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

jmasterj206

My mentor called me a few days before my official start date and my first call was to set up my classes after EWB. It is unfortunate that some have had trouble with their mentor's. I have been happy with mine. Generally, once you show that you are willing to work and don't need handholding they will let you do your thing. You just have to prove it to them.

Pishof

Nobylspoon wrote: »

He said he had an opening on Tuesday but he couldn't guarantee that he could set up the AAV during that time because "there are a lot of things we have to work through" first.

Is this typical? It's starting to feel like delay tactics. It's like a grand scale version of Netflix throttling my "unlimited" DVD subscription...

Sorry to hear you're having problems. I told my mentor what I wanted to start with on our first call and he added it. Now I just sent him an email with a couple classes each time I need more and he adds them no questions asked.

Don't take any BS, sent him an email or call and tell him what classes he is going to add for you. Let him know you're a professional and a discussion isn't necessary.

I'm sure they are used to handholding procrastinators and need to be let known that you're on top of the game already.

demonfurbie

Pishof wrote: »

Sorry to hear you're having problems. I told my mentor what I wanted to start with on our first call and he added it. Now I just sent him an email with a couple classes each time I need more and he adds them no questions asked.

Don't take any BS, sent him an email or call and tell him what classes he is going to add for you. Let him know you're a professional and a discussion isn't necessary.

I'm sure they are used to handholding procrastinators and need to be let known that you're on top of the game already.

yea mine give me no issues on anything what so ever, i just tell her the order i wan to do them in and basically adds them as i complete one

Nobylspoon

Pishof wrote: »

Sorry to hear you're having problems. I told my mentor what I wanted to start with on our first call and he added it. Now I just sent him an email with a couple classes each time I need more and he adds them no questions asked.

Don't take any BS, sent him an email or call and tell him what classes he is going to add for you. Let him know you're a professional and a discussion isn't necessary.

I'm sure they are used to handholding procrastinators and need to be let known that you're on top of the game already.

Tried this but didn't have any luck.

I told him I served 10 years in the military, I work for a Global 500 software company and I was Phi Theta Kappa (International Honors Society) at my previous college. I even provided him the list of courses I want to start with.

I then informed him that I know of several students who's mentors set up their AAV on the first call and he didn't believe me. He said "I'm not sure where you got your information but that is against WGU protocol."

So it looks like I will have to wait until my THIRD phone call with him, hopefully sometime next week, before he will set up my AAV...

jmasterj206

If your mentor doesn't fit your style you can contact student services and request a new mentor.

Nobylspoon

jmasterj206 wrote: »

If your mentor doesn't fit your style you can contact student services and request a new mentor.

The thought crossed my mind but I feel that would only delay me even more. I will go ahead and push forward with this guy to see if he improves.

In the meantime, I am just going to use this time to review for the CIW Foundations exam so I can just knock that out as soon as the AAV is complete.

Hypntick

Nobylspoon wrote: »

The thought crossed my mind but I feel that would only delay me even more. I will go ahead and push forward with this guy to see if he improves.

In the meantime, I am just going to use this time to review for the CIW Foundations exam so I can just knock that out as soon as the AAV is complete.

Get your AAV set up and then call student services. There is no reason to go through your school with a person who is like that. I know you want to get started so once you get your AAV and start working just go ahead and start the ball on changing. Student services are awesome and will help you out with just about anything.

Jourdsh

Wow, I just posted in the other WGU thread, I am having the same problem getting my AAV. He said hopefully on the 10th we could get it set up. I am done with EWB as of the first day of the term.

Really blows. Can I even take classes if taskstream isn't set up yet?

tc613

I am a student at WGU and working on my degree in IT. I have a question on your mentor adding additional courses. My mentor told me that I could only add one course at a time after my initial classes from AAV were completed. So instead of adding 2 classes I have to wait until the assessment is taken and then add one more at a time. I would like to have another class to study for right after i take the assessment. I appreciate any input on this.

myedjo24

tc613 wrote: »

I am a student at WGU and working on my degree in IT. I have a question on your mentor adding additional courses. My mentor told me that I could only add one course at a time after my initial classes from AAV were completed. So instead of adding 2 classes I have to wait until the assessment is taken and then add one more at a time. I would like to have another class to study for right after i take the assessment. I appreciate any input on this.

When I finished up my 18 units (VA minimum) the mentor guy asked me what I wanted to do, and at that point I didn't really care so he added two classes (I finished one). I think if you push your mentor you can add classes. I really like to have the performance exams while I'm waiting to take the objective exam tests. It gives me something to submit and kind of multi-task. My mentor wanted me to take each class one at a time, and I was like...No...just open them all up please. Focusing on one thing doesn't really help me.

Lemonade727

tc613 wrote: »

I am a student at WGU and working on my degree in IT. I have a question on your mentor adding additional courses. My mentor told me that I could only add one course at a time after my initial classes from AAV were completed. So instead of adding 2 classes I have to wait until the assessment is taken and then add one more at a time. I would like to have another class to study for right after i take the assessment. I appreciate any input on this.

I think that may depend on the mentor and whether they think you can complete the courses in time. At first my mentor didn't really want to add more than 1 extra course at a time, but after a while and with me proving what I can do then it eased her mind a little bit. I currently have the ORC1, MGC1, and LET1 open right now and she doesn't have a problem with it at all anymore.

Just insist to your mentor that you know you have plenty of time to complete the tasks in time to have it not affect SAP (if you know you can do it). It can definitely be done, it just looks like your mentor doesn't trust you completely, unfortunately.

Socalkol

I would say your mentor just sounds lazy. I also started this term and did EWB the first dad. Called my mentor told her about a mistake in my degree plan that stopped us from being able to do AAV the first day. By the next day she had my degree plan fixed and had my classes in the system for aav as well as personally emailed taskstream rep to make my account earlier then the expected 10 days they say. Just remember your mentor works for you, you don't work for your mentor.

jmasterj206

Technical Writing is done. Next up the Capstone. Then I need a freakin break.

tc613

Thanks for the help on this I will be more assertive on my request because I am trying to get at least 24-30 credits this term. I have already completed 15 cu and have about 3.5 months left in my term.

crip1087

Hello everyone!

I'm currently in my first semester at WGU towards a bachelors in IT. I've had nothing but great experiences with my mentor, she lets me add classes with no problems and let me take control of everything from the start.

I will say that for my first class I told her to add Security for the Security+ and at first she was skeptical, but once I passed the cert exam within 2 weeks, she pretty much let me off the hook and now she lets me do whatever I want. I agree with the others saying you have to prove it to your mentor for them to "unleash" you.

I've got about 2 months left on my term and am finishing my last 2 courses to end the term with 36 units. This school has been an amazing experience and it feels great to make good progress.

snokerpoker

The "proving yourself" part is so true. If the mentors just let everyone add 40 CU's per term and their students were only completing 8....... it would reflect negatively upon them. So it is natural for them to error on the side of caution.

s0j0urn

never2late wrote: »

I feel your pain brother. The GTT1 class was a constant uphill battle. The GUT is not as intense but by no means a piece of cake. I finished GTT1 about three weeks ago and am about to turn in my final task for GUT1.

Not sure I'm the best source but if you need help just ask and I'll try to guide you in the right direction.

As for GTT1, the mentor for the course took pity on me and emailed me the program solutions and that helped tremendously. If you want these let me know and I'll email them to you. I'm sure that since she sent them to me that we are not violating any rules by spreading the wealth.

It would be a life saver to see the code, currently I've been working through Big Java and not only is it dry, it covers so much extraneous data and does not seem to be helping at all. I'm on Chapter 4 and still don't even really know where to start. I'm generally pretty self-taught and seeing the code would probably pull the pieces in together for me. Please let me know if you still have this and I can give you my email addy. Thanks.

themagicone

s0j0urn wrote: »

It would be a life saver to see the code, currently I've been working through Big Java and not only is it dry, it covers so much extraneous data and does not seem to be helping at all. I'm on Chapter 4 and still don't even really know where to start. I'm generally pretty self-taught and seeing the code would probably pull the pieces in together for me. Please let me know if you still have this and I can give you my email addy. Thanks.

Are you in GTT1 or GUT1? GTT1 doesn't use Big Java anymore, it uses Java for Everyone. BUT I'd say just start doing the programs. I finished it in a week with no experince in programing. Google be your friend. dreamincode.com Is good also.

Lemonade727

Failed my first assessment today...and of course it was one of the courses with the lowest cut scores, the MGC1. I got a 68% on the pre-assessment and figured I was ready with the minimal studying I did for it afterwards but somehow managed to only get a 50% on the actual assessment. I've mainly been studying the book for the ORC1 test and have that assessment scheduled for Thursday night, so hopefully I do a bit better on that one and pass it so I can focus my studies completely on the MGC1 materials.

Hypntick

Lemonade727 wrote: »

Failed my first assessment today...and of course it was one of the courses with the lowest cut scores, the MGC1. I got a 68% on the pre-assessment and figured I was ready with the minimal studying I did for it afterwards but somehow managed to only get a 50% on the actual assessment. I've mainly been studying the book for the ORC1 test and have that assessment scheduled for Thursday night, so hopefully I do a bit better on that one and pass it so I can focus my studies completely on the MGC1 materials.

Sorry to hear that sir. Hope you do better on the one Thursday. I'm debating on rescheduling my CCENT for Saturday or a week from now. Just been super busy at work and being so tired when I get home not sure if i'm taking enough time to study.

Lemonade727

Hypntick wrote: »

Sorry to hear that sir. Hope you do better on the one Thursday. I'm debating on rescheduling my CCENT for Saturday or a week from now. Just been super busy at work and being so tired when I get home not sure if i'm taking enough time to study.

I hear ya on that one. This was the first time that I attempted a test during the week right after work. Not sure if the exhaustion hurt me at all, but I'm going to try for the MGC1 again for next Saturday just in case. Hopefully I pass the ORC1 on Thursday, but if not then I'll make it a point to never do an OLP during a weekday again

jmasterj206

I made it through Tech Writing and Capstone to end up the term. I was able to gt 29 credits done. Now I just have the three MCITP:SA exams next term. For now, I need a break.

sheckler

I wonder why erpadmin hasn't posted in 3 weeks.

jmasterj206

sheckler wrote: »

I wonder why erpadmin hasn't posted in 3 weeks.

Probably like me and working on getting things done at the end of the term.

Lemonade727

Ended up passing the ORC1 tonight, although I do admit I had a much better day at work tonight compared to Tuesday night when I failed the MGC1. Going to reschedule that for next Saturday and just crack down on that ebook for it.

drew726

Passed BOV1 with 89% today. The practice exams really did help.

Excellent1

jmasterj206 wrote: »

I made it through Tech Writing and Capstone to end up the term. I was able to gt 29 credits done. Now I just have the three MCITP:SA exams next term. For now, I need a break.

Well done. That's got to be a huge load off. Congratulations on knocking them out. Enjoy your break.

drew726

jmasterj206 wrote: »

I made it through Tech Writing and Capstone to end up the term. I was able to gt 29 credits done. Now I just have the three MCITP:SA exams next term. For now, I need a break.

I didn't know they allow you to do Tech Writing and Capstone before any IT exams.

jmasterj206

drew726 wrote: »

I didn't know they allow you to do Tech Writing and Capstone before any IT exams.

Usually they don't. They want the 2 classes to be your last. I had to do some sweet talking to have it that way. I talked them into letting me do it the way my term fell and how most of the R2 books are not out yet.

Hypntick

Lemonade727 wrote: »

Ended up passing the ORC1 tonight, although I do admit I had a much better day at work tonight compared to Tuesday night when I failed the MGC1. Going to reschedule that for next Saturday and just crack down on that ebook for it.

Sweet! Glad to see this post sir.

On my end of things, can't do the CCENT this week. Gotta wait another week as there is apparently an issue with me paying for my cert on my own money without their approval. Gotta make sure it counts as you can't retake for a year if you pass, I think.