tech and the DSST MIIS for 6 upper level CS.

Another advantage to doing the business courses is that if you decide to wimp out like many of us did you can do the BSBA CIS at TESC.
In fact, go ahead and use the online advisor to print out your missing courses for a BSBA CIS and overlay those on the BA CS plan as your free electives. This way you make progress on both simultaneously and position yourself for more options.