CS Correspondence/Online Schools? 13
cs dropout asks: "I'm one of those quit-school-to-take-great-job-in-the-industry guys, and now I'd like to finish up my degree. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience or recommendations for a Correspondence school or one with a completely online program. I have about 70 credits now, and am looking to finish up my CS Major, but I don't have time around work to attend regular classes. Suggestions?" It's difficult for people to work first and get their degrees later, mostly due to the fact that a lot of people don't have the time for college after starting their careers. Such schools like this would make it a lot easier for folks to test-the-waters in this rapidly changing industry and would serve to focus their choices when they do decide to finish their education. Thoughts?
I can tell you where /not/ to go.... (Score:1)
Why? Well, my bachelor's wasn't in CS. That somehow invalidated everything. The Chair was cool, and willing to deal, but the old-fart grad-program admin wouldn't.
Go figure.
Wot? (Score:1)
The university I went to as a lad had a fast-track, exam after exam, version of the entire computer course.
Tis lovely.
Re:Wot? (Score:1)
---
I think this might apply (Score:2)
After a month, I'd had my fill of it. It was extremely hard to comunicate with the teachers, expectations were not clearly communicated, and the quality...well, there wasn't any!
I've since returned to normal high school, and I like it a lot better. There is really something neat about actually having a real teacher, with real passion about the subject.
On the other hand, my sister goes to Florida University, and they let her see movies of the lectures at home on her computer. She seems to like it better.
I guess the hard part is balancing it with your work. School can get pretty demanding. Think about what you aim to get out of the courses and the demands you're willing to place on yourself. Online school might be just the right thing!
well (Score:2)
--
Re:well (Score:2)
--
Re:Wot? (Score:1)
The course (bar two papers, I believe) could be done soley by tests. Of course, the tests weren't just ones regular students would do - they covered much more.
But with your reputation, Sir, perhaps they'd consider international study.
University of Phoenix (Score:2)
Oh yeah, one more thing. It's not just in Phoenix. There are 85 campuses aroung the country. (I don't want to tell you how many people have said "Oh, when are you moving?" when I tell them I go to the University of Phoenix :P)
Traditional vs. Non-traditional (Score:1)
I recently overheard one person attending a 'night' school say that he has not learned a thing and that he is only paying for his degree. He also stated that once his degree is done, he won't have to worry because whoever hires him will train him in what he needs to know.
I almost feel sorry for the people that use the easy way out. I have been going to school on and off for ten years attempting to get degrees. (Yes, I have taken semesters off for my family!) But, I still know the value of a GOOD education.
Florida State University (Score:3)
The only downside is that you need an AA or higher. You can get more information at http://www.fsu.edu/~distance [fsu.edu].
I am halfway through my first class in this program, and the quality is level is high. The instructors reply to email very quickly, and the web based software is easy and efficient to use. If you can get an AA with your 70 credits, this is definately the way to go.
CMU Distance Education (Score:2)
Carnegie Mellon University's Distance Learning [cmu.edu] program may offer some of what you're looking for. They have courses on videotape and the Web, as well as teleconference classes you can participate in. My own master's degree was in CMU's Software Engineering program, and I know the people who teach some of their classes, and they're all top notch. (As if there would be any doubt about CMU's faculty!) They even offer teleconference links to some of the classes.
In addition to software engineering, you can also take classes in the Heinz Business School, which is also one of the best in the country in its subject matter. CMU is expensive, but if you can get your business to foot part of the bill, it's well worth it. What I don't know about is whether you can transfer your credits in there or not. Even if you can't, some of their courses might be transferrable elsewhere, or they might have recommendations about another good distance program you could finish with.
interesting sidenote... (Score:2)
From a marketing standpoint, now universities can make money off of poeple who they never could before. If you live in another part of the country or in another country, you can now take courses and pay university tuition. Expanding markets is a basic business strategy and I've never seen a clearer example of it than online universities.
At Michigan State University, there is a 'virtual university' which seems more like marketing hoopla than an actual university. I think that most univeristies' programs will be this way because the administrators realize it's a good money maker, but the faculty are slow to implement it.
To stray back on-topic... If possible, I'd recommend going part time to a real university. Don't take things like interactions with professors or other students for granted. Faculty are all wizards in their own realms of whatever and are valuable resources if you ever need to know about whatever. Students will share many common interests with you, more importantly, they will share homework answers with you.
Franklin University (Score:1)
Anyway, I'm presently enrolled in the CS program through Franklin University [slashdot.org]. Their program is known as the "community college alliance program", wherin you take the required basic classes at your local comunity college, and then finish up the regionaly accredited degree through Franklin. The courses are entirely internet delivered, aside forom the tests which you take wherever you can find someone to proctor them.
Note that I mentioned "regionally accredited". There are some schools (a lot of them) that offer remote classes, but aren't accredited. Essentially, that means that their degeee means Jack Sh*t. Accredited school have to operate for like 7 years before they can apply for accreditation, and they have to meet some standards. Good employers know that, and post-grad schools know that (like the U oc IL's IMCS program - Internet Masters in Computer Science).
Having been enrolled in the CS program at the University of Illinois for 3 years (the highly regarded engineering one, not the crap LAS one) before moving on, I can tell you that the Franklin courses are generally better for someone who learns better by being presented with information then learning it. For those who like to be presented with busy work and having inaccessable instructors in a classroom environment that is generally pissed off because champaign/urbana isn't chicago... Whoa, off on a rant there.
Anyway, I've had good luck with franklin, and bad luck with UIUC. Look into it. It costs less than U of Phoenix, and they offer a real CS program that's not a MIS degree (basic CS for managers). The university of Maryland was the only other school I could find that was accredited and offerd a CS degree when I was searching, and they cost a few times franklin's rate (and would require me to take a lot more classes that I've already done).
Feel free to contact me if you wanna know more. I did a lot of research on thes schools before i chose one that was platform agnostic in their course delivery - 'cause I'm not gonna install windows just to go to school. :)
--Danny