Close to completing BA in Computer Science at TESC. Need some advice.

[beastmaster]

So, I need some advice. I'm almost finished, but I'm not sure what CS courses I can use to complete my final 3 credits. I would really like to take the TECEP CMP-354 Network Technology exam, but I don't know if this would apply. Here's what I've got:

Area of Study (18SH must be at 300/400 level)
Semester Hours Completed: 30.00
GPA Achieved/Needed: 3.538 / 2.000
Complete all 4 subrequirements:
A: Intro Computer Sci (Completed)
> Complete one Introduction to Computer Science course.
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESC # Notes
1.. COS-101... Introduction to Computers 3.00 A-

B: Data Structures (Completed)
> Complete one Data Structures course.
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESC # Notes
1.. COS-241... Data Structures.......... 3.00 A

C: Math Requirement (Completed)
> Complete ONE of the following courses to satisfy the Math requirement: Discrete Math, Linear Algebra (Calculus Based), Discrete Structures
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESC # Notes
2.. MAS2103 Linear Algebra........... 3.00 B MAT-320 *TE

D: Compt Sci Elec 24 SH (In Progress)
> Complete 24 semester hours (SH) of Computer Science courses as electives. At least 12SH must be at the 300/400 level to satisfy the requirement of 18SH of 300/400 level coursework in the Area of Study. LIB-495 (Liberal Arts Capstone) can satisfy 3SH of this requirement.
Semester Hours Completed: 21.00
Group 1 (In Progress)
Semester Hours Completed: 9.00 Required: 12 Remaining: 3
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESC # Notes
1.. COS-352... Operating Systems........ 3.00 A
3.. CDA3101 Intro to Compu Organzn... 3.00 C+ COS-332 *TE
1.. CIS-351... Software Engineering..... (3.00) ___ *IP
_______________________________________________________________3 credits

Group 2 (Completed)
Semester Hours Completed: 6.00
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESC # Notes
1.. COS-213... C++ Programming.......... 3.00 A
2.. COP1800 Java Programmin.......... 3.00 CR COS-208 *TE

Group 3 (Completed)
Semester Hours Completed: 6.00
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESC # Notes
3.. CIS3020 Intro to CIS............. 3.00 B+ CIS-102 *TE
2.. COP2220 C Programming I.......... 3.00 A COS-116 *TE

I have taken courses in Artificial Intelligence and Databases outside of TESC, however, they do not count for college credit. I would prefer not to take these courses at TESC, since they would be focused around written assignments instead of applied knowledge, and I'm quite sick and tired of writing about CS. I want to write code!

Also, is LIB-495 a required course for this track? The idea of writing a 25 page research paper on anything right now is enough to make me quit college all over again.

[beastmaster]

Well, I called TESC academic advising this evening. I found out that I can complete the remainder of my degree through DSST exams! How awesome is that?

I have a Social Science course that I need to take. Luckily, there are plenty to choose from on the DSST list. I'm leaning towards either the Substance Abuse or the Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union.

I acutally need 2 courses to satisfy the necessary 18 credits of upper level CS coursework. The DSST Management Information Systems exam and the TECEP Networking Technology CMP-354 exam will take care of that.

I enrolled before the LIB-495 Liberal Arts Capstone course was a requirement, so, I don't have to take it!

So, my question now is, how much time do you give yourself to study for one of these exams? CS is my expertise, so I don't think I'll have too much trouble with MIS or Network Tech.

I received some seriously good news this evening. I'm celebrating with a beer.

[ryoder]

I took both of those and they are not bad at all. The MIS DSST is very doable if you are in the business. Its not about CS its more about MIS and there is a difference. I remember seeing a question that asked what ETL was. I know because I work in the business and we have people who just do ETL all day long but almost nobody learns that in a CS degree program.

The TECEP is old. You are best served by jetting back to 1999 and studying then-current networking technology. Even some of the stuff predates that. There were questions about AppleTalk and Thicknet on that test. I knew that because I used to install networks in 1993 but we stopped using thinnet and thicknet by 1997 when TCP/IP became the standard and RJ-45 was king.

[beastmaster]

I have been reading the recommended text for the TECEP Network Technology exam. You are right, some of the info in this book is way out of date. I don't mind that so much. It's kind of like studying the history of computers and how we have come to the concepts and methods we use today. The Operating Systems course I took was very similar in that respect.

About the TECEP exams, can I take that at any point after I have signed up for it, or do I have to wait until the exam week? I could definitely seem myself breezing through this book and being ready to take the exam mid January.

I have a similar questions about the DSST exams. I plan on taking them at my local Strayer University. How far out do you typically have to schedule an appointment to take these tests?

I've got my MIS and Substance Abuse books on their way to my house. Also, I found these DSST study guides that I know will come in handy.