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

Psoasman

Just submitted my Capstone, now for the waiting. Just have to finish up KFT1 tasks 2-4 and I am done.

Mike-Mike

Just passed CCNA Security.... all I have left is Win 7, CIW database, the second java class and my capstone

Ivanjam

@Mike-Mike - well done! Good luck on the remaining exams!

pixa241

WGU is taking forever. I was supposed to start January 1st 2013, but looks like I am not going to make it. My previous school sent an outdated transcript with some missing classes so I had to resend the newest one and also sent in a Microsoft transcript but am still waiting on the evaluation. Has been over 2 weeks. Looks like im going to have to wait till February. My enrollment counselor is out on vacation and the replacement he referred me to is not responding to my emails or calls.

kgb

Not to make excuses for the school, but being realistic, enrolling at this time of the year has to be one of the worse. It's "the" major family holiday in the US. I think everything has to be done by like the 23rd or something, and with it being the holidays... It sounds like the school has been suffering from some serious growing pains since November.

Just shedding some light on it. I know it doesn't really help, you are anxious to start.

Matavi

I'm supposed to be starting on the first as well, but as far as I know they pushed back the deadline to have everything in for a January 1st start date to December 26th. So as long as everything had been received and all the financials worked out by yesterday it should be fine. I'm still waiting on having the orientation open up myself, but a woman I talked to today stated that I'm not the only one and due to the holidays and what not they're pushing back the orientation completion date to something like the first week of January.

boredgamelad

Just got my Capstone idea approved (a secure, non-intrusive, low-bandwidth remote desktop monitoring program). Kicker is, I've already got most of the project itself complete. Should have tech writing done over the weekend and the Capstone paper done by the end of next week. Then I just gotta finish up this pesky database class and I'll have achieved my 1-term BS

Psoasman

And then there was one, KFT1, that is. Passed my Capstone today. Task 4 looks like a bear, I think its going to take some time.

Cisc0kidd

You definitely want to rattle their cages. They had my transcripts for over 2 weeks and didn't even look at them until I made noise with my enrollment counselor.

Amonix

I just checked my resume and the certs I have are on there. I also included my Xerox, Lexmark, Dell, Lenovo, HP, and various other vendor certs I have as well. I went from no printer experience to Xerox Expert in 2 months. I am thankful for all your comments and suggestions. I think this is got to be one of the best groups out there for encouragement and support. You guys are awesome and thank you again.

egak

how early should one apply? i finish my associates after this term (jan-march) and they send me stuff in the mail every month...but from my understanding, you can only start in the beginning of each month.

LinuxRacr

I have a make-or-break ICND2 CCNA exam tomorrow morning. Any last-minute tips to pass this thing on the first attempt would be welcome here or to my PM box. I've been using the Boson Ex-Sim Max practice exams, the INE videos, the Tod Lammle study guide, the CCNA Portable Command Guide by Scott Empson, my Home Lab, and of course the LearnKey videos provided by WGU.

Psoasman

egak wrote: »

how early should one apply? i finish my associates after this term (jan-march) and they send me stuff in the mail every month...but from my understanding, you can only start in the beginning of each month.

New students start at the beginning of each month. You should aim to have all documentation received by the month prior to starting. If you graduate with your AS degree in March, then you'll probably be looking at a May 1 start.

Your AS degree should clear most of the lower level courses, too.

hiddenknight821

Well, I'm back from a few months of hiatus. Life's gotten in the way, and I'm due to resume my graduate study on Jan. 1st, but I may will have to push it back further to next July if the financial aid paperwork fall through before my tuition due date. I plan to call the bursar and financial aid office next Monday to confirm everything.

Krones

Congrats to everyone on their recent triumphs, accomplishments and degree completions. I finally finished up CTV1 (Security +). I am not knocking out the CUs as fast as I had hoped. I am at 12 CUs with two months left in my term but I start a new job soon that will most likely interfere with my studies. Next up on the list is CUV1. I really need to learn the basics and not blaze through the material. Does anyone have any suggestions for supplemental content or is the CIW labs provided by WGU good enough?

tekalon

Krones wrote: »

Congrats to everyone on their recent triumphs, accomplishments and degree completions. I finally finished up CTV1 (Security +). I am not knocking out the CUs as fast as I had hoped. I am at 12 CUs with two months left in my term but I start a new job soon that will most likely interfere with my studies. Next up on the list is CUV1. I really need to learn the basics and not blaze through the material. Does anyone have any suggestions for supplemental content or is the CIW labs provided by WGU good enough?

I also just got my Security. I finished the CIWs earlier this year and I would say that the content WGU gives for CIW is all you need. Read the material, do the practice tests and you will be fine. I had trouble with Databases but that's because I only skimmed the material rather than actually studying for it. If you've passed any CompTIA, CIW should be a breeze.

LinuxRacr

Anyone ever have two classes not completed at the end of a term?

KeithC

Are you only worried about SAP? you have 76% which is fine. Student services I think are open give them a call with your concerns.

LinuxRacr

Yeah, but according to the student handbook SAP is calculated at the end of the term. Right now it is 77%, but with these two classes it may knock me out of eligibility for financial aid which will be a MAJOR setback... but something that can be salvaged.

For those wondering why we are talking about this, I failed the ICND2 exam this morning, which means that CQV1 and CNV1 won't be finished before the end of the term....

LinuxRacr

Just talked to student services. I'm still ok. I just have to kick ass next term.

KeithC

Humm according to the student handbook under SAP -> continuing students = all points are referenced using cumulative SAP. For example my SAP is

Enrolled

Completed

%

Current Term SAP

33

14

42

Cumulative SAP

80

55

69

So you should be fine regarding SAP and financial aid. Now for your mentor and probation "shrug"

LinuxRacr

Yep, exactly. This is what was explained to me. I just have to kick ass next term.

tycar86

@matavi - I'm starting 1/1 as well. I was also waiting for orientation as well. My enrollment counselor told me he'd take care of it then went on vacation. The enrollment counselor he referred me to also didn't do anything. So I called student services and they sent me an email with a link to orientation. I completed that 2 days ago and received an email from my mentor yesterday. So if you still don't have access to orientation try calling student services.

Matavi

@tycar - Yeah, it opened up for me like really early on the 28th. I didn't even get the e-mail they told me I would to start it. I was just impatiently checking the student portal at like 2 in the morning and found it active. I had to quit shortly into it though because I didn't have access to the communities yet for some of the stuff they wanted me to do. lol. But now that's done and it's time for the good stuff.

pixa241

My mentor did the same thing, but i sent in some transcripts to the mentor he referred me to but never got confirmation or anything so I wonder if that will not be transferred in. I hope everything I sent in get transferred in since that would greatly knock off some classes

Nemowolf

Did anyone else get an email about EWOB having issues?

Codyy

Well I just had a very interesting experience! I attempted to give my enrollment counselor a call using the number in his email signature block and was out for a big surprise, his numbers listed goes to a sex hotline!

Completely serious, I triple checked to make sure I had dialed the right number. The last digit of their number is an 8, his shows 6. I thought it was hilarious but feel bad for him, I can't imagine how many students have tried calling his number today. I tried to let him know but they are closed for the holidays.

Jack2

My Capstone CPW3 has been submitted for grading!! Wish me luck everyone! Pass the Microsft exams and I am done!

Nemowolf

Its settiling in that today i start the future of my career. I am currently going over material for my first class: WFV1.

Side note for anyone that sees that that is looking to register and start at WGU. Jan 1 is not the best start time due to the number of days that are closed between the holidays. I'm finding that my mentor is not available when i am because the school is closed.

Ivanjam

@Jack2 - congrats on completing the Capstone!

@Nemowolf - good luck on your first course at WGU!