Help with getting CS degree

[finishcsdegree]

Hello everyone,

Goal
To finish my CS degree as fast as possible. The plan that I had was to finish an associate's degree at Broward College and then transfer to University of Florida. But at this pace I think it will take years. So I am researching other options that are faster. I've looked into WGU, Full Sail and Dominican University of California who has an applied computer science degree. I didn't know about TESU until I came across this forum. So my main question is, which college (not just the ones I listed) would be the fastest?

Location: Florida
Age: 27
Degree: CS ideally I am willing to consider IT if I can complete it fast
Credits:

Plaza College
Course/Title/Grade/Credits
ENG0997    Intro Coll English      B    3
GEB1997    Business Concepts    A    3
THE1997    Modern Drama         A    3
UNC1997    Word Processing      A    3

Broward College
Course/Title/Grade/Credits
CGS1060C    Computer Literacy      B    3
ENC1101      Composition I            C    3
SPC1024      Intro Speech Comm    C    3
MAT0022     Dev Math                   A    4
REL2000      Intro Religion             A    3
HLP1081C    Total Wellness            B    3
PSY2012      General Psych            B    3
In Progress
AMH2020     US History 1877        TBD       3
ENC1102      Composition II          TBD       3
MAC1105C    College Algebra        TBD       5
PHI2010       Intro Philosophy       TBD       3

According to my Broward College (school I am currently attending) records I have a total of 33 earned credits and a 3.02 GPA

CLEP, study.com etc
None

Certifications or military experience
None

Budget
I have a couple thousand saved up. I'd like to go cheapest route possible, but will consider spending more/student loans for easy and fast

Commitments
None

Dedicated time to study
I can study as much as needed

Timeline
As fast as I possibly can

Tuition Assistance
None. My own money and student loans

Please bear with me, I am new to all of this. Let me know if any information is missing and I'll edit my post. Thank you very much for all your help!

---

[bjcheung77]

@finishcsdegree, Welcome to the board, WGU would be cheaper but wouldn't be easier/faster.  You're about two decades younger than I am, I suggest doing the trifecta of certs, degree, experience.  You don't have many classes in comp science and I doubt you have much experience in that field...You can do the TESU BACS and BS-CIS combo for a business/comp science major.

You can do a mix/match of what LevelUP and Rachel83AZ has on their degree templates on the WIKI
LevelUP: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan
Rachel83AZ: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...z_version)

[finishcsdegree]

@finishcsdegree, Welcome to the board, WGU would be cheaper but wouldn't be easier/faster.  You're about two decades younger than I am, I suggest doing the trifecta of certs, degree, experience.  You don't have many classes in comp science and I doubt you have much experience in that field...You can do the TESU BACS and BS-CIS combo for a business/comp science major.

You can do a mix/match of what LevelUP and Rachel83AZ has on their degree templates on the WIKI
LevelUP: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan
Rachel83AZ: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...z_version)

Hey thanks for your reply. I have a question, based on your response would that make TESU the fastest option? If so what would that be in terms of time? I know you can't give me an exact figure but if there is a ballpark figure so I can have an idea it would help a lot. Another noob question, what is the reason that TESU is recommended in the forums? Is it the fact that you can transfer a lot of credits therefore you can finish the degree faster?

Thanks for your help, really appreciate it

[bjcheung77]

For the most part, you can transfer in 114 credits and finish 6 from TESU, having said that, you should try to complete the 15 credits for residency purposes. You already have enough RA credits, you can decide on either paying the residency waiver fee or taking the 15 credits. You don't have the certs/experience to speed through a WGU degree, otherwise that would be a very good second option for you to decide from...

[rachel83az]

Full Sail is Nationally Accredited, not the "better" Regional Accreditation, which could limit your ability to pursue a Master's degree in the future.

WGU is usually only fast for students with significant prior certificates/experience.

I don't know about Dominican University of California, but I suspect that it'll be slower than SNHU. SNHU allows you to transfer in up to 90 credits, but those last 30 credits can take a year or more.

TESU is pretty fast because students can transfer in almost everything. The exception is the Cornerstone & Capstone courses.

There is also PUG. It might be slightly faster/cheaper than TESU, but it would be a lot of writing. (At least 40 papers and/or projects.) They also don't have CS degrees, only IT degrees, and you said you'd prefer CS.

[LevelUP]

@finishcsdegree, Welcome to the board, WGU would be cheaper but wouldn't be easier/faster.  You're about two decades younger than I am, I suggest doing the trifecta of certs, degree, experience.  You don't have many classes in comp science and I doubt you have much experience in that field...You can do the TESU BACS and BS-CIS combo for a business/comp science major.

You can do a mix/match of what LevelUP and Rachel83AZ has on their degree templates on the WIKI
LevelUP: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan
Rachel83AZ: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...z_version)

Hey thanks for your reply. I have a question, based on your response would that make TESU the fastest option? If so what would that be in terms of time? I know you can't give me an exact figure but if there is a ballpark figure so I can have an idea it would help a lot. Another noob question, what is the reason that TESU is recommended in the forums? Is it the fact that you can transfer a lot of credits therefore you can finish the degree faster?

Thanks for your help, really appreciate it

When discussing time, it's essential to specify what you mean. Are you referring to:

1.  The date when you will complete all your courses?
2.  The date when you'll receive your degree?
3.  The time required to complete all the courses? (This is the most precise option)

Regarding option #3, TESU is the quickest.

On average, each ALT course takes 20 hours or less to complete, so you can calculate the time needed based on your weekly study efforts.

Enrolling in TESU ensures completion in 3 months due to its fixed schedule. However, if you have only one course (the capstone), you can work ahead, but your final grade won't be available until the term ends. The capstone typically takes around 60 hours, with some variation, about 20 hours.

WGU is a reputable institution, but it may not be the best choice for transfer students. Their degree programs lack electives, and they are reluctant to accept credits earned over 5 years ago. This college is an excellent fit for experienced or high-achieving students but may not be ideal for those who struggle with exams.

SNHU typically takes 8 to 10 months to complete, given the transfer of 90 credits. The cost is around $10,000. If cost is not a concern and you desire a more traditional college experience or are seeking a specialized degree like Graphic Design, then SNHU is a viable option.

[finishcsdegree]

For the most part, you can transfer in 114 credits and finish 6 from TESU, having said that, you should try to complete the 15 credits for residency purposes. You already have enough RA credits, you can decide on either paying the residency waiver fee or taking the 15 credits. You don't have the certs/experience to speed through a WGU degree, otherwise that would be a very good second option for you to decide from...

Ah I see, ok thanks for the info. And yea I don't have any certificates but why do you say I don't have experience? Experience in what programming? I have 3 years of experience working as a software engineer.

---

Full Sail is Nationally Accredited, not the "better" Regional Accreditation, which could limit your ability to pursue a Master's degree in the future.

WGU is usually only fast for students with significant prior certificates/experience.

I don't know about Dominican University of California, but I suspect that it'll be slower than SNHU. SNHU allows you to transfer in up to 90 credits, but those last 30 credits can take a year or more.

TESU is pretty fast because students can transfer in almost everything. The exception is the Cornerstone & Capstone courses.

There is also PUG. It might be slightly faster/cheaper than TESU, but it would be a lot of writing. (At least 40 papers and/or projects.) They also don't have CS degrees, only IT degrees, and you said you'd prefer CS.

Got it, thanks for the help

---

@finishcsdegree, Welcome to the board, WGU would be cheaper but wouldn't be easier/faster.  You're about two decades younger than I am, I suggest doing the trifecta of certs, degree, experience.  You don't have many classes in comp science and I doubt you have much experience in that field...You can do the TESU BACS and BS-CIS combo for a business/comp science major.

You can do a mix/match of what LevelUP and Rachel83AZ has on their degree templates on the WIKI
LevelUP: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan
Rachel83AZ: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...z_version)

Hey thanks for your reply. I have a question, based on your response would that make TESU the fastest option? If so what would that be in terms of time? I know you can't give me an exact figure but if there is a ballpark figure so I can have an idea it would help a lot. Another noob question, what is the reason that TESU is recommended in the forums? Is it the fact that you can transfer a lot of credits therefore you can finish the degree faster?

Thanks for your help, really appreciate it

When discussing time, it's essential to specify what you mean. Are you referring to:

1.  The date when you will complete all your courses?
2.  The date when you'll receive your degree?
3.  The time required to complete all the courses? (This is the most precise option)

Regarding option #3, TESU is the quickest.

On average, each ALT course takes 20 hours or less to complete, so you can calculate the time needed based on your weekly study efforts.

Enrolling in TESU ensures completion in 3 months due to its fixed schedule. However, if you have only one course (the capstone), you can work ahead, but your final grade won't be available until the term ends. The capstone typically takes around 60 hours, with some variation, about 20 hours.

WGU is a reputable institution, but it may not be the best choice for transfer students. Their degree programs lack electives, and they are reluctant to accept credits earned over 5 years ago. This college is an excellent fit for experienced or high-achieving students but may not be ideal for those who struggle with exams.

SNHU typically takes 8 to 10 months to complete, given the transfer of 90 credits. The cost is around $10,000. If cost is not a concern and you desire a more traditional college experience or are seeking a specialized degree like Graphic Design, then SNHU is a viable option.

Awesome, I appreciate the help!

[LevelUP]

For the most part, you can transfer in 114 credits and finish 6 from TESU, having said that, you should try to complete the 15 credits for residency purposes. You already have enough RA credits, you can decide on either paying the residency waiver fee or taking the 15 credits. You don't have the certs/experience to speed through a WGU degree, otherwise that would be a very good second option for you to decide from...

Ah I see, ok thanks for the info. And yea I don't have any certificates but why do you say I don't have experience? Experience in what programming? I have 3 years of experience working as a software engineer.

You didn't list the experience when you started the thread.

WGU programming is mainly Java-based, so if you already know Java well, then it should be a breeze.
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/WG...egree_Plan

TESU CS program is also basically Java-based, though it only has 1 project in Java that you have to complete in a Study.com course.

[bjcheung77]

That's right, if you provided more details including that experience, or even more additional information I mentioned in the addendum, then you may be better off with another institution. 3 years is somewhat of a threshold I look at, it usually is 4-5 years, and that's when I usually would recommend people to go with a competency based degree as they will have sufficient experience to speed through assessments and assignments with ease... You're still at a standstill deciding the institution of choice, pick the degree/school and just go for it...

[dfrecore]

TESU will probably be fastest - if you can't get through WGU in 1 term, then it will be longer and cost more than TESU.

For TESU, you need the following:

Sophia
Intro to Sociology
Intro to Ethics
US Govt
2 science courses (6cr total)
Python or Java Programming
Calculus
2 add'l courses in Science, CompSci or Math
19cr of Free Electives

Study.com
COMPSCI 201: Data Structures & Algorithms
MATH 108: Discrete Math
COMPSCI 105: Intro to Operating Systems
COMPSCI 306: Computer Architecture (UL)
BUS 303: Management Info Systems (UL)
COMPSCI 302: Systems Analysis & Design (UL)
COMPSCI 303: Database Management (UL)
Optional but suggested: COMPSCI 307: Software Engineering to help prepare for the Saylor course (this would count as a CompSci elective in the AoS)

Saylor
CS302: Software Engineering (UL)

If you decide to do the single-15cr term at TESU, then you can replace any of the above courses with 3 TESU courses. To make life easy, I think MAT-1050: Applied Liberal Arts Mathematics and CIS-1070: Computer Concepts and Applications are the easiest/fastest options, and then an UL in the AoS is also suggested instead of the Saylor exam.