Western Governors University Questions and Answers / Threads related to WGU

asurania

i asked they won't let me add in the CCNA. I should be done my degree my techinical writing this week. PLan to hand in the assignment this week, and capstone 2 to 3 weeks from now

nbkripl

I tried to talk to my EC about this but maybe you guys would be better help.

Im taking EWB on Oct 1st going to power through it, but I want to schedule my talk with my Mentor to be soon Monday the 4th at the latest because I then have to work again and wont have time to talk during the day. I jsut want to go straight into other classes, whatever they may be Gen ed or IT, jsut want to get moving.

I have read a few replies of people contacting there mentors early and asking for books early etc. How do I even see who my mentor is? The EC said I wouldnt be able to find out until EWB.

Any thoughts?

earweed

The best advice I can offer is that as soon as you find out who your mentor is email and/or call them to set up a talk about getting you started.
Since I know one of your first classes will probably be WFV1 then you can start by going to the Course of study for that course and getting farmiliar with what you'll have to study for it. Go to MCMCSE.com as they have some good study guides on the CIW associates test which is what you'll take for that course.
Getting books ordered early doesn't happen right at the start of your first term but it'll happen every other term during your time at WGU. You can work that out with your mentor later.
Right now you can just get EWB done as quickly as possible and as soon as you know who your mentor is contact him/her.

veritas_libertas

Does anyone know what resources are provided for the CCNA at WGU?

earweed

I know they just added Labsim and I believe you get packet tracer. I beleve (haven't checked my CD yet) the Boson practice exams are with the books you purchase yourself. Labsim was just added today.

EDIT@ Labsim has been added for the CCNA and all the Server 2k8 Courses

jahsoul

veritas_libertas wrote: »

Does anyone know what resources are provided for the CCNA at WGU?

You get Labsim access and you get the Boson simulator. You thinking about switching to Security?

I still have my sim still in the box.

veritas_libertas

earweed wrote: »

I know they just added Labsim and I believe you get packet tracer. I beleve (haven't checked my CD yet) the Boson practice exams are with the books you purchase yourself. Labsim was just added today.

That would be great! I'll have to quiz my mentor on that.

veritas_libertas

jahsoul wrote: »

You get Labsim access and you get the Boson simulator. You thinking about switching to Security?

Yes, I'm not sure what I'm going to do next semester. I'm finding that Cisco is huge in my area.

http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/58587-need-career-advice.html

jahsoul

veritas_libertas wrote: »

Yes, I'm not sure what I'm going to do next semester. I'm finding that Cisco is huge in my area.

http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/58587-need-career-advice.html

I debated going Network Admin but I'm staying Security because it just suited my career goals more (and I'm not the biggest fan of anything Windows..lol). I'm taking the next few terms very light though while I study for the CCIE. It would be nice if I knew some people that just gave me free stuff. *sigh*..I was telling a few coworkers about the stuff people get from their jobs on here.

"Yeah..my job was about to throw some 3550s and 2811s out so I got em"..

Me-"WTFreak!?!?"

skelldog

I have applied and taken the assessment test.
I have sent in my COMPTIA and Microsoft Certs
I am concerned as I took the upgrade to 2008 (70-649)
and not p { margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.08in; }70-640, 70-642, 70-643. I also took 70-620 (vista) and not 70-680 (win7) I did take 70-646-and 70-647 (MCITP EA and MCITP Server Admin)
Is there any credit based on the fact that I have the EA (I think I understood that somone was able to get them to take 70-620 in place of 70-680)
My Comptia Certs are from 2004 or older so I believe none of them will count

It would be really annoying to find out that I only can transfer in 6 credits


Also, is there any reason not to complete all the certification exams before enrolling?
Thanks for any suggestions
John

erpadmin

skelldog wrote: »

I have applied and taken the assessment test.
I have sent in my COMPTIA and Microsoft Certs
I am concerned as I took the upgrade to 2008 (70-649)
and not p { margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.08in; }70-640, 70-642, 70-643. I also took 70-620 (vista) and not 70-680 (win7) I did take 70-646-and 70-647 (MCITP EA and MCITP Server Admin)
Is there any credit based on the fact that I have the EA (I think I understood that somone was able to get them to take 70-620 in place of 70-680)
My Comptia Certs are from 2004 or older so I believe none of them will count

It would be really annoying to find out that I only can transfer in 6 credits


Also, is there any reason not to complete all the certification exams before enrolling?
Thanks for any suggestions
John

I believe your EA will transfer, even if it was upgraded. (That was mentioned here awhile back).

If you took your CompTIA exams more than 5 years ago, more than likely they won't count. (I barely made it with A+ and Network+). Your MCITP:EA will be 30 CUs though, so that's pretty good. And because you have multiple certs, you may qualify for a scholarship. You'll want to check out the scholarship thread in my signature.

Definitely wait it out with your EC and if he says no, you can appeal.

skelldog

Thanks, another question:
Why not finish all the certifications before starting, is there a reason to do them as part of the school?
I am thinking of this as the soonest I could start with getting my old transcripts in and all would be the NOV 1 Term, but I have a 2 week trip scheduled in Nov and a long trip over the Christmas break.
I was thinking that I might want to Wait til Feb 1 and try to get as many certs as I can completed by then, What does everyone think of this plan?
Thanks for any input
John

earweed

Some people actually have done that. The only reason most people do them as a part of school is that WGU pays for the voucher and being on a schedule motivates them. Just set your own schedule on what you're going to get between now and then and stick to it. Make sure to find out about what certs you'l need.
If your going Network Design and Management then your MCITP will knock out the A+ at least. You will definitely have to take the CIW v5 foundations and CompTIA Project +. I'm not sure but you'll probably also have to take the CIW JavaScript course/cert.

erpadmin

skelldog wrote: »

Thanks, another question:
Why not finish all the certifications before starting, is there a reason to do them as part of the school?
I am thinking of this as the soonest I could start with getting my old transcripts in and all would be the NOV 1 Term, but I have a 2 week trip scheduled in Nov and a long trip over the Christmas break.
I was thinking that I might want to Wait til Feb 1 and try to get as many certs as I can completed by then, What does everyone think of this plan?
Thanks for any input
John

I myself was going to go with that plan. Had I done that, my A+ and Network+ would have expired with WGU and I would have had to take them again. Not only that, but then they wouldn't be lifetime certs anymore. Since the vouchers are part of tuition, you're not paying anything more out of pocket. When it was explained to me along those terms, I decided to just take certs like Sec+ in my first term so it would be before the 12/31/2010 deadline. (I had started studying off and on several weeks earlier).

If you're starting Feb 1, I fear your 2004 CompTIA exams will definitely be worthless to WGU (has to be within 5 years before you apply). Plus if you have to take them again, they won't be lifetime. You may want to consider doing those certs again (at a minimum) before you apply and before the aforementioned deadline. The other ones can definitely wait. (Project+ is not included in that deadline...just A+, Network+ and Security+).

nbkripl

Great thanks. So which classes exactly do they provide books for? I would assume my mentor would let me know that books are being sent for X class so that I dont order them. Just curious for future planning.

Also Amazon currently has a Student account you can create. It include Free Two-Day shipping for one year and 3.99 upgrade for 1 day shipping. Just in case anyone didnt already know. After that one year I would assume you pay the normal fees associated with an Amazon Prime account.

earweed

WGU provides books for the CIW and CompTIA exams/classes. The books they supply for the CompTIA classes are subpar so you may as well be prepared to buy a better book for those. They provide Labsim for your A+, Net+, Sec+, and now for the CCNA's, and for the 2008 server classes. You supply your own books for the Server 2008 classes but the books are available on Books 24x7.
For the A+ and Net+ the Mike Meyers All in One is good and for Sec+ Darril Gibson Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead is very good. For the Project+ get the Sybex book.

nbkripl

earweed wrote: »

WGU provides books for the CIW and CompTIA exams/classes. The books they supply for the CompTIA classes are subpar so you may as well be prepared to buy a better book for those. They provide Labsim for your A+, Net+, Sec+, and now for the CCNA's, and for the 2008 server classes. You supply your own books for the Server 2008 classes but the books are available on Books 24x7.
For the A+ and Net+ the Mike Meyers All in One is good and for Sec+ Darril Gibson Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead is very good. For the Project+ get the Sybex book.

Great thanks. Do you think Books 24x7 is cheaper/better than Amazon? To be honest I have never used it before.

earweed

Books 24x7 is the eversion (like safari books) and is included with WGU tuition. You don't have to buy the books unless you jsut like hard ciopy books and the CD content that comes with them.

Books 24x7 offers a wide variety of IT and non IT books for your use. As a matter of fact all the books WGU doesn't send you (except Darrils book) are available on 24x7.

skelldog

You can download up to 5 chapters a week from them (MOBI too, renders well on my kindle)
Seems to be any 5 chapters

SephStorm

I am certain this has been answered somewhere in the prior 36 pages, but we can ask again, I'll be starting EWB soon, what should I be studying, or doing to prepare myself?

earweed

EWB isn't something you can study for. It basically prepares you to take all the online courses. It'll take you several hours but if you set aside a good chunk of a day you can have it done in one day.

Shawks

Thanks to this post, I know my A+ and Net+ from 2002/03 will not transfer over. This site has been a real eye opener. I am currently getting all my ducks in a row to start at WGU. Thanks everyone for the posts.

thenjduke

So I am deciding maybe I should change my major. The problem is I am 70 credits into my major and I not sure the of the entire procedure to do this. I am waiting back from Mentor to hear but does anyone have any expierence doing this?

veritas_libertas

thenjduke wrote: »

So I am deciding maybe I should change my major. The problem is I am 70 credits into my major and I not sure the of the entire procedure to do this. I am waiting back from Mentor to hear but does anyone have any expierence doing this?

Emphasis, or your whole major?

thenjduke

veritas_libertas wrote: »

Emphasis, or your whole major?

Yes just the emphasis. I want to leave the network design and management and go toward security.

veritas_libertas

thenjduke wrote: »

Yes just the emphasis. I want to leave the network design and management and go toward security.

That is kind of funny. I'm actually considering that as well...

tomahawkeer

veritas_libertas wrote: »

That is kind of funny. I'm actually considering that as well...

Make that 3 of us. Im not so far in at this time though, that its really going to make much difference. Honestly, if there was an emphasis that included both MCITP: EA and CCNA, I would have gotten into it over everything else. Im still not certain at this point, and ive probably got another term before it starts getting a little more difficult to change.

earweed

Don't know the procedure but it has to occur at the beginning of a term. So just take stuff this term that counts for both and make your mentor aware as he/she does everything.

Arysta

tomahawkeer wrote: »

Make that 3 of us. Im not so far in at this time though, that its really going to make much difference. Honestly, if there was an emphasis that included both MCITP: EA and CCNA, I would have gotten into it over everything else. Im still not certain at this point, and ive probably got another term before it starts getting a little more difficult to change.

The CCNA is one reason why I chose the security focus. I would most likely have chosen it anyway, as I want to get into the security field, but a networking focus with a couple security certs and a ton of luck could probably have gotten me there as well. My IT experience is little to none at this point, so I realize this degree won't give me a first-class ticket into the security field unless something wacky happens.

The CCNA is a big/important certification for networking folks. I wonder why they don't include with any other focus.

veritas_libertas

Arysta wrote: »

The CCNA is one reason why I chose the security focus. I would most likely have chosen it anyway, as I want to get into the security field, but a networking focus with a couple security certs and a ton of luck could probably have gotten me there as well. My IT experience is little to none at this point, so I realize this degree won't give me a first-class ticket into the security field unless something wacky happens.

The CCNA is a big/important certification for networking folks. I wonder why they don't include with any other focus.

Mainly because of time constraints. The more additional things you require, the longer the degree will take to complete. The original Network Design and Management took five years.