Thinking about going back to college...

[Destructionator XV]

I was actually just reading slashdot and it make me seriously consider returning to college. I have no intention of leaving my hometown and I shall never step foot in a dorm again, so this leaves the option of the local community college.

My major in university was physics for a BS, and I was damn good at it, but for my return, I think I will go computer science, for a 2 year AS degree. The community college really loads me down with bullshit classes, however the combination of the classes I did at uni and the AP tests I did in high school, I should be able to thin those classes considerably, leaving only a few to either test out of or take online. The CC requires a gym class, but it is but one semester and I hear there are ways to minimize it, such as taking billards.

The actual requirements for the CS degree are:

CIS 116: Introductory Programming or
CIS 126: Intermediate Programming-FORTRAN 3

The hardest part about this will be taking my years of advanced real world experience and containing it so I can do what the teacher wants. Or staying awake during it. Should take me about 10 minutes to master this class.

CIS 216: Advanced Programming 4

Once again, I anticipate no trouble with this at all. I've written some complex code over the years and have worked with even more advanced code successfully. Again, the hard part will be staying awake.

CIS 225: Assembly Language 3

While ASM might be something scary to many, it was my second programming language, that I learned about 6 years ago now. I have written lots of ASM code, including a simple DOS-like operating system!

Should be cake.

CIS 250: Data Structures 3

Once again, I laugh at how simplistic this would be, though there might be more to it than I am thinking. However, even if there is more to it than I think, my years of actual code writing and hacking of other sources should make this easy to learn.

The other classes required are Calc I and II, both of which I did in high school and aced the college credit test, then moved on to do Calc III and Linear algrebra in uni for A's. In short: pwned.

Also required is physics I and II. Gee, nice major I already did. I also have the equivilant of one year of biology and chemistry. This will be a non issue.

English 101 and 102. I did the college credit in HS that will take care of at least one of these, and probably the other one too. The old uni took that HS test as both of these, so the community college should too.

Then social science. Did politcal science in uni, that should count.

Humanities. Took psychology in uni, but ended up with D+ in it. I fear I might have to do something here. But one class? I can simply do that online.

Then 'program elective', which is a random CS class. I am fully confident this will be cake.

And lastly free elective. I will see what my other credits can do for this, and whatever is left I will simply do online.

Total credits: 65-66. I had almost 70 in uni. If all those transfer, I am home free.


So, simply reapply for one of my scholarships, hopefully get that back, or just reapply for government school money, and I would have a very low cost in both money and time, AS in CS degree.

One question is what good is a 2 year degree from a community college? I figure it would either 1) count if I ever decied to go back to 4 year uni (unlikly, and if I ever did, it would be for physics or mathematics again, not CS) or more importantly 2) get my foot in the door to get a programming job and get paid to do what I do anyways.

Seems like a good plan to me. Anyone have any thoughts or ideas or critisim to add?

[Stofsk]

Why are you supposed to live in a dorm when you go to college?

[Narsil]

Why are you supposed to live in a dorm when you go to college?

Must be an American thing.

I don't have to live in a dorm.

[frigidmagi]

Alot of American colleges require freshmen to live in the dorm, afterwards, many form up into groups to rent apartments or houses, some even leave in their first semster.

[Cynical Cat]

Why are you supposed to live in a dorm when you go to college?

Is often is more affordable than the alternatives. Remember that although their are a lot of scholarships, university costs more in the States than in Canada, the UK, or Australia.

As for the value of community college courses, that depends on if other universities will accept those courses.

[Shark Bait]

I have to live in the dorm there is no way in hell I could afford rent in downtown Tampa.

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

Going back to college is always a nice thing, Adam. Go for it! *shoulder punch* Myself is considering to take a Master Degree in computer-related subject (I'm an Oracle DBA now), but I'm just too old and too lazy for those GRE.....

[Something Awesome]

I, of course, completely agree that you should go back to college, and I've been saying so since, well, you said you weren't going back. Community college may not be as "prestigious" or whatever, but it's cheaper, convenient, and better than nothing.

Though I'd personally like to see you go back to a four-year for a Physics or Math degree, but whatev.

[Destructionator XV]

Doctor is a damn cool title. Pity I can't do math and science without all the bullshit. And it is terribly expensive too. Terribly expensive, but that would be awesome. Like at a place like Clarkson, there is no gen ed bullshit, but the cost is prohibitive, even with all the scholarships and help from the government I had. State university has so many boring, irrevelant classes it drives me nuts. Community college teaches me nothing, it would be a simple formality to get the degree.

The degree itself means almost nothing to me. I just want to know everything. And doctor is a cool title. But so much bullshit in the way. And college life sucks. Classes don't bother me, as long as they are useful, but everything else is stupid.



I'm just randomly talking to myself here, feel free to ignore me. I don't even know what my point is.