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

JamesKurtovich

ImThe0ne wrote: »

How quickly do you guys get contacted back from your mentors? Seems like it takes a while for them to go through and respond to emails and approve pre-assessments and assessments. Is that just my mentor? Requested assessment last night and asked a question via email early this morning, his day is technically "over" at this point, and still haven't had a response. Kind of defeats the purpose of being able to go through these classes quickly if they don't respond. I know it's only been 1 day, but still, isn't it their job assisting the student?

No response after a full day? I'd probably give them a call. Sometimes things come up.

ZZoda

Hello,

I applied to attend WGU earlier this week. Currently in the process acceptance phase, trying to request a transcript from one of my school. All that's left is to get my certs since I don't have any. Do you think it's possible to get the A+ and Network+ in only 3 months?

I'm a bit worried they won't accept me because of my transcript though, I have a few F's on it.

And I don't have to take the readiness assessment if I get those certs, correct?

techfiend

Some can obtain A+ and Net+ in 3 months or less. Depends on how well well and much you study. I'd say it's an average realistic goal.

I had an F and an incomplete on my transcripts and they accepted it.

SteveLord

Net+ and Security+ are good to take back to back as well. There is a lot of similar material. I did both of those in 4 weeks.

jebrown21

About a month ago, I posted about my crappy transcript and how I was worried they wouldn't let me in due to my transcript making me look like a flake. (Seriously, 52 credits completed out of 120 some total). Some were withdrawals for personal reasons, others were suppose to be withdrawals but didn't make the deadline so got F's instead.

I meant to post this earlier, mainly for anyone thinking about applying to WGU, but are in a situation like mine where their previous transcripts are horrible. I have to say, I don't even think they look at the F's or W's. After I received my transcript evaluation, it doesn't mention anything about all of the other classes, and my enrollment counselor didn't mention it at all either.

I was accepted and start September 1st. 47 units transferred in and I can't wait to start

hurricane1091

JamesKurtovich wrote: »

How many CUs do you think you'll knock out this term? I have the Integrated Natural Science OA next week and that'll be 17 for me.

Sorry for missing this.

I went into this with 82 credits starting in April and I'm at 103 currently I think, and will finish with 107 this term. So That's 25 done and 15 left.

My second term should just consists of Database, Java, Tech Writing, and Capstone. I don't know how long it will take but my buddy on here seems to think I can get it done before the year ends. I was already preparing for CCNA Security before I came in and was able to pass the Security+ fast since it was nothing new to me. I literally crammed for the principles of management and organization behavior classes. I didn't feel like those two classes were very legit since the passing mark was so damn low, but I got mid 80s in both so whatever.

I'm happy with this and glad I went back, but it's just like any other schooling. You take away what you want to take away - which is for the most part not so much.

trustinger

Hey all, I just applied to WGU and am excited to get started. I work as a network engineer for a service provider and have the A+, Net+, CCNP, CCNA Security, some Juniper certs and an AAS degree. It doesn't look like they accept Juniper certs but Im really hoping my other certs and degree will really speed up the process.

Christian.

trustinger wrote: »

Hey all, I just applied to WGU and am excited to get started. I work as a network engineer for a service provider and have the A+, Net+, CCNP, CCNA Security, some Juniper certs and an AAS degree. It doesn't look like they accept Juniper certs but Im really hoping my other certs and degree will really speed up the process.

I only had the CCNA and I was accepted a few months ago. You should be fine as the AAS (Associate?) and all the other certifications except juniper are accepted.

hurricane1091

I finished 7 classes my first term - which ends this month. I have the Java, Database, Tech Writing, and Capstone classes left for my second term which is October until the end of March I guess. I want to finish by the end of the year though and move on with my life!

hurricane1091

Can anyone talk about the taskstream project for C169 (java)? I have never used TS yet.

Elegyx

Does anyone have any suggestions for other material to study from for the Network+. I unfortunately didn't pass on my first attempt and just felt like a lot (basically all of it) were questions that I had not seen before/material I had not studied.

I'm going over Messer's videos now but I just don't want to run into questions on the exam that I have no clue what the answer is.

JamesKurtovich

Elegyx wrote: »

Does anyone have any suggestions for other material to study from for the Network+. I unfortunately didn't pass on my first attempt and just felt like a lot (basically all of it) were questions that I had not seen before/material I had not studied.

I'm going over Messer's videos now but I just don't want to run into questions on the exam that I have no clue what the answer is.

I was browsing WGU's Net+ course the other day and it seemed pretty good. Was this the material you studied?

I used Professor Messer and Myers's Network+ Passport... you can probably find it in the library.

Winzer

I can't find a link to lynda.com anymore; I swear it used to be under the Resources tab?

My login still works but are they dropping lynda?

Elegyx

JamesKurtovich wrote: »

I was browsing WGU's Net+ course the other day and it seemed pretty good. Was this the material you studied?

I used Professor Messer and Myers's Network+ Passport... you can probably find it in the library.

Thanks for the tip. I've been going through all of Messer's videos and to be honest I love the way he lays things out. Gets right to the point and talks about the main topics in a nice format. I'm using his videos as a study guide and then I'll throw in the Net+ Passport. Thanks a lot for the tip on the Passport+ book.

Elegyx

JamesKurtovich wrote: »

I was browsing WGU's Net+ course the other day and it seemed pretty good. Was this the material you studied?

I used Professor Messer and Myers's Network+ Passport... you can probably find it in the library.

Can't seem to find the Network+ Passport book in the WGU Library at all. E-mailed support to find out if they have it. It'd be nice to add that to go with the videos from Messer.

SteveLord

Passed my first course. Introduction to IT's broad range of topics got annoying! Especially programming languages! But I prevailed. Did pre-asssessment twice and then just a few hours of last minute studying.

ImThe0ne

SteveLord wrote: »

Passed my first course. Introduction to IT's broad range of topics got annoying! Especially programming languages! But I prevailed. Did pre-asssessment twice and then just a few hours of last minute studying.

Yep, terrible class. It always amazes me that an A+ certification will get you out of having to take that... Sooo much more info in Intro to IT that A+ never ever ever ever talks about.

techfiend

They must have changed that since February. I came in with an A+ and had to take Intro to IT. It's very vague but covers a wide range. The network and systems stuff most A+ already know but it's a good overview. Just wait until you get to the Java and MySQL courses.

ImThe0ne

techfiend wrote: »

They must have changed that since February. I came in with an A+ and had to take Intro to IT. It's very vague but covers a wide range. The network and systems stuff most A+ already know but it's a good overview. Just wait until you get to the Java and MySQL courses.

I may be wrong, but the sheet they sent me that has what certifications transfer to cancel out classes, the Intro to IT class had (A+) as being the only thing that could transfer in for the Intro to IT.

SteveLord

My A+ is over 5 years old, so it didn't transfer.

Still not sure if I then have to take the new CompTIA A+ exam or not. Doesn't have much value to me at this point in my career so I would rather just keep my old one/non expiring.

ImThe0ne

SteveLord wrote: »

My A+ is over 5 years old, so it didn't transfer.

Still not sure if I then have to take the new CompTIA A+ exam or not. Doesn't have much value to me at this point in my career so I would rather just keep my old one/non expiring.

If you were unable to transfer your A+ in, then you will indeed have to get it again. The classes that correspond are C393 and C394. My A+ was 3 or 4 months past 5yrs old and they wouldn't take it. I have since taken and passed those as well. I had no interest in them either as I haven't had desktop work in years, but it is required for the degree plan, or at least for the BS IT Network admin and the BS of IT Security. Not sure about the others. You should be able to see if it is required in your degree plan or not.

Audlady

I am an MBA -Healthcare Management student at WGU. currently I am work song on my last class before possible graduation, the capstone. Like a good student I looked into the requirements of the capstone and started some things early. Name the part where WGU requires you to get a sign off from a third party, a business, that gives a "real world business problem" to solve and wrote about for your last 20 page business report. Because of the verbiage on this form I have an incredibly hard and long journey to get this form signed. As a healthcare management major my sign off must come from a business who can give me a healthcare related. Part of the form states that the person signing it must represent the organization in this matter and that the powers that be of that organization have reviewed and approved the document. This is where the major problem lies. Basically an executive level healthcare professional must sign off on this form. After three months of phone calls and in person meetings guess how many signatures I got? ZERO. It seems that as a student that just wants to take up there time zero people in professional healthcare arenas are interested in anything a student has to offer, because basically to them I am a nobody. I don't blame them either. So I contacted WGU with my dilemma. They said that I could do a healthcare styles project for a non healthcare business as long as the business problems was healthcare related. After that I got a signature within the week. I got verbally approval for my specific project from the professor and started to work on the 20 page business report. Then an email came form my professor stating my project could not be approved because it wasn't healthcare enough. I amended my problem statement to make it more related to healthcare. Still disapproved. I appealed and still disapproved. So now I have ZERO OPTIONS!!! The requirement of WGU to garner the willingness, cooperation, time, and executive level signature from a third party that is in no way affiliated with the college or the student in order to graduate is preposterous! I may not graduate now. And not because I'm not smart enough or won't work hard enough. But because I can't get the right sign off and business problem from executive level healthcare professional that don't have time for a student they don't even know. Furthermore, the unprofessionalism of a doctorate holding professor in approving and then disapproving a project is astoundingly ridiculous to stay the least. My entire program up until this point has been great. But after this, I CAN NO LONGER RECOMMEND WGU AS A COLLEGE ANYONE SHOULD GO TO! In all fairness perhaps I would recommend WGU to my worst enemy.......

NicWhite

Audlady

Can you appeal to someone higher in the university to rectify this problem? I am sure the school wants you to graduate as that contributes to them meeting their performance measures.

SteveLord

ImThe0ne wrote: »

If you were unable to transfer your A+ in, then you will indeed have to get it again. The classes that correspond are C393 and C394. My A+ was 3 or 4 months past 5yrs old and they wouldn't take it. I have since taken and passed those as well. I had no interest in them either as I haven't had desktop work in years, but it is required for the degree plan, or at least for the BS IT Network admin and the BS of IT Security. Not sure about the others. You should be able to see if it is required in your degree plan or not.

393 looks easy enoughs since hardware is my thing, but I am still waiting on the pre-assessment to be approved so I can take a shot at it! Guess there goes my weekend.

In the mean time, I'll just go through some flashcards from Quizlet. No shortage there and it is a nice easy to access resource to get a hint of the material.

ImThe0ne

SteveLord wrote: »

393 looks easy enoughs since hardware is my thing, but I am still waiting on the pre-assessment to be approved so I can take a shot at it! Guess there goes my weekend.

In the mean time, I'll just go through some flashcards from Quizlet. No shortage there and it is a nice easy to access resource to get a hint of the material.

Yeah, as long as you know a good amount of the material you should be fine. The amount of questions you get vs the low passing score helps alot, as you have more room for error. This is especially true with c393.

hurricane1091

Hello,

Can I get some feedback on Data Management Applications? I'm 2/3 done taking notes on Chapter 2. This is a very large amount of material - more more in line with a traditional semester of school. Just wondering how long it takes people to get this done. I have zero experience - I can't really skip any material. I was hoping to get it done in a couple weeks but it's looking more like a 4-6 week type of course now.

ksijur

hurricane1091 wrote: »

Hello,

Can I get some feedback on Data Management Applications? I'm 2/3 done taking notes on Chapter 2. This is a very large amount of material - more more in line with a traditional semester of school. Just wondering how long it takes people to get this done. I have zero experience - I can't really skip any material. I was hoping to get it done in a couple weeks but it's looking more like a 4-6 week type of course now.

if you've done foundations, you can skip majority of it.. just learn the basic of the code.. after I've done foundations, I only "studied" for a week and then passed the test. I'm stuck on the theory of the project.. not really sure what they want me to write about the darn tables, ERD... :S

DeathByMisadventure

Audlady wrote: »

As a healthcare management major my sign off must come from a business who can give me a healthcare related. Part of the form states that the person signing it must represent the organization in this matter and that the powers that be of that organization have reviewed and approved the document. This is where the major problem lies. Basically an executive level healthcare professional must sign off on this form. After three months of phone calls and in person meetings guess how many signatures I got? ZERO.

Actually, you have the options to sanitize your paper. Remove company names, etc. I did that by saying the project was for "MegaTelco" and changed all the product names. Then you do not require any company signatures.

hurricane1091

ksijur wrote: »

if you've done foundations, you can skip majority of it.. just learn the basic of the code.. after I've done foundations, I only "studied" for a week and then passed the test. I'm stuck on the theory of the project.. not really sure what they want me to write about the darn tables, ERD... :S

Okay, no I did not take foundations. It must of transferred in. I guess I am in for the long haul.

ksijur

hurricane1091 wrote: »

Okay, no I did not take foundations. It must of transferred in. I guess I am in for the long haul.

ouch.. I'm sorry.. the UCertify text is awefull IMHO. too much garbage text. as you certainly know, just do pre-assesment and see what you need to brush on. good luck!