Western Governors University Questions and Answers / Threads related to WGU

zidian

ecuadra wrote: »

Is there a list that shows what upper level WGU classes cancel lower ones???

ratbuddy's thread has a few from the software track listed out on the first post (or first few posts)

WGUser

Question,
I read online that someone said its not a good idea money wise to enroll in WGU until you have all the certifications first on your own time. Then focus on the classes for WGU and test out of everything else with your prior certificates. Their idea was that you would spend less time paying them to study for the Certs. Is this argument valid? What benefits would one have to enrolling then getting the certs? Thank you. I have tried to search for this answer for an hour and have not been successful. I appreciate it. Also if I worked in IT for 3 years will they let me convert that to credits? I wasn't sure.

techiie

@Wguser They don't convert any work experience into credits its not that kind of school. If you are worried about not being able to pass the certifications within a good time frame you can take the BS IT without a specific track. I read that most people usually don't have much problem passing the CIW exams. But if you are in one of the tracks with the Microsoft or Cisco exams you need to be aware those aren't exams you can study for in 2 weeks and expect a pass. People take months to get ready for the CCNA exams so taking that exam through WGU may cost you.

Danielm7

WGUser wrote: »

Question,
I read online that someone said its not a good idea money wise to enroll in WGU until you have all the certifications first on your own time. Then focus on the classes for WGU and test out of everything else with your prior certificates. Their idea was that you would spend less time paying them to study for the Certs. Is this argument valid? What benefits would one have to enrolling then getting the certs? Thank you. I have tried to search for this answer for an hour and have not been successful. I appreciate it. Also if I worked in IT for 3 years will they let me convert that to credits? I wasn't sure.

They don't convert life experience to credits, so no, you won't get credits for working. I know there are a few schools that do that and it involves doing portfolio assessments to see how closely your work fits with exact class requirements, etc.

There are positives and negatives to taking the cert exams before enrolling. In my mind, the most cost effective way would be to study all the material on your own beforehand for a few certs, enroll, then let WGU pay for the exams. First I'd just do a financial aid application, if you get decent aid there wouldn't be much of a point in trying to game the system by pre-studying and such, just join the school and use all their materials. If you are going to do all the certs yourself first you're also going to have to pay for all the study material yourself and pay for the exam costs yourself, which depending on how quickly you are learning and testing, might be as much or more than WGU would cost anyway.

Cisc0kidd

Study material plus exam cost is probably equal or greater than the cost of WGU tuition to do it while enrolled. I do think it is a good idea to have a couple certs under your belt and cover as much of the general ed requirements through CLEPs or an Associates degree as possible.

WGUser

Do you know if they count VMware VCA certs towards anything I have three. I was considering taking the network management cert because I am studying for the security + now and have the A+ and Net+ already. I have a feeling the three microsoft certs will be easy correct me if I'm wrong. Also I'm unsure about the CIW certs I know nothing about java etc. I think its weird to have that stuff in a Networking degree. So lets say I get the certs, that allows me to have credits and not take classes, I assume. So how much more credit/time are we talking 1 - 2 years? And also really what kind of material will I have to study, like english and science and math or IT stuff?

Danielm7

Transferable IT Certifications
So, nope, they don't do VMWare anything there that I've seen, so they don't give you credit for their certs.

It's not a "networking degree" it's a BS in IT, with a concentration on whatever you specialize in, so you have to do a bunch of more general IT type stuff too. Being a full BS degree you'll need to do all your lower level general education classes if you haven't already taken them. So yes, math, english and science, etc.

If you go to the page on the degree program you're looking at, here
Network Design Degree | Online IT Degree | WGU College of Information Technology
you'll see links to what certs transfer, all the classes you'd need to take, etc, it'll answer most of your questions about that program.

WGUser

Thank you. I still think I need to get the certs before enrolling because of this article I read Avoid Getting Certifications at WGU | My WGU Experiences

WGUser

I believe the honor dsst exams for credit, are there any applicable for IT?

Danielm7

I don't have any experience with them, but googling for a bit seems like they might depending on the class. Not for IT classes themselves, but for general ed classes. As with anything else, just call the school, it's free, they'll give you the right answers vs a couple year old forum posts in google.

markulous

Is there any way to bypass some of the Java and web design certs in the IT Security BS degree? I don't see any use for them for where my career is heading. I wouldn't be mad if I had to take classes online for them, but getting a voucher for them and going to a testing center for a cert that won't benefit me much seems odd.

Danielm7

Web technologies should waive web design fundamentals and project in web design fundamentals. I'm fairly sure project in intro to programming + intro to programming waives software development fundamentals.
The only other class you can waive as far as I understand in the Security program is database fundamentals by taking database 1.

markulous

Danielm7 wrote: »

Web technologies should waive web design fundamentals and project in web design fundamentals. I'm fairly sure project in intro to programming + intro to programming waives software development fundamentals.
The only other class you can waive as far as I understand in the Security program is database fundamentals by taking database 1.

One of the classes I took at my previous college gives me credit for Web Development and same with Software Development. So just because it says "Transfers with Certification only", it doesn't mean that when I'm at WGU, I need that particular certification then? Really, the only certs I want are Security+, all of the Cisco certs, and possibly Linux+.

advanex1

I have a question about transferrability. The website says that it is regionally accredited, but how does this work with CU's? Is there any school that would accept this degree/CU's?

Just curious for the future. WGU is looking like a good option, but in the future I would like to attend Northern Arizona University or ASU.

Thanks for your help!

TomkoTech

I'm pretty sure you are going to have to speak to Arizona University or ASU about transfer credits. However likely they won't. If your plan is to finish a bachelors at WGU and then get a Master's at AU or ASU then that is probably more likely to be accepted. I believe WGU has a list of schools that graduates have successfully went on to for their Master's

Danielm7

markulous wrote: »

One of the classes I took at my previous college gives me credit for Web Development and same with Software Development. So just because it says "Transfers with Certification only", it doesn't mean that when I'm at WGU, I need that particular certification then? Really, the only certs I want are Security+, all of the Cisco certs, and possibly Linux+.

Sadly you can't really cherry pick your certs, otherwise I would have passed on all the CIW ones. The best way to get the real answer on individual classes is just call the school and have them do a transcript evaulation.

markulous

Danielm7 wrote: »

Sadly you can't really cherry pick your certs, otherwise I would have passed on all the CIW ones. The best way to get the real answer on individual classes is just call the school and have them do a transcript evaulation.

I actually have the transcript eval already, I just wasn't sure if WGU had classes to sub for some of the certs. I thought maybe so since they won't issue me a voucher for the A+ since I've already taken classes at my previous school that are equivalent to it.

Danielm7

I see what you mean, a class that is like the A+ but doesn't give the A+ doesn't waive the WGU class. But, since you've already done that class in the past passing the A+ shouldn't take you very much time at all.

markulous

Danielm7 wrote: »

I see what you mean, a class that is like the A+ but doesn't give the A+ doesn't waive the WGU class. But, since you've already done that class in the past passing the A+ shouldn't take you very much time at all.

What the enrollment counselor said was that they won't issue the voucher for A+ since I already have credit for it. So basically he's saying I can't get the A+ unless it's on my own time (same with some of the MTA's). Or is that what you mean? I don't really want to spend money out of pocket for the A+.

Danielm7

One thing with WGU, the enrollment counselors are frequently the weakest link in the entire process. I haven't seen a case where anyone has had to pay out of pocket for tests, I'd just call and ask someone else. If your class is waived, it is waived and you don't need the A+. If you have a matching class, but no A+ and the class is only waived by having the A+, then they should give you a voucher.

advanex1

TomkoTech wrote: »

I'm pretty sure you are going to have to speak to Arizona University or ASU about transfer credits. However likely they won't. If your plan is to finish a bachelors at WGU and then get a Master's at AU or ASU then that is probably more likely to be accepted. I believe WGU has a list of schools that graduates have successfully went on to for their Master's

Right, ultimately Bachelors at WGU and then a Masters program at another university would be ideal. I'll look for that list, I appreciate it.

markulous

Danielm7 wrote: »

One thing with WGU, the enrollment counselors are frequently the weakest link in the entire process. I haven't seen a case where anyone has had to pay out of pocket for tests, I'd just call and ask someone else. If your class is waived, it is waived and you don't need the A+. If you have a matching class, but no A+ and the class is only waived by having the A+, then they should give you a voucher.

Well, my start date is March 1st, so I will just wait until then and see what I have available. When I had asked him he had to ask his supervisor and that was the answer he gave me.

Doyen

Arizona State University seems to be transferable according to the "Educational Paths of WGU Night Owls": WGU Alumni Community - Educational Paths

advanex1

Thanks Doyen!

stryder144

WGUser wrote: »

Thank you. I still think I need to get the certs before enrolling because of this article I read Avoid Getting Certifications at WGU | My WGU Experiences

Honestly, I read the article and can't seem to understand his logic. First of all, they provide information and assessments plus vouchers. If you went to a training center, such as New Horizons, you'd have to pay between $2k-3k to sit a five day course. That is approximately 6 months of tuition at WGU. Add in that you would likely take/pass several other non-tech classes in the time frame, and you come out ahead because you'll also have college credit for math, science, humanities, etc. Now, if you had all of your non-tech classes completed prior to going, then his argument has more merit, though I still think he's off-base somewhat. Unfortunately, I can't quite put my finger on what exactly doesn't make sense to me.

So, yes, it is possible to self-study, using free and inexpensive resources, and attain your CCNA. At approximately $300 for the test and an additional $100 for study materials, you could get it for around $400. Obviously, if you enrolled at WGU and the CCENT/CCNA tests were the only ones you took that term, then you spent way too much. On the other hand, if you also took/passed several other courses, then you might either break even or come out ahead. Really depends on which fruit cart you compare WGU to.

Just food for thought...not trying to start an argument. Also, if you haven't enrolled yet, having any CompTIA cert will make you eligible to apply for a CompTIA scholarship. If I remember correctly, it reduces out of pocket expenses by $500 a term, $2000 cap. Read this and this for further info. In a case such as this, getting one CompTIA cert before enrolling turns a less than $300 cert into a $2000 investment (should you get the max amount over two years). A much more compelling argument for getting cert'd up before enrollment.

WGUser

Yea I'm not sure how the scholarship divides up the money. 2000 off of 3000 for one term or like you said only 500 a term

Cisc0kidd

$500 a term up to $2000 total.

edicwhun

stryder144 wrote: »

Also, if you haven't enrolled yet, having any CompTIA cert will make you eligible to apply for a CompTIA scholarship. If I remember correctly, it reduces out of pocket expenses by $500 a term, $2000 cap.

Oh damn, I did not know about this - thanks for sharing that!

slatkin

Any stories of ppl being successful with the CompTIA scholarship after enrollment? I am set to begin March 1st.

Also, how long does it usually take for your mentor to contact you/have info loaded into the Student Portal? I completed Orientation on Sunday the 16th, received the confirmation email that I have completed the course, but nothing else has changed as far as the look of the Student Portal.

Doyen

stryder144 wrote: »

Just food for thought...not trying to start an argument. Also, if you haven't enrolled yet, having any CompTIA cert will make you eligible to apply for a CompTIA scholarship. If I remember correctly, it reduces out of pocket expenses by $500 a term, $2000 cap. Read this and this for further info. In a case such as this, getting one CompTIA cert before enrolling turns a less than $300 cert into a $2000 investment (should you get the max amount over two years). A much more compelling argument for getting cert'd up before enrollment.

This was some VERY great information that I am going to look into. Thank you very much for sharing this +rep