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

Jack2

demonfurbie wrote: »

a little tip for anyone at wgu taking the microsoft exams, the ms press books are on books 24x7 for free and they are updated to r2

and if you have a kindle 3 (maybe nook dont have one so cant be sure) you can read them on that

How do you download the books to the kindle or Nook or even a TABLET? I thought these were strictly for online reading..

demonfurbie

Jack2 wrote: »

How do you download the books to the kindle or Nook or even a TABLET? I thought these were strictly for online reading..

a illusionist never reveals his secrets

pm me with what ya want to read it on and ill let ya know

scalpelrush

Just wanted to share what I thought the day I was taking the CLC1 exam using the webcam.... this video says it all

Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me- YouTube

Back to study mode

next...BBC1...

drew726

Passed CCENT woohoo! I got 67% on the wireless lan questions omg. 100% on the simulations

demonfurbie

nice, congrats

petedude

erpadmin wrote: »

I was and am exactly the same way you are....I work more than 40 hours a week...I was able to get rid of my remaning GE CUs in 7 months. There are guys who opted to have no life who work the same if not more hours than me who did an entire program in one term. I knew me though (no one knows me better than I do) and I knew if I tried that I would burn out faster than the speed of light. However, I know I don't do the bare minimum either.

I'm kinda hiijacking your reply here, but. . . my mentor has been a little disappointed lately, though he hasn't shown it. I technically only had the last year left of studies to do and burned through nearly all my exams in the first term. . . and two terms later I still have four courses left. Good news-- I'm almost done. Bad news-- it's taking me an agonizingly long time to get there (you name it-- work issues, health issues, kids, etc.).

Hypntick

drew726 wrote: »

Passed CCENT woohoo! I got 67% on the wireless lan questions omg. 100% on the simulations

Grats on the pass!

Now as someone who has taken both MS and Cisco tests, which would you consider to be more difficult?

scalpelrush

Hypntick wrote: »

Grats on the pass!
Now as someone who has taken both MS and Cisco tests, which would you consider to be more difficult?

If I can give my opinion, Cisco wins!!! The CCNA is not easy and the amount of material is so broad, also add that you cannot go back to the previous question and you have simulations too!!! Microsoft exams seem easier compared to cisco...

nhpr

scalpelrush wrote: »

If I can give my opinion, Cisco wins!!! The CCNA is not easy and the amount of material is so broad, also add that you cannot go back to the previous question and you have simulations too!!! Microsoft exams seem easier compared to cisco...

Based on only the Windows 7 configuration Microsoft test (maybe this one isn't indicative of overall MS difficulty?) I'd have to say Cisco is easier. Both are hard, but Cisco actually bases the questions on the material and the simulations are relatively straight forward if you know what you're doing. Plus, you can check the sims when you're done. Microsoft is 100% multiple guess. You're not necessarily going to understand what they're saying, and even if you do, some questions are completely outside of the stated scope of the exam.

themagicone

My thoughts also. The 70-680 was nuts. CCNA was hard but no where like 70-680. With good study you understand the CCNA, you could study for months and still not get what they were asking in the 680.

scalpelrush

themagicone wrote: »

My thoughts also. The 70-680 was nuts. CCNA was hard but no where like 70-680. With good study you understand the CCNA, you could study for months and still not get what they were asking in the 680.

I understand your point, maybe I'm so used to the Microsoft way in answering the exam that I found the CCNA so hard

but now that I remember, I found the 70-680 harder than the upgrade exam 70-649, with MSFT you never know......

drew726

themagicone wrote: »

My thoughts also. The 70-680 was nuts. CCNA was hard but no where like 70-680. With good study you understand the CCNA, you could study for months and still not get what they were asking in the 680.

themagicone is right. 70-680 was harder and it took me two tries to pass it. CCENT was very hard as well but I really studied hard for it because I wasn't sure what would be on the simulations. But in CCENT's case, the answers are way more definite especially subnetting questions because math is math. I hate how microsoft gives you questions and pairs them with multiple choice answers that feels like they can all fit.

Jack2

Need to finish the LET1 task 4 paper, but needed a brake. So I figured I would try the ORC1 pre-assessment Cold. Scored a 79%

need to review a couple of sections.. Is the real assessment like this pre-assessment?

erpadmin

Jack2 wrote: »

Need to finish the LET1 task 4 paper, but needed a brake. So I figured I would try the ORC1 pre-assessment Cold. Scored a 79% need to review a couple of sections.. Is the real assessment like this pre-assessment?

Very much so. I did not do any additional reading for ORC1 and MGC1 (other than looking up Maslow's Hieracrchy of Needs and other stuff...)

Most of that stuff is common sense if you've ever had a job in the corporate world. What had helped me out a lot was doing the LET1 papers and skimming some of the good book. Project+ actually helped also, because of the formation of groups in projects (storming, norming, etc) is also mentioned. You'll need to know what they are and what order.

If you are doing well in the pre-assessment, you (should) do well in the real deal.

veritas_libertas

Jack2 wrote: »

Need to finish the LET1 task 4 paper, but needed a brake. So I figured I would try the ORC1 pre-assessment Cold. Scored a 79% need to review a couple of sections.. Is the real assessment like this pre-assessment?

I'm taking it Monday. Believe it or not I'm a little nervous. We will see how it goes...

Lemonade727

Finished up this term with the pass of INC1 earlier this morning. That makes 53CU for the term and along with the 28 I transferred in a total of 81CU completed out of the 120 required.

I'm going to work on the INT1 coursework and study for the WDV1 assessment for the start of the 2nd term to knock those out right away, but that will be November 1st. Taking some needed time off to concentrate on my wedding and then enjoy the honeymoon after without the worries of schoolwork and mentor phone calls

Hypntick

Lemonade727 wrote: »

Finished up this term with the pass of INC1 earlier this morning. That makes 53CU for the term and along with the 28 I transferred in a total of 81CU completed out of the 120 required.

I'm going to work on the INT1 coursework and study for the WDV1 assessment for the start of the 2nd term to knock those out right away, but that will be November 1st. Taking some needed time off to concentrate on my wedding and then enjoy the honeymoon after without the worries of schoolwork and mentor phone calls

See, you were worried about nothing. Congrats on the pass sir!

You deserve that break and the wedding/honeymoon.

Jourdsh

Passed INC1 and CLC1 today! Less than a week from start to finish. Now I am going to work on LUT1 and WFV1, will try INT1 later.

erpadmin

Jourdsh wrote: »

Passed INC1 and CLC1 today! Less than a week from start to finish. Now I am going to work on LUT1 and WFV1, will try INT1 later.

WFV1, with the CompTIA trinity you possess, should pretty much be a schedule, take the exam and pass job. Only thing you might need to brush up on is HTML. Make sure you checkout the 1D0-510 study guide at mcmcse.com and you'll see for yourself what a joke WFV1 is.

INT1 is a pain....it's not hard, but it's really full of busy work. Just find yourself a nice 5th grade experiment to do in the parameters they set forth and you should be fine.

Arysta

Anyone else get annoyed by the weekly mentor call? I don't get anything out of them that couldn't happen in a two sentence email. I've been VERY busy, and the calls are the last thing on my mind (training for a promotion at work). I've missed two calls and got (what seemed like) a form letter about how the calls are vital to my success and hinted that I would receive some form of reprimand if I continued missing calls.

The calls are almost turning me off to WGU in general. I know it sounds silly and small, but I already have a BA in English, and a AS in IT. I know what it takes to get through school. I don't wait for the call to ask a question (I send an email when I think of it -- technology lets you do crazy things like that), but unless I press the issue, I have to wait until the call to get a response from my mentor. It's a substantial delay sometimes.

I guess I'm just tired of talking to him more than I talk to my own parents. The calls are starting to feel like nagging, and I can feel the petulant little kid in me getting aggravated fast.

nhpr

Arysta wrote: »

I guess I'm just tired of talking to him more than I talk to my own parents. The calls are starting to feel like nagging, and I can feel the petulant little kid in me getting aggravated fast.

They are annoying but most people aren't as self-motivated. They want people in the program to get through it, and maybe they did some study that suggests these phone calls improve that rate? They only take a few minutes though, so they're not that awful. Of course, for the ability to go at my own pace, I'd stand on one foot and hop while singing "Rule, Britannia!" for four minutes a week if that was one of the conditions they gave me...

Jourdsh

If you are done with the 12cu's that you need to satisfactorily finish a term, I would push for a call every other week. I know their policy on your second term is every other week, with the newbies they want once a week, but if you have finished all the cu's than you should be able to tell him to relax.

Excellent1

Arysta wrote: »

Anyone else get annoyed by the weekly mentor call?

Completely agree with you. Like others have said, I obviously understand that the system has to be implemented with the less motivated in mind, but once you demonstrate (dare I say it) competency in how you are comporting yourself with the school, the calls should be optional.

That said, I find it's a relatively minor annoyance. I have nothing but respect for my mentor, as she seems genuinely interested in the success of her students and I admire that. There are a lot of things with WGU that will continue to evolve over time, and I feel that this aspect of the school is one of those things.

Well, back to KET1. I can't believe how much fun I'm finding Java. If someone would have told me a few weeks ago that I'd be loving SQL and Java, I would have laughed in their faces. This aspect of the degree (having to leave my comfort zone and try out new areas of the IT field) has been a benefit for me, personally.

cshkuru

Mine is great. Doesn't nag, doesn't give me a hard time over classes. Laughs at my stupid jokes and the two times that I have irritated the powers that be so far she has been there for me. The mentor god was watching out for me that day.

Regarding the weekly call - from what my mentor told me after you complete a term (or your first AAP) it can be dropped to bi-weekly at your request. Personally I have kept it weekly, it's just a little extra push knowing that I am going to have to give a progress report on Monday morning. Helps get me through the weekend when I would rather be out running around, but that's me. If you have finished the first term just request to have the call frequency decreased.

themagicone

Once you prove yourself they lighten up, or at least most do I think. Personally I like talking to mine. We we do talk (now down to like once a month) most of its not about school. Can't wait to meet him in Atlanta.

erpadmin

My third term (as well as many others) begins today and also marks my 1 year anniversary today.

All of my remaining classes have been enrolled. My 12 CUs (or 13, rather) are TWA1 and CPW3. The accelerated courses are my remaing MS exams.

I am shooting for everything to be completed by the end of the year!! I'm currently reviewing the TWA CoS and I only have to write 27 pages and that's at maximum. I'm going to have a fun week or three with this one.

While I am hopeful I can complete my initial 13 CUs in one month, that's neither necessary nor probable (though I always shoot for it). It is much more important that I complete my 37 CUs by the end of the year. I'm taking AIV1 either on 8/13 or 8/20 (whichever date I feel most comfortable.

Assuming I can finish TWA1/CPW3/AIV1/BHV1 by the end of September, I should have the rest of the year to focus heavily on BIV1 and Windows 7...I plan on kicking that MFer's a--! LOL.

In any event, best of luck to all those who begin the term today!

Rappeller

Started EWB this morning

jdchilders

Welp.

Just started my Grad school at WGU in MSISA. EWB completed!

Jon

drew726

I always love the beginning of every month to see new enrollees on techexam. I bet we get them so much students haha

jmasterj206

erpadmin wrote: »

My third term (as well as many others) begins today and also marks my 1 year anniversary today.

All of my remaining classes have been enrolled. My 12 CUs (or 13, rather) are TWA1 and CPW3. The accelerated courses are my remaing MS exams.

I am shooting for everything to be completed by the end of the year!! I'm currently reviewing the TWA CoS and I only have to write 27 pages and that's at maximum. I'm going to have a fun week or three with this one.

While I am hopeful I can complete my initial 13 CUs in one month, that's neither necessary nor probable (though I always shoot for it). It is much more important that I complete my 37 CUs by the end of the year. I'm taking AIV1 either on 8/13 or 8/20 (whichever date I feel most comfortable.

Assuming I can finish TWA1/CPW3/AIV1/BHV1 by the end of September, I should have the rest of the year to focus heavily on BIV1 and Windows 7...I plan on kicking that MFer's a--! LOL.

In any event, best of luck to all those who begin the term today!

Good luck. August crew in da house!