Western Governors University Questions and Answers / Threads related to WGU

Bundiman

you should try contacting the IT department and see if they can fix it for you.

geekoncall

Yes, just got off the phone with IT, they are saying they can't help, they are sending me to student service and when I spoke to student service, they suggested me to talk "OUR IT HELPDESK", wired. Well, gonna give this weekend to see what happens.

Just a bad start, didn't expect like this, I work all days and planned to study on weekend, so another weekend without start.

jsb515

Can you take 1 term a year at WGU? reason I ask is my work place will give me $3000 per calendar year which would cover 1 term at WGU...

tacobelldog52

I was wondering if someone could help me out. I went to college a couple years ago, and to get a new loan for WGU, I need to pay one of them off ( which will be in May). I'm signed up and ready to go June 1, but I am just stuck until then. Would anyone be willing to give me the syllabi for a couple of classes so I might be able to start on a paper or two during this dead time?

Xyro

jsb515 wrote: »

Can you take 1 term a year at WGU? reason I ask is my work place will give me $3000 per calendar year which would cover 1 term at WGU...

Thank you for asking this question. I was also wondering about this.

Haunt

Posted this in the other WGU thread but thought I'd post it in here too since it's a question and answer thread:

Hi guys, new student here, just started March 1st enrolled in the IT - Network Design & Management program. I have an AS in IT so I got 60 CU transferred in so I have only 60 left to finish.

I want to know your guys' thoughts on some stuff. So I don't know if you guys are aware but Microsoft is retiring the MS 70-643 Applications Infrastructure exam and the MS 70-647 Enterprise Administrator exams on July 31, 2013. So after that date, you won't be able to take the exam and get a certification for it, but you'll still be able to go through all the coursework, you just won't be able to take the certification exam. Instead, WGU will have their own assessment for it.

So anyway, what I'm wondering is, do you guys think/know if they will let me take the Windows 7 course, and the other 4 MCITP courses in my first term so I can get the full MCITP: Enterprise Administrator certification before those two exams expire? Am I forced to follow the program outline and start with the simpler classes first or can I pick and choose which ones I want to take first? Have any of you done this?

Oh, and the whole reason I chose the ND&M emphasis instead of the Network Administration one was because I actually want to take and learn the material taught in the Applications Infrastructure course and the Enterprise Administrator course. Plus I'm not really interested in getting into Cisco (which is what I would have to take if I did the Network Admin program) and learning the CCNA material.

I'm going to ask my Mentor on Monday but I want to hear from you guys and see if any of you done something like this.

boredgamelad

Haunt wrote: »

Am I forced to follow the program outline and start with the simpler classes first

No, you're not forced to follow it.

Haunt wrote: »

or can I pick and choose which ones I want to take first? Have any of you done this?

Yes, it happens all the time. I didn't take any of my classes in order.

(Sorry for the blunt/short response. I'm on my way out to lunch.)

Haunt

boredgamelad wrote: »

No, you're not forced to follow it.



Yes, it happens all the time. I didn't take any of my classes in order.

(Sorry for the blunt/short response. I'm on my way out to lunch.)

That's good to know. Do you guys think it's a good idea or even possible to take and finish the Windows 7, Active Directory, Network Infrastructure, App Infrastructure, and Enterprise Admin courses in one term and complete them within 5 months (before July 31st)?

I'm not working right now so I'd be able to dedicate myself full-time to it but it still seems like quite a lot to take on in a short amount of time. What do you guys think?

PurpleIT

jsb515 wrote: »

Can you take 1 term a year at WGU? reason I ask is my work place will give me $3000 per calendar year which would cover 1 term at WGU...

There are issues with taking time off (I believe you can do up to 3 months, but I am a one term guy so I never really looked into this); if I were trying to maximize my work benefits I would start school in June, finish the term in November, take December off (you don't want to be cramming during the Holidays if you don't have to) and then start a new term in January.

You might also want to check with your benefits people to see if there are any gotchas in there. What if it takes 45 days to pay you after a successful term so you get paid in January for your July-Dec term? Does that count as your one payout for the year? I am kind of reaching there, but I would cover all your bases.

Also keep in mind you are probably looking at up to 6 weeks lead time to get through admissions, transcripts, etc so a June start is not as far off as you think.

jsb515

I think all i got to do is take the receipt HR and they pay me back for the cost. I would want to start until fall of the year. So it would be fall of 2013, 2014, ect.. if this works out my work would end paying for my entire education but I also need to check into financial aid also to see what else I could get that would help.

elderkai

Would I be able to get into WGU in the fall being 18 years old, fresh-outta-HS grad, with about 7 months of experience at an ISP by that point, and a CCNA(by then maybe CCNP)?

Psoasman

As long as you have a transferable cert, you should be ok.

Cisc0kidd

Might take a bit of wrangling. The enrollment group doesn't always get things right.

elderkai

Good to hear that I should be eligible, though. :P Thanks, guys.

Bundiman

Your CCNA has you covered


Your CCNA has you covered
To be admitted into this online IT degree, you must:

• Possess a high school diploma or its equivalent.
• Demonstrate IT experience through at least one of the following four methods:
  • Have earned an associate’s degree in IT or equivalent (A.S. or A.A.S. acceptable)
  • Have completed the following high-level IT coursework within the last five years:
    • Two or more upper-level Networking courses OR
    • Two or more upper-level Object-Oriented Programming courses (Java, C#, etc.) OR
    • One or more upper-level Operating Systems course OR
    • One or more upper-level Information Security and Assurance course
  • Hold transferable IT certifications earned within the last five years
  • Submit a resume showing three-plus years of IT work experience

You will also be required to take and pass the WGU Readiness Assessment—a short, three-part online admissions tests that helps determine the likelihood of success in a WGU program.

ssgmun5000

So I have been debating on which program to go for. Either the Network Design and Management or Network Administration one. I am leaning towards the Administration since my Cisco certs would clear some courses. I noticed that these programs are Microsoft based and not much of a balance with Cisco. What do you guys think?

PurpleIT

ssgmun5000 wrote: »

So I have been debating on which program to go for. Either the Network Design and Management or Network Administration one. I am leaning towards the Administration since my Cisco certs would clear some courses. I noticed that these programs are Microsoft based and not much of a balance with Cisco. What do you guys think?

What's more important to you, getting a degree fast or getting a degree you are more interested in?

If, like me, speed is your top priority go for the Administration degree because it sounds like you will have fewer courses to take. If you are really interested in the ND&M and don't mind it taking a little longer, go for that.

Assuming speed isn't an overriding factor, I seem to recall the courses being very similar so look at which classes are different and see what appeals to you more.

As for the MS tests, I have only had to take one of the MTA level courses (my existing certs covered the rest), but that one was not fun and from what I read on here and the WGU boards none of them are too easy.

Good luck!

jsb515

how long does it normally take for WGU to contact you? I just applied, did my fasa, and spoke to my HR about helping out with school, got my tech college to send a copy of my transcript to them that had about 27 credit hours. I got my email to do my assessments in the wgu student portal but waiting to talk to someone about my certs first and that i would like to start later in the year. Should I just call them or wait until later in the week?

PurpleIT

jsb515 wrote: »

how long does it normally take for WGU to contact you? I just applied, did my fasa, and spoke to my HR about helping out with school, got my tech college to send a copy of my transcript to them that had about 27 credit hours. I got my email to do my assessments in the wgu student portal but waiting to talk to someone about my certs first and that i would like to start later in the year. Should I just call them or wait until later in the week?

Do the assessments; you should get a call pretty quickly after that.

olaHalo

Is it typical to transfer in over 60 CU's?

jsb515

PurpleIT wrote: »

Do the assessments; you should get a call pretty quickly after that.

would doing the assessments affect me wanting to do some certs before starting the school later on this year?

ssgmun5000

PurpleIT wrote: »

What's more important to you, getting a degree fast or getting a degree you are more interested in?

If, like me, speed is your top priority go for the Administration degree because it sounds like you will have fewer courses to take. If you are really interested in the ND&M and don't mind it taking a little longer, go for that.

Assuming speed isn't an overriding factor, I seem to recall the courses being very similar so look at which classes are different and see what appeals to you more.

As for the MS tests, I have only had to take one of the MTA level courses (my existing certs covered the rest), but that one was not fun and from what I read on here and the WGU boards none of them are too easy.

Good luck!

Yes speed is a priority. Seems like the BS:Network Admin is the way to go. Hopefully if everything goes good should start on May 1st.

demonfurbie

if you want the fastest degree at wgu the normal IT degree will fit ... some of those ms classes are a b*tch and take good bit of time

PurpleIT

olaHalo wrote: »

Is it typical to transfer in over 60 CU's?

I don't think it is too unusual given that an Associates counts for 60, so any certs will put you even higher.

PurpleIT

jsb515 wrote: »

would doing the assessments affect me wanting to do some certs before starting the school later on this year?

I wouldn't think so - the assessments are just to make sure you are literate enough to attend. The transcript evaluation is what matters when it comes to transferring in certs for credit. There are deadlines with regards to when credit you transfer, but your enrollment counselor will go over that with you and to be honest, if you are so close to starting a term that you are up against the deadline I would just wait and let WGU pay for the exam. Actually, I would just study like crazy and let WGU pay for the exams even if I weren't starting for 6 months, but that's just me.

PurpleIT

demonfurbie wrote: »

if you want the fastest degree at wgu the normal IT degree will fit ... some of those ms classes are a b*tch and take good bit of time

If you are starting from scratch then that may be true, but for me and what I was transferring in the ND&M was the fastest.

jsb515

I know WGU as a college is accredited but is the program for all the IT also accredited with that? I have no idea how accreditation works so sorry if this is a silly question.

nosoup4u

Call them and ask

swild

jsb515 wrote: »

I know WGU as a college is accredited but is the program for all the IT also accredited with that? I have no idea how accreditation works so sorry if this is a silly question.

Yes, if the college is accredited by the regional Department of Education appointed body, then all of their programs are accredited (All the info you could ever want here) . There are additional accreditations that can apply to particular departments or programs, for instance CNSS 4011 or the NSA's Centers of Academic Excellence, but those are applicable to financial aid or transferring credits.

geekoncall

OK, my term started 1st of March, my mentor added 4 courses (13 CUs). I just finished LAE1. I asked my mentor to add a new course and she told me, she can't add. She can only add 1st of every month so I would have to wait until 1st of April. Is that correct ? I see many people do like, finish one and add another one, so how come she says she can add only on 1st of each month? any comments..