CS Degree Questions.

TechJunky

I have been in the industry for quite a while now and I feel the computers courses will not be a big problem. However, the Math classes are going to kill me. I have to take a placement test for my math and I need to get placed in a calc 200 class for it to count towards my BS. What did you do, or what options should I look into to get up to par fairly quickly?

I was planning on a tutor or friend, but none of my friends have taken any calc classes that high. The only other option is my 18yr old sister who is a genious. However, I feel she will explain it so complex I wont understand.

ajs1976

I am in a similiar situation. I'm heading back to school and because it has been over 10 years since I completed calc II & III, I was told I have to take the placement test. (The fact that I'm in a distance learning program and they expect me to go on campus to take the test, is another story. Campus is 4 hours away)

To start preparing, I went to the local discount bookstore and picked up two books. The first is Sparknotes review for the SAT II Matth IIC exam. This book has chapters on Algebra, Geometry, Trig, Functions, and Stats. I am going to review it and if I have any problems with these topics pick up a book that focus on it. The other book is Schaum's Outlines for Beginning Calculus. After I get through that book, I may pick up a second one on Calc. The bookstore also has some college texts.

I am going to try to petition to have them accept my calc classes, if that doesn't work i'm looking into taking the CLEP calculus exam. The program I signed up for is "technology management" and is basically a business degree, so I don't need the heavy dose of math.

sir_creamy_

Thank god I'm done with Calculus! Well, it's been awhile, but I found the textbook "Single variable Calculus early transcendentals" by James Stewart to be an excellent introduction to the topic. I'm not sure if there is a newer addition but I know a variety of universities use it as the required textbook for their intro calc courses.

blargoe

Are you wanting to go into software development? Because that's really what a CS degree is geared toward at most schools. Not that it won't get you in the door because companies accept this as they do any IT degree, but I would hate to see you struggle with it because the curriculum is not interesting or doesn't apply much to you.

bighornsheep

My general feeling and understanding is that most Americans feel quite differently about this, but my personal opinion is that you should in many (not all) disciplines of work get a related university degree.

This doesn't mean that you are going to learn about what you are going to do, because It DOES NOT teach you the skills for that area of work...rather, it will prepare you for what the work might be like. Computer science has little to do with computers as astronomy has little to do with stars, but it does teach you to think in the mindset required for the field.

Some schools will offer a BA. in CS where you are not required to take as many maths and/or core CS courses, so this might be an option for you.

The comment about CS being software development, I would think of it differently, at least with what I have learnt about in CS, you should be prepared to work in any department using computer equipment with a software aspect, whether it's networking, software development, IT consulting, database, AI, graphics, animation and etc...

For the difficulty with math, I would really try and get someone to mentor you, or help you understand it, even though alot of people think that IT has little to do with the boring math they teach in traditional CS...you would be surprise how mathmetical computers actually are. I believe the great S. Morris said himself once that he wish he had learnt Fourier Transform in university through a more technical degree program...

TechJunky

I went through an IBEW electrical program where we learned Calc from day1. I have 4 years of calc experience, but it has been a year since I have used it, so I am not new to calc. I actually prefer calc over algebra. I understand that the BS degree is not going to teach me how to get my MCSA/MCSE, CCNA etc. I have been in the field long enough that if I want to get those certs I just need to buckle down and obtain them. This is not what I am in it for.

I have become bored for a lack of better words with the normal windows admin position and I want a degree that is known to be brain taxing so I can get on with a company that is willing to teach me more. Basically, I want to learn and I dont want to throw away money trying to do it. Further education is the best thing one can do for themself, not just as a business point of sense, but for a life goal.

So with that in mind I will look into the books suggested above and try and leech on to my peers for any information they may have.

My brother is taking the AAS route just because of the Math requirements. I am in a position where I know I am not going to move up any higher title wise, and money wise its not going to get any better until I get a decent degree and move onto a fortune 500 company. So with that in mind I want to obtain a degree that is mind taxing and shows I have the motivation to accomplish that goal, not something you just put your time into and get a degree.

For me its the journey that gets me there that I want to learn from, not the light at the other end of the tunnel.

TechJunky

Well, I finally went ahead and declared my major...

Computer Systems Engineering.

I figure this will get me where I want to be in order to work with a large environment with a good sized IT budget so I can learn to my hearts desire and make a pretty good salary while I am at it.

I have been studying my butt off the last couple of days to try and get placed in Pre-Calc or Calc.

sir_creamy_

Godspeed my friend

ajs1976

good luck

Kasor

From my experience, I took CAL I, II, III and IV. I believe CAL II and III are the most difficulty courses.

I will recommend you to get a tutor. I know that you might no need it in your job, but why do they required you to have it. CAL will help you to understand and break down systematic problems in real life.

I know it is suck, but get a tutor and learn it. Afterall, a good IT guy need to have basic knowledge on understanding multiple variables.

Good Luck & u almost there

sir_creamy_

Kasor wrote:

Afterall, a good IT guy need to have basic knowledge on understanding multiple variables.

Yeah, because differentiating with respect to X is ohhh so useful when it comes to configuring a Cisco PIX firewall...

JDMurray

Sentential calculus and predicate calculus are the ones you need for software engineering; you'll find them in the philosophy department.