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

hurricane1091

ksijur wrote: »

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!

I should take your advice but I'm reluctant because I have zero experience with databases. I couldn't do the project without reading some stuff lol.

jbegarek

DeathByMisadventure wrote: »

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.

I was told we had the option of making up a project... as in to say a "neighbor" needed "something" done.. or whatever. My mentor didn't exactly say you could make it up, but he certainly implied it.

ira.a

On my 4th enrollment counselor still trying to get in.

TacoRocket

ira.a wrote: »

On my 4th enrollment counselor still trying to get in.

Uh why?

hurricane1091

Does anyone please have advice for C169? I am absolutely terrible with programming. It doesn't ever click for me. Is there a co-hort?

matts5074

hurricane1091 wrote: »

Does anyone please have advice for C169? I am absolutely terrible with programming. It doesn't ever click for me. Is there a co-hort?

I'm in this class right now as well. I had no issues with C173 (Python), but C169 is totally different. I've finished the course content and I'm now attempting the project. It's not coming easy for me either. I'm piecing it together a little at a time from examples and the book. I too and interested in any tips on this class!

techfiend

Email the C169 mentors and they should send a cohort that basically shows how to get started and more. If you get stuck don't be afraid to ask the course mentors. I heavily leaned on them during this course and I'm really glad I did.

Nemowolf

Hello everyone, im back after taking a 3 months break from school. Have to say its with mixed feelings but im glad to be working on my goal for my Bachelors again.

keitaro

Add my name to the list of folks who are stuck on the C169 project. I keep waiting for that "Eureka!" moment but it has thus far eluded me. I've gotten my instance variables, setters/getters, and constructors down but dunno who to proceed from here.

I've sent two emails to the course mentors but have yet to receive a response. Any help would be vastly appreciated as my end of term is the end of this month.

rdupuy

Hello everyone, I've been lurking for a few days, finally have something to post.

Well, I was thinking about going back to school for a while, but the overhead of applying is kind of daunting. I never liked paperwork.
But finally I started filling out FAFSA forms and asking for transcripts and the like. Of course, making mistakes, like I had an extension to file my taxes, during the extension period, and before I filed my taxes, I could have done income verification with W2's, but now I have to wait for tax return transcripts, which won't be available for weeks.

But in the meantime, having read these excellent forums I learned about Straighterline, and I wanted to say, wow, they are easy to sign up. Just pay with your credit card and you can start studying on the same day. So now I am knocking out an general education requirement while I wait to complete FAFSA verification.

In fact, now I like Straighterline so much, maybe I'll use them to knock out every general education requirement.

Unfortunately my transcripts have not been evaluated yet, so I do not know which GE requirements are still lacking. I'll be talking to a counselor on monday so hopefully I'll know more soon.

I have 30 credit hours from 4 different sources - if WGU accepts them all, which I doubt, I can't imagine how some would apply, but if they do, I guess I'd have 93 credit hours to go....I'm seeking the BS Software Development...

OK, wanted to say hi all, and I've enjoyed the thread immensely. I'll post as I have news.

usman4673

Does anyone know which version of Java is required in C169:Programming/Applications? Is it Java SE 7 or 8? And whats the percentage distribution between Java project and assessment? Lastly, which IDE (Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA) or Notepad++ is required per the curriculum?

Can anyone please PM me course syllabus and marks distribution as well as the project that is required?

I am enrolled for 12/1 start date and this is one of the courses along with intro to IT, I am planning to take. Any help will be appreciated.

TacoRocket

Haven't taken the course but from a programming background, Java 7 or 8 shouldn't be a real issue and neither is the compiler. They all output the same.

rdupuy

Well, I just finished my third test of my first course at Straighterline, I'm taking Business Statistics while I wait for my WGU application to complete.

WGU has accepted my experience document. 12 years as a Senior Oracle DBA, and 3 years as a mobile applications programmer - so yeah, I was hoping that'd count...

On the Business Statistics class, the meter says I'm 43% done with a score of 93%....but you know I haven't studied in a long time, and I actually got a migraine and felt like I was going to throw up yesterday. I'm not sure if I'm not over doing it. It's pass fail, maybe I should shoot for a 70% and take it easy.

OMG, one headache and I'm ready to throw in the towel, it's no wonder I never got the degree. OK, forgetting the stupid headache NOW....lol

I think I will continue to try and fly through all the coursework and then, take a week to slowly and in a relaxed manner study for the proctored final.
I think the main issue is I was too worried about it all and over did it.

OK so that is Straighterline, back to WGU - I applied for four scholarships. I hope some of those come through, that'd be nice.

Here is a little warning, when I applied for General Scholarship, I got an email saying I had only 5 days to apply for all the specific scholarships I wanted.
One of those was to apply for the Straighterline scholarship. That requires that you transfer in 4 Straighterline courses. I plan to finish 4 Straighterline courses before I begin at WGU (which btw, is looking like a 1/1/2016 start date - no way to start earlier since IRS income validation is still pending)...

But now I have 5 days to apply for that scholarship even though I'm only 43% through the first course, and I have to say I did 4!

How do I get into these weird timing issues? LOL, I said I was terrible at paperwork. Since I have no choice but to apply - I know not to miss a deadline, I applied anyway, even though the courses won't be complete for ~2 months.

Of course I had to say I had transferred in 4....yikes

hurricane1091

If you finish your term 2 months into it, can you get some money back?

Eduardv

Anyone prepping for C172? Network and Security Foundations.
Consensus seems to be that the course is all over the board (bad materials etc) and that the test does not match up well with the Pre-Assessment.
I'm looking to take the test within the next 4 days or so.

xengoreth

xengoreth wrote: »

After getting all of my transcripts and certifications sent in I was denied acceptance to WGU because I work overseas as a contractor and am not active duty military. Supposedly, this change was made several weeks ago.

To clarify, I have a ton of transfer credits and 17 years of IT experience, in addition to my Security+, so it isn't an
issue of not meeting their "readiness" requirements.

I am quite disappointed but plan to use this an opportunity to move on to something bigger and better. Ultimately, I suspect I'll finish up a BS in Computer Science instead.

It seems WGU moved beyond whatever nonsense was preventing me from being accepted. I spoke with the new enrollment counselor tonight and should be starting on the BSIT-Security on 01-Jan-2016. I'm very excited about this new development. Also, I plan to go back and finish a CS degree at some point (possibly at the graduate level).

cshkuru

Anyone who has completed task 3 in TFT2 (Cyberlaw), what did you use as references. The tip sheet the instructor gives out suggests NIST or ISO, but I have been searching everywhere and I can't find a copy of ISO 18096 and all I can find from NIST is a slide show saying we are working on some stuff.

Also while I am at it why isn't the ISO 27005 standard included in the risk management learning resources?

hurricane1091

I was hoping to graduate this weekend, but it probably is not happening. Can I get some advice? My tech writing was accepted, and I basically changed it to past tense and added a couple sections for the capstone. Originality report is 85% and it's stuck in evaluation, so I expect a phone call and a rejection at some point. Everyone said to do what I did though, but it doesn't appear that it will work. I hope I don't need another brand new project to write about, it would be devastating.

cshkuru

mine did the same thing then it just went thruif you dont see it popping out by tomorrow call your mentor

techfiend

I'm working on technical writing currently and I see there's a maximum of 3 submissions. What happens if it doesn't pass on the third submission?

hurricane1091

It did go thru but was rejected. I have to fix a few things. I have never had something go thru first try lol.

hurricane1091

WGU accepted my capstone and I am done!

Tomorrow starts the real quest, the CCNP. I've learned a ton from working at a network engineer this year but it's time to get to big boy status and hopefully big boy pay.

I would recommend WGU to anyone. Affordable. I work 8-5 every day (more usually, I have things to do that have to wait til after hours), work out consistently and don't study much on weekends, yet still got 11 courses done in 7.5 months.

yellowpad

Hurricane,
Can you message me and share how you got 11 done in 7.5 months? Please really share. In the last 5months, I can only finish 5. How did you manged to complete them so quickly? I have 8 more courses left to include the capstone. I need it done.....

Thanks in advance.

hurricane1091 wrote: »

WGU accepted my capstone and I am done!

Tomorrow starts the real quest, the CCNP. I've learned a ton from working at a network engineer this year but it's time to get to big boy status and hopefully big boy pay.

I would recommend WGU to anyone. Affordable. I work 8-5 every day (more usually, I have things to do that have to wait til after hours), work out consistently and don't study much on weekends, yet still got 11 courses done in 7.5 months.

hurricane1091

yellowpad wrote: »

Hurricane,
Can you message me and share how you got 11 done in 7.5 months? Please really share. In the last 5months, I can only finish 5. How did you manged to complete them so quickly? I have 8 more courses left to include the capstone. I need it done.....

Thanks in advance.

One class was for the CCNA Security. I had already been studying that before I enrolled in WGU, and took that quite quickly. Security + was very easy, I basically just was able to go take the test after very minimal studying (because of past experience career wise and education wise). The 2 linux classes held me up the longest and having to do 500+ practice questions for WGU was annoying. The project management and principles of management class went by really quick - all you had to do was pass a test. I essentially read and wrote notes on the entire book in like 3 days for each class, the definition of a cram. The two programming classes held me up a bit too and involved much more work, but they were the last classes and I was more motivated to work harder. My capstone and tech writing I did in the span of 2-3 days basically. 30 something pages, but I basically sat down and just hammered it out.

I couldn't keep that pace up forever, there's no way. I just happen to only need 11 classes going into it, and I happened to start this degree at the same time as starting the job I am at now. My mindset was always the sooner I get done WGU, the sooner I can get to the CCNP (something that I actually have interest in, something that's going to get me to the kind of salary I wish I had, and something I have to get before I can get something beyond that). So I mean honestly for me it was an obstacle I couldn't wish to finish, which helped.

yellowpad

I started with 13 classes...and done 5....well 6 by 12/15. So I have 7 left. 2 Linux, Java, SQL, tech. writing, designing customization, and capstone. I sure like to finish alllll of these on the next term.

hurricane1091 wrote: »

One class was for the CCNA Security. I had already been studying that before I enrolled in WGU, and took that quite quickly. Security + was very easy, I basically just was able to go take the test after very minimal studying (because of past experience career wise and education wise). The 2 linux classes held me up the longest and having to do 500+ practice questions for WGU was annoying. The project management and principles of management class went by really quick - all you had to do was pass a test. I essentially read and wrote notes on the entire book in like 3 days for each class, the definition of a cram. The two programming classes held me up a bit too and involved much more work, but they were the last classes and I was more motivated to work harder. My capstone and tech writing I did in the span of 2-3 days basically. 30 something pages, but I basically sat down and just hammered it out.

I couldn't keep that pace up forever, there's no way. I just happen to only need 11 classes going into it, and I happened to start this degree at the same time as starting the job I am at now. My mindset was always the sooner I get done WGU, the sooner I can get to the CCNP (something that I actually have interest in, something that's going to get me to the kind of salary I wish I had, and something I have to get before I can get something beyond that). So I mean honestly for me it was an obstacle I couldn't wish to finish, which helped.

rdupuy

Just thought I'd check in, I am now up to 36 hours completed at Straighterline, and signed up for 3 more credits

The reason I took so much, is I both took some classes designed for a WGU degree, and some that would be needed for a degree program at American Military University.

Ultimately I cannot accept WGU's low graduation rate and their way of rectifying that graduation rate problem.

The number one university in the country in terms of graduation rates, is Harvard, at 97%. And on the other end of the spectrum, which in 2013 was rated the very worst performer was WGU.

Now some would argue that, well that's just based on the students who apply. Harvard is very exclusive and gets to cherry pick class A personalities....well true, but it is still great to have a Harvard diploma, perhaps exactly for that reason, you'd be automatically known as a class A driven performer.

50 private colleges with best, worst grad rates - CBS News

Now, this is ashame, graduating from WGU not only means you were in a class of the least motivated personality types - but worse, those who do graduate from WGU are 'helped' by having a constant nag, that calls you weekly.

I don't know about you all, but I want to hire employees that can do their job independently and not a personality type that requires constant supervision and weekly nagging, else they go astray and complete nothing.

Anyway, I suspect the problem with WGU is two fold - their pool of applicants that is drawn to their low price, and the way they assess class completion.

I'm going to American Military University - it's another checkbox degree, and will cost more. However, their graduation rate is almost twice as high as WGU. No mentor "nags" - plus a format assessment that leads to higher graduation rates. I doubt their pool of applicants is significantly different, perhaps it skews a bit younger.

OK - thanks for letting me vent. After I left WGU, I told them to not write me, so they found a different email address they still had for me, and wrote me one last argumentative letter.

For me, dealing with them, was like dealing with an overly aggressive car salesperson. Hey, if the nagging process is a hel; they will do that. Maybe its an advantage for those that like someone watching over them.

techfiend

Those graduation rates are based on the fact that you took all the college courses at the college, so 4 years. I'm going from an associates to a bachelors at WGU, I'm counted against the graduation rate. I'm sure many other WGU students are in the same boat, thus this graduation rate isn't very accurate.

They wouldn't be able to gain accreditation, let alone the highest level, if they truly had the fewest students coming in and leaving.

ratbuddy

Always a shame to see someone fall in with a for-profit school. Best of luck with that.

cshkuru

That CBS Market Watch Article is completely off base. The Dept. of Education says that WGU has a graduation raete of 24%, the source referenced in the CBS article says 24% and says that is based on only 91 students who were part of that years class and further says:

"Not all undergraduates are included in the official graduation rate. The U.S. omits part-time freshmen and those who have attended college before, among others, from its graduation-rate survey. The outcomes for those students are not known."

so basically the community that WGU was created to serve is the community not counted in determining graduation rates, yet somehow CBS comes up with a 6% graduation rate. You've made your decision and I am not going to try and change your mind, but hopefully others will look at that article with a more jaundiced eye.

cshkuru

Have to say I am a little frustrated with Taskstream at the moment - I have two papers in queue one for two days and one for a day. I know they have 5 days to clear a paper so I am not really grinding on time so much, but I have been checking status like every 4 hours just to see where I am as we enter the weekend. Yesterday at lunch the first paper was at position 100 then at 4 pm it was at 103, then it dropped to 97 where it sat for 8 hours. Checked it a couple hours ago I was at 60 now I am back up to 61. This damn counter is driving me nuts - I would prefer not having it at all.