Fastest path to a computer science or software degree?

[quigongene]

$69
http://shop.certiport.com/category-s/1907.htm

[bluebooger]

My transcript evaluation for CS:

WGU Bachelor of Science, Computer Science
...

its been over a month since you started this thread 

you probably could have enrolled in WGU and completed your first term of courses in that time 

stop looking for alternative ways to get credit and just enroll in WGU 

you don't like the A+ exam ? 
big deal 
everybody has to take a course they don't like on the way to completing their degree 

besides, if you're serious about coding then you'll eventually want to build your own computer or at least be knowledgeable about the the prebuilt one that you buy 

an A+ will at least help a little with that -- so its not a complete waste

---

To add to this (WGU specific):  
Introduction to IT || CLEP Information Systems
Data Management - Foundations || MTA Database Fundamentals (I know it's listed there....but the cert is ridiculously easy)
Web Development Foundations || MTA HTML5 Application Development Fundamentals (see above)
Network and Security Foundations || MTA Networking Fundamentals (I personally finished this "cert" in 11 minutes)

How much are the MTA exams?

if you enroll in WGU the tuition includes the cost of all the exams  

I don't know about TESU or other schools, but Excelsior will not accept any of them for credit 
the only one Excelsior accepts in the MS Excel certification because that's the only one that is ACE accredited

[Nutmeg0065]

Yes, I've gotten a slow start, but I'm finishing up a Udacity Grow With Google Android Developer Basics Nanodegree and still in the process of moving to another state. We are moving into a different house tomorrow. There have been some distractions. The Nanodegree study has freshened up my Java and XML, so even though it doesn't count toward a WGU degree, it hasn't been a waste of time by any means and has honestly been fascinating. Developing native apps is just plain fun.

I am enrolled in WGU for an October start.

Thank you to everyone! I'm happy to hear any more input anyone can send my way.

[big_fat_dude]

Would anyone be willing to write a basic outline of the path to a computer science degree and explain each of the steps?

This all seem very interesting but I'm having trouble keeping up with what you need to get credits and for what subjects you need them for and stuff.

Any basic intro would be greatly appreciated.

[Nutmeg0065]

I just read on another thread that once you officially enroll in WGU, they won't accept any more transfer credits. I have a start date of October 1, but I believe I'm not officially enrolled. If I want to take CLEP tests for things like the math, do I need to do all of that before I officially enroll? I've had a transcript evaluation but haven't done the other things that are required before starting.

After starting WGU, will I still have flexibility to choose how I complete each class, such as choosing study.com or CLEP, etc? Or will everything have to be done a certain way?

Just wondering if I should keep working through the requirements on my own first, until I can't do any more on my own, then enroll.

Thanks!!!

[quigongene]

I just read on another thread that once you officially enroll in WGU, they won't accept any more transfer credits. I have a start date of October 1, but I believe I'm not officially enrolled. If I want to take CLEP tests for things like the math, do I need to do all of that before I officially enroll? I've had a transcript evaluation but haven't done the other things that are required before starting.

After starting WGU, will I still have flexibility to choose how I complete each class, such as choosing study.com or CLEP, etc? Or will everything have to be done a certain way?

Just wondering if I should keep working through the requirements on my own first, until I can't do any more on my own, then enroll.

Thanks!!!

You're not officially enrolled until after your orientation (which is after you pay them). My EC told me that you should have everything submitted by the last day of the month prior to your start date (in your case, today). You can push back your start date if you want to keep doing credits outside WGU, but once you've hit "enrolled" status, you have to take their classes to get credit (no SDC, SL or CLEP). Also, my EC mentioned that the "hard date" for orientation is the 15th of the month before your start date (so 9/15 in your case).

How you decide to do credits (via WGU or externally) is up to you. I personally wanted to knock out some courses that I wasn't interested in doing at WGU, so I waited.

[bjcheung77]

I just read on another thread that once you officially enroll in WGU, they won't accept any more transfer credits. I have a start date of October 1, but I believe I'm not officially enrolled. If I want to take CLEP tests for things like the math, do I need to do all of that before I officially enroll? I've had a transcript evaluation but haven't done the other things that are required before starting.

After starting WGU, will I still have flexibility to choose how I complete each class, such as choosing study.com or CLEP, etc? Or will everything have to be done a certain way?

Just wondering if I should keep working through the requirements on my own first, until I can't do any more on my own, then enroll.

Thanks!!!

1) For math, you can try and take your hand on the CLEP, if you want, you can try ALEKS instead.
2) You need to complete whatever you want to complete BEFORE you enroll at WGU
3) After you enroll, you don't take StraighterLine, Study.com, or any other third party providers, it's all through WGU.

So - I recommend you do all you can BEFORE you take up enrollment at WGU.
In other words, get all the ALEKS, SL/Study.com, and whatever you need FIRST.

[bluebooger]

the alternative is do everything at WGU for one price

you're paying the tuition for one term and you can do as many course as you're able for that one price

its all self paced, no forums to post to, no group assignments to do

you can pay CLEP and StraighterLine a few hundred dollars and then pay WGU $3,190
or you can just pay WGU $3,190

[quigongene]

the alternative is do everything at WGU for one price

you're paying the tuition for one term and you can do as many course as you're able for that one price

its all self paced, no forums to post to, no group assignments to do

you can pay CLEP and StraighterLine a few hundred dollars and then pay WGU $3,190
or you can just pay WGU $3,190

While I somewhat agree with you, there are some exceptions here. For example, WGU accepts the Cloud Security Alliance's CCSK exam in lieu if ISC2's CCSP exam. The former is open book, 90 minutes, 60 questions and you can take it at home (and it never expires). The latter is an ISC2 cert, 4 hours and 150 questions at a test center (and requires $100/yr AMFs and CPEs to keep valid). I studied non stop for 6 weeks for the last ISC2 exam I took. That's 6 weeks I could be working on other coursework, plus $100/yr I won't have to pay ISC2 (not to mention CPEs).

So saying "just pay WGU" may/may not work for everyone. The beauty of this forum is empowering people to get a degree at their own pace and in their own way.

[Nutmeg0065]

Any suggestions about what credits I could / should acquire before starting WGU? I'd appreciate some suggestions. With our move, I'm not even getting much done on my Udacity Nanodegree right now, so I shouldn't go ahead and pay for WGU when my progress is currently so slow. I really need to finish the nanodegree but it's been really hard to get any time for it in the last few months.