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.

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veritas_libertas

I'm selling the Project+ book I used for TPV1 if anyone is interested. Make me an offer...

erpadmin

Man, that was some bullcrap!!

RINT1 and RINT2 were jokes...very LAE1 like. However, and this was probably my fault, I didn't initially do my experiment right; to the point where I couldn't provide the data in graph form that they wanted (you WILL get dinged if you don't provide a graph...can't stress that enough). Once I called a course mentor and went down what my f'ups were, I did the revision and waited for like 2 more days! What were 1s (and 0 for the graph) became threes...and my experiment turned into a 13-14 page paper. (Sick....) The only thing I had to cite were the experiments I used for the literature review.

Now I seek counsel. I am going to go ahead and deal with AKV1. This is going to be some long nights on that one. Might be done within 3-5 weeks. After that though, should I do the MCITP:EA certs OR tackle Tech Writing/Capstone? My term ends on 7/31 and I think I can get at least Tech Writing done after AKV1 and then have Capstone left to do, which is just a minor rewrite of Tech Writing. Then I'd only have to focus on the EA certs, which I'm contemplating using training credits from the job to do Global Knowledge or something, to really speed the EA up. Wouldn't cost that much since I have access to the vouchers.

What do you guys think? I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel now, and plus I have no more GE classes left. In the meantime, I'll be working on AKV1 from now until...

Yeah!!

demonfurbie

erpadmin wrote: »

Man, that was some bullcrap!!

RINT1 and RINT2 were jokes...very LAE1 like. However, and this was probably my fault, I didn't initially do my experiment right; to the point where I couldn't provide the data in graph form that they wanted (you WILL get dinged if you don't provide a graph...can't stress that enough). Once I called a course mentor and went down what my f'ups were, I did the revision and waited for like 2 more days! What were 1s (and 0 for the graph) became threes...and my experiment turned into a 13-14 page paper. (Sick....) The only thing I had to cite were the experiments I used for the literature review.

Now I seek counsel. I am going to go ahead and deal with AKV1. This is going to be some long nights on that one. Might be done within 3-5 weeks. After that though, should I do the MCITP:EA certs OR tackle Tech Writing/Capstone? My term ends on 7/31 and I think I can get at least Tech Writing done after AKV1 and then have Capstone left to do, which is just a minor rewrite of Tech Writing. Then I'd only have to focus on the EA certs, which I'm contemplating using training credits from the job to do Global Knowledge or something, to really speed the EA up. Wouldn't cost that much since I have access to the vouchers.

What do you guys think? I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel now, and plus I have no more GE classes left. In the meantime, I'll be working on AKV1 from now until...

Yeah!!

from what ive been told by my mentor its better to take tech wrighting right before the cap stone

and im doing the akv1 atm my self ... did you get the book?

sadly i still have some gen eds but ill be knocking out them in short order

ssc1 test on monday

petedude

demonfurbie wrote: »

from what ive been told by my mentor its better to take tech wrighting right before the cap stone
. . .
ssc1 test on monday

TWA1/Technical Writing is a prerequisite to the capstone, so you HAVE to take it first. It is actually a performance assessment in which you demonstrate that you can write a technical proposal-- thus the course name "technical writing".

Unfortunately, when most people hear the term "technical writing", they think of computer manuals or technical specifications and such. I'd have to think there's a better name available for the course.

sheckler

My mentor said tech writing/capstone have to be the last 2 classes I take. Maybe other mentors are more lenient on that though.

erpadmin

I probably wasn't clear...my bad. I am going on very little sleep and I almost want to take a break from everything...

I'm aware Tech Writing should be done immediately before Capstone. I was under the same impression as Sheckler that Tech Writing/Capstone should be the last classes I take. However, my mentor has told me that if I found it more advantageous to do TW/Capstone before my EA certs, that he'd let me do it. I'm seriously considering doing that as if all I had to do was my EA after AKV1, TW and Capstone then I might have a good chance of finishing within 3 terms. That will probably happen even with the EA, but again, not sure. I'm more comfortable writing then I am with the exams. But what I like about the exams is I'll know if I passed immediately.

Plus, assuming I could finish AKV1 within a couple of weeks, TW/Capstone might be doable to do at the end of term. Hopefully that makes better sense.

erpadmin

demonfurbie wrote: »

and im doing the akv1 atm my self ... did you get the book?

sadly i still have some gen eds but ill be knocking out them in short order

ssc1 test on monday

With AKV1, it's no longer sent in the mail. They're now delivered in PDF format. Plus, it's to prepare you for the 1D0-635.

I'm starting to wonder if this was a good idea. The 435 seemed like a good test I could have blazed through. The 635 is more coding. The coding doesn't bother me, but I didn't want to spend time learning a programming language I'm not going to use. If I had known this change was coming (like I knew about Security+ being not-lifetime this year MONTHS in advance) I would have probably spent my time with Javascript and left Project+ for now.

This weekend, I'm gonna read that, plus the e-book that I mentioned awhile back that themagicone put me on. I can't WFV1 this exam; I'm gonna have to study that arse off.

Lemonade727

veritas_libertas wrote: »

I'm selling the Project+ book I used for TPV1 if anyone is interested. Make me an offer...

PM Sent

demonfurbie

They sent me a print book for akv1 435 test

I just had to ask a lot. Also you can take the 435 if you ask your mentor

themagicone

After 3/15 I think you can't. There really isn't much difference between 435 and 635. All it add is a few chapters on ajax and server side items. Just remember your syntax and you'll pass it no problem.

What the biggest problem I have right now is that they took away VCampus and put it into education.certification-partners.com/wgu. The site is basically VCampus branded with WGU. But the site uses frames, is slow and doesn't work very well for me. But luckily I only Database left and that will be done Monday.

erpadmin

themagicone wrote: »

After 3/15 I think you can't. There really isn't much difference between 435 and 635. All it add is a few chapters on ajax and server side items. Just remember your syntax and you'll pass it no problem.

What the biggest problem I have right now is that they took away VCampus and put it into education.certification-partners.com/wgu. The site is basically VCampus branded with WGU. But the site uses frames, is slow and doesn't work very well for me. But luckily I only Database left and that will be done Monday.

Even if I could beg and plead, I doubt I'll sit for the 435. There is a loophole that even if I fail the 435, before 4/11, I can take the old exam again before 5/31. I don't have time to properly prepare for the 435 based on those parameters because, so far, I have yet to fail any objective assessments thrown at me (be it certs or WGU's). I don't want my first fail to be a CIW exam, even if it is Javascript.

I'm hoping that I'll be done with this by the end of April/First week of May. Then I have to either knock out a couple of EA exams or work on Tech Writing/Capstone. That's what I'm trying to figure out right now....I would see it as an advantage to kill TW/Capstone before the third term.

Lemonade727

Just passed my BBC1 assessment exam. Going to finish reading for SSC1 over the weekend on the topics I had issues with in the pre-assessment and then take the pre-assessment again to see where I'm at. I think it should put me in that "comfort" zone for the real thing, but we'll see. Feels good just having SSC1 left for the term, hopefully it doesn't take too long for me to do the SST1 tasks either.

jahsoul

Has anyone transferred in classes for Leadership Concepts and Applications. Reasoning and Problem Solving, & Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior and Leadership? I'm hoping something in my CCAF transcript will take those out..lol

Lemonade727

jahsoul wrote: »

Has anyone transferred in classes for Leadership Concepts and Applications. Reasoning and Problem Solving, & Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior and Leadership? I'm hoping something in my CCAF transcript will take those out..lol

I had a transfer credit for Reasoning and Problem Solving from ITT. It was one of 3 classes I completed but it was titled the same Reasoning and Problem Solving so I'm assuming that's why it got the transfer. Not familiar with CCAF however.

petedude

erpadmin wrote: »

I'm hoping that I'll be done with this by the end of April/First week of May. Then I have to either knock out a couple of EA exams or work on Tech Writing/Capstone. That's what I'm trying to figure out right now....I would see it as an advantage to kill TW/Capstone before the third term.

Unless you're going to have second thoughts about what project you want to pursue, you could always write the proposal now (TWA1), then complete it later (Capstone). Maybe splitting them would help you tackle them better.

never2late

Finally finished the GTT1 class - Intro to JAVA. What a bear! This was the toughest class I've taken so far. So much coding for an intro class. Anyway I've started the second half, GUT1. Hope to have it completed by mid April. Then its vacation time for a week of sun and fun in Mexico.

My term is up July 31, so my plan is to complete the CIW database (WDV1), Windows 7, and then take the last Management class before the new term starts.

I feel confident I'll finish in 3 terms. Last term will be Project+, Tech Writing, Capstone, and then finish with CCNA Security.

jahsoul

@never2late

How long did it take you to complete GTT1?

never2late

jahsoul wrote: »

@never2late

How long did it take you to complete GTT1?

Started Feb 21 and finished March 19. I honestly expected two weeks max but was blown away by the amount of coding needed to do the tasks. Plus the LR's are not that clear even though WGU has tried to update them.

Nobylspoon

never2late wrote: »

Started Feb 21 and finished March 19. I honestly expected two weeks max but was blown away by the amount of coding needed to do the tasks. Plus the LR's are not that clear even though WGU has tried to update them.

How is the provided material for this class? Coding is my weak link. Granted, my only experience so far has been with C++. I have been looking forward to learning Java.

petedude

Nobylspoon wrote: »

How is the provided material for this class? Coding is my weak link. Granted, my only experience so far has been with C++. I have been looking forward to learning Java.

Nobody seems to like the Big Java book, at least so far as I can tell. If you have gobs of time, you can sit through the COS and learn a lot.

I liked Java Demystified as a starter text. I'm finding the free text at Javanotes 5.1.2 -- Title Page somewhat useful as well. You'll probably need the Oracle Java API pages at least a little bit, and you may be googling a bit for certain aspects like layout managers.

never2late

Nobylspoon wrote: »

How is the provided material for this class? Coding is my weak link. Granted, my only experience so far has been with C++. I have been looking forward to learning Java.

If you have prior programming skills then this class shouldn't be too much trouble, especially C++, which I believe JAVA is based. I had little experience in programming (BASIC and Pascal back in the day) and none in OOP.

never2late

petedude wrote: »

Nobody seems to like the Big Java book, at least so far as I can tell. If you have gobs of time, you can sit through the COS and learn a lot.

I liked Java Demystified as a starter text. I'm finding the free text at Javanotes 5.1.2 -- Title Page somewhat useful as well. You'll probably need the Oracle Java API pages at least a little bit, and you may be googling a bit for certain aspects like layout managers.

The new resource for the class is by the same authors but in a different, more streamlined format. It's called Wiley Plus. I agree with the Big Java comment. I read it and it confused more than the other resource. My biggest complaint was the expectations of the class. The LR teaches the very basics but the exercises and tasks take it up several notches. Trust me, Google was definitely my friend during this class.

themagicone

The new COS for Java uses Java for Everyone. Which they give you in an electronic format, also included Wiley plus. For something that I'm going to have to flip back and forth with I bought the book, was only a few bucks off Amazon. I also got the Big Java book because Cindy said they use it in GUT1. I'm starting that in a few weeks if I finish Project+ early.

I will say that if you have the Web Designer, JavaScript and Database classes - take those first, in that order. Then tackle Java as it all builds up in more complexity and gives a good background for it. I was going to do Java first but me mentor recommended what I just said and I'm glad I did. When I first opened the Java book I was like WTF??? But after finishing those 3 other classes it makes almost total sense, just need to learn the proper syntax.

I'll be hopefully doing GUT1 in May, about 4 months behind schedule, but if anyone is looking for a partner PM me.

never2late

themagicone wrote: »

The new COS for Java uses Java for Everyone. Which they give you in an electronic format, also included Wiley plus. For something that I'm going to have to flip back and forth with I bought the book, was only a few bucks off Amazon. I also got the Big Java book because Cindy said they use it in GUT1. I'm starting that in a few weeks if I finish Project+ early.

I will say that if you have the Web Designer, JavaScript and Database classes - take those first, in that order. Then tackle Java as it all builds up in more complexity and gives a good background for it. I was going to do Java first but me mentor recommended what I just said and I'm glad I did. When I first opened the Java book I was like WTF??? But after finishing those 3 other classes it makes almost total sense, just need to learn the proper syntax.

I'll be hopefully doing GUT1 in May, about 4 months behind schedule, but if anyone is looking for a partner PM me.

I have the Web Designer and JavaScript but not the Database Design class from CIW. Doing the GUT1 now and so far not as difficult but only about halfway through the COS. Will see when I get into the meat of the database side.

themagicone

Passed CIW Database today. Only took a week! The quickest to get through, the hardest test to pass from CIW for me. I was getting 90%+ on VCampus but the dang finale was written all cryptic and weird. Way different than any other CIW Cert, at least for me it was. Now on to Project+. I'm half way though the book so I should be done with that by end of the week and then another week to take a few practice tests and polish up weak areas. A 48 CU term? I think so!

demonfurbie

themagicone wrote: »

Passed CIW Database today. Only took a week! The quickest to get through, the hardest test to pass from CIW for me. I was getting 90%+ on VCampus but the dang finale was written all cryptic and weird. Way different than any other CIW Cert, at least for me it was. Now on to Project+. I'm half way though the book so I should be done with that by end of the week and then another week to take a few practice tests and polish up weak areas. A 48 CU term? I think so!

congrats i passed the SSC1 exam today fairly striat foward

Lemonade727

demonfurbie wrote: »

congrats i passed the SSC1 exam today fairly striat foward

Congrats. I'm finishing reading 2 more chapters for a topic I was having difficulty with based on my pre-assessment coaching report and then I'll have another go at the pre-assessment to see where I end up. Might be trying to the SSC1 this weekend.

themagicone

Congrats. SSC1 took a different approach than I thought it would. It ended up being like INC1, a mile wide and an inch deep. Makes it very hard to study for as there is so much ground to cover.

snokerpoker

I have little interest in programming, so I switch to the Network Admin Emphasis. I don't know why I didn't just sign up for that in the first place!

sheckler

UPS just dropped off the Project+ book... and it's tiny. I like that.