question about easiest certs to get for wgu admission.

monochromatik

so, i'm going to be applying soon to wgu for a security degree, most likely. the problem is, even though i have 75 credit hours, i don't have any junior/senior level it classes, obviously no associates degree, and no it work experience. so it seems like my best bet would be to get a certification before i apply. my question is, out of all the transferable certifications listed here: Transferable IT Certifications | WGU Online IT Certification what is my best bet for a certification i can manage to pass with some good study material/books? thanks guys, i really hope you can all help me on my path to working in the field.

also i was told that they might be doing away with a+ as a transferable certification so just to get that out of the way...

srabiee

Probably CIW Foundations or A+, although A+ consists of two exams and is expensive.

I've never taken an MTA exam, but that may be another option.

monochromatik

i would have just gone for a+ but my counselor hinted to me that they're planning on phasing it out as an acceptable it certification transfer, so that's why i'm trying to parse out what the next best option is, haha.

srabiee

In that case I would wait until they update their admissions policy. If they are dropping the A+, what else are they dropping? No use in wasting time and money if WGU can't give you straight answers right now.

Having said that, if it were me, I would call the admissions department and ask to speak to a manager about this, and be adamant that you are not willing to have your time and money wasted by pursing a cert that WGU is going to deem unacceptable in 4 weeks time.

monochromatik

well, that's what i'm saying. my counselor told me that they had been talking about dropping it soon and they didn't want me to waste my time pursuing it if that were the case. so they actually had my back. that's why i've crossed it off my list of certs i should go after.

srabiee

What other certs will they be dropping during that time? Highly unlikely that it's just the one. When WGU finally gets around to making changes, they tend to make changes across the board.

monochromatik

hm, good point. they made a point of stressing that a+ was but i'll see if i can get info out of them about any other potential drops.

looking at the options, maybe something like the microsoft: windows os fundamentals (mta) would be pretty easy?

anybody?

markulous

monochromatik wrote: »

looking at the options, maybe something like the microsoft: windows os fundamentals (mta) would be pretty easy?

Yes. I have that cert and with only 6 months basic help desk experience I passed it easily with less than 2 weeks of studying. It's also much cheaper than any CompTIA. I highly recommend going that route.

markulous wrote: »

Yes. I have that cert and with only 6 months basic help desk experience I passed it easily with less than 2 weeks of studying. It's also much cheaper than any CompTIA. I highly recommend going that route.

that's what i thought. i've read about people passing it with 1-2 weeks studying. i've been trying to ask my counselor if that would be a valid certification to get accepted into the it program but they haven't gotten back to me. but i think my choice is between that or maybe ciw foundations.

well, i was told an mta wouldn't be enough to get me admitted so i guess right now my choices are net+, security+, ciw foundations.

markulous

Did they really tell you a MTA isn't good enough but told you that CIW cert is? Wow...Everything I've heard about that CIW test is that it is one of the easiest certs out there. Like you literally do not even have to study for it. If they are still accepting that, then go with that. You can have WGU pay for your N+ and S+.

monochromatik

markulous wrote: »

Did they really tell you a MTA isn't good enough but told you that CIW cert is? Wow...Everything I've heard about that CIW test is that it is one of the easiest certs out there. Like you literally do not even have to study for it. If they are still accepting that, then go with that. You can have WGU pay for your N+ and S+.

yeah, i asked my counselor and they said it would transfer but it wouldn't be enough to meet my prereq to get accepted into the program. they told me to give them a list of certs i was looking at and they would tell me what would and wouldn't be good enough. i told them net+, security+, ciw foundations, possibly something microsoft.

TR4V1STY

I got in with this cert and 6 years of desktop support experience:

https://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/exam-70-687.aspx


its 'Exam 70-687 Configuring Windows 8.1'

thexfiles

I talked to admission and my understanding is they will only accept the certs that are in the program for example A+, network +, security + etc.

Is there any other ways to get accepted into the program besides just taking a cert. I have heard of people getting in other ways but I do not know if these ways (taking a sophia class) will count towards the IT program.

monochromatik

TR4V1STY wrote: »

I got in with this cert and 6 years of desktop support experience:

https://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/exam-70-687.aspx


its 'Exam 70-687 Configuring Windows 8.1'

i think the difference is you have actual working experience in the field and i don't.

thexfiles wrote: »

I talked to admission and my understanding is they will only accept the certs that are in the program for example A+, network +, security + etc.

Is there any other ways to get accepted into the program besides just taking a cert. I have heard of people getting in other ways but I do not know if these ways (taking a sophia class) will count towards the IT program.

like i said earlier, i was told they're phasing out a+ as an acceptable cert. not sure whether they meant just for admission or transferring at all but it's what i was told.

thexfiles

anyone have any experience in seeing if WGU will accept the Teex Cyber Security courses (I believe they are through FEMA and they are are ACE accredited) I believe you can get up to 6 ace college credits by completing the courses, and it is all at your own pace.



https://teex.org/Pages/Program.aspx?...=Cybersecurity

GreaterNinja

I would say one of the following: A+, MCP/MTA/MCTS, Security+, CEH, CHFI, or a ISC^2 related certification.

I got into the MS - ISA having a Security+ & CE, Net+, MCP. I did however have to explain that I covered things like patch management, mobile device management, hard disk encryption, etc. I had to explain at least 3 CISSP domains I covered in an email response and phone interview.


The funny part is WGU only does CompTIA, Microsoft, Cisco, and EC-C security certs. They do not do ISC^2 to my knowledge.

monochromatik

GreaterNinja wrote: »

I would say one of the following: A+, MCP/MTA/MCTS, Security+, CEH, CHFI, or a ISC^2 related certification.

I got into the MS - ISA having a Security+ & CE, Net+, MCP. I did however have to explain that I covered things like patch management, mobile device management, hard disk encryption, etc. I had to explain at least 3 CISSP domains I covered in an email response and phone interview.


The funny part is WGU only does CompTIA, Microsoft, Cisco, and EC-C security certs. They do not do ISC^2 to my knowledge.

like i said earlier, my counselor said they were phasing out a+ and mta wasn't big enough for them so i guess i have to pick something else.

xD Lucas

I went and got an MTA for the sole purpose of getting into WGU, and was still declined.

srabiee

Ask WGU for some updated documentation regarding which certs transfer into which classes. There used to be a PDF document floating around these forums, but I would imagine the policy has changed a bit since that one was uploaded. The enrollment department should be able to provide that to you. If not, ask for a manager, or ask to speak with the department that can provide that document to you. Stay on 'em and be adamant about it.

Good luck!

xD Lucas

The enrollment counselor specifically stated that I should get the A+, and reapply. That was back in May, though.

Mow

Here is what my counselor sent me. I assume it is the latest info.

monochromatik

so, an update... based on what my counselor has asked around about, i'll have to do one of the certifications that i'd normally get through the program except for a+ or project+. so that pretty much means ccna, ccna security, network+, security+ and linux+. how would you guys rank these in terms of difficulty and how long it'd take to study for them?

markulous

monochromatik wrote: »

so, an update... based on what my counselor has asked around about, i'll have to do one of the certifications that i'd normally get through the program except for a+ or project+. so that pretty much means ccna, ccna security, network+, security+ and linux+. how would you guys rank these in terms of difficulty and how long it'd take to study for them?

N+ is by far the easiest. I studied that for ~3 weeks and got a solid score on it. Had only remote help desk experience and no networking experience.

monochromatik

markulous wrote: »

N+ is by far the easiest. I studied that for ~3 weeks and got a solid score on it. Had only remote help desk experience and no networking experience.

i'll give it a go. any recommended study books for it? i just bought a kindle for the express purpose of buying/putting books on it to help with studying.

markulous

I used Professor Messer's videos (they are free) and the CompTIA Study Guide. Those were more than enough to pass.