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

demonfurbie

usagent27 wrote: »

Task 3 for KFT1 was approved so all i have left is for them to approve my task 4 and i will be done!

same im waiting on task 4 from the looks of it they have about a 4 day turn around on that class

then im off to a masters info sec

Techgrrl1

Well tomorrow's the big day! Start my first term! WFV1, here i come!

Raidersfan81

Techgrrl1 wrote: »

Well tomorrow's the big day! Start my first term! WFV1, here i come!

Nice!! I was just excited when I first started over a year ago. It goes by fast!

Hypntick

Welp, my mentor still has yet to email me about our initial call. I do have everything showing up under my courses now. Really wanted to go ahead and unlock stuff in task stream and get started. Three day weekend, could more than likely knock out a task or two.

erpadmin

I can't remember ever dealing with a mentor on a weekend (especially a long weekend.)

You are better off calling Student Services if you want to get stuff unlocked and/or given a link with tasks to work on on a particular course. They're ready to take your call at 10AM MST.

Hypntick

I think part of the issue is that I requested a specific mentor and that request was never relayed to the appropriate party. So when I did get a welcome email from the mentor that had been assigned to me, I contacted student services to see if there was a particular reason it wasn't my mentor of choice. Since all of this has happened sort of last minute I imagine i'll hear from him next week. Not a huge issue though, i'm just glad my request was approved and it was a miscommunication rather than me being assigned some random mentor.

hiddenknight821

@Hypntick: I just PMed you to help you get an early head start.

CenturionMario

I tried sending a private message to someone on this forum, but it doesn't seem like it worked. I have some questions about the WGU IT degree (software emphasis).

-How hard is the WGU pre-assessment? What do I have to know to pass it?

-How much math is required in the WGU software program? I have as high as College Algebra, and I am willing to go a little further if need be.

-Would it be better to take the General IT degree over the Software IT degree if I wanted to finish faster? Can I take the General IT degree, train in software programming on the side, then find a programming job? How much harder will it be for employers to higher me compared to just having a software degree?

-I plan on committing 40 hours a week to studying in WGU. Besides working full-time, cleaning, playing video games (hardly much, these days), and watching sports, I don't do much. I want to complete WGU in about 6 months (although if it takes a year, I'm willing to do that) as I will try to transfer in all my Gen Ed credits. For someone with above-average to solid learning speed, do you think this is possible? I have read about a few people here that have done it, and I am motivated to do the same.

-What were the easier courses in the WGU software program and what were the harder courses in the WGU software program?

-Can you give some examples about what some of the software classes were like?

-What do you like the most and the least about WGU?

Thank you to anyone that takes the time to answer these questions, they would really help me a lot. I hope I made my questions more clear, this time.

Cisc0kidd

I think they are ending the SW concentration. One of the forum vets will be more knowledgeable.

Psoasman

The database emphasis has been discontinued. The software emphasis is still available.

@Centurion - the pre-assessment is fairly easy. Math is up to basic geometry, the reading / english isn't hard, and you have to write a short essay. I think I took around 90 minutes to do all 4 sections. You receive notice of passing each section in around 15 minutes or so. Make sure you have a quiet area to do this.

You will likely finish the B.S. IT degree faster, though that depends on what certs you hold and your level of experience in programming. I don't believe the diploma from WGU shows any emphasis, but the software emphasis could be worked into the interview or cover letter.

I'll let someone who is actually in the software emphasis answer the questions specific to that.

Cisc0kidd

Thanks for the correction Ps. My apologies for the mix up.

Iristheangel

Just started my MS as of yesterday. Reading the Network Security Practices and Policies material. They had to pick the driest author ever to use as reference material. Sigh.

hiddenknight821

Iristheangel wrote: »

Just started my MS as of yesterday. Reading the Network Security Practices and Policies material. They had to pick the driest author ever to use as reference material. Sigh.

I don't think it's the author's fault. That's how policies are.

I wish Skillsoft created tablet app like CourseSmart. It would have made the reading much easier. I'm not a fan of their browser-based interface.

N2IT

Status update

Task 3 for Organizational Management went through. Done for this semester which technically ends September. I just don't have enough energy to take on another course before the end of September.

5 more courses left before I earn my MBA including the strategy capstone project.

This will give me leverage within the company I am work for. My deliverables are enough, I am already slated to transition into engagement manager in 1-1.5 years which is exactly where I want to be. This is my last piece of formal education and my hands will be wiped clean of all certifications and degrees less CE.

TLeTourneau

Great job N2, keep up the good work!

snapdad

Just failed my first exam today. GAC1 got me. The cutoff score is 73% and I scored 72.5%. If any needs me I'll be here banging my head against my desk for the remainder of the day.

Iristheangel

So I've decided to slow the hell down for my MSISA. I rushed to complete my undergrad degree before I turned 30 and it nearly killed me since I was studying for the CISSP and working two jobs. If it takes me an ENTIRE two years to complete my MS and I get my CCNP, CCNA V + S, and maybe even my CCIE written out of the way during that time, I'm not even sweating it. It might be a little more costly this route but at least I won't be gaining another 15 pounds like I did during my undergrad and stressing out over every semester end coming up

erpadmin

Iristheangel wrote: »

If it takes me an ENTIRE two years to complete my MS and I get my CCNP, CCNA V + S, and maybe even my CCIE written out of the way during that time, I'm not even sweating it.

You need to slow the ---- down...lmao. Weight gain will be the least of your problems...your SO is going to end up performing some medical emergency on you if you try to take on so much. I would table the CCIE aspirations and just focus on the rest of your Cisco deals and work on building on the experience you're about to start in that game. Doing all of that, plus a MS would be enough to make the strongest of men faint, let alone the strongest of women.

Slow down, and relax...don't be in such a rush. You got CISSP...that in itself is a huge accomplishment. Just concentrate on finishing your degree, then the CCNP/NA+VS stuff and leave that CCIE alone!! Not saying you are not able or capable...just that the CCIE alone is such a huge time killer. I am kind of relating to that, because PMP prepwork is also a time killer, but I at least am going through that through a PM class I'm taking for school...that's the only reason I'm even attempting that.

I hope you understand what I mean.

Iristheangel

I know what you mean. I don't know if I'll be on my CCIE written after 2 years. I will knock the CCNA V and S out of the park easily by the end of the year and give myself the whole next year to work on the CCNP. The CCIE isn't a priority but I could see myself getting bored and wanting to do it or some other Cisco cert while I'm on my last year at WGU. My point was just that I wasn't going to try to race through my WGU MSISA in one or two semesters. I've already tried that with my undergrad degree and my only saving grace was the fact that I didn't have a stressful job. These days, I have a lot more to do with my time. I'll admire everyone who can complete everything in a semester or two but I have no interest in doing that anymore.

N2IT

Thanks TLe!

I appreciate the gratz. The program is not easy at all and with my current position it has been a challenge. Infact I am not sure when I will start up on the other course to be honest. This new position is grooming me for an engagement manager which requires a lot of long hours and major deliverables.

I haven't even been able to post much on here lately. Back to creating training documentation and process and procedure documentation.

***What's scary is I am getting just as good with Visio as I am with Excel, Access, and Word.

erpadmin

N2IT wrote: »

Status update

Task 3 for Organizational Management went through. Done for this semester which technically ends September. I just don't have enough energy to take on another course before the end of September.

When I found myself in that situation, I would pick the easiest course that I would begin on my new term and unofficially work on that. Then when I started the term, I'd hand the stuff in. You probably just want to chill though, and that's understandable if you are busy, but for me, I just never liked stuff to sit. Just give yourself the option to look at what might need to be required but don't enroll in the course. Your mentor should be able to tell you what that easy course is (though you probably know which one.)

Keep it up though...sounds like you will join the illustrious club of WGU alumni very soon.

A little off topic, but question for you. What did you use to earn your MS Project 2010 cert? I'm just curious.

Jasiono

How do you guys stay awake for the business management course?!

It has got to be the most boring thing I have ever encountered in my life and I'm sure nothing will surpass it.

erpadmin

Org/Business management is just one of those classes that anyone who has ever worked for someone else can relate to. The only stuff that might be boring is probably the "theory" that's behind all of that (Herzberg, Maslow, Porter, etc.) Initially I used Google for all of that. Then in grad school (not at WGU) I saw that much of this came back again, but the way my professor broke them down, it was just stuff that stuck.

Believe me, you don't have to get that deep. Just get the general jist of what those theories are...no one is asking you to write a doctoral dissertation on them (unless of course, you're gunning for a Ph.D in Organizational Leadership or something...) Assuming this is not you, don't worry about them that much...just understand the base meaning.

Jasiono

Good advice thanks! I'm sitting here writing notes out of my ass to the point I'm almost regurgitating the book verbatim.

erpadmin

My advice...take a preassessment to see how you'd do. (You get three of them.) When you get to a theory question you don't know, write the topic down, and answer as best as you can. Most of those questions are gonna be common sense stuff, and you should be able to answer the preassessment above the cut score.

Trust me...if you ever go into grad school, you'll have plenty of time to delve into these kind of theories at that level. (And not feel bored....)

Jasiono

Took the first pre assesment and got a 52 which is cut score average for B average students. My mentor wants me to get around 59 though.

usagent27

I haven't posted in a bit but i am done. I was able to complete my degree in one semester. Swid's threat was a huge help and inspiration. Next up will be the masters degree programs at WGU.

Good luck to all of the new students starting this month! You will do great!

hiddenknight821

Congrats. +1 for finishing in one term. How many CUs you completed?

usagent27

hiddenknight821 wrote: »

Congrats. +1 for finishing in one term. How many CUs you completed?

76 CUs were completed.

lelei

Congrats, that's a ton of CU for one semester!