LinuxRacr's Quest for WGU Success...

LinuxRacr

I'm starting this thread to catalog my journey with WGU. Any relevant questions, comments, advice is welcome here.

I have been enrolled, and am set to start the B.S. IT Security program January, 2012, and have just seen my degree plan for the first time yesterday. Eight classes are counted as transfers.... It has me mapped out over nine terms. I'm trying to finish in no more than three to four terms. If I were to do it in nine terms, you can do the math on the cost at around $3k per 6-month term.

As of today, no mentor has been assigned.

I am planning on studying for my A+ exam hard over the next couple of weeks, and asking for an exam voucher when I start in January. Which class requirement(s) does the A+ exam cover?

UPDATE 12/22/2011: The rest of this first post is now irrelevant, as the issue was fixed, and the courses have changed.

My four terms line up like so below. Any advice on what would be most efficient?:

Term 1:

WFV1 IT Fundamentals I
AGG1 Foundations of College Mathematics
CLC1 Reasoning and Problem Solving
LUT1 Language and Communication: Presentation
QBT1 Language and Communication: Research

Term2:

AXV1 IT Fundamentals II
CPV1 IT Fundamentals III
INT1 Integrated Natural Science Applications

Term 3:

DFV1 Web Development Fundamentals
CUV1 Web Technologies
BOV1 Web Programing
GAC1 Finite Mathematics


Term 4:

HHT1 Finite Mathematics Applications
DHV1 Windows OS Fundamentals
CSV1 Operating Systems
COV1 Fundamentals of Interconnecting Network Devices

swild

I am also starting the IT Security program next month. I just received my transfer eval yesterday and am waiting on the degree plan. I do know that I will be starting with CLC1 and WFV1 as neither of those transferred in. I think I will be planned to be complete in 4 terms but I will probably do it in 2. I want to finish in 1 term but I think that's a stretch. It really all depends on how fast I can move through the classes and if I can remember any of my programming experience from a decade ago.

I know that I will be wanting to take the WFV1 exam ASAP. All I need to to glance over the topics as I have HTML experience (like I said, 10 years ago) and an A+. I don't think CLC1 will be hard either. From what I have been reading, your mentor will most likely want you to finish those 5 classes that are planned and then give you more if you have time.

My EC told me that I may not hear from my mentor until the 5th of Jan. 5 days is far more than I wanted to spend on WFV1.

erpadmin

A+ is AXV1 and CPV1.

Term 1 should take you no more than two months to do. QBT1 seems to be the same as LAT1...that isn't going to be a course you can breeze through, even if you are great at paper writing. Get real comfortable with APA formatting...there is a multitude of resources you can find on the Internet. bibme.org will be your best friend (as well as the Reference function of Word 2007/2010 (AWESOME for in-place citations! ) Stay away from technical topics...try to be as general as you can. Your tech paper is going to be used for BOTH tech writing and capstone anyhow.

Assuming you can do Term 1 within two months, get started on INT1. The most ridiculous of the WGU general ed courses...you're basically going to write some powerpoints and perform a 5th grade science lab using the scientific method.

You want GAC1 and HHT1 together. No mentor will let you split that up (and for good reason.) As long as you use Mathlab with both, you should have no problem with the math, even if it's your worst subject.

I don't see why you can't do those classes in three terms or less. However, it's not a race, but if you are looking to accelerate, three terms seems reasonsable. Personally, you might be able to do two terms....but see how it goes, how you feel.

snokerpoker

Good luck!

LinuxRacr

ERP, thanks for the advice. I got real familiar with APA formatting while I was at University of Phoenix 2009-2010. It is time to dust off my reference material again. So glad it won't go to waste. I do hate that I have to take Finite Math again, as I took that at UoP, but it did get rid of one my other math classes. Since GAC1 and HHT1 go together, I'm not to sad about having to do Finite Math again here since I wouldn't want to have to do one without the other...

I need to get busy and do my EWB1 so I can get assigned a mentor.

LinuxRacr

In the middle of EWB right now, and noticed while doing the first task that a mentor was assigned to me today.

jcole4lsu

You said you did some coursework at University of Phoenix... Did you not take English and math classes? What I am trying to get at is would standard Algebra and Calculus classes not count as the equivalent to:

AGG1 Foundations of College Mathematics
CLC1 Reasoning and Problem Solving
LUT1 Language and Communication: Presentation
QBT1 Language and Communication: Research

LinuxRacr

I did College Algebra and Intro to Finite Mathematics, as well as Critical Thinking, Business Communications, and Technical Writing Fundamentals at UoP. I also took a Gov't and a U.S. History class at a community college, and have an A.A.S. in Electronics Engineering Technology.

I'm looking back over my degree plan now, and I see that these are what they show as transferred-in classes:

Term     Course Code       Course Details            Competency Units     Pre-Assessment  Assessment Type     Assessment Status
PT          BBC1     Communications Foundations             2         Pre-Assessment  Objective Assessment     Transfer         
PT          LAE1     Language and Communication: Essay     2                      Performance Assessment     Transfer         
PT          INC1     Integrated Natural Science             4         Pre-Assessment Objective Assessment     Transfer         
PT          IWC1     Literature, Arts and the Humanities     2         Pre-Assessment Objective Assessment     Transfer 

At the bottom it also lists these as classes that transferred, but they are no longer in the catalog for 2011... It looks like they still haven't finished my updated transfer evaluation for 2011 yet, because I know my Security+ cert should cover the CTV1 Security class (which is now worth 4 credit units instead of 6 like the previous TSV1 Security I class, if it is the comparable course).

Course Code                  Course Details                          Competency Units         Assessment Status        Status Date
SST1     General Education Social Science: Analysis and Applications           2                 Transfer          11/19/2010
BAC1     Foundations of College Mathematics                                   2                 Transfer          11/19/2010
TSV1     Security I                                                           6                        Transfer          11/19/2010
SSC1     General Education Social Science                                   1                 Transfer          11/19/2010 

LinuxRacr

Found another concern last night while looking.

If you look at my list of classes in my first post, AGG1 Foundations of College Mathematics is listed as a class I must take. In my transfer eval from 2010, BAC1 Foundations of College Mathematics is listed as a class that should be transferred in.

Just had my initial mentor call, and I must say I'm excited to be working with her. I hope this remains the case. I brought up my concerns with the transfer evaluation not being complete, and she will call them tomorrow if we don't hear from them today. Our next call we are supposed to decide what classes I will be taking this term...

In other news, I am 82% complete with my EWB, and plan to have it finished this afternoon.

LinuxRacr

EWB completed today. I also received my updated transfer evaluation today and I am a bit happier. It looks like 37 credit units transferred in (instead of 11), so I'll mostly be taking my core classes. Looks like I'm ready. Now I need to decide which classes I would like to attempt first term.

LinuxRacr

Looks like my first term (so far) will line up like so:

WFV1..........IT Fundamentals I
AXV1...........IT FUndamentals II
CPV1...........IT Fundamentals III
BNC1...........Organized Behavior and Leadership

Hopefully I can knock out the BNC1 quickly, and then tackle the others, while possibly adding more courses.

swild

I am also taking WFV1 next month, in addition to CLC1, DFV1, and KET1.

My mentor already opened up all of my learning resources and I am 2/3 of the way through WFV1. I am hoping to schedule the exam for the first week of January, as long as I can get my voucher in time.

I took the pre assessment for BNC1 and scored a 69%, passing is a 51%. I don't think you will have much trouble with it if you have worked for a large company.

I took my A+ 18 months ago and only used the AIO book. Not sure what learning resources they will be providing but that book is all you need.

LinuxRacr

Thanks, I got the Mike Meyers AIO book yesterday, and plan on cracking it open as soon as I finish all this mandatory training at work...
Your mentor already opened up stuff for you? That's awesome!

petedude

I'd say if you don't get the transfer issue wrapped up this week, contact the transfer department directly or call Student Services. My thinking would be that's one of those issues that could get overlooked then later shut out if you don't address it quickly up front.

LinuxRacr

Oh, it got fixed. Check a few posts up. I think I need to probably update the first post.

LinuxRacr

Just took the initial step to schedule my CIW Foundations Associate exam (1D0 510). Thanks folks for the tips on the study guide! Let's see if I can get this WFV1 class out of the way early so I can get on to my A+ exam prep.

Psoasman

LinuxRacr wrote: »

Just took the initial step to schedule my CIW Foundations Associate exam (1D0 510). Thanks folks for the tips on the study guide! Let's see if I can get this WFV1 class out of the way early so I can get on to my A+ exam prep.

Don't sweat this exam. It's not hard, basically A+, N+, S+ with some HTML tossed in. The study guides provided should be more than enough.
Good luck!

swild

I just took the exam yesterday and scored a 73 out of 85. Only have to get a 54. It really was easy. I actually read through the HTML study guide in about 3 hours but I think I could have skipped it and still passed. The study guide really is all you need. I got 25/30 on the html portion.

LinuxRacr

Thanks for the replies all. I just got back last night after being on vacation for a week in California, while caring for my 1-year-old daughter during the day while my wife was at her conference. It made studying challenging, but not impossible. I got my exam voucher in e-mail while I was in transit home, and had time to open it up today. I can't schedule my exam tomorrow until Pearson VUE sends out my username and password.

While I'm waiting on that, my question to those experienced WGU students and alumni is what did you use hardware-wise, and setup-wise for your VMWare labbing machines? I'm looking into building a new system to experiment with.

erpadmin

LinuxRacr wrote: »

Thanks for the replies all. I just got back last night after being on vacation for a week in California, while caring for my 1-year-old daughter during the day while my wife was at her conference. It made studying challenging, but not impossible. I got my exam voucher in e-mail while I was in transit home, and had time to open it up today. I can't schedule my exam tomorrow until Pearson VUE sends out my username and password.

While I'm waiting on that, my question to those experienced WGU students and alumni is what did you use hardware-wise, and setup-wise for your VMWare labbing machines? I'm looking into building a new system to experiment with.

I bought a HP ML110 G6 server and 2x4GB and 2x250GB (though I suppose today, I'd have probably gone with a 120GB SSD drive for the VMs...but at the time pre-Asian flood, 250GB drives were dirt cheap....so I got those instead). After a few months, I maxed out my server to get 2x4GB and 250GB to max out my server.

I put W2K8 R2 Enterprise on it and then created a few VMs in Hyper-V. Actually, prior to that, I used Oracle's VirtualBox for the 640 and 642 studies. For 643, I went straight into Hyper-V. Didn't want to bother with VmWare because I will most likely never use it professionally. Though if I ever do, I would get on it in a heartbeat. Keep in mind though the VirtualBox will get the job done for simple labbing.

LinuxRacr

I have now scheduled the 1D0-510 for this Saturday morning. I'm about to dive into studying for the CompTIA A+ Exams 220-701 and the 220-702. I have the Mike Meyers AIO book, and have been watching the Professor Messer videos. About how long did it take on average for you folks to study for the A+ to pass it?

demonfurbie

it took me like a month for both total, i took them back to back on the same day

swild

A week each for me, but it was all review except for the crazy laser printer stuff that only PDI pros ever deal with. When will I ever need to know anything about a corona wire? We always had a maintenance contract for printers everywhere I have ever worked and specialist would come out to fix it. I guess they expect PDI's to go through the A+ as well, even though they have their own cert. Just another stack of useless information that I will never be able to forget.

erpadmin

demonfurbie wrote: »

it took me like a month for both total, i took them back to back on the same day

I concur. With the materials you have, you should be ready by that time. A+, with proper study, is extremely straightforward.

LinuxRacr

Thanks. It looks like my proctoring web cam showed up.

swild

Unfortunately you can't use the webcam for any of the IT exams. I only have 2 more tests I can use it on and I will probably just go to prometric instead.

erpadmin

swild wrote: »

Unfortunately you can't use the webcam for any of the IT exams. I only have 2 more tests I can use it on and I will probably just go to prometric instead.

F'(orget) that.....

While my first OLP exam, I found myself uncomfortable, the convenience of being at home AND knowing immediately whether or not you passed while still in your PJs cannot compare to going to Prometric to take some non-IT exam. I'd wake up, have breakfast and coffee from my WGU "liquid motivation" mug, look over some stuff, clear my desk, set the webcam up, and call it a day.

Once you go through OLP once, you get used to it. I'm considering bronzing my webcam or something. It is too sentimental to throw away.

I only had one issue...and this was when my laptop crapped-up on me. I called Krypterion, explained the situation, and I was still able to take the exam, albeit a bit later than I had wanted to (CLC1).

powerfool

Dude... I just found your thread here. This has been pretty motivational to read. I love how you mapped your stuffs out. I bet you can probably knock this out in two terms at a moderate pace. Hope to see more good things. Best wishes.

Psoasman

erpadmin wrote: »

While my first OLP exam, I found myself uncomfortable, the convenience of being at home AND knowing immediately whether or not you passed while still in your PJs cannot compare to going to Prometric to take some non-IT exam. I'd wake up, have breakfast and coffee from my WGU "liquid motivation" mug, look over some stuff, clear my desk, set the webcam up, and call it a day.
Once you go through OLP once, you get used to it.

I just did my first OLP on Tuesday morning for the IWC1. It was hard to sit there for an hour without moving, but nicer to not have to drive anywhere for an exam.

LinuxRacr

I received my WGU Student Success Kit today. Pretty cool, as I didn't even expect it! I have my "liquid motivation" going now.

erpadmin

LinuxRacr wrote: »

I received my WGU Student Success Kit today. Pretty cool, as I didn't even expect it! I have my "liquid motivation" going now.

I s--t you not, that mug and my HUGE-AS(-)---- Alamo mug I bought in San Antonio are the biggest coffee mugs in my house. Between the blue WGU mug and my Alamo mug, I'm always wired!!