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Student Experiences at Western Governors University (WGU)
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Rappeller
Member Posts: 67 ■■□□□□□□□□
Talked to my mentor last night. she was nice with lots of energy (Think Peppy Valley Girl Cheerleader) Hope I can keep up.
WGU B.S.IT - Software - Completion Date January, 2015 (Sooner Hopefully)
Courses Completed - EWB2 CLC1 AXV1 TTV1 INC1 WSV1
Courses Needed - INT1 BOV1 TPV1 QLT1 LAT1 GAC1 HHT1 LET1 ORC1 KET1 IWT1 MGC1 WDV1 KFT1 TWA1 ABV1 ANV1 WPV1 CPW5
Transferred- BAC1, BBC1, LAE1, LUT1, IWC1 SSC1, SST1, TSV1 -
OptionsMusicIT
Member Posts: 28 ■□□□□□□□□□
Hello Everyone!!
I am starting in OCT for the MS:ISA and have read every posting. I am looking for anyone that is currently enrolled or any information about the courses. Is there a separate thread for the MS?
Thank You
MusicIT -
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erpadmin
Member Posts: 4,165 ■■■■■■■■■■
Hello Everyone!!
I am starting in OCT for the MS:ISA and have read every posting. I am looking for anyone that is currently enrolled or any information about the courses. Is there a separate thread for the MS?
Thank You
MusicIT
http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/67825-wgu-msisa-questions-answered.html
(It's not a sticky though, but Foxer is still around). -
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never2late
Member Posts: 122
Project + is done. Test was simpler than I anticipated. A lot of short questions and most of the answers were obvious. Had to make some educated guesses but walked out with a good score.
I dreaded this class because of the boring material but now that its done I got a lot out of it. It will also seamlessly integrate with my tech writing and capstone. -
Optionsnever2late
Member Posts: 122
I think I'm going to be done with my "idea paper" within one hour, and that's assuming I'm not interrupted with work." After I send my paper to him and my regular mentor, I'm going to hunt this guy down via Student Services
I'm a little confused about the idea paper. Mainly concerned with formatting. Are they looking for something informal or does it need a title page with formal structure. I've emailed my mentor and the course mentor but thought I could get a quicker response here. -
Optionserpadmin
Member Posts: 4,165 ■■■■■■■■■■
never2late wrote: »I'm a little confused about the idea paper. Mainly concerned with formatting. Are they looking for something informal or does it need a title page with formal structure. I've emailed my mentor and the course mentor but thought I could get a quicker response here.
It's been more than forty-eight hours and I have YET to hear from the course mentor in this course. The guy works part time and travels a lot.
I'm still trudging along with writing my paper. I'm giving him until Friday by my mentor call, then I'll be complaining to my mentor plus Student Services. For the money I'm paying, I want at a minimum "I'll get back to you..." WGU's policy states that I have a right to be contacted within 4 hours. Up until now, that's always been the case.
In any event, I read from the communities that the idea paper is supposed to be very informal. I modeled the format from my LAE1 paper, slightly. I went with one page with one in-text citation and reference. The idea paper is not graded, but your course mentor is supposed to approve your idea before you write the proposal.
I'm going ahead and writing my proposal anyway, because I can't see how it would not be approved.
UPDATE: My idea paper/topic for approval was approved today. My idea paper was just a one page paper talking about what I was going to propose. I will continue working on my paper now....almost have my summary done.
I am finding it a good idea to write a writing plan, similar to what was done in LAT1. Organization is key to get this paper done. -
Optionsutahbrat
Registered Users Posts: 1 ■□□□□□□□□□
I don't see WGU as a place for a degree to brag about, but as a means to get to a master's program. The BA is required to enter a master's program at any university.
WGU has improved greatly in the last few years, but it still needs some work. For IT classes, I have found outside materials to be more valuable than what was provided by WGU. In fact, WGU relies a lot on outside resources that are accessible without being enrolled in the college. A recent email from WGU now recommends the free online ProfessorMessor videos as a major part of the roadmap -- great courses. However, the courses are available on YouTube free of charge.
If all you want is certification, WGU is an expensive route. If you want the degree, WGU fits the bill. It's tuition is lower than the brick/mortar schools.
The current mentor has been great. A past mentor was bad. I feel the system has been unorganized. Revamping the site has helped. The LUT classes seem unorganized, with many complaints about clarity and computer capability. Many presentations were not workable unless you upgraded your computer hardware or software. Many complaints were about the clarify of expectations. For an English class, this needs to be remedied.
WGU needs a good audit with 'secret' students that are new to the material (an expert can easily look over the basics). WGU has a lot of great potential, great backing from legislators, and a fair price structure (expcept I can't find decent scholarships. Some scholarships are listed. However, I have a daughter that just finished a 2-year college on a full scholarship (good grades). WGU said she didn't qualify for these scholarships or they weren't available for her anymore).
With a little more work and a closer look at the study courses, this could be a great school. -
Optionserpadmin
Member Posts: 4,165 ■■■■■■■■■■
I don't see WGU as a place for a degree to brag about, but as a means to get to a master's program. The BA is required to enter a master's program at any university.
If all you want is certification, WGU is an expensive route. If you want the degree, WGU fits the bill. It's tuition is lower than the brick/mortar schools.
WGU needs a good audit with 'secret' students that are new to the material (an expert can easily look over the basics). WGU has a lot of great potential, great backing from legislators, and a fair price structure (expcept I can't find decent scholarships. Some scholarships are listed. However, I have a daughter that just finished a 2-year college on a full scholarship (good grades). WGU said she didn't qualify for these scholarships or they weren't available for her anymore).
With a little more work and a closer look at the study courses, this could be a great school.
As a scholarship student in IT, I have to say that I agree with many of your major points. I would never "brag" about my WGU BS...but I will "brag" that I'm a college graduate to the point that I can go to a "real" school to obtain a Masters. For me, that was always the point.
The English classes I could have done without, but they're over and done with. However, I find that their science classes are a bad joke. It's nothing but busy work and I'm convinced that the course mentors are former sorority chicks that have nothing better to do than give us more busy work. That's really neither here nor there, and they too are over and done with (however, I'd have been better off doing my science at a regular school or perhaps straighterline. I'd have done well at a Chemistry course, with a lab.)
Lastly, the school of IT at WGU is NOT for students who have no prior knowledge of IT. The Windows 7 cert is difficult enough for folks with vast experience in IT. That's why WGU has made the requirements a bit strict for new students wanting to apply to the school (work experience, past certifications...etc. etc.) I already had A+ and Network+; that's why I qualifed to get an IT scholarship. -
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Unforg1ven
Member Posts: 108
Started on August 1st and knock down EWB. My first 2 classes are TPV1 and BOV1. Hopefully I'll run through this just fine. Aside from the WGU provided learning resources; does anybody recommend any supplemental material to study with?
Thanks.
Next on Tap>> WGU B.S. IT - Network Administration
MCSA:2008 Complete >> Capstone left!
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"One of God's own prototypes... too weird to live, too rare to die..." -
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nhpr
Member Posts: 165
Unforg1ven wrote: »Started on August 1st and knock down EWB. My first 2 classes are TPV1 and BOV1. Hopefully I'll run through this just fine. Aside from the WGU provided learning resources; does anybody recommend any supplemental material to study with?
Thanks.
I found the Sybex book for Project+ rather helpful. -
OptionsShecky
Member Posts: 41 ■■□□□□□□□□
Need the MGC1 book! Can anyone help?
Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. (2007). Leading and collaborating in the competitive world (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. -
Optionserpadmin
Member Posts: 4,165 ■■■■■■■■■■
Need the MGC1 book! Can anyone help?
Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. (2007). Leading and collaborating in the competitive world (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Have you taken the preassessment yet? You might be ok with just the mindedge or your own knowledge. -
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LAN_Guru
Member Posts: 119
zaxbysauce wrote: »Go to Fox Brother's BarBQ, Fogo de Chau, and Vortex Bar and Grill. You will be pleased with the results.
Definitely the Vortex...definitely...
Google "Man vs Food Atlanta"
If you want to party: Buckhead
If you want touristy stuff: World of Coke, Underground Atlanta, Georgia Aquarium
People watching: Little 5 Points
History buff?: Cyclorama and others
Art?: The High Museum
Into Antiquities?: Michael Carlos Museum at Emory
Outdoorsy?: head to North Georgia/North Carolina/Tennessee and kayak, raft, rappel, spelunk, mountain bike, hang glide, hike, rock climb, etc.
Date night?: the laser show at Stone Mountain
The list goes on and on...9/1 - Citrix A18 :study:
9/20 - Citrix A19, 10/4 - Citrix A24, 10/18 - Citrix A08, 11/1 - Citrix A15, 11/17 - Cisco 640-802, 12/1 - Cisco 642-813, 12/15 - Cisco 642-902, 12/30 - Cisco 642-832 -
Optionssheckler
Member Posts: 201
Wow, I just went to reschedule my MS exam and prometric wants $35 to do it. What a terrible policy. In the past I've moved exams around like 3-4 times, not anymore I guess.
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cshkuru
Member Posts: 246 ■■■■□□□□□□
Yeah they had an announcement about that on the WGU communities board. I hate the stranglehold prometric and pearson have on these exams but what can you do. -
Optionsnhpr
Member Posts: 165
Wow, I just went to reschedule my MS exam and prometric wants $35 to do it. What a terrible policy. In the past I've moved exams around like 3-4 times, not anymore I guess.
This is why you make friends with the people at the testing center. -
Optionsnhpr
Member Posts: 165
I was reading Slashdot and came across this article. WGU's getting more attention, it seems.
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OptionsShecky
Member Posts: 41 ■■□□□□□□□□
Have you taken the preassessment yet? You might be ok with just the mindedge or your own knowledge.
Not yet. Heard it was a "Know it or you don't" type of exam.
People say ORC1 and MGC1 can be done in a day or the next, but after taking the pre-assessment on ORC1, they must be a genius. Drawing from my own knowledge, I could barely answer 5-10 questions out of 43. They draw everything straight from the book. Don't know how other people can "skim" for 5 minutes and pass miraculously with a high percentage given the 3 hour time mark. Haha. -
Optionserpadmin
Member Posts: 4,165 ■■■■■■■■■■
Not yet. Heard it was a "Know it or you don't" type of exam.
People say ORC1 and MGC1 can be done in a day or the next, but after taking the pre-assessment on ORC1, they must be a genius. Drawing from my own knowledge, I could barely answer 5-10 questions out of 43. They draw everything straight from the book. Don't know how other people can "skim" for 5 minutes and pass miraculously with a high percentage given the 3 hour time mark. Haha.
Work experience, mostly. I assure you I am no genius. Project+ did help with some of that stuff, like the formation of project groups.
If you didn't do that well, then the MGC1 book might help you out. ORC1 uses the LET1 book. -
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veritas_libertas
Member Posts: 5,746 ■■■■■■■■■■
Not yet. Heard it was a "Know it or you don't" type of exam.
People say ORC1 and MGC1 can be done in a day or the next, but after taking the pre-assessment on ORC1, they must be a genius. Drawing from my own knowledge, I could barely answer 5-10 questions out of 43. They draw everything straight from the book. Don't know how other people can "skim" for 5 minutes and pass miraculously with a high percentage given the 3 hour time mark. Haha.
It depends on the person's background. My associate degree was heavy on the business side, and I had already completed the Project+. This helped me do well on ORC1 with only a week of studying. -
Optionsthemagicone
Member Posts: 674
MGC1/ORC1 are just common sense stuff. If you read the question there usually is only one right answer. But, everyone has their own education level. Just find the book on Amazon, buy it used then resell it back. Most of the time it won't cost you anything. There is also sites like bookrenter and if it's less than 30 days there is no charge. Personally I took both of the same day and passed.Courses Completed at WGU: JIT2, LYT2, TFT2, SJT2, BFC2, TGT2, FXT2
Courses Required For Me To Graduate WGU in MS: IT Network Managment: MCT2, LZT2, MBT1, MDT2, MNT2
CU Done this term: 16 Total CU Done: 19
Currently working on: Nothing Graduation Goal: 5/2013 -
Optionsveritas_libertas
Member Posts: 5,746 ■■■■■■■■■■
If your degree is the plain IT degree, can you choose anything for your capstone? Anyone here know?
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Optionsnhpr
Member Posts: 165
veritas_libertas wrote: »If your degree is the plain IT degree, can you choose anything for your capstone? Anyone here know?
You can choose virtually anything for your capstone as long as you, at the least, nominally tie it to your concentration. If you have no concentration, I would guess you'd be even freer. -
Optionspetedude
Member Posts: 1,510
You can choose virtually anything for your capstone as long as you, at the least, nominally tie it to your concentration. If you have no concentration, I would guess you'd be even freer.
You have to be able to demonstrate competencies within the degree program as well as within the general education program (i.e. communicate effectively within a standard academic format). If you have the general program, yes, that means you can do just about anything IT-related for your capstone.Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
--Will Rogers -
OptionsJoshD779
Member Posts: 62 ■■□□□□□□□□
Passed ORC1 this morning. That makes 20 CUs in three months.
WGU BS-IT Network Design and Management
Complete: EWB, LAC1, LAE1, LAT1, LUT1, WFV1, INC1, INT1, TEV1, TTV1, HVC1, HVT1, TNV1, CLC1, TSV1, LET1, TPV1, ORC1
Que: AKV1, QLC1, QMC1, QLT1, MGC1, SSC1, SST1, ABV1, AHV1, AIV1,BHV1, BIV1, TWA1, CPW3 -
OptionsShecky
Member Posts: 41 ■■□□□□□□□□
Work experience, mostly. I assure you I am no genius. Project+ did help with some of that stuff, like the formation of project groups.
If you didn't do that well, then the MGC1 book might help you out. ORC1 uses the LET1 book.
I thought so too. If you come in taking the pre-assessment with no prior knowledge, you're screwed. Even common sense guessing can only get you so far. Questions that NEED you to know the theories will definitely leave you guessing.
Have the ORC1 book. Ordered the MGC1 book. Have ORC1 scheduled for this coming Thursday. Wish me luck!
veritas_libertas wrote: »It depends on the person's background. My associate degree was heaviy on the business side, and I had already completed the Project+. This helped me do well on ORC1 with only a week of studying.
Lol wow. There you go. Experience ftw.themagicone wrote: »MGC1/ORC1 are just common sense stuff. If you read the question there usually is only one right answer. But, everyone has their own education level. Just find the book on Amazon, buy it used then resell it back. Most of the time it won't cost you anything. There is also sites like bookrenter and if it's less than 30 days there is no charge. Personally I took both of the same day and passed.
I'm assuming you had some type of prior experience, right? -
OptionsShecky
Member Posts: 41 ■■□□□□□□□□
Passed ORC1 this morning. That makes 20 CUs in three months.
Congrats!
How was it? I'm taking it this Thursday. Was it easier than the pre-assessment?
