How many credits are you working on per semester? (WGU)

I work full time and I'm going to start going to WGU in the beginning of the year. I know everyone's studying styles are different and the amount of free time varies.

My poll question is this: How many credits are you taking per semester on average and how many hours do you work a week?

Thanks!

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Excellent1

erpadmin wrote: »

I would hope folks would still share those experiences, especially if that might help others. I was shocked and amazed at myself that I knocked out 12 CUs in my first 26 days (so was my mentor). I'm no prodigy, just a guy that did what he had to do. I have also had revisions (I am only mad at myself for one of those revisions, because it was so stupid that I uploaded the wrong file for LAT1...that experience taught me to triple-check my uploads and to make sure it's part of the rubric). Also, I took it under advisement when folks started getting scared off from the NDM degree and wanted to go to the BS:IT degree. In the end, I decided to personally stay the course. I do have an attack plan for my MS exams and once that's done, I know that EVERY class will be more or less smooth sailing. The collegiate experience, AFAI(have always)K, had meant to challenge yourself. The NDM major gets to knock out two birds with one stone (The current high level MS cert and a degree). So experiences (good or bad) in WGU will always be helpful to others...it can encourage or make you pause to see how one can do it to avoid the wrong way.

I completely agree with the value of people sharing their defeats along with their successes. It's often more helpful than the success stories, as it helps understand what not to do or maybe how to avoid a certain negative outcome.

What I was trying to convey is that I'm sure that if you were to examine the statistics behind success vs. failure posts, you'll find that far more people communicate successes rather than failures. That said, it can be somewhat misleading for someone to read some of the posts and see the many people knocking out large numbers of CU's and maybe not realize that there are far, far more people moving at a much more normal progression pace.

The statistical outliers are anomalies, so they shouldn't represent the overall merits of the degree to a prospective employer, in my opinion.

Anyway, I'm anxious to get started with the MS stuff, it'll be a pretty big stretch for me since I don't work with this stuff all day like some of you folks. Hoping to do well, but preparing for the crash and burn, just in case.

BerryKix

I don't think you can get a masters in IT without having some sort of related work experience or a Bachelors in IT. I want to get the MS in Information assurance, but some people are saying to get the masters from a B&M so I don't know. My goal right now is just to find a job.

erpadmin

BerryKix wrote: »

I don't think you can get a masters in IT without having some sort of related work experience or a Bachelors in IT. I want to get the MS in Information assurance, but some people are saying to get the masters from a B&M so I don't know. My goal right now is just to find a job.

It depends on the program/school, but I am almost sure that you could apply for a Masters as long as you have an accredited degree in something. I know some programs may want you to take an undergraduate math course or something like pre-calc or Calc I if you didn't have it in your undergrad program.

Yes, I am in the B&M camp for Masters...only because it lessens the stigma of the online degree. Also, for someone like myself, going the B&M route for an undergrad would require time and money. I would rather spend that much on a Masters.

BerryKix

Pretty sure you have to have some sort of technical background. I remember looking at them.

meadIT

I completed 76 credits in my one and only term. I went in with two A.S. degrees, one in networking and one in web programming, along with a couple of MS certs. I only needed the 76 credits to complete it, so I busted my rear to not spend money on a partial term. I was working full time, but my job at the time allowed a good bit of time to work on school work.

mcse.ccie

guys it looks liek im about to enroll @ WGU, I like the return on investments from my certs. So can you guyssend me any current book list or whatever for java and the database classes oh and project mngmt please I may only need 50 units and if so i want to go for a one term deal but I am nervous sine I havent been to school in 10 years

jtoast

The current book (or was when I passed it in November) for Java is "Big Java" by Cay Horstman.

The basic database course is the official CIW book. I didn't take the advanced database courses so can't help you there.

drew726

I just started this month, after I pass my project+ this weekend I'll have done 14.

petedude

mcse.ccie wrote: »

guys it looks liek im about to enroll @ WGU, I like the return on investments from my certs. So can you guyssend me any current book list or whatever for java and the database classes oh and project mngmt please I may only need 50 units and if so i want to go for a one term deal but I am nervous sine I havent been to school in 10 years

You'll want to search around in the other threads a bit. WGU does have some prescribed books, but you'll find students will make use of other resources as well. As an example, I bought chapters of certain textbooks on cengagebrain.com to supplement what I was studying for the database exam.

You might find it also helps to cozy up to Google and Wikipedia.

If you can give yourself the option of continuing on into a second term, you'll find your stress level a bit lower. I had hoped on only one term, then life intervened. To be honest, I was a bit over-optimistic (dreaming!). If you have any commitments outside work and school, you may find trying to wrap everything in one term difficult. It's not impossible-- just difficult.

erpadmin

petedude wrote: »

If you have any commitments outside work and school, you may find trying to wrap everything in one term difficult. It's not impossible-- just difficult.

While it IS possible to wrap up everything in one term, the sacrifices on the personal/family life you have to do, IMO, don't make it worth it. Yeah you save some money, and that's always good, but as you said, life sometimes gets in the way.

Also, no one knows me better than I do...(even my parents...). I know that if I took on too much in terms of CUs, I would have dropped out of WGU also. I am able to do a respectable courseload and still have a family/social life with my gal, colleagues, friends, etc. Much better to pace yourself, I feel, so that you don't burn out, lose out on a healthy social/family life.

JoshD779

Well, I'm one on the slow boat to graduation. My biggest number of CUs completed in one term is sixteen (term two). I completed fifteen in term three, and I'm planning on twenty for term four. That will be the maximum I'm likely to complete in a single term. I'm solidly on the nine term plan. I came into WGU with no transfer credit, no certs, and no IT experience. I'm a SINK (single income-no kids) but I am taking my time going through my program so I can not only learn the material thoroughly, but also to prevent any kind of burn-out. If I feel like I need to take a day or two off from my studies, I do. I can still have a social life or veg out on the couch and watch eight episodes of Deep Space Nine, guilt-free when I need a break. Because this is an entirely new skill set I'm pursuing, I knew that this would not be a short chapter for me, and I totally cool with that. My pace is working very well for me and I have learned a lot so far.

mcse.ccie

thanks guys righ now im off work but starting to take a few interviews, so ill push it as hard as i can until I go back to work (when i move to Dallas area) if i can get it done great fi not no big deal. Ill have to see what wiki can offer ... curious there

myedjo24

I take the minimum of 18 for GI bill peeps, and if I do more then that's cool, but I don't really care too much. I'm more interested in keeping the money rolling in (from GI Bill) than actually completing fast, and WGU doesn't take too much of my time. I currently have a decent job, which would have normally required me to already have a bachelors, but I was hired with out one. I'm only pursuing the bachelors for when I plan on moving into higher management, which potentially won't be for another 2-5 years.