Western Governors University Questions and Answers / Threads related to WGU

TheChameleon

Let me know if you receive credit for CIW DB, it wasn't that easy to get and I'm not planning on started WGU before maybe November-January. I was trying to get most, if not all (if possible) all certs required ahead of time but I did recall seeing it on the transfer guidelines and also some states recognize it for ASA credit so they should allow it still. If WGU keeps changing things all the time and if they now won't give credit, then I wasted a bunch of time and money with CIW and have no assurances in their programs (bait and switch) and may need to re-think things.

Which track are you taking? I see for BSIT and BSITSEC they posted new transfer guidelines for after 07/1/2015. All others they posted guidelines for 05/1/2015 - 06/1/2015.

From your previous comments, I don't think they just let you jump to an exam and pass it. Don't have to follow their program. There are some assessments and if you score high enough, you take the final exam or there are some that further require certification. In some cases there might be written assignments. Otherwise if you have a certification to transfer ahead of time, I believe this allows you to skip the associated course and prerequisite intro or lower course because the 'certification' means you effectively mastered the course already.

Maybe someone who attends can help but this is what I gathered from this site, will help clarify for me also.

Here is the link I found to the guidelines:

http://sh.wgu.edu/articles/StudentHandbook/2888/?q=transfer+guidelines&l=en_US&fs=Search&pn=1

TheReceiver wrote: »

However I should have DB covered under the IT transfer criteria. It was last updated May 1st of this year, unless its changed (it could very well have been, just looking at the latest I have) ....

Repo Man

Can someone help answer this?

My company does not reimburse certification exams but they do reimburse accredited courses. Does WGU allow you to just take courses related to certain exams (MCSE, CCNA) without going through an getting a degree from them? I am getting my bachelors from a B&M and self studying for certifications. Figured I'd try and save money this way if I could.

ratbuddy

Nope, WGU only offers degree programs - no a la carte courses.

Repo Man

Thanks.

I guess this is off-topic now but any schools like that exist?

TheReceiver

TheChameleon wrote: »

Let me know if you receive credit for CIW DB, it wasn't that easy to get and I'm not planning on started WGU before maybe November-January. I was trying to get most, if not all (if possible) all certs required ahead of time but I did recall seeing it on the transfer guidelines and also some states recognize it for ASA credit so they should allow it still. If WGU keeps changing things all the time and if they now won't give credit, then I wasted a bunch of time and money with CIW and have no assurances in their programs (bait and switch) and may need to re-think things.

Which track are you taking? I see for BSIT and BSITSEC they posted new transfer guidelines for after 07/1/2015. All others they posted guidelines for 05/1/2015 - 06/1/2015.

From your previous comments, I don't think they just let you jump to an exam and pass it. Don't have to follow their program. There are some assessments and if you score high enough, you take the final exam or there are some that further require certification. In some cases there might be written assignments. Otherwise if you have a certification to transfer ahead of time, I believe this allows you to skip the associated course and prerequisite intro or lower course because the 'certification' means you effectively mastered the course already.

Maybe someone who attends can help but this is what I gathered from this site, will help clarify for me also.

Here is the link I found to the guidelines:

http://sh.wgu.edu/articles/StudentHandbook/2888/?q=transfer+guidelines&l=en_US&fs=Search&pn=1

According to that updated IT transfer criteria I would actually receive more CU's. Not much but about 3-5? I just went over it real quick.

They give more for Windows 7 and also more for Project+. So should be about 3 more CU.

Ugh the more I think about this its going to be really difficult to get this done in two months. The only thing I can do now is possibly starting reading up on scripting.

Can anyone confirm if Scripting is part of the course layout? If so, what reading material should I consider reading into since I now have 2 months of waiting? Everything else in the course layout is a non issue to me, I know I can overcome GE courses by muscling through them. Scripting is my only concern at this point.

vmixer

TheReceiver wrote: »

So you dont have to go through all the course material if you dont need it? Just pass the "exam" for said course and move on to the next one?

I haven't technically started yet, I did EWOB on May 15th and I start June 1st. As soon as I paid, I could see my degree plan and all my tasks. I just can't do cohorts or contact course mentors (actually I take that back. I assumed I couldn't but I was wrong. I started grinding on classes the moment I finished orientation, and in the last 12 days I would say I have almost completed my first term. I have been in contact with my mentor and she's opened up more learning resources for me so I am already working on Term 2 She's been super supportive!

The first two classes I passed in about four days. It was nothing new to me, and each class had two written tasks. I think I took a day per task. They were simple rubrics to follow. (classes were ethics and Legal Issues)

I have finished 2/4 tasks for eng 101. I should be doing task 3 now...sigh. I plan to wrap up this class y 6/1 as well.

I have also passed two pre-tests above the cut off. Again things I already knew.

If all goes as planned, I will turn in all the assignments (and pass!) and take 2 tests in my first week for a total of 16 CU!

I know the pace wont keep up as I move into stuff I need to actually learn not just prove I already know. I am trying to space it out, so I always have an easy class and a hard class. Again I have told my mentor all this and she's cool with it. Im not working, I dont have kids or a needy spouse. Im spending about 8 hours a day, perhaps more when I factor in the reading. I don't think I could do 15 hours a day, but I am almost 40. If I were in my 20s? maybe. I came in with 3cu (!) but my goal is 2 years. I think that is a class every two week.

ratbuddy

Repo Man wrote: »

Thanks.

I guess this is off-topic now but any schools like that exist?

Pretty much every community college has courses like that, and many offer them online. For example, Stanly CC has a VCP prep course that's cheap and fairly popular.

Repo Man

ratbuddy wrote: »

Pretty much every community college has courses like that, and many offer them online. For example, Stanly CC has a VCP prep course that's cheap and fairly popular.

Thanks. I have seen classes that map to a certification but not ones that provide the voucher.

TheReceiver

TheChameleon wrote: »

Let me know if you receive credit for CIW DB, it wasn't that easy to get and I'm not planning on started WGU before maybe November-January. I was trying to get most, if not all (if possible) all certs required ahead of time but I did recall seeing it on the transfer guidelines and also some states recognize it for ASA credit so they should allow it still. If WGU keeps changing things all the time and if they now won't give credit, then I wasted a bunch of time and money with CIW and have no assurances in their programs (bait and switch) and may need to re-think things.

Which track are you taking? I see for BSIT and BSITSEC they posted new transfer guidelines for after 07/1/2015. All others they posted guidelines for 05/1/2015 - 06/1/2015.

From your previous comments, I don't think they just let you jump to an exam and pass it. Don't have to follow their program. There are some assessments and if you score high enough, you take the final exam or there are some that further require certification. In some cases there might be written assignments. Otherwise if you have a certification to transfer ahead of time, I believe this allows you to skip the associated course and prerequisite intro or lower course because the 'certification' means you effectively mastered the course already.

Maybe someone who attends can help but this is what I gathered from this site, will help clarify for me also.

Here is the link I found to the guidelines:

http://sh.wgu.edu/articles/StudentHandbook/2888/?q=transfer+guidelines&l=en_US&fs=Search&pn=1

I can confirm that I have gotten 60 CU transferred and CIW DB was one of the certifications transferred.

Jasiono

Des anyone have any tips on c179? This class is killing me with all of this damn information upon information upon information broken down with more information upon information. Etc. lol

techfiend

C179 is another pita course. I'm in the middle of it right now, passed the practice test pretty early on but the final is very different and failed the first time. There are at least 10 questions on the final that I can't find in the coursework. The pearson CourseConnect seems to be a nice straightforward learning resource but a lot of it doesn't match with the final. The MIS book is incredibly dry in my opinion, the skillsoft is decent but only covers 2 topics. This is a new course that could use a lot of polishing, might want to delay it as long as you can. Also the business process test questions are so cryptic that it comes down to a guess.

Jasiono

I complained to my student mentor about the course. It's horrible. The course mentor put together what seems to be a shithole of a sequence of doing things.

She he has you read a part of chapter three in one section and then the entire chapter 3 in another.

Sheesh.

I wish I could put it off but all I have is this, project management, my ccna, ccna security and capstone project.

im glad it's not my brain failing on me. It's a shame

its like they they quickly made up material without thinking about it

TheChameleon

Congrats!

Did they give a break-down of which classes that certs knocked out?

TheReceiver wrote: »

I can confirm that I have gotten 60 CU transferred and CIW DB was one of the certifications transferred.

010101

I know there's probably 50 variables, but how much money is this costing you guys?

techfiend

Tuition for everyone is around $3000 per 6 month term, in my case I hope it's 2 terms for 77 CU's.

Jasiono

Has anyone taken one of their proctored exams they make you take with the webcam they sent and forget that you are being watched, and just let one rip so loud it shakes the house?

Ugh

markulous

Jasiono wrote: »

Has anyone taken one of their proctored exams they make you take with the webcam they sent and forget that you are being watched, and just let one rip so loud it shakes the house?

Ugh

I always wanted to see how much I could get away with on those. Like if you rip ass then start taking your clothes off at what point do they stop you?

TR4V1STY

Jasiono wrote: »

Has anyone taken one of their proctored exams they make you take with the webcam they sent and forget that you are being watched, and just let one rip so loud it shakes the house?

Ugh

lmao, no, I have only experienced the silent-but-deadly test farts.

I do have a serious problem with my cat, though. She gets bored about an hour into the test, hops up onto the desk, and asks for pets. The test administrator doesn't like that.

Jasiono

I'm always afraid of my dog coming up to me. Sometimes when I study she will flat out put her paws up on my shoulders and look into my eyes, and lick my face begging me to pet her.

Anyway, today I was more relaxed than usual, propped my feet up, leaned back and drank while I took the test.

Passed with an 85% too.

He didn't stop the test once (I thought he would after my wife had an explosion on the toilette). I let out a little chuckle

nster

I've never had pets so forgive my ignorance but... couldn't you just close the door of your room and leave the pet outside of the room?

TR4V1STY

nster wrote: »

I've never had pets so forgive my ignorance but... couldn't you just close the door of your room and leave the pet outside of the room?

I have only taken a couple tests so far on the webcam, so forgive my cat. I will lock her in the closet next time

Nemowolf

nster wrote: »

I've never had pets so forgive my ignorance but... couldn't you just close the door of your room and leave the pet outside of the room?

My living room doesnt have a door ...

kurosaki00

buy a door fence?

Jasiono

What's a door? :P

My dogs are usually in the next room sleeping when I take the exams. Don't want to lock them away because I would probably forget about them and fall asleep out here haha.

Jasiono

markulous wrote: »

I always wanted to see how much I could get away with on those. Like if you rip ass then start taking your clothes off at what point do they stop you?

Dangit man, I keep playing this over in my head
"RIIIIPPPPP"
*take off shirt*
*take off pants*
*take off underwear*

*the proctor watching you accidentally turns on his side of the webcam so that it displays on your computer and all you see is 10 guys hovering around watching you*

techfiend

I'm so used to multitasking during pre-tests that I opened a new tab once during a test, it took them about 30 seconds to catch it. Good thing I wasn't trying to look up an answer.

Jasiono

Checking your facebook or something? lol

The guy told me to open up task manager to see what was running and he wanted me to shut down my KOMODO Antivirus. I told him no. He said he didn't know what the program was when clearly it says KOMODO ANTIVIRUS. He was fighting me about it and I ended up telling him "Either I take the test with it on or I don't take it at all". He took a screenshot of it apparently and put it in my file.

He was also very weary of the 4 other monitors I have set up around me. One 27 inch one in the middle for my main computer and I have two computers next to it with 2 monitors each (20 inch monitors)

All in all, after the first exam I took with this proctor, it seems to be a lot nicer than what they used to have. You would have to wait a couple days for verification of your appointment. This one is very nice. The ad hoc exam scheduling is very convenient for me. The first test I took I wasn't ready reading my notes beforehand and I pushed the test back half an hour about 10 minutes before the start time, no problem.

JamesKurtovich

techfiend wrote: »

I'm so used to multitasking during pre-tests that I opened a new tab once during a test, it took them about 30 seconds to catch it. Good thing I wasn't trying to look up an answer.

I try not to look up too many answers during the pre, I want an honest measurement of how much I know.

techfiend

The only thing I lookup is if a choice is unfamiliar to rule out trick questions, I've seen a few in the new courses. Some of the tests I find it tough to focus on so I'll start up some music or look at a website for a few minutes.

TheChameleon

Is there a time limit for completing a classes once started or you just keeping paying 3k?

techfiend wrote: »

Tuition for everyone is around $3000 per 6 month term, in my case I hope it's 2 terms for 77 CU's.