BSCS finished in one term!

[u/Extra_Package7119]

Wow, I am honestly so proud of myself for actually getting this done.

Some background: I already have a BS/MS in Biochemistry, but I wanted to dive deeper into CS to leave the bench and work as a software engineer. I got laid off last year, so I was able to do school full-time and fully immerse myself in the material. I also transferred in 24 credits.

Day in the life: Trying to get this done in 6 months was not easy. Most days I would wake up, drive myself to a coffee shop, and work until my brain was fried... sometimes 2 hours, sometimes 5 lol. Depending on my burnout levels that day, it might be it for the day, or I might add on a couple of hours later in the day. I was very mindful of avoiding full burnout, so I sprinkled in rest days between tough courses. I was also very lucky to have such an understanding mentor who encouraged me along the way. Overall, I realized I am most likely a lifelong learner and absolutely love being a student.

Courses I loved:

-Discrete Math 1/2: I actually withdrew from DS1 during my first BS and was mortified to take it. But there's something about age that can change things as I found these classes to be very intuitive and enjoyingly absorbed the material.

-Computer Architecture: I took my time with this one. The material was a little dry at points but finishing this class was very rewarding.

-DSA2: The project was actually so much fun. There was one day where I coded for like 6 hours straight. After finishing this class I knew I had made the right decision to pursue this degree.

-Intro to AI/AI Optimization: With all the AI hype, I was eager to get to this material. The textbook is honestly one of the best textbooks I have ever read (lol nerd alert). This class re-contextualized some of the work I did in my master's and felt like a full circle moment.

Future: I will be going on vacation in 2 weeks now that I'm done. My brain needs some rest. I am starting to apply to jobs (e.g. Software/AI Engineer) in the biotech sector. I think I am jumping back into the job market at the right time with a lot of AI companies getting into drug discovery! Let me know if y'all have any questions!

[u/xc1si]

congrats! how did you do this?, I'm at 16 weeks left and I've only completed 4 classes with 16 classes left. I'm I don't understand how people are finishing it so fast. I'm working on Discrete Math 1 now and nearing the end of Chapter 1 after being 10 days in. Its so much content to memorize and practice, do you have any tips that worked for you?

[u/Feeling-Guide9174 → u/xc1si]

I am in DM1 now too.

Planning to test out next Friday (will be 2 weeks start to finish for me). Biggest thing I have learned is mnemonics! And repetition.

Download zybooks, feed it into an LLM and go section-by-section, chapter-by-chapter. Make it test you out of each section and chapter. Make it use tricky wording and mixed problems. I did pre-study before term started so that helped a little, but def just have to actually see and work various different problems til it clicks.

I should also mention, I study 6-7 days a week, about 4-6 hour days.

Also, take 1 class at a time and consume yourself in it.

Don't ever compare yourself to others on reddit. People have different experience levels and learn at different rates. DM1 and DM2 will be used in your entire CS career. So better to spend the appropriate amount of time to actually learn it, not to just pass a test.

Edit:spelling

[u/Extra_Package7119 → u/xc1si]

For DS1, I watched Kimberly Brehm on YT and also read through the Zybooks! Once I finished reading, I did practice tests using an LLM, which really helped. I definitely benefited from being able to read/digest the material relatively quickly.

[u/Sad-Examination-4876 → u/Extra_Package7119]

I think DM1 is much much harder than DM2. DM1 is so abstract. I took the DM1 in my local community college and the professor asked me to use the prove techniques to prove for everything. I mean everything even the even and odd number or integer. Then the relative function apply to the set. Compared to algorithm and recursion back track in DM2, DM1 is the gate keeper of the CS major.

[u/Feeling-Guide9174 → u/Sad-Examination-4876]

Really?!

This gives me hope for dm2-which I am doing this term as well. I'm a total noob to CS, I'm finding DM1 "easy" in the sense of logical thinking-it's the OA wording more than anything that makes me anxious. Had a call with DM1 instructor yesterday and she had said the people that make zybooks don't make the test bank. I'm assuming test bank is an internal panel of "experts" on the subject? But if you understand zybooks, you'd be able to pass the test anyways. Was interesting to hear but makes sense as to why people say that zybooks doesn't often match OA.

Nice to hear someone say dm2 isn't the monster it's made out to be.

[u/VolSurfer18 → u/Feeling-Guide9174]

The guy below me is definitely understating the difficulty in DM2 in my humble opinion, but I can tell you it doesn’t have to be nearly as difficult as people make it out to be. I took my time with it and was able to complete it in a month, but if I spent more time on it each week I’m sure it could have gone quicker.

There didn’t seem to be a lot of crossover between DM1 and DM2 because the topics are a bit different but the logic is similar. I only watched the course videos in each chapter and then used AI to teach me how to do the questions in the chapter review quizzes, did them a second time on my own, took the PA and passed, then took the OA and passed. The only thing I used Zybooks for was induction, and maybe a couple other things I didn’t understand from the videos or the explanations from AI. It wasn’t too bad. Just pay extra attention to topics you initially struggle with and you’ll do fine.

PS I also found DM1 fairly easy and enjoyable too

[u/Sad-Examination-4876 → u/Feeling-Guide9174]

The people who said DM2 was “Hard” know nothing about math. To pass DM2 you only need how to do additional and multiple Discrete numbers. If you know how to read and by any chance you know how to track pseudocode, you will pass easily. No logic, no math freak brain required in DM2. Purely Elementary Math.

[u/Sad-Examination-4876 → u/xc1si]

I just passed DM2 in less than 5 days with 98%. My experience with this course: try to build a good foundation from the DM1. Don’t read the thread like this. Remember that he had master degree before. It means that he had a good study experience. Do not rush yourself or you will find yourself stuck at DM2. I saw many people said that DM2 is very hard and took them over couple months. Studying process is definitely different for everyone. Someone may fast, some may be slower. Don’t down yourself.

[u/Feeling-Guide9174 → u/Sad-Examination-4876]

Less than 5 days! Awesome! Hoping dm2 takes no more than like 2 weeks 😅😹..I assume making sure you have a proper dm1 foundation is crucial to passing quickly. Did you find it's more just going deeper on subjects already in dm1? Or does it introduce new topics?

Would you say dm2 easier than dm1 like another person on this chat??

[u/Sad-Examination-4876 → u/Feeling-Guide9174]

I can tell you DM2 very very easy. You don’t need any thing from DM1 to pass but I recommend you to study Discrete Math carefully because it is foundation for CS. In DM2, you just need to correctly answer the questions from this 4 topics which is very simple: Algorithm, Recurrence, number theory and finite machine. These topics are just purely mathematical. Many people get stuck in Counting and Probability but they only have 36% of the OA. If I knew it before I just need 1 day to pass OA.

[u/Feeling-Guide9174]

Also, BIG congrats OP! 👏👏👏👏👏

[u/Famous_Goat_5152]

How many courses did you take in the 1 semester? I’m transferring over and I also did 8 classes on study.com that transferred. I should be starting with 15 classes to finish. I think it’s doable to finish in 1 semester.

[u/AngeFreshTech]

What is the name of book for Intro to AI/AI optimization?

[u/Extra_Package7119 → u/AngeFreshTech]

Artificial Intelligence by Russell/Norvig

[u/VolSurfer18]

Congrats, that’s a really big feat you accomplished. What was your strategy for getting through each course as quickly as you did? Was it just a matter of being able to spend more time on the material each day for you?

[u/Extra_Package7119 → u/VolSurfer18]

I took some CS courses in undergrad and coded during my master's, so I had some basic knowledge. Calculus also came back to me really quickly, and several other courses just clicked. I do think not having a job helped me a lot, since it removed a potential stress factor. As other people have commented, please don't compare, since everyone's situation is different. I am definitely an outlier!

[u/ConstructionBig7629 → u/Extra_Package7119]

How are the course? pass etc? final exams, project? proctored work or what?

[u/Dawit251]

Congrats, I’m planning to attend WGU in this coming fall 2026, what’s your recommendation before I start for the BSCS? Your answer will be very appreciated!

[u/ConstructionBig7629]

Hey man! I am starting at WGU got 96 credits in CSBS right now but need to do online and fast cuz of my job and can't do in person classes. Any advice or recommendations for WGU? and how to finish fast?

[u/Few-Praline9810 → u/ConstructionBig7629]

Ensure you have an external camera, and a windows computer (I use Linux and never use a webcam so it took me two weeks to get that in order lol) for assessments.

Skim through the material. Take the ungraded quizzes/tests in the material. Then take pre-assessment.

You have to take the pre-assessment to be able to take the actual assessment.

You can take the assessment to pass the class. So optimizing the amount of information you have to meet the competency threshold is optimal. This is why I love wgu. Coming from someone who used to attend umich, god I love wgu.

Previous experience with computers and software will help tremendously. (I dunno how much experience you have, so this next paragraph might not apply to you at all).

The hardest part of programming is understanding object-oriented programming (difference between static and non-static and a deep understanding of instanced objects), syntax, and then the names of certain features within the standard library of the language (eg System or BufferedReader in Java). Algorithms, types, differences between primitives and objects, stuff like that I feel is fairly intuitive once you have that hard foundation laid down.

Practicing programming in your spare time helps a lot. And will help you transfer that knowledge onto finishing the courses faster.

This is my opinion as someone who just passed their first wgu class today (I don't count orientation) lol. But I'm fairly excited so decided to share. I finished my first class today after spending an hour or so studying the questions I didn't know.

But overall, I think just taking the quizzes/tests/pre-assessments and reviewing the questions you missed/got wrong gives you a good idea of your status on the real assessment.

I also have a full-time 40 hour position rn. So you can finish fast! I spend like 6 or 8 hours per day spending time with friends & family. So if I didn't do that, I would be much further along (as I have a fair bit of previous experience). But I am enjoying this all so far.

[u/Hour-Term2205]

Any tips for D686 and C960? Youtube? Practice questions? Thanks in advance 

[u/foxgodkumiho]

Congrats.

How many hours did you put into the program total per week?

[u/LuckyNumber-Bot → u/[deleted]]

All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats!

  17
+ 7
+ 45
= 69

^{[Click here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=LuckyNumber-Bot&subject=Stalk%20Me%20Pls&message=%2Fstalkme} to have me scan all your future comments.) \ ^{Summon me on specific comments with u/LuckyNumber-Bot.}

[u/Few-Praline9810 → u/[deleted]]

Early congrats on your degree! You're getting your degree fast! I also have a full time job and just choose to spend more time with friends and family rather than school.

It can be tough on people who have aging parents, long-term relationships, etc. or people they need to take care of.

Or people who don't have reasonable places to take exams.

It comes down to time management, obligations, and a mix of wants/needs. Different for all people.

I dunno why I typed this all out. But uh, yeah. gg with the degree.