Western Governors University Questions and Answers / Threads related to WGU

swild

2syk wrote: »

...

I have to say that I was not thrilled with my EC either, but he would at least respond to my questions via email. Because of your work situation where you can't be on the phone every time you need to ask a question, I would request a different EC. Unless they have changed something, that is not their normal policy.

After I got past my EC and was able to talk to my mentor, things changed drastically. I love my mentor! She checks emails all the time, even on weekends and holidays. I told her that I prefer to communicate by email and she has no problem with that. It is policy that you have to schedule a phone call weekly for the first few weeks with you mentor, however, the scheduling was very flexible for me. Mine is 7:30am on Weds. i just get to work early and wait for her to call.

It gets better.

bryanthetechie

swild wrote: »

I have to say that I was not thrilled with my EC either, but he would at least respond to my questions via email. Because of your work situation where you can't be on the phone every time you need to ask a question, I would request a different EC. Unless they have changed something, that is not their normal policy.

After I got past my EC and was able to talk to my mentor, things changed drastically. I love my mentor! She checks emails all the time, even on weekends and holidays. I told her that I prefer to communicate by email and she has no problem with that. It is policy that you have to schedule a phone call weekly for the first few weeks with you mentor, however, the scheduling was very flexible for me. Mine is 7:30am on Weds. i just get to work early and wait for her to call.

It gets better.

Yep, it does get better. My enrollment counselor was a dork, plain and simple, but he got the job done quickly. My mentor is awesome and my weekly call with her is at 5:30pm MST. Once you are in, you should be able to power through your classes if you want.

I agree with swild that you should request a new enrollment counselor. I know they are busy now enrolling the tons of new folks they have coming in, but there is no excuse for them dragging this on for three months. It took me just over a month from the time I started the process to my official enrollment, and I sent them transcripts from nine different places. Be a squeaky wheel, my friend.

erpadmin

My enrollment counselor was just a tool. Or, more likely, exhibited tool-like behavior. I would email him questions that only required half a brain to answer. He then responds to me with canned responses. You could tell they were canned responses because he'd say something, then the canned response would be in both a different font and a different "voice." [After awhile...you tend to notice these things...]

Once I was enrolled, and assigned a mentor, we'd agree that Fridays would work best for the both of us, and at 1PM (EST) at that. Many months later, he had to go on personal leave to attend to family business. He would be gone for several weeks. I had a temporary new mentor. Thanks to TechExams, I was prepared for that eventuality. I flat out told him that I didn't care who my mentor was, that whoever was going to "mentor" me in his abscene had to play ball. I would not tolerate a "getting-to-know-you" period. The guy that took his place had stated that he couldn't do Fridays at 1PM (EST). We had to do something stupid like Tuesday at 11AM....I tried it. Lo and behold, I would have early morning meetings at work during this time and I would miss a lot of these calls. After a couple of weeks of this, I told him that this wasn't working out. I tried it his way to be fair, professional and courteous to him, but I could not accomodate that time. I told him either he tries to shoot for Fridays at 1PM or find another mentor that can. I gave him the same "playin' ball" speech if he went the latter. We went back to 1PM on Fridays and all was well until my mentor came back. During the time with new mentor, I was able to get QL(X)1 (both math courses), INT(1) and I believe Javascript out of the way.


If you're not firm and don't make noise, you won't be heard. Make yourself heard, and they will try to accomodate you (so long as your requests are reasonable.)

spiderjericho

Wow, a few bad experiences.

I'm going to start my term in March. So far, I have had a pretty proactive enrollment counselor. Things have stalled lately because I wanted to delay the start of my term by two months plus get a degree plan I'm happy with.

You'd think they'd all be proactive and trying to get the school as much money/students as possible.

katbhuve

erpadmin wrote: »

Your friend can only be referred by either a current WGU student, or alumni in order to get the fee waiver.

You can PM me his first and last name and email address. He'll then be emailed with a code for the waiver.

I am planning to join MBA. Do you know how much fee waiver will be?

Thank you.

LinuxRacr

spiderjericho wrote: »

Wow, a few bad experiences.

I'm going to start my term in March. So far, I have had a pretty proactive enrollment counselor. Things have stalled lately because I wanted to delay the start of my term by two months plus get a degree plan I'm happy with.

You'd think they'd all be proactive and trying to get the school as much money/students as possible.

I actually had two enrollment counselors due to the gap in my initial application (over a year) and when I completed the process to enroll. Both were very helpful and pro-active. I took less than a month for me to get enrolled.

erpadmin

katbhuve wrote: »

I am planning to join MBA. Do you know how much fee waiver will be?

Thank you.

Ummm...the $65 fee will be waived when you are referred by a current student or graduate.

If you want to PM someone your information, you will have to email Webmaster to turn on PM for you, or make the required number of posts.

thinguy

Just started looking at WGU and was very surprised to see such a large(understatement) and positive thread on the site.
I'm looking at going the IT security route and was wondering what the content is like? Is it video on demand of someone talking, just slides, just a book, etc?
Like the web, ms, and cisco materials. what medium do they teach that in?
Thanks all.

LinuxRacr

thinguy wrote: »

Just started looking at WGU and was very surprised to see such a large(understatement) and positive thread on the site.
I'm looking at going the IT security route and was wondering what the content is like? Is it video on demand of someone talking, just slides, just a book, etc?
Like the web, ms, and cisco materials. what medium do they teach that in?
Thanks all.

I just started this month (IT Security), so all I can tell you is what I have seen so far, which is the CIW Web Foundations Class. The course material seem pretty well thought-out, and seem to cater to the different learning styles that people have. They have a combination of video on demand, presentations, and e-texts which do a pretty good job of covering the material. There are online communities that pertain to each class that are great resources for getting started, and succeeding.

MiikeB

Anyone here in the MBA IT Management program?

Just graduated and debating if I want to do it or not. Not sure how much better it would look to get my MBA from another school and/or if I even want an MBA, but the WGU program seems fairly easy (I am good at writing papers).

petedude

MiikeB wrote: »

Anyone here in the MBA IT Management program?

Just graduated and debating if I want to do it or not. Not sure how much better it would look to get my MBA from another school and/or if I even want an MBA, but the WGU program seems fairly easy (I am good at writing papers).

Depends on what you want your degree to do for you.

If you want to impress, pick a well-regarded local B&M, an AACSB school, or one of the Tier 1-2 schools.

If you want to check a box, many other schools' programs will fill the bill, but yes, WGU's may be one of the cheapest (and among the few truly self-paced!).

2syk

2syk wrote: »

snip.

Update:

I spoke with my enrollment counselor and expressed my concerns. He understood and due to an unfortunate situation he was unable to keep in contact with me as much as he normally would with an incoming student.

While I was upset that he didn't make any effort to have another counselor take care of me in his temporary absense, he did work extremely hard to get me back up on schedule. There were financial forms I wasn't aware I had to do, and a transcript appeal I had to turn in for an accounting class taken at a CC, but everything worked out. I have a planned start date for February 2012 and my transferring credits went well besides a couple of bumps (which I am currently appealing).

I am excited to begin my studies and hope to keep a fast pace. Thanks for all of the advice guys!

thenjduke

Hypntick wrote: »

They're a lot more difficult than I was lead to believe at first. However as Erp said, they can be done. Hopefully by them making them harder it increases the value in the eyes of the employer.

It can be done. Trust me I have taken all these exams and I flew through them but I also been working with this stuff since 1993.

thenjduke

erpadmin wrote: »

I'm not out yet...I still have until the end of the month to get the 643 done. But it has not been easy, and the fact that I'm on my fourth attempt is really disheartening.

In the beginning, the appeal of having both the degree and the MCITP:EA (MCSE-like cert) was very appealing....but it has been grueling to get the MS stuff done with everything else going on. I just wouldn't want to see anyone else go through what I've gone through. The MS exams are NOT easy, by any strecth.

Of course, if you're coming into WGU with an MCITP:EA (or even an MCSE in 2K3 at least), then yeah, definitely go NDM. Or maximize the degree with certs like CCNA that are already in your posession. I'm just talking about folks like myself who had to do most of the certs already. (After A+/Network+)

LOL you passed it so SHHHH... Actually that is a hard exam. I passed it with a 900 though. Alot of the material is really useless because there is so many other things to use instead of Microsoft.

LinuxRacr

I have a CourseSmart question: Has anyone been able to use the actual CourseSmart iPhone app, or can you only used it from the WGU student portal or PocketWGU?

erpadmin

thenjduke wrote: »

LOL you passed it so SHHHH... Actually that is a hard exam. I passed it with a 900 though. Alot of the material is really useless because there is so many other things to use instead of Microsoft.

Only because I know you would I give you a proper Jersey response to that....LMAO.

Nah man, a good lessons learned on the MS exams would be to take these exams in the beginning. I will definitely take upgrade exams going forward, for as long as I remain in the field. Microsoft now has me taking Beta exams because I signed up for the program....it's free so why not.

arwes

I finally finished off my MCSE in late December, and I'm in the process of studying to transition to MCITP:EA. In the meantime, I'm looking at the courses at Straighterline that would knock out some classes (I'm looking at the IT: Network Design & Management track). I know from reading here that LAE1 & LAT1 are kind of slow going, and I should probably go ahead and do Straighterline's equivalent while I'm working on MCITP:EA.

Would it be worthwhile to do all their equivalent courses before enrolling? All I'm going to be transferring in are certs so far. Here's the list I've got:

BAC1 (College Algebra)
BBC1 (Business Communication)
LAE1 (English Composition 1)
LAT1 (English Composition 2)
QLT1 (Precalculus)
SSC1 (Economics 1: Macroeconomics)
SST1 (Economics 2: Microeconomics)
INC1 (Introduction to Biology for Nonmajors)
INT1 (Introduction to Biology for Nonmajors with Lab)

mjninc

Quick question about degrees at WGU: (I'm trying to figure out the difference between what certs you get with Net Admin vs.Net Design. Is this right? Is there anything I am missing?

With both you get: A+, Project+
Net Admin:
Net+
MCITP: EA

Net Design:
CCENT
1 test shy of MCITP:EA

Psoasman

mjninc wrote: »

Quick question about degrees at WGU: (I'm trying to figure out the difference between what certs you get with Net Admin vs.Net Design. Is this right? Is there anything I am missing?

With both you get: A+, Project+
Net Admin:
Net+
MCITP: EA

Net Design:
CCENT
1 test shy of MCITP:EA

The network admin will get you the CCNA. The network design will require you taking the 643 exam and 647. The Network admin is 640,642,646.
Online IT Degree | Information Technology Bachelor Degree | WGU College of Information Technology

mjninc

So is this correct?

Net Admin:
CCNA
MCTIP:EA

Net Design:
CCENT: 2 tests shy of MCITP: EA

I thought the 680 was part of Net Design. Thank you.

veritas_libertas

mjninc wrote: »

So is this correct?

Net Admin:
CCNA
MCTIP:EA

Net Design:
CCENT: 2 tests shy of MCITP: EA

I thought the 680 was part of Net Design. Thank you.

Net Admin
Bachelor Degree in IT Network Administration | WGU College of Information Technology Online

CCNA and MCITP:SA

Net Design
Network Design Degree | Online IT Degree | WGU College of Information Technology

MCITP:EA

mjninc

Thanks!

mjninc

If I go with Net Admin and get my CCNA and MCITP: SA, I will only need 2 cert tests to complete my EA. Will WGU allow you to take those classes, even if they are not in your degree path?

I am new to how WGU works. I appreciate your patience. Thank you.

katbhuve

I am planning to join MSISA program. Does WGU provide transcripts(consolidated or individual) for each credit that we acquire?

Thanks in advance.

veritas_libertas

katbhuve wrote: »

I am planning to join MSISA program. Does WGU provide transcripts(consolidated or individual) for each credit that we acquire?

Thanks in advance.

Yes, in fact they send you a PDF at the end of each semester with your grades. You can also purchase a transcript from them.

erpadmin

mjninc wrote: »

If I go with Net Admin and get my CCNA and MCITP: SA, I will only need 2 cert tests to complete my EA. Will WGU allow you to take those classes, even if they are not in your degree path?

I am new to how WGU works. I appreciate your patience. Thank you.

I asked if I could get a voucher for the 646 and was flat out told NO. The only way it would have happened is if I switched to the NA track and then switch back the next term, and my mentor was just not going to do that for one exam.

Basically, you are better off sticking with your current degree path as no matter what, your diploma will still say just "Information Technology." The only time it might be prudent to switch is if you're really having problems with the cert exams, and then you'd switch to the general one.

erpadmin

veritas_libertas wrote: »

Yes, in fact they send you a PDF at the end of each semester with your grades. You can also purchase a transcript from them.

When you graduate, they also send you two official transcripts of your program along with the degree. I don't have them in my possession yet, but that's what I was told when I finished.

veritas_libertas

erpadmin wrote: »

When you graduate, they also send you two official transcripts of your program along with the degree. I don't have them in my possession yet, but that's what I was told when I finished.

Very nice! I'm liking WGU more each day

erpadmin

veritas_libertas wrote: »

Very nice! I'm liking WGU more each day

I'm sure they will send instructions with them, but make sure you never open them. They're supposed to remain sealed and sent to whatever institution (or perhaps even employer) you're going to attend post-WGU.

I'm only 20-30 minutes away from where I'm going to school now, but I'm still gonna mail it over to the appropiate department. (certified mail/return receipt requested.)

I still have to request a transcript from the community college I went to and have that sent to them to. It's not a problem now, but it will be when I want to become formally admitted by Fall 2012 into the MS program (I'm non-matric right now, as I went the Graduate Certificate route.)

katbhuve

Thanks to everyone for the information