WGU 5 year policy on certs

azjag

After reading some of the previous posts on this site I decided to check out WGU for my own degree. After calling them I was informed about their policy regarding certifications. Apparently if you have certs that are over 5 years old they don't count. My A+ is almost 10yo. My net+ is change over 5 years old. I understand that my MCSA on W2K doesn't count either, even though it's less then 5 y/o. According to the guy I spoke with i would have to retake both exams. I know comptia says that you have to wait 12 months after passing an exam to retake it. However MS states that once you obtain your MCSA/E you cannot retake the exams. you can add security or messaging. Still waiting on the response from them about this. I find this wasteful since i have already earned the certs.

I guess the point of this post is I am wondering how other people faired when faced with a similar situation. Did you go ahead and take the tests again? did they look at combined experience and other certs and waive the requirement?

Thanks,

skrpune

here's how I understand it: with CompTIA certs, you can't retake an exam for 12 months after you've passed it. But if the objectives are changed, then that 12 month timeframe goes out the window. So if you took your A+ 10 years ago then the objectives have definitely changed, so you'll have to retake using the 2006 objective exams.

On the N+, you can either take the current 2005 version, or you can wait for the 2009 objective exams. (I personally wouldn't recommend taking a new version of an exam though, not enough books out & new exams tend to have kinks.)

Kinda sucks that they want you to retake CompTIA exams (especially since they do not expire), but I can see that they would want you to be "current" with your certs.

As for MCSA...I'm assuming you took the Windows 2000 OS exam? If so, then I think you'd 'just' have to take 70-290 & 70-291 to get your MCSA Server 2003. But you'd need to clarify whether WGU wouldn't balk at you using the "old" 2000 OS exam, or if they'd make you take the 70-270 exam. I know for a fact they wouldn't accept my 70-620 for the OS exam for MCSA, even though it's OK as far as MS is concerned....I guess they just have a certain prescribed path they want people to follow as part of the program.

WGU is pretty strict with the certification requirements - there are certain things that can be waived by previous coursework, but for most IT track requirements, you need to have the certification in order for it to be satisfied. The program is self-paced though, so you can just accelerate the pace of the topics you're already knowledgeable on and fast forward to taking the exams so you can at least save some time overall.

apena7

WGU just wants to ensure graduates have met the current standards required by CompTIA, CIW, Microsoft, etc. before sending you out into the real world.

plus, WGU pays for up to two vouchers for each certification exam (the third, if necessary, comes out of pocket). Someone like you could easily breeze past these exams again.

azjag

It's not so much breezing through the exams again. It's the fact that the Certs don't expire. I find it a waste of time and money to re-sit the exams. It doesn't feel like forward progress. I'd be starting from scratch again. Especially since my financial aid is paying for the tuition that has the cost of exams built in.

Has anybody had any experience with the training material they provide? CBT or video training, books or ebooks? Just curious about this. I did some searching but didn't find any that was helpful.

Then there is the 7 emails i have received from the counselor assigned to me. All automated from what I can tell. I have already replied with a long list of questions, hoping to clear some of these issues up.

Are either of you currently enrolled or graduates? Did you start from scratch or did you have and associates degree when walking in. What has your experience been?

Thanks again for your input i really appreciate it.

apena7

i enrolled in October 2008 with no prior degree -- only my CompTIA certs and general ed requirements. come to think of it, other colleges that i checked out didn't even accept my certs as upper-division credit .

September-late October were pretty stressful making heads or tails of this university. it seemed like you get the run-around, but that's expected with any online-based college, i guess.

i have only completed a few courses, but i am pleased with the resources provided. for example, when i took the CIW v5 Associate exam, WGU sent me CIW's official training materials (4 books total with cd-rom), and access to MeasureUp.com practice tests. there were also video training resources and access to books24x7.com, but i don't tend to use those much.

you just have to weigh the pros against the cons. i understand how you feel because i didn't meet WGU's requirements for math. i get pissed off too when told your hard work in the past isn't worth anything today. but i'll be dealing with it next semester

azjag

Did you have to pay for the books or did they include them with the class. I'm reading about what is covered by tuition and i come across these statements.

"All courses and other learning resources, excluding textbooks, that are scheduled in the student's personalized Academic Action Plan (AAP)"

and

"(Tuition does not include the cost of books or other learning materials required for courses.)"

Then i read your post where they sent you the training materials.

Just curious?

skrpune

azjag wrote:

It's not so much breezing through the exams again. It's the fact that the Certs don't expire. I find it a waste of time and money to re-sit the exams. It doesn't feel like forward progress. I'd be starting from scratch again. Especially since my financial aid is paying for the tuition that has the cost of exams built in.

Has anybody had any experience with the training material they provide? CBT or video training, books or ebooks? Just curious about this. I did some searching but didn't find any that was helpful.

Then there is the 7 emails i have received from the counselor assigned to me. All automated from what I can tell. I have already replied with a long list of questions, hoping to clear some of these issues up.

Are either of you currently enrolled or graduates? Did you start from scratch or did you have and associates degree when walking in. What has your experience been?

Thanks again for your input i really appreciate it.

I got the flood of emails too...one of the things that turned me off a bit. I'm not planning on going there & have decided to attend the local state uni instead, but I've done a lot of research on the place so I can help with a little bit of info.

From what I can tell, different people report different experiences with the study materials. There are no required books, only recommended study materials. And you get access to online book libraries - I think it's a scaled down version of Books 24x7. I haven't found anyone who's said they get CBT's, but there are several reports of folks getting cert books mailed to them as part of the program...which totally doesn't fit in with their policies of "books not included in tuition" but it works to the advantage of the students, so I don't hear anyone complaining!

meadIT

They provide ebooks, safarionline, and books24x7 subscriptions along with printed books for some courses. If there is a textbook required, that is not covered. Out of 20 classes, I've had to buy 3 books. Everything else was included.

apena7

my tuition includes "ComputerPrep" materials (basically the official CIW books), and while these are the primary resources, they are not considered "textbooks" (which are bought online).

as for CBT (Computer-Based Training) materials, MeasureUp.com and a site called "SkillPort" (little tutorials/lessons that can be watched whenever you want) are included.

send me a PM and i'll email you some handouts i got when i enrolled. it will help clear some things up.