Western Governors University Questions and Answers / Threads related to WGU

jahsoul

Another member of the "April 1st Crew" signing in...lol

and congrats azjag!!!

im_nightrider2003

azjag wrote: »

Just finished the last course in my capstone series today. That wraps up the course requirements for my degree. I guess it hasn't sunk in yet that I've finally completed my Bachelors degree. Just wanted to share my good news with everybody.

Congrats It is a big deal. I will start in June 2010. How long did it take you to get to the finish line?

Thanks.

petedude

Since this has become the thread for WGU, I'll repost this here:

If so, how many courses did that wipe out? The transfer guidelines seem to say you can only ax one course for each of these, and I'm wondering if I should wait to wrap my MCSA before starting.

Hyper-Me

Im supposed to have my transfer indications in the next week. I can prob give some more insight at that point on how things transfer but as for now im totally in the dark.

earweed

petedude wrote: »

Since this has become the thread for WGU, I'll repost this here:

If so, how many courses did that wipe out? The transfer guidelines seem to say you can only ax one course for each of these, and I'm wondering if I should wait to wrap my MCSA before starting.

That's one course per cert. So if you finish all those up to MCSA then all those courses are done. If you wait then you only have til Dec 31 to finish the courses for the MCSA as those will no longer be offered by WGU.
WGU is going to just Server 2k8 after first of the year.
Hope this helps.

petedude

earweed wrote: »

That's one course per cert. So if you finish all those up to MCSA then all those courses are done. If you wait then you only have til Dec 31 to finish the courses for the MCSA as those will no longer be offered by WGU.
WGU is going to just Server 2k8 after first of the year.
Hope this helps.

One course per exam, or one course for the entire MCSA? Sorry-- I guess I wasn't clear.

earweed

petedude wrote: »

One course per exam, or one course for the entire MCSA? Sorry-- I guess I wasn't clear.

One course per exam. Each exam would cover a diferent course. Even the courses which cover A+ are 2 courses, one for each exam. As long as the course you're taking culminates in that exam, it's covered.
Don't know how it works when the exam (like A+ now being 2009) if you have to retake for the new edition.

Hyper-Me

FadeToBright wrote: »

I start April 1st in the Network Design and Management Degree

Are you going to do the MCSE or MCITP EA?

veritas_libertas

Hyper-Me wrote: »

Are you going to do the MCSE or MCITP EA?

As of March 1st you can only go for the MCITP:EA unless you have already completed the MCSE. I believe that is the only leeway.

azjag

im_nightrider2003 wrote: »

Congrats It is a big deal. I will start in June 2010. How long did it take you to get to the finish line?

Thanks.

I started in January of 2009. I should have finished in December but times got a little rough. I had an A.A from U of Phoenix. I started with 12 courses to complete my degree and with the recent change I only had 10. They decided to remove 2 of the classes, they deemed them redundant. It took me 15 months to complete the Degree. I have already decided to pursue my Master Degree, just waiting a few months before I get started on that. Now I have to study full time for my SSCP exam in April.

im_nightrider2003

azjag wrote: »

I started in January of 2009. I should have finished in December but times got a little rough. I had an A.A from U of Phoenix. I started with 12 courses to complete my degree and with the recent change I only had 10. They decided to remove 2 of the classes, they deemed them redundant. It took me 15 months to complete the Degree. I have already decided to pursue my Master Degree, just waiting a few months before I get started on that. Now I have to study full time for my SSCP exam in April.

Thanks for replying. I am going to join in June or July and I have a target of two terms. I have an AS in Business Admin and four certifications. Hopefully it will be quicker.

Thanks and good luck with Masters.

--S

earweed

im_nightrider2003 wrote: »

Thanks for replying. I am going to join in June or July and I have a target of two terms. I have an AS in Business Admin and four certifications. Hopefully it will be quicker.

Thanks and good luck with Masters.

--S

Don't be surprised if it takes longer. It all depends on what all transfers and how hard you apply yourself.
Good luck at WGU and don't forget to post on the TE Roll call thread on the other side when you get enrolled. There's a TE roll call thread in the IT Program Community.

joecontreras

I started the application process over the weekend and then was waiting until payday next week to pay the Application fee, then I started reading about WGU here and saw the "refer a friend" program. Will anyone on here be willing to refer me so I can go ahead and finish my application process?

earweed

joecontreras wrote: »

I started the application process over the weekend and then was waiting until payday next week to pay the Application fee, then I started reading about WGU here and saw the "refer a friend" program. Will anyone on here be willing to refer me so I can go ahead and finish my application process?

I would I sent you a private message. click on user cp if you're not familiar.

joecontreras

earweed wrote: »

I would I sent you a private message. click on user cp if you're not familiar.

Thanks, pm sent! As well as all information you needed also.

earweed

It's in.good luck

im_nightrider2003

earweed wrote: »

Don't be surprised if it takes longer. It all depends on what all transfers and how hard you apply yourself.
Good luck at WGU and don't forget to post on the TE Roll call thread on the other side when you get enrolled. There's a TE roll call thread in the IT Program Community.

I agree that it may take longer but I would like to set some aggressive targets so I work hard towards them. Thanks and I will post on the TE roll call once I join.

Thanks and Regards

b1tbuck3t

SephStorm wrote: »

I am very interested on hearing about possible transfer credit from CLEP/DANTES and Credit for military experience. If anyone could ask their counselor, please do, and let us know.

These are UNOFFICIAL transfer guidelines that were given to me verbally. WGU policy states that no unofficial evaluation of transfer credit will be given.

I was told that a single CLEP exam may transfer as multiple classes. It seems to good to be true but I have my fingers crossed. My transcript evaluation should be in a few days so I will know then if everything transferred as expected.

CLEP Exam - WGU Equivalents
American Literature - (HVC1 & HVT1)
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature - (HVC1 & HVT1)
English Composition - LAC1
English Composition with Essay – (LAC1 & LAE1 & LAT1)
English Literature - (HVC1 & HVT1)
Freshman College Composition - LAC1
Humanities - (HVC1 & HVT1)
French Language - None
German Language - None
Spanish Language - None
American Government - (SSC1 & SST1)
History of the United States I: Early Colonization to 1877 - (SSC1 & SST1)
History of the United States II: 1865 to the Present - (SSC1 & SST1)
Human Growth and Development - (SSC1 & SST1)
Introduction to Educational Psychology - (SSC1 & SST1)
Introductory Psychology - (SSC1 & SST1)
Introductory Sociology - (SSC1 & SST1)
Principles of Macroeconomics - (SSC1 & SST1) or (EGC1 & EGT1)
Principles of Microeconomics - (SSC1 & SST1) or (EGC1 & EGT1)
Social Sciences and History - (SSC1 & SST1)
Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 - (SSC1 & SST1)
Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present - (SSC1 & SST1)
Biology - (INC1 & INT1) Lab is required. Not sure how that is handled
Calculus - QLC1
Chemistry - (INC1 & INT1)
College Algebra - QLC1
College Mathematics- QMC1
Natural Sciences - (INC1 & INT1)
Precalculus - QLC1
Financial Accounting - (FNC1 & FNT1)
Information Systems and Computer Applications - (FNC1 & FNT1) or TEV1 or TTV1
Introductory Business Law - LIT1
Principles of Management - None
Principles of Marketing - None

The below are either old CLEP exams that are not offered now or maybe they are DANTES:
TRIGNOMETRY - (Corresponds to one of the math classes. I did not write down which one because I was not about to go try to take a Trigonometry exam)
PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUTING – FNC1 & FNT1


From my experience a CLEP study guide has about 200 pages of material to learn plus several practice tests. I previously completed 13 CLEP exams to prepare for a different program. From the guidelines above you would probably only need to do 4 or 5 exams to cover all eligible CLEP transfers.

b1tbuck3t

veritas_libertas wrote: »

I really wonder if this has more to do with students rushing to start their classes without waiting to see what transfers. For example, if you were to send in your transcripts on the third week of the month right before classes start (also the beginning of the busiest two weeks of WGU's month), and you want to start next month then don't plan on getting your transcripts back before you start. Honestly, who starts classes without finding out what has transferred?

To access WGU's transfer guide which tells you what class requirements can be met by transfers:
go to http://www.wgu.edu/sh

Select Records and Transcripts on the left side.

Check out Transfer Credit Evaluation - For Student who Began WGU on or after March 1, 2010 Select the PDF for the IT program on the right.

You may also want to look at:
Transfer Credit for IT Certificates
Whom do I contact about a transfer evaluation question?



Somewhere I read the WGU does not evaluate your transfer credit until the month before you start. However you can change your start date or decide not to go once the review is done.

I can't speak from personal experience as to whether you could have the transfer credit evaluation completed before paying tuition as I am trying to squeeze a couple more Microsoft certs in before the deadline of the 25th.

b1tbuck3t

veritas_libertas wrote: »

As of March 1st you can only go for the MCITP:EA unless you have already completed the MCSE. I believe that is the only leeway.

The MCSE and MCSA (along with a lot of other certs) still count for transfer credit. Once enrolled you have to do the MCITP program.

To access WGU's transfer guide which tells you what class requirements can be met by transfers:
go to http://www.wgu.edu/sh

Select Records and Transcripts on the left side.

Check out Transfer Credit Evaluation - For Student who Began WGU on or after March 1, 2010 Select the PDF for the IT program on the right.

You may also want to look at:
Transfer Credit for IT Certificates
Whom do I contact about a transfer evaluation question?

b1tbuck3t

earweed wrote: »

One course per exam. Each exam would cover a diferent course. Even the courses which cover A+ are 2 courses, one for each exam. As long as the course you're taking culminates in that exam, it's covered.
Don't know how it works when the exam (like A+ now being 2009) if you have to retake for the new edition.

Earweed,

I was told by WGU that the one class per transfer applied to College courses that transfer. It does not apply to Certifications that transfer into the IT program.

In my case it doesn't matter in that I could in theory transfer in different certs for each class but I am hoping my transfer evaluation just lists a single cert for multiple classes.

veritas_libertas

b1tbuck3t wrote: »

The MCSE and MCSA (along with a lot of other certs) still count for transfer credit. Once enrolled you have to do the MCITP program.

For the current transfer guidlines got to the following WGU link:
http://kb.wgu.edu/utility/getfile.asp?rid=457 Choose the IT transfer PDF on the right.

Thanks, I should have been more specific.

earweed

b1tbuck3t wrote: »

Earweed,

I was told by WGU that the one class per transfer applied to College courses that transfer. It does not apply to Certifications that transfer into the IT program.

In my case it doesn't matter in that I could in theory transfer in different certs for each class but I am hoping my transfer evaluation just lists a single cert for multiple classes.

Guess that's been changed since I started.
I've heard different reasons for some of the recent changes and Gwem Britton told us in a community thread that a lot of the changes were made because an entering freshman would take (at 12 CU's per term which is fulltime) over 6 years to graduate.

earweed

b1tbuck3t wrote: »

The MCSE and MCSA (along with a lot of other certs) still count for transfer credit. Once enrolled you have to do the MCITP program.

For the current transfer guidlines got to the following WGU link:
http://kb.wgu.edu/utility/getfile.asp?rid=457 Choose the IT transfer PDF on the right.

Do you have to take all the classes for the MCITP or the upgrade?

azjag

earweed wrote: »

Do you have to take all the classes for the MCITP or the upgrade?

I'm believe you have to take all the classes and all the tests. If you start the program with the MCITP/EA they don't care how you got it and will waive all the classes associated. Or if you have already taken some of the exams and passed they will transfer them in and waive the associated classes. But you will still be required to take each class and pass each test associated with that class. I don't think you can choose the upgrade path. I may be wrong.

azjag

Main Event

I have a A.S degree from a private school called Keiser University from 98, do you think it's a wise choice to go to WGU? I'm 35 and interested in furthering my education.

I understand it's a online school and they offer accedited degrees. I have a couple years experience in I.T mostly doing PC Support.

earweed

Main Event wrote: »

I have a A.S degree from a private school called Keiser University from 98, do you think it's a wise choice to go to WGU? I'm 35 and interested in furthering my education.

I understand it's a online school and they offer accedited degrees. I have a couple years experience in I.T mostly doing PC Support.

Wouldn't hurt to look into it. You can go at your own pace, it's accredited, cheaper than most brick and mortar schools, and you get certs along with a degree.
If you get referred, which any of us WGU's here will do for you you save the application fee.

b1tbuck3t

earweed wrote: »

Do you have to take all the classes for the MCITP or the upgrade?

In talking to the enrollment councelors it seems you have to take each exam if you are not transfering in the full MCITP.

In the last month I have taken the 70-290 and 70-291 exams to recert on 2003 and then the 70-649 upgrade exam. I have to do the 70-646 exam still and am crossing my fingers I both pass and that I can get an updated transcript in time to start April 1st.

I spent a lot of time trying to get a different answer from the enrollment councelor regarding the upgrade exam. I would have liked to start and then just have then done the upgrade exam but everything I was told was that you had to have the full cert.

It will be interesting to see what they do if I haven't passed the 70-6646 exam tomorrow because I will already have the Technology Specialist certs but not the full MCITP.

If you are already attending I would love to hear what your advisor says.

petedude

Main Event wrote: »

I have a A.S degree from a private school called Keiser University from 98, do you think it's a wise choice to go to WGU? I'm 35 and interested in furthering my education.

I understand it's a online school and they offer accedited degrees. I have a couple years experience in I.T mostly doing PC Support.

I'll second what Earweed said. Bear in mind degrees are taking on more importance especially given the economy, so you may find having a Bachelor's opens doors for you.

petedude

earweed wrote: »

Do you have to take all the classes for the MCITP or the upgrade?

The question had crossed my mind, but I can see WGU's perspective: The upgrade exam is not necessarily going to be a true test of how well you've mastered that material in an academic sense. Sure, it might meet Microsoft's requirements for the cert, but you might only have to be solid on X% of the material in each section to pass and WGU is pushing to have you develop more thorough competency.