[New][Help needed] Need some insight/help planning BACS/BSCS

[davewill]

That's the rub with Computer Science you can't test out of most of it. However if you really want to go into Embedded Software (AKA programming futuristic devices), there's not much of a point in aiming at any other degree. You can test out of all the GenEd, that's not an issue. The plan I followed is in my signature below. You might notice that almost none of it is actual programming courses. A computer science curriculum is mostly THEORY. Programming is almost an afterthought, something you teach yourself in your spare time.

The usual way to a fast degree around here is enroll in TESU or COSC and use alternative credit to do most of the degree. These schools are unique because they will let you earn all but a few credits towards a degree through testing or online courses. Most schools require a substantial number of credits be earned by taking actual classes at the school. The problem with doing this for the BACS is that most of the actual computer science courses aren't available as alternative credit, and the cost of taking actual online courses at TESU is fairly expensive. The way I worked around that was to use Prior Learning Assessment to fulfill a lot of it. PLA works by submitting a portfolio explaining how you have learned the equivalent of a college course either through some sort of life experience. This can be work, or some sort of non-college credit training...even self study. However, this path won't work for you since you don't have the computer science knowledge already.

Is this likely to be a full-time effort on your part? I ask because there is one way to take courses at TESU more reasonably. That is the Comprehensive Tuition Plan. With this plan you pay about $9500 for one year's tuition and can take up to 36 credits. To do this, you would finish everything you could by any other means until you reach a core of classes you can't find at a reasonable price anywhere. You then enroll in TESU, pay the $9500 and finish all of them in one year. This comes to almost half the regular tuition, but requires an extraordinary dedication. With the rest of the fees you end up paying about $10K for your degree, not including the tuition and fees for the courses you do by alternative credit. I don't really recommend it, but it IS an alternative.

Another alternative I can't exactly recommend is University of the People. They are a non-profit dedicated to making higher education universally accessible. Their main advantage is that they do not charge tuition. However, there are fees, and they say that completing the BSCS will cost about $4000. They don't accept transfer credit so you will have to take every class from them. They are also nationally accredited, which may be an issue with some employers or if you wish to go on to grad school. That said, I do believe that graduating with their degree would be a viable path to a computing career.

There is one other path I have to mention. It IS possible to enter the field without a degree. It isn't ideal, but it is done. I had a 30 year software career without a degree. In this scenario, you would get a certificate from Coursera or Udacity, or one of the other online providers. Leveraging this, you take whatever entry level computer job you can get your hands on. You keep working your way up one job at a time. Some day you wind up finishing your degree like I did.

I think we as a group need to canvas around a bit and find some inexpensive ways to get the computer science credits so that TESU can work for you. This would greatly help people going forward. Please post your current credits so we can try to map out a plan that can work for you. I've got to think we can beat that $9500 number by a lot.