BA Computer Science TESC

[skyfall123]

Here are some really good questions I received in a private message:

I'm curious about graduate school applications. How many classes did your son take at TESC? I'm wondering if using CLEP and DSST is frowned upon. Did he take the GRE general exam? GRE subject exam? Who did he get to write letters of recommendation?

My son ended up with 27 credits from TESC (15 CS credits). We were originally on the path for a BSBA CIS, but after discovering the scholarships available for Computer Science and knowing that being able to understand and speak the Computer Science language(s) would help his career, I asked Dan if he would devote one semester 12 hours to the CS track....no pressure.... if it didn't work out we would just resume the BSBA CIS. What happened was that the CS courses were much more challenging and the end result was that he really learned a lot and finally began to understand how all of the CS courses (and Calculus) were tied together. The light bulb went off. He was learning a new way to look at things, a new way to solve problems. It made him a better student and employee. He became passionate about learning again.....

I don't think potential colleges care about CLEP's or DSST's for Gen Ed, but they will want to make sure your son does well in the graded CS core courses. My son had already taken Intro to Programming, C, C+, Networking and Unix courses prior to TESC.

I think if your son chooses this path you should have him complete his first 90 GenEd credits then maybe consider enrolling him in the one year TESC Comprehensive Plan and have him take C, C++, Data Structures, Discrete Math, Operating Systems, Computer Architecture and if he can fit them in Assembly Language, Networking and Software Engineering courses.

My son did get admitted into the UIS Masters CS program with his TESC BA CS, but they did want him to take one additional advanced programming course.

He took the general GRE a couple weeks after he graduated from TESC. He scored well enough without any additional studying (over 1120) to cover the minimum requirements to get into grad school.

My son had a cumulative GPA of around 3.0, but his CS core GPA was 3.55.
His edge is that he has been a civilian DoD employee for the last three years and has three stellar letters of recommendations, all from DoD supervisors, a retired Lieutenant Colonel, a retired Sergeant Major and a Chief Financial Officer. He is also going through the process of getting a security clearance, which is a big deal.

A high cumulative GPA 3.2+ and a high CS core GPA 3.5+ coupled with a high GRE (1250 or above) would be what your son should shoot for. If he could get letters of recommendations from his instructors/mentors that would probably mean as much or more than work related ones. My suggestion is to also do volunteer/intern work for local police depts, state agencies, non-profits etc...those can turn into valuable letters of recommendations.

Here is the other thing.....our plan B....you can also apply directly to the government agencies. The NSA offers 3 year internships for recent CS graduates
Mid-level professional careers at the National Security Agency (NSA)
in fact the majority of InfoSec graduates coming out of the SFS program go to work for the NSA. Many of the other government agencies also offer internships for recent graduates.

The reason that InfoSec is such a great career move is that it is one of the most in demand government jobs, and will be for decades. It means high pay and the ability to advance very quickly. He could go in wih just a BA CS at $50K-$60K and work his way up to $90K-$100 or more in just a few years. Plus the country really needs InfoSec professionals. Its a great way to give back.

One last thing, regrets.....the thing I regret is not having son #2 take the same Cisco/CCNA track in Community College Catalog 2010-11: Programs: Computer Science and Information Technology: C.C., Computer Engineering Technology CISCO/CCNA - Seminole State College of Florida that his brother did. His brother has parlayed his Cisco/CCNA training into high paying jobs in the telecom industry and is now living in Germany, working for a European Aerospace company tracking 50 million dollar satellites. Check with the local Community College to see if they offer a Cisco/CCNA 4 or 5 course hands-on training certificate/track. If your son needs an intro to Networking, this might be a good way to get him started.