Student Experiences at Western Governors University (WGU)

This thread is intended for students to write about their experiences at Western Governors University.

Please keep it civil, and do not spend your time bashing the school, and its policies. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if you have a problem you need to take it up with your professor or mentor. Please no Flaming on this thread.

You can ask for help with a referral (used to avoid paying the application fee) on the following thread: http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/55634-wgu-refer-friend-thread-those-seeking-referral.html

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Comments

themagicone

Just wanted to throw this out there. New students and students that are returning after a break - Please note that a lot of the tasks that were once automated or done by your mentor have now become manual, and you must do them. Loading your courses into Taskstream requires a few more button presses and it is not done by your mentor. Also, course resources - you must manually enroll in them via COS. When I started few years ago they would be automatically enrolled when you joined the course, this is no longer the case. My mentor was not even aware of these changes. So if you're having issues getting resources or taskstream to load make sure that you are following all the steps required.

kgb

Natv,

I just started May 1st and I'm going through DFV1 at the moment myself.

When you are offically enrolled in the class, the Web Development Community will be available to you. There's a post in there about DFV1 that the Course Mentor attached all the Instructor Guides with all those answers and other supplemental material for download.

As far as the lesson 1 exercise at the end. Yep, they basically ask you to do stuff that they will show you how to do in lesson 2... I guess to get you to think... I don't know. I personally thought about it a little, but then moved on. I figured that was the best use of my time.

Lesson 2, page 50, step10: - The code in the book doesn't work. It's an error in the textbook. I wasted a lot of time on that just to get a reply back from the mentor stating, "Oh, ya, that's wrong"... Needless to say, I was a little irritated that there wasn't a centralized thread somewhere in the community that lists the book errors known, so I created one.

natv wrote: »

My term officially only starts in June but I wanted to get a head start on one of the classes I want to take first term that I feel will take me a while to go through (DFV1 - Microsoft 98-363: Web Developer Fundamentals)

The COS had the learning resources listed and I was able to log into CourseSmart with my WGU login and pull up the book for the course. I'm finishing up the first of the 7 lessons. Question for anyone who has taken this course...

- I answered the multiple-choice/fill-in-the-blank review questions at the end of the section, but not finding the answers in the back of the book. Google'd this and it seems those are only in the instructor's companion site. I understand I have to wait until I'm enrolled but how will that work.. will we be submitting our answers to the course mentor or will the answers be posted somewhere, or in the student companion I'll later have access to?

- If anyone recalls the "Proficiency Assessment" Scenario at the end of Lesson 1 (Displaying State Data) - I'm wondering how far we need to go with this.. it's asking for me to put together a contact form that is passed to an approval/verification page and then some other action after that (not sure how much info I can provide here without breaking NDA..). My question is that in this first section of the book, it only partially covered this, it certainly didn't cover how to actually submit a form where the user gets sent to a different page.. I'm not sure how far to take this... should I be seeking out further resources and learning to complete this at this point?

Any feedback would be great, I'm hoping before I start the term I can have much of this done, probably I'll run into similar issues in the other lessons too. Any advice you can offer would be great.

Thanks

natv

kgb wrote: »

Lesson 2, page 50, step10: - The code in the book doesn't work. It's an error in the textbook. I wasted a lot of time on that just to get a reply back from the mentor stating, "Oh, ya, that's wrong"... Needless to say, I was a little irritated that there wasn't a centralized thread somewhere in the community that lists the book errors known, so I created one.

Thanks kgb,

Ha yeah! I ran into that too and couldn't figure out what was wrong so I just commented that part out of the code so I can continue with the rest of the lessons (since they all build on each other). I guess I'll see your thread when I officially enroll for the course June 1st

I'm actually really happy that I was able the course material before I am even enrolled in the course, I'd just be sitting around this week doing nothing whereas now I'm getting a head start at least.

ayabell

earweed wrote: »

Yes, you refer for the assesment and your mentor then has to approve you. I know with your give em hell attitude your mentor will probably just approve you whenever you want
I had to do a measure up because for some reason the exam force "got lost in the mail" and my mentor requires some type of preassessment be taken before referring. I only scored a 60% and still got approved
WGU uses Examforce usually although some mentors don't require it. The examforce tests are basically the same tests that are in the examcram books and they even include a PDF version of the ExamCram book with the practice test.
You get 2 chances from WGU. If you fail a test twice then you have to pay for a third try (student price though) so if you mess up twice you're out $60 to take the test a third time.

where is the practice test?
please reply ASAP tnx

NB4L

Thanks for the info.. really informative..

breannaall

I am looking to start with WGU, at the Teacher's College. Wish me luck!

themagicone

Finished LYT2 today. Been working on the Cyber Law class all week. If you need to take TFT2 - BUY THE BOOK! The book is like 800 pages and the COS has your read about half. A lot easier to read/follow in print. I got mine from Amazon for $50 and if I send it back I get a $35 gift card. Very interesting reading though. Currently I am reading a case on how you can defeat those pesky agreements you click to install programs.

NB4L

I will be starting in July and I have 61 credits to achieve my B.S. in Network Design and Management via transferring in my existing certifications. Has anyone realistically achieved 61 credits in one term? I realize everyone's situation is different and there are a lot of factors. I just wanted to know if anyone has been able to do this. I have tried to search for it but no luck. If you have a link to a thread where this is discussed that would be helpful also. FYI: the top half of the Net Design & Management Path PDF are the classes I need to pass. Thanks!

swild

NB4L wrote: »

I will be starting in July and I have 61 credits to achieve my B.S. in Network Design and Management via transferring in my existing certifications. Has anyone realistically achieved 61 credits in one term? I realize everyone's situation is different and there are a lot of factors. I just wanted to know if anyone has been able to do this. I have tried to search for it but no luck. If you have a link to a thread where this is discussed that would be helpful also. FYI: the top half of the Net Design & Management Path PDF are the classes I need to pass. Thanks!

I started Jan 1st and will be taking my last 2 exams this Friday giving me 60 CUs in less than one term. I did an additional 11 CUs in certs to transfer in the month before I started. It's possible, but not for everyone. If you mostly have the liberal arts courses, it may not be easy. I pretty much had the equivalent of an Associate's degree in transfer classes when I started, so I didn't have any of the liberal arts courses.

You can find my thread here.

NB4L

Thanks swild! definitely the info I was looking for.

Seattle-Tech

I start WGU July 1st. Just got my scholarship approved. I am doing the Network Admin. BS excited to get started.

kgb

Passed DFV1 this morning with a 80% (70% is passing).

For the exam, uCertify was useless. Good information in there, but didn't seem to help with the actual exam any.

I'd recommend if you don't have any programming experience to make sure you spend time coding and building/publishing web applications using Visual Studio.

spiderjericho

Just had my second talk with my mentor. I asked him about bouncing ideas on my tech writing/capstone, he said to speak to the course mentor.

I ask about getting VMware, he says it's part of the MDSN. I say VMware not Microsoft.

He called me @ the dealership so I couldn't really go over the AAV, but it looks like I'll be self mentoring and bouncing questions off of you all, as he didn't really instill confidence or display enthusiasm in trying to answer my questions/resolve issues.

NOLAJ

themagicone wrote: »

Finished LYT2 today. Been working on the Cyber Law class all week. If you need to take TFT2 - BUY THE BOOK! The book is like 800 pages and the COS has your read about half. A lot easier to read/follow in print. I got mine from Amazon for $50 and if I send it back I get a $35 gift card. Very interesting reading though. Currently I am reading a case on how you can defeat those pesky agreements you click to install programs.

I was able to knock out 48 this term. 60 is definitely possible. I work full time, so my time is limited! Best of luck!!

demonfurbie

spiderjericho wrote: »

Just had my second talk with my mentor. I asked him about bouncing ideas on my tech writing/capstone, he said to speak to the course mentor.

I ask about getting VMware, he says it's part of the MDSN. I say VMware not Microsoft.

He called me @ the dealership so I couldn't really go over the AAV, but it looks like I'll be self mentoring and bouncing questions off of you all, as he didn't really instill confidence or display enthusiasm in trying to answer my questions/resolve issues.

alot of people have had issues with him, if you want to bounce ideas off me feel free to pm me

Hypntick

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Passed GAC1 by 2 points!

Was so scared I was going to fail that, I do not understand math very well.
/happy dance!

Ah hem....sorry about that, one class left, scheduled for June 30th. I am going to take the 70-680 and make it my.....well you know. So close to being done I can taste it.

Valsacar

themagicone wrote: »

Finished LYT2 today. Been working on the Cyber Law class all week. If you need to take TFT2 - BUY THE BOOK! The book is like 800 pages and the COS has your read about half. A lot easier to read/follow in print. I got mine from Amazon for $50 and if I send it back I get a $35 gift card. Very interesting reading though. Currently I am reading a case on how you can defeat those pesky agreements you click to install programs.

I'm about to start that one here soon, already got most of the first task done though. I found that book useless for the first task, it has nothing to do with it. I thought maybe I was reading the task wrong so contacted the course mentor and she said that I was right... basically the task has nothing to do with the assigned reading (task deals with HIPAA, HITECH, and a few others, which the books just mention but don't go into detail as the task does). Wasn't hard to do, just confusing as I expected the assigned reading would be related.

Transfered in 1 course and completed 3 others (waiting on review of Task 2 of JFT2 before I submit Task 3, otherwise it would be 4 done... they're slow) in the first month!

Excellent1

Valsacar wrote: »

Transfered in 1 course and completed 3 others (waiting on review of Task 2 of JFT2 before I submit Task 3, otherwise it would be 4 done... they're slow) in the first month!

That's amazing progress, man. Nice work. I know you said you started a couple of weeks early, but that's still an incredible pace. When I was doing the undergrad degree, I knocked out 72 CU's the first term, but after that I backed it off to around 30 each of the next 2 terms. I couldn't see myself flying through the MSISA like that.

Keep up the good work.

Valsacar

Thanks, luckily for me I've worked in a pretty varied number of positions. I've done security, I've done training, in the Army I had to do tons of different presentations, etc. So a lot of the tasks I was already familiar with and got a first time go on all but one, I even got a first time go on the first task of JFT2 which my mentor said she's never had a student do that... then again I took organizational behavior in my BS, even used the same textbook.

themagicone

Do you mean JIT2 or is your code JFT2? It took me 3 tries to finish JIT2 (Risk Management). The task was so off of the COS. As for TFT2, again COS isn't lined up to task at all. I've read 200 pages in the law book then figured out that none of it will help with the tasks. What I'm coming to grasp with, that the COS is just a study, the tasks are more an extension to learn more. They don't really build off the COS. I have finished 1 paper for it and passed. The 2nd paper is being graded and I have the outline done for paper 3. Goal is to be done with all 4 by the weekend.

Valsacar

JFT2 is Organizational Management, very different from JIT2... it's a pain of a course.

amcnow

I just wanted to let everyone know. I start my master's program at WGU next month. I'm going for the Master of Science in Information Security and Assurance.

Valsacar wrote: »

JFT2 is Organizational Management, very different from JIT2... it's a pain of a course.

Funny thing...

My mentor told me WGU is removing JFT2 from the MSISA curriculum, effective June 1st.

usagent27

Just passed CUV1 and have BOV1 scheduled for tomorrow. After that i have 8 classes left and 3 months to complete them.

Psoasman

usagent27 wrote: »

Just passed CUV1 and have BOV1 scheduled for tomorrow. After that i have 8 classes left and 3 months to complete them.

Congrats! How was the CUV1? Does the CIW-provided materials prepare you fairly well for it? I am planning on taking it in the next 2 weeks or so.

Excellent1

amcnow wrote: »

My mentor told me WGU is removing JFT2 from the MSISA curriculum, effective June 1st.

First, welcome to the forums. Also, best of luck with WGU. This is a good place for information for the school, for sure.

I also wanted to thank you for passing along the information about JFT2. I confirmed with the school, and I can waive the course. I haven't started on it yet, so that's one more down that I don't have to mess with. Much appreciated.

spiderjericho

demonfurbie wrote: »

alot of people have had issues with him, if you want to bounce ideas off me feel free to pm me

Are we talking about the same person? This advisor's initials are MP.

We got off the phone the other day and he said he was going to follow up today, but before then he was going to send me an e-mail. Still haven't gotten the email.

I'm not really worried about it, since I only plan on taking one term at the school and have a general course of action. But it would be nice to have a "mentor" in the IT field who can provide general advice and is enthusiastic to provide exemplary service with enthusiasm. But from my experience with the WGU's format, I'm sure most of the personnel are overtaxed.

usagent27

Psoasman wrote: »

Congrats! How was the CUV1? Does the CIW-provided materials prepare you fairly well for it? I am planning on taking it in the next 2 weeks or so.

yes the CIW materials are long but needed for the exam

Valsacar

Excellent1 wrote: »

First, welcome to the forums. Also, best of luck with WGU. This is a good place for information for the school, for sure.

I also wanted to thank you for passing along the information about JFT2. I confirmed with the school, and I can waive the course. I haven't started on it yet, so that's one more down that I don't have to mess with. Much appreciated.

No fair... I'm almost done with it.

Hypntick

spiderjericho wrote: »

Just had my second talk with my mentor. I asked him about bouncing ideas on my tech writing/capstone, he said to speak to the course mentor.

I ask about getting VMware, he says it's part of the MDSN. I say VMware not Microsoft.

He called me @ the dealership so I couldn't really go over the AAV, but it looks like I'll be self mentoring and bouncing questions off of you all, as he didn't really instill confidence or display enthusiasm in trying to answer my questions/resolve issues.

I know this is a later reply, however I would suggest contacting student services. See if you can get a new mentor, there's no reason to put up with someone holding you back like that.

bull3t_six

Has anyone used the Cisco Certification Practice Exam for 640-816 from Cisco while going through CQV1?

https://learningnetworkstore.cisco.com/market/prod/productView.se.work?/nxt/rcrs/proieidentity/=20300

I found it to have many many questions that had no correct answers listed. Anyone else notice this??