Student Experiences at Western Governors University (WGU)

thenjduke wrote: »

I forget what Western Governor calls it when you refer someone but my wife is looking to go and I know if someone refer her then we do not have to pay the fee. So can someone please recommend her?

It's called "refer a friend" the form is at the beginning of the main WU thread. It saves the application fee.

I am new to WGU will be starting on June 1st. I am in the B.S. IT program and wanted to know how is the EWB class and how long should it take to finish it and also how does the mentor determine which classes are next? Thanks.

jtoast

EWB is a basic overview of all of the tools and systems that you will use at WGU. I finished it in about 3 hours on a Sunday afternoon.

As to classes, you will discuss your schedule with your mentor and the two of you will come to an agreement on your first few classes. If you finish the initial 12 units in time, you can ask to have additional classes added. My personal goal is 54 units this term.

So far my classes from previous education took care of LAC1, LAE1, LAT1, QLC1, HVC1, SSC1, SST1, TEV1, TTV1.

So I guess all that I need to take are EWB2, LUT1, QMC1, QLT1, HVT1, INC1, INT1, CLC1, WFV1, AKV1, GTT1, GUT1, TPV1, ABV1, TNV1, TSV1, WDV1, WSV1, MGC1, ORC1, TWA1, PFI1, and CPW1. Am I missing any classes? Thanks.

petedude

jtoast wrote: »

. . . I should have my mandary 12 units finished by the end of this month.

My goal is 54 units and my degree this term but I suspect that might be a little too ambitious.
. . .

I would have had 12+ units finished this month, except that TPV1 is taking me longer than I'd expect.

I had a similar goal has far as completion, but we'll have to see how things play out.

Has anyone figured out the new student mail system? It says we should be able to access it on our phones but when goto to gmail to try to it says that username doesn't exist. I've tried my student ID, email, just username, but none of them work. 75% of the time my mail frame on my portal doesn't show up so having another way to get it is crucial.

veritas_libertas

themagicone wrote: »

Has anyone figured out the new student mail system? It says we should be able to access it on our phones but when goto to gmail to try to it says that username doesn't exist. I've tried my student ID, email, just username, but none of them work. 75% of the time my mail frame on my portal doesn't show up so having another way to get it is crucial.

You have to use a different path to get to it:

https://mail.google.com/a/wgu.edu/?account_id=whatever-your-username-is%40wgu.edu

Some people are still having problems with the mail. I haven't been able to access it through outlook yet.
Also, I still don't have my old mail yet.

I just set up forwarding in the Gmail Settings Page, we'll see if that works. I hate having to going to the portal, or some obscure website to check my mail. If there is one thing I can complain about WGU is their IT, the portal is buggy at best, on weekends the COS are so slow I don't even bother. Dunno just something I think they should try to fix. The set up MNSCU (Minnesota State Colleges) has for online classes is way more streamlined and easier to use.

I have to agree with you there. The site is slow and they have a lot of system problems.
As to using the COS for classes some are good and some aren't. I used the COS for my Sec+ to the letter. It was a lot of extra work but I learned a lot. The COS for AHV1 (70-640) is garbage. The COS for AIV1 (70-642) is a little better except they totally omitted a very important chapter (chapter

which deals with NAP and firewalls.
If anyone uses a COS and notices problems please provide feedback as WGU does listen and tries to correct the problems.

petedude

earweed wrote: »

I have to agree with you there. The site is slow and they have a lot of system problems.
As to using the COS for classes some are good and some aren't. I used the COS for my Sec+ to the letter. It was a lot of extra work but I learned a lot. The COS for AHV1 (70-640) is garbage. The COS for AIV1 (70-642) is a little better except they totally omitted a very important chapter (chapter which deals with NAP and firewalls.
If anyone uses a COS and notices problems please provide feedback as WGU does listen and tries to correct the problems.

When my ISP cut over to Gmail, it took months for some people to get their issues ironed out. I was lucky-- cutover worked like a charm, except for needing time to figure out where my old E-mail was in the left pane. Same deal for me with WGU-- I lucked out, but I figure it will be months before they get all the kinks worked out.

I liked the COS for TPV1-- it's been helpful, at least for me. I would recommend not ignoring the COS completely, but maybe glancing over the last couple pages to make sure you've done all the requirements. I know some folks are getting away with not turning in things like their ExamForce historical analysis, but I wouldn't recommend it. If you're going to have to be vocal about anything in the future, those sort of lapses could come back to haunt you.

I didn't say I ignored the COS for AHV1, I used it sparingly and provided feedback to get it improved. They had omitted a chapter in it which I got added back in. I mostly used it to track my progress in the class. The COS for that class jumped around from chapter to chapter and I prefer, and the labs are set up, to do chapters in order.
The point is, instead of not using them at all, if the COS is bad, provide feedback to the Course Mentor and there's a feedback link at the end of the COS to provide feedback to someone higher up. I believe a lot of these people at WGU know who I am since I provide feedback when I find a problem. The COS should be a students guide in how to learn the material, if you think it needs fixing provide feedback to WGU.
Exam Force has been getting a bad rep at WGU. It's a fairly decent practice test. If you read the COS every one of them which has Exam force tells the student to e-mail historical analysis to their mentor (mine requires it from everyone) Exam Force is from the same people that do the Exam Cram series and if you do the Exam Cram practice test most of those questions are word for word in the Exam Force.
I agree about the COS for TPV1 as I used it and found it helpful.

Tato500

earweed wrote: »

Some people are still having problems with the mail. I haven't been able to access it through outlook yet.
Also, I still don't have my old mail yet.

Try this like to access to your old emails

http://mywebmail.wgu.edu

I'm depressed tonight. I just can't seem to grasp this very formal writing approach that the English classes require. I proof read and read it again. I have my fiancée read it and correct it, but even her 3 years of college isn't enough to be formal enough for them. It's hard for me to proof read when it looks correct to me, I went through LAC1, LAE1 and LAT1 COS but it's just not clicking I guess. Uggg.

Someone on the WGU community said WGU must be migrating email alphabetically and my last name is later in the alphabet. A lot of people don't have their old mail yet.
I couldn't log in on that link you gave me Tato500.
I think WGU is having issues with the changeover.

themagicone wrote: »

I'm depressed tonight. I just can't seem to grasp this very formal writing approach that the English classes require. I proof read and read it again. I have my fiancée read it and correct it, but even her 3 years of college isn't enough to be formal enough for them. It's hard for me to proof read when it looks correct to me, I went through LAC1, LAE1 and LAT1 COS but it's just not clicking I guess. Uggg.

Get with one of the course mentors. Theyt were very helpful when I went through the classes.

The mentors response is "read this link" and "read this link". I've read OWL, it just doesn't feel natural to write the way they want it. Dunno, guess I'm just kinda cranky tonight. I thought I had wrote this really good research paper to be told I didn't properly articulate the response. It worries me also that if I'm having this much issue with just these classes, what kind of issues will I have with upper division classes. Back is bothering me (had back surgery bout a week n' half ago) and it goes on and on... Sorry rant off.

The upper level IT classes are just studying for certs, except the capstone which is more writing. I never used OWL, I got the APA book and used it for the formatting and for examples of the writing. Just keep your head held high and keep charging along.

My email finally migrated..about time

earweed wrote: »

The upper level IT classes are just studying for certs, except the capstone which is more writing. I never used OWL, I got the APA book and used it for the formatting and for examples of the writing. Just keep your head held high and keep charging along.

My email finally migrated..about time

So do they send you books for the cert classes? And I also wanted to know since I am new here and will begin my EWB on June 1st what does the LUT1 consist of? Will it be research papers or just presentations and how many? Which will be the best topic to take for INC1 and INT1? I know that my mentor will have a lot of answers for me and I am not sure when they will contact me but I wanted to get a perspective from the students that are going through the classes now or just finished them. Thanks in advance.

They send you books for some of the cert classes. What they don't send you are available on Books 24x7. For the CIW and Comptia (except proj+) they send you books. For the CompTIA certs you should use the additional book (either use it on 24x7 or purchase it) they recommend. For the MS certs you either use the book on 24x7 or purchase it.

earweed wrote: »

They send you books for some of the cert classes. What they don't send you are available on Books 24x7. For the CIW and Comptia (except proj+) they send you books. For the CompTIA certs you should use the additional book (either use it on 24x7 or purchase it) they recommend. For the MS certs you either use the book on 24x7 or purchase it.

So do they wait for you to sign up for the classes before they send the CIW books to you? And would it be wise after I do my EWB to take the WFV1 IT Fund 1 and then do the TNV1 Networks 1 since I have received my A+ cert to knock out the TEV1 and TTV1? Thanks.

They send the books to you when you sign up for the class at first. Later on your mentor can sign you up in advance to get your books. The books usually arrive in just a few days. WFV1 will probably be one of your first classes. It'll be up to your mentor as to whether you can take the Net+ right away.
Once you finish the initial 12 units he/she will probably let you choose what to take next.