The WGU Challenge - Finish in 1 term

swild

Passed WFV1 with a score of 73/85. 86%. I can live with that.

Now CLC1 first thing in the morning.

powerfool

erpadmin wrote: »

Seriously, where does this snobbery come from?

I would have conceded to your earlier point about an Associates, as I feel somewhat the same way about it, though not quite so snobbish. My niece is going to earn a Associates in Arts for General Studies (basically all the general ed courses you'd do in your first two years of a four year school.) I basically told her to both not waste her time either participating in attendance of a commencement ceremony, or waste the stamp sending me an invitation to attend such nonsense if she didn't heed my earlier advice. I'm not going to waste my time to watch her wear a gown saying, in essence, that she's becoming a college junior. For her undergrad, that's a different story. But not for an associates.

However, where I really took issue with you is the Masters. While I actually do know a couple of Ph.Ds, MOST of my graduate-level friends have a Masters. For many folks...it's good enough to stop there. Also, an MBA would have been something I would have personally liked....but from what I understand, it won't be good enough to adjunct teach because it's considered too general. Even if there is an IT specialization. So that's why I am concentrating on a MS in Information Systems. While I would love to entertain a doctorate...I won't really know until I'm done with a Masters if it's even feasible. I couldn't suspend life to do "research" at the doctorate level. A lot of people can't...

Because it's funny.

Also, because the modern BS has risen to the same level as a high school diploma for the 1960s...

The masters part was seriously a joke, though... it is why I referenced The Big Band Theory. It is also joked about on Bones... where one of the lab guys had two masters degrees and was always frustrated when all of the PhDs didn't take his education seriously; he rebuts that his two masters degrees are about the same as on PhD.

Seriously, I am working on my masters degree right now... If a BS is fine, any graduate work is respectable.

powerfool

Turgon wrote: »

What is the difference between an AS and a BS and how can you complete a BS in one term if you have an AS? Seems there is not a lot of difference between the two if this is possible.

An associates degree is a two-year degree whereas a bachelors degree is a four-year degree. The associates degree was manufactured by community colleges. It is essentially half a bachelors degree.

With WGU, it is self-paced. So, folks are able to complete their requirements at their own pace. Also, with WGU, some of those requirements are certifications.

For my part I have a Masters degree earned in 1995. I should like to do a PhD one day once Im financially independant. Many decent research ideas to work on!

That is one opportunity I am considering for my future. Best wishes for you.

erpadmin

powerfool wrote: »

The masters part was seriously a joke, though... it is why I referenced The Big Band Theory. It is also joked about on Bones... where one of the lab guys had two masters degrees and was always frustrated when all of the PhDs didn't take his education seriously; he rebuts that his two masters degrees are about the same as on PhD.

Sorry about that. Really...lol. That really did go right over my head.

I don't watch Big Bang Theory (or Bones)...I really thought that's how you felt though.

For what it's worth I started WGU with half an associates (or rather...two credits shy of one.) Hopefully...I can conclude WGU this coming Sunday and then work toward my Masters starting the following week. Hopefully I can pull off passing the 70-643....

petedude

powerfool wrote: »

Seriously, I am working on my masters degree right now... If a BS is fine, any graduate work is respectable.

Which is partly why I am being tempted to the dark side-- I may go for a DETC master's rather than an RA master's.

As to the associate's thing. . . yeah, it may be a consolation prize or a diploma manufactured by the CCs, but still some people need a stepping stone-- I know I did. It gives you a little bit of a boost, knowing you've achieved something.

LayOffPayOff

First, let me say Im feeling a lot better after finding this thread. Im set for a Feb 1 start date, and after transferring my AA and certs I have 14 classes/51 units. Ive been working in IT for about 10 years, a SysAdmin for the last 5. Recently laid off and no kids/life so Im hoping to git-r-done in 1 session to save $$$ and most importantly get back to work. I dont have much background with databases, java, or cisco
Any insight you guys have for me is much appreciated.

According to my transcript evaluation heres what I have in store for me:
-BNC1
-RIT1
-WFV1
-DFV1
-BOV1
-DJV1
-KET1
-KFT1
-TPV1
-CVV1
-CJV1
-CUV1
-COV1
-CQV1
-CNV1

Ill check back in with updates or any info I find out that I think will be useful for you guys. Thanks again.

swild

Awesome to have some company in this goal. LayOffPayOff, it looks like we are doing almost the exact same courses. I have 2 more liberal arts courses because I didn't have an AA, just a bunch of transfer credit.

This brings up an excellent point, and one that I wish I would have taken advantage of:
An AA from an accredited community college will transfer to almost any other university, saving a ton of money on the courses that really don't matter. Yes, you need to have the broad foundation, but you don't need to take Geography or Intro to Sociology or Psych 101 at Harvard to still get a BS from a respected university. The community college has made tuition more affordable by inventing the AA.

Off to take CLC1!

powerfool

petedude wrote: »

As to the associate's thing. . . yeah, it may be a consolation prize or a diploma manufactured by the CCs, but still some people need a stepping stone-- I know I did. It gives you a little bit of a boost, knowing you've achieved something.

I don't disagree... it is just the premise of the thread that one is completing a bachelors degree in one term... of course, completing bachelors degree in one term after an associates is still a feat, in and of itself.

Even lesser than the associates, however, is the new undergraduate certificates that are typically about a year in length.

Plenty of options for folks out there, which is why I have little patience for folks who sit back and do absolutely nothing. It is frustrating to listen (and try to ignore) folks that think it is too much of a commitment to complete a degree. I will admit that folks have different situations that can make 4 years (or more, if part-time) a difficult task... but you can take it in pieces. Which is actually why I got started on my masters degree... my company partnered up with UMUC to offer some graduate certificates, and they roll right into the masters programs. Of course, I have decided to fast-pace my masters just as I did my undergrad, even though I told my wife I wasn't really in a hurry. But, I want a break after my current program before I start on my MBA... which I plan to start during my oldest daughters junior or senior year of high school... planning for financial aid for your kids is yet another predicament that your parents aren't able to assist you with if you were a first generation college graduate and were an independent student at the time...

powerfool

LayOffPayOff wrote: »

First, let me say Im feeling a lot better after finding this thread. Im set for a Feb 1 start date, and after transferring my AA and certs I have 14 classes/51 units. Ive been working in IT for about 10 years, a SysAdmin for the last 5. Recently laid off and no kids/life so Im hoping to git-r-done in 1 session to save $$$ and most importantly get back to work. I dont have much background with databases, java, or cisco
Any insight you guys have for me is much appreciated.

According to my transcript evaluation heres what I have in store for me:
-BNC1
-RIT1
-WFV1
-DFV1
-BOV1
-DJV1
-KET1
-KFT1
-TPV1
-CVV1
-CJV1
-CUV1
-COV1
-CQV1
-CNV1

Ill check back in with updates or any info I find out that I think will be useful for you guys. Thanks again.

Sounds like a good plan. And once you start rolling, you will build a mental momentum. With your experience, you should be able to breeze through quickly because you likely have a good familiarity with most of the topics already.

One thing to keep in mind is that WGU has the option of extending your term by one month, as well, but you cannot do this last minute within the term. If you think that it will take longer, ask them no later than one month before the end of the term. Best wishes.

swild

CLC1 passed. No score, of course. Very easy test. Finished in 35 minutes of the given 2.5 hours.

2 classes down the first week. That makes me ahead by 13 days which is good because I now need to learn Java. I have 2 other liberal arts classes that I will be able to just take the test which will buy me more time later this term.

I spent the last 2 days trying to get Visual Studio and NetBeans installed. Sucks. I was unable to put NetBeans on my work computer because I use a program that requires an old version of Java and will not work with any other version installed. That took me a day to break and then fix. Then Visual Studio takes FOREVER to install after taking 3 hours to download.

erpadmin

swild wrote: »

I spent the last 2 days trying to get Visual Studio and NetBeans installed. Sucks. I was unable to put NetBeans on my work computer because I use a program that requires an old version of Java and will not work with any other version installed. That took me a day to break and then fix. Then Visual Studio takes FOREVER to install after taking 3 hours to download.

You can always install a virtual machine on your workbox and then install Netbeans. (Assuming you have a processor that can handle VT-d or AMD-vi.) This way, you can keep your work stuff and school stuff separate. In which case, Oracle Virtualbox will do the job.

swild

Wow, sandboxing never even occurred to me. I will have to see if that will work.

Thanks!

powerfool

Do you have any lecture videos that you get in your coursework? I used to do Java back in the day (I made my own web server and IRC server)... but that was over ten years ago and Java is more about different frameworks than Java itself, anymore. I was looking on MIT OWC, but their Java courses don't have video lectures.

certhelp

erpadmin wrote: »

You can always install a virtual machine on your workbox and then install Netbeans. (Assuming you have a processor that can handle VT-d or AMD-vi.) This way, you can keep your work stuff and school stuff separate. In which case, Oracle Virtualbox will do the job.

That is needed only when you want to run a hypervisor with I/O virtualization. Netbeans can be installed in a 32-bit Os as far as I know. Besides, why VT-d/AMD-vi? Do you mean VT-X/AMD-V?

erpadmin

certhelp wrote: »

That is needed only when you want to run a hypervisor with I/O virtualization. Netbeans can be installed in a 32-bit Os as far as I know. Besides, why VT-d/AMD-vi? Do you mean VT-X/AMD-V?

I pretty much meant a box that can handle a virtual machine.

He stated he can't upgrade his java to a higher version because of application compatability. If he can create a virtual machine with the hardware he has at work, he can do all of his installs there and not disturb his work machine.

What you're quibbling with is semantics. (And that's cool... )

I know that if you have a Processor that's a minimum of an i3...you can have a VM provided the Hardware Virtualization is turned on. But it would help solve his problem.

certhelp

erpadmin wrote: »

What you're quibbling with is semantics. (And that's cool... )

You mean specifics? I agree that he could run Netbeans under virtual environment.

erpadmin wrote: »

I know that if you have a Processor that's a minimum of an i3...you can have a VM provided the Hardware Virtualization is turned on. But it would help solve his problem.

You don't need a minimum i3 just to run a VM ​nor hardware assisted virtualization for running 32-bit VMs. 32 bit VMs can run on even on an earlier generation/family of processors like Intel Core 2 Duo, Quad Core. Hardware virtualization is for 64-bit OSes.

swild

powerfool wrote: »

Do you have any lecture videos that you get in your coursework? I used to do Java back in the day (I made my own web server and IRC server)... but that was over ten years ago and Java is more about different frameworks than Java itself, anymore. I was looking on MIT OWC, but their Java courses don't have video lectures.

The only learning resources listed for KET1 is WileyPLUS. I haven't delved much into it yet.

I have been so swamped at work today. I finally got caught up and decided to look at the clock to see if I could sneak in a 15 minute break only to find out I should have left for lunch 15 minutes ago. 5 and half hours without even looking at a clock. I plan on spending the majority of my afternoon resuming my DFV1 studies.

Over the weekend I worked on both KET1 and DFV1. I have decided that I can keep things straighter, and move more quickly, if I focus only on one class at a time. KET1 is getting pushed back a bit, but I wasn't even planning on starting it until the 26th, so I'm still good. Since I can't install NetBeans on my work laptop, and don't really want to waste time virtualizing an install since it would be all new to me, I have thrown Win7 on an old Dell and will be carting 2 laptops back and forth from work to home everyday. I got that laptop completely updated over the weekend and am now ready to go. I was wanting to schedule DFV1 for this Thursday but I'm not sure I will have enough time to get through it all in time.

asurania

i finished 39 credits in 3 months (which is what i needed to get my degree after transfer credits)

phaneuf1

asurania wrote: »

i finished 39 credits in 3 months (which is what i needed to get my degree after transfer credits)

Please give me your secret!! I can't see how you can really learn something and finish 39 credits in 3 months. unless you already know the subject perfectly and just have to show up to the exams, it seems impossible to me.

erpadmin

phaneuf1 wrote: »

Please give me your secret!! I can't see how you can really learn something and finish 39 credits in 3 months. unless you already know the subject perfectly and just have to show up to the exams, it seems impossible to me.

Simple...he was able to prove competency in the classes he was taking for three months. Now mind you, I don't know what classes he took, but I can tell you it took me a little over five months to do 37 CUs. (August 1, 2011, through January 8, 2012) Tech Writing and Capstone, plus four Microsoft exams....that's 37 CUs right there. I was shooting for having it done under five months, but it just wasn't happening. If you read my posts...I can tell you I did not know the exams perfectly.

instant000

Yeah, the worst part of the Bachelor's degree is the first two years, where you take a lot of general courses, that aren't worth too much towards your focus, but are necessary fillers. Community colleges package this as associate's degrees.

So, after having a 2-year degree, completing the focus in one term isn't so difficult, when you see that this person is pursuing a degree in a topic that he already has a lot of knowledge in. Since the degree is "competency-based" he probably knows a good deal of the material already, and can pass the assessments with minimal preparation.

Like previous posters have stated, I'd like to see someone fresh with no prior exposure attempt this, and see how well they do. Which, to my knowledge, is not possible, as WGU wants people who are likely to succeed even entering their programs, see this information:

A Simple Admission Process: What’s Needed

To be admitted into this online IT degree, you must:

• Possess a high school diploma or its equivalent.
• Demonstrate IT experience through at least one of the following four methods:
  • Have earned an associate’s degree in IT or equivalent (A.S. or A.A.S. acceptable)
  • Have completed the following high-level IT coursework within the last five years:
    • Two or more upper-level Networking courses OR
    • Two or more upper-level Object-Oriented Programming courses (Java, C#, etc.) OR
    • One or more upper-level Operating Systems course OR
    • One or more upper-level Information Security and Assurance course
  • Hold transferable IT certifications earned within the last five years
  • Submit a resume showing three-plus years of IT work experience

You will also be required to take and pass the WGU Readiness Assessment—a short, three-part online admissions tests that helps determine the likelihood of success in a WGU program.

Look to even get into the program, you need one of the following: already have certs OR already have an associates, OR already have taken upper-level IT courses, OR already have three-plus years of IT work experience. They're not even letting you into the program unless you have an IT history. This program isn't geared towards someone "starting from scratch" you have to bring something to the table.

source: Bachelor Degree in Information Security Online | WGU College of Information Technology

LayOffPayOff

I havent started yet but here is an update.... It appears that WGU has recently adjusted the program requirements, and the paperwork I was referencing was out of date. My requirements for BSIT:Security have grown from 13 courses to 17. Much of the new additions consist of Microsoft MTA "Fundamentals" courses, but this is time consumed nonetheless. Im frustrated to say the least.

On a related note, since the program adjustments, the Network Admin program has grown from 13 courses to 16 and now includes CCNA training. I am starting to look very seriously at this as an alternate choice. My counselor has told me more or less that completing this in 6 months is not likely.

Im pretty stumped. The choice that seems most obvious to me right now is to postpone WGU until March and use Feb to complete as much self training (Cisco, MS, Etc) as i can. I would REALLY prefer to not postpone at all. This friday is do or die for the Feb 1 start date.

Any thoughts?

Hypntick

Well, if you can knock out the majority and have less than 12 CU left at the end of your term, I believe they will pro-rate a second shorter term. I can't swear to it, but i've seen it mentioned a few times.

swild

I'm trying to get through one of those MTA courses now and it is not easy: DFV1. The book provided by MS is just bad. Without the LearnKey videos that are also provided by WGU, I would be totally lost. Which sucks because I really can't learn by listening to someone talk. I do better to read and do. The text consists of a bunch of labs and a chapter review asking questions that were in no way covered.

One of the end of chapter 1 scenarios, 1-3, is a great example. The solution says, "Although a little research is required to accomplish this task, the experience will help in the preparation for Chapter 2." I'm supposed to research topics that haven't been covered yet? Also, the "solution in no way tells me how to actually code this. There are snippets of code, but not all the items you actually need.

It seems like they want you to already know C# before they actually teach you C#. Oh and they also want you to know VB because "some items are easier to teach in VB". Talk about confusing. I have no experience with either language. I have now gone completely through Chapter 1 twice and am halfway through Chapter 2.

erpadmin

LayOffPayOff wrote: »

I havent started yet but here is an update.... It appears that WGU has recently adjusted the program requirements, and the paperwork I was referencing was out of date. My requirements for BSIT:Security have grown from 13 courses to 17. Much of the new additions consist of Microsoft MTA "Fundamentals" courses, but this is time consumed nonetheless. Im frustrated to say the least.

On a related note, since the program adjustments, the Network Admin program has grown from 13 courses to 16 and now includes CCNA training. I am starting to look very seriously at this as an alternate choice. My counselor has told me more or less that completing this in 6 months is not likely.

Im pretty stumped. The choice that seems most obvious to me right now is to postpone WGU until March and use Feb to complete as much self training (Cisco, MS, Etc) as i can. I would REALLY prefer to not postpone at all. This friday is do or die for the Feb 1 start date.

Any thoughts?

You can thank those selfish unemployed people who only went to schools like WGU to "career change" but ended up not putting in proper work to get the 70-680, or any other MCITP/Cisco cert. Those certs aren't easy; even for experienced folks.

I don't see the MTA courses being a hindrence if you're already certified in what you got it. But I can't say with certainty if the MTA exams are like the CIW 1D0-510 exam (easy with no study.) I'm of the opinion you could knock them out within your time frame.

erpadmin

swild wrote: »

It seems like they want you to already know C# before they actually teach you C#. Oh and they also want you to know VB because "some items are easier to teach in VB". Talk about confusing. I have no experience with either language. I have now gone completely through Chapter 1 twice and am halfway through Chapter 2.

Tutorials

C# and VB are both taught by him. This guy can be somewhat annoying to listen to....but he was a big part of my passing the Javascript Specialist exam. Best to listen to him, take notes, and then read up on what you need from what he's teaching. But the guy does seem to get the job done (and for free...)

swild

Thanks for the resource. Now to get started on the 200 videos.

asurania

Secrets of doing 39 credits in one semester

1. For technical exam - I used training videos and practice exam - write Exam then. if you fail you will know why, study that and write exam again really fast . It usually takes 9 to 14 hours fo training videos (Labsim, Trainsignal, skillsoft, CBT Nuggets) and 2 to 3 hours for practice exam prep. So very easily u can do a course in one week here

2. For Managnment classes. You only need 50% or 51% to pass. Look up slideshows which comes with the textbook online access, and for some of them class mentor has there own presentation (email course mentor). It should take 2 to 5 hours to study for each class. Don't bother reading everysingle page iin the text. Just read your weak points.

3. For written class like Technical writing/Capstone. Stop thinking, start writing. Once you finish the 1st page, the rest should be easy. You can easily do both class in less then 10 hours. But for classes that are written its just the matter of doing it.

4. Remember you have 3 tries for exam. Chances are you will pass the first exam you write if not, you know whats the exam, so you can refine and study your weak point and pass the second time.

5. For all classes above. If you can commit 2 to 3 hours a day, then for the most part you can do 39 CU in 3 months.

Also note there will be classes where some of them you will need to study more in depth. For example CCNA classes you will need more in depth study, and other classes like the managnment classes...where opening the book is optional (especially if you have past college expereince). Everyone is difference...but the main thing is confidence and just sticking to a schedule and being commited, and not being afraid to fail and learning from it.

swild

I just found a Student Study Guide for the MTA exams on Certiport's site. If that is how the exam is going to be, I have no problems and am WAY over studying it. Anyone have access to that who has passed this test and can tell me if that is a fair representation of the exam?

Here is the link, not sure if it will require a login to connect:
ftp://ftp.certiport.com/Marketing/MTA/docs/MTA_SSG_WebDev_individual_without_crop.pdf

LayOffPayOff

Long story short I had to postpone my start date until March 1st. Im pretty frustrated but Im going to try to make the most of the extra time. My new game plan is to try to get CCNA done between now and then. What do you guys think? I imagine at the very least I should be able to complete CCENT (ICND1) and get a nice head start on ICND2...

Thanks