WGU Starting 1 Jan 2016; BS:IT:Security Focus

Just finished my intake interview. From lurking in the previous threads of people who've gone here, there wasn't really anything important covered that I wasn't already aware of, so it was mostly just a formality.

From my certifications I got 29 credits knocked off, so 95 remaining. I'm not sure if I can knock that out in 2 terms, but we'll see.

My wife also signed up (for another focus). She got a ridiculous number knocked off from previous schooling and her certifications, so only has something like 43 remaining.

I had been kicking around getting back on the CCIE horse (and even posted it in the '2016 certification goals' thread) vs doing this, and it feels kindof weird keeping that on the back burner (I had put it on hold due to losing my job back in September and dealing with the job hunt and move and all that), but this has a few things going for it that the *IE doesn't. Namely the steady visible progress as courses are completed and your 'remaining CEUs" goes down, that I'm at the point where not having a degree is starting to hurt me more often, and that I'm a big chicken regarding feeling ready enough to plunk down the costs for a lab attempt.

I'll try to keep this updated regarding progress and whatnot.

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Still struggling on coming up with a topic for Essay 3. I did however pass the objective assessment for C132 (Communication) this morning with an 86%. That leaves only the final 2 essays for C455 (Comp 1) and the presentation for C132 remaining in the "official" term. I'm trying to focus exclusively on the C455 essays to get the required work done ASAP but I'm spinning my wheels so much I have to fight the temptation to pick up one of the other courses just as a break.

Essay 3 submitted early afternoon yesterday and I'm STILL in the queue. Good lord.

Fortunately, the end is in sight, with only Essay 4 remaining.

Does anyone have any suggestions regarding any particular order to fast track the other courses? I'm curious if others treated it like a buffet and picked what looked good, or if there was any plan to it.

I've thought about getting the CompTIAs knocked out (A+: 8 CEUs, Linux+: 8 CEUs, Project+: 4 CEUs). Those 20 will keep me busy for a while.
I've also thought about focusing on the exams with Performance Assessments since I expect those to be a bit more grueling.

Finally! Took taskstream almost 24 hours to evaluate, but I got a good score. On to essay 4. The end is in sight!

I keep forgetting to ask: For those who have taken courses (and I'm keeping this list open since Jess and I have different courses due to our different degree paths), which ones did you find the provided material insufficient enough to have to go purchase additional books/material for? I'd like to be aware of those before finding out the hard way studying insufficiently and scoring poorly on the preassessments/assessments (and potentially lose more time by waiting for any additional materials to be shipped)

Hey,

@ratbuddy is a good member of the board that could answer some of these questions. He progressed quickly through the software track but many of the classes are still the same. He is very helpful.

Great job! Keep going strong!

Essay 4 was turned in on the 28th and evaluated this morning (200+ queue, took 37 hours). It received good marks, so that completes C455 (Comp 1).

While I waited I started working on the outline for C132 (Communications). Apparently there are actually 2 tasks that have to be evaluated: The 'outline' of your presentation, then the actual presentation itself. I kinda wish I'd have noticed that earlier, with Taskstream's turn-around time....

I've also started going through the material for C278 (College Algebra), figuring that shouldn't take me long; I did the first of 4 "chapter" exams cold and scored a 95%. I'm awesome at math, so I'm going through the other chapters pretty quick. Really just to get a few rusty gears in the head oiled and turning again.

Jess has C459 (Statistics) next up on her plate. Since I have that too, and have heard it's a tougher one (math-wise), I figured I'd fast-track that one and work on it in parallel with her. I'll also start mulling over what my C456 (Comp II) essay will be about & the validity of any theses I come up with, since I take so long finding something.

C132 (Elements of Effective Communication) completed today with the speech performance assessment. I didn't think they'd approve it since I'm pretty sure I mis-cited some information but either they didn't check or they missed it

That completes the 4 required courses for the term. I'm nearly done with the material for C278:College Algebra (I was great at math in high school, so I semi-remember this stuff, it's just buried in dust). I also took the pre-assessment for C168:Critical Logic and Thinking and scored 10% over passing, so with a quick scan I can finish that one too.

Keep up the good work. Seeing the steady progress of others gives me encouragement.

Took the C168 (Critical Thinking and Logic) just now and passed with 76% (60% required to pass). I skimmed through the Mindedge modules, but did not do any reading from the recommended book. Now to finish up the last few sections on College Algebra and knock it out.

Bah! When asking to get C168 and C278 fast tracked, my mentor accidentally moved up C459 (statistics) on accident. When I asked to just have all 3 moved up (since Statistics was next on my plate, and with my plans on testing for both C168 and C278 over the 3-day weekend, it would have been fine), but she didn't want to fast-track 3 at once (I guess it's frowned upon). Saturday I passed C168, and Sunday I scored 97% on the preassessment for C278, but with it being a holiday weekend I'm kinda stuck now.

The mentors are going to be in Cali all week for some conference with limited availability, and my mentor was traveling over the weekend, so she was unavailable then too.

She was on for a bit today and finally got Algebra approved, but now I'm waiting for approval to schedule its assessment. I'm hoping she notices so I can schedule it today and put it behind me so I can focus more heavily on C459.

In other words, I find it a bit weird throwing all these C###'s everywhere in my posts

Nice work. I start March 1st!

College Algebra finally got approved on the 19th and passed on the 20th. It was harder than it should have been due to my not having looked at it for the week. I spent the week working through Statistics and it's nearly done now as well. 20 credits down since Jan 1, with potentially 3 more coming soon.

Keep up the good work, I was able to knock out 43CU's in my first term. My 2nd term begins on 3/1 and I have 28CU's to go.

Passed Statistics last night, knocking off another 3, and am just under halfway through the Python course. I'd be further but I hit a udacity quiz that's got me stumped, and I'm bullheaded enough that I won't move on until I solve it.

... I thought I would enjoy the python course, and I did for about the first half. I taught myself C a decade ago or two, and have a pretty good grasp of the logic of "reading code", but my lack of understanding OO-specific code is killing me, and the codecademy material is pretty awful in this regards.

Took the Python pre-assessment last night and scored an 85%, so I had my mentor fast-track that. Just finished taking the assessment, and boy was it harder. I still passed with an 83% though, so that's another 3 credits down, bringing me up to 26 so far for this term.

I had felt like I wasn't moving fast enough to be able to meet my (admittedly highly ambitious) goal of getting my 95 credits done within a year, but if I break it down, I've done 26 in just over 2 months, so I'm actually doing pretty well.

Next up though is the dreaded C169: Scripting and Programming - Applications (the java one)

@bermovick...you're kicking butt! Python will be next up for me. What resources did you use? I'm a newbie to programming...well, I'm wrapping up web fundamentals, just waiting on Taskstream but I know Python and Javascript along with the 2 DB classes will be my worst classes.

bermovick wrote: »

Took the Python pre-assessment last night and scored an 85%, so I had my mentor fast-track that. Just finished taking the assessment, and boy was it harder. I still passed with an 83% though, so that's another 3 credits down, bringing me up to 26 so far for this term.

I had felt like I wasn't moving fast enough to be able to meet my (admittedly highly ambitious) goal of getting my 95 credits done within a year, but if I break it down, I've done 26 in just over 2 months, so I'm actually doing pretty well.

Next up though is the dreaded C169: Scripting and Programming - Applications (the java one)

When you get into Java, let me know. I just finished it last month and I can give you some tips but you will probably be fine based on your current scores and progress.

fjhesq wrote: »

@bermovick...you're kicking butt! Python will be next up for me. What resources did you use? I'm a newbie to programming...well, I'm wrapping up web fundamentals, just waiting on Taskstream but I know Python and Javascript along with the 2 DB classes will be my worst classes.

I've had a fair amount of programming experience (I self-taught myself C coding a mud & using the K&R book, for example), so I didn't really find the python course all that difficult, so it's hard to give advice to someone without the skillset,but I'll try.

The python course was fairly basic though - I think logic/code-wise, understand the difference between while & for loops, how AND, OR, and NOT works. Be able to evaluate ==, <, >, != and the like. Pay attention to the object-oriented design (by far my weakest area; I'd guess at least 10 of my 17 missed points were from that area). Understand how lists work, and the difference between variable types (and what you can and cannot do with them), and a basic understanding of classes and objects.

Passed the Java pre-assessment with a 90% 2 days ago and got the course moved up so I could submit the performance assessment and schedule a time for the objective. Taskstream was kind enough to change their rubric after Jess & I submitted our codes. We found out because Jess got hers kicked back for not meeting the (new) rubric. I withdrew mine to make the changes, but I still think it's kinda bullshit.

I may schedule the objective for this evening. I hope it's not too different than the pre-assessment was. I keep hearing horror stories about this course, but it's really not been too terrible (admittedly for each section, either the udacity videos or the wiley textbook sucked, but between them and youtube and google, I haven't had too much trouble).

bermovick wrote: »

Passed the Java pre-assessment with a 90% 2 days ago and got the course moved up so I could submit the performance assessment and schedule a time for the objective. Taskstream was kind enough to change their rubric after Jess & I submitted our codes. We found out because Jess got hers kicked back for not meeting the (new) rubric. I withdrew mine to make the changes, but I still think it's kinda bullshit.

I may schedule the objective for this evening. I hope it's not too different than the pre-assessment was. I keep hearing horror stories about this course, but it's really not been too terrible (admittedly for each section, either the udacity videos or the wiley textbook sucked, but between them and youtube and google, I haven't had too much trouble).

I passed the assessment with an 82%. I felt the assessment was more difficult than the pre-assessment but I believe you will be fine.

Passed with assessment with a 90% last night. I felt it was about the same difficulty as the pre-assessment, maybe slightly more difficult. Jess says she got a much harder one and only got 65% (passing was 67%). We both got our performance assessments accepted today, so that knocks out another 4 credits for me. I'm cramming my way through C451 (Integrated Natural Science) which Jess doesn't have to take while she shores up her weak areas of Java to re-take the final assessment, then we can both work on C164 (Intro to Physics) together.

I figured we would both work on the same courses as much as possible, to make them a bit easier by having another person to discuss things with. So far it's worked out pretty well. Once she starts on her Technical writing and capstone I can start working on the courses she didn't have.

I was browsing the course chatter for ... I don't remember which course, but someone had asked if the final objective exam was weighted about the same as the pre-assessments were, and a course mentor said it was. I'm wondering if that holds true for all courses, because if so, it's not a bad idea to focus primarily on the more heavily weighted sections of the course that you're weak on.

Time to update my sig!

Congratulations! Your wife will get it next time.

C451 (Integrated Natural Science) done. I'm glad to be done with that; I was never good with the "softer" sciences (biology, ecology, etc).

I've been eyeing C483 (principles of management) simply because it's pass score is only 52%. I might be able to get that taken care of while Jess straightens out her second Java attempt.

[update]

Hmm; I scored a 70 on a cold pre-assessment for C483. Emailed to get it fast-tracked and I'll quickly review lower areas I guess.

[update2]
83% on the actual test. That's 8 credits today.

Wow, great progress! Keep up the good work-- I feel kind of like a slacker in comparison!

xengoreth wrote: »

Wow, great progress! Keep up the good work-- I feel kind of like a slacker in comparison!

I'm right there with you. I feel like a total slacker, lol

In my defense, since I started my current job 4 months ago, I've done maybe a single day's worth of work (and that's being generous). It's a new contract that just got rolled out, and I'd be surprised if there's any work before Fall. I figured it would be a good opportunity to spend the time stuck at work studying, and I probably get 30 hours/week when it's that or staring at the wall.

Not an update for me, but Jess passed her 2nd attempt at the java course with a 74% (passing was 65% I believe).

I'd been working on C376 (Web Development Fundamentals) since I'm decently versed in basic generic HTML, figuring it should be a fairly easy one. The whole 'structure' thing is a pain the butt though and CSS is causing lots of headaches. With Jess finishing up, we're going to start on C164 (Introduction to Physics) as well. I enjoy physics so I expect that to be a fun one!

Glad to hear that your wife passed her exam.

C164 (Introduction to Physics) scheduled! Will edit the post afterwards.

Passed with 86%; same as I scored on the preassessment. I found the actual exam slightly harder. There were more 'easy' questions, but the harder ones were a bit harder to make up for it.

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