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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Pilotreborn

I work 40 hours a week for a WiFi hotspot company. I started WGU officialy yesterday, so im not sure how many I will be getting done, I would like to accelerate the progress and I feel like my first Term might have more CU's completed then the remaining terms. Because I am partially prepared for several of the certifications so I will be able to take them sooner with less studying. But Im hoping for at least 30 CU's this term while working full time and having a fiancee and planning a wedding.

petedude

My thing has been to work towards meeting SAP first, then anything extra I can squeeze in.

That being said, I did 28 units last term. I will be doing about the same this term.

demonfurbie

i meet sap and see if there are any similar classes after then i do those

Excellent1

I started in September and I have 28 CU's done so far, and will have 34 by the end of the month, if not 36. I plan on having around 50 by the end of the first term. I would have had more, but I lost 3 weeks to LAT1, not because it was hard, but because I picked a topic that I despised and just didn't feel like writing about it. If that sounds stupid, you'd be correct: I picked my topic based on something that I knew would have a lot of research behind it rather than something I enjoyed. Lesson learned.

I have a family (wife and young children), work 40-50 hours per week, workout 6 days a week and study probably 10-15. It's not easy, but it is worth it. One thing I will tell you, though--don't base your progress on people you read about here. There are some here that have amazing progress and it's easy to compare yourself to them, but it's not productive. Everyone is starting at a different place, some have experience in some areas while others do not, etc. If you bite off more than you can chew, you'll burn yourself out and that will only lead to taking longer to complete your degree. Just my opinion.

Cert Poor

Are Credit Units at WGU the same as Credit Hours at another brick-and-mortar university? Holy moly!

veritas_libertas

I'm only going to be getting three classes finished this semester. It has been a crazy year for me. Last semester I maxed out with 7 classes and it was cutting it very close.

erpadmin

Started in 8/1/2010. Currently have 22 CUs completed at 100% SAP. Will most likely shoot for having Project+ instead of MS 70-642 before my term ends in December (officially in January, but you can't do any classes your last month of the term).

I work over 40 hours a week and have spent at a minimum 20+ hours weekly. It is so doable...I too have a life outside of work and school and the balance is very achievable. I do not base my personal progress on the fact that another WGU student has done 90 CUs in one term. (Even though I will always commend that success!) I knew going in that the most I'd do is about 30-40 and at minimum would be ~24. CUs (on paper) appear to look like "credit hours" but in reality, it seems to be arbitrary numbers...to me less than a month to complete 12 CUs and be officially done with the term. Of course I kept going...

Iristheangel

erpadmin wrote: »

Started in 8/1/2010. Currently have 22 CUs completed at 100% SAP. Will most likely shoot for having Project+ instead of MS 70-642 before my term ends in December (officially in January, but you can't do any classes your last month of the term).

I work over 40 hours a week and have spent at a minimum 20+ hours weekly. It is so doable...I too have a life outside of work and school and the balance is very achievable. I do not base my personal progress on the fact that another WGU student has done 90 CUs in one term. (Even though I will always commend that success!) I knew going in that the most I'd do is about 30-40 and at minimum would be ~24. CUs (on paper) appear to look like "credit hours" but in reality, it seems to be arbitrary numbers...to me less than a month to complete 12 CUs and be officially done with the term. Of course I kept going...

I know what you mean. I wanted to go for the BS in security but I decided to go for Network Design as I have more certifications that will waive a lot of credits and I'll go for my Masters in Security. I don't want to try to cram everything in one or two semesters, but I wanted to see if it was realistic to get the 80-90 credits I'll need to do done within a year and a half to two years if I'm giving it 20+ hours a week

ehnde

Cert Poor wrote: »

Are Credit Units at WGU the same as Credit Hours at another brick-and-mortar university? Holy moly!

Not really. Everything I've heard indicates WGU is competency based. In other words if you already have experience in your major (usually I.T. for people on techexams) you can get through it really quick.

Imagine if you had 3 years of Cisco experience but had never bothered getting certified. You then major in I.T. - info sec at WGU. Well....there info sec program requires completion of CCNA and CCNA:Security. If you can just go straight to take your CCNA when you start, then take CCNA:Security 2 months later, you've completed what would take some people a year or longer to do.

jrdeleon1

I started in March, completing 30 units in my first semester. I'm on track to complete 20 - 24 (hopefully) this semester. I also work full-time.

chmorin

Started in october, sitting at 16 about to be 19 CU's. I plan on hitting 40's before my term ends in March. I also work full time and still pursuing my CCNP: Voice. (QoS exam this month =D)

eansdad

Started Oct 1st and completed 26 CUs and waiting on QLT1 to be assessed. I also have TTV1 and TEV1 (both A+ exams) set for the 10th and will schedule TPV1 and TSV1 soon. I'm hoping to finish 62 CUs by term end (end of March). Things will slow down a lot for next term though as I don't have any Java, database or Cisco exp. I'll be focusing on BGV1 and BLV1 (CCNA and CCNA:Security) for my 12 CUs and anything else I can finish that term.

I have a wife and 2 kids (12 and 2) and work 40+ hours a week. Benefits are that I have set hours (7-3:30) and weekends/holidays off (work for school district but work summers).

I have found that at WGU you can do as much or as little as you want as long as you hit your 12 CU minimum. Not saying WGU will be easy but it is easier then going to a B+M school and sitting in classes for hours to listen to someone read from a book and test you per chapter.

chmorin

eansdad wrote: »

Started Oct 1st and completed 26 CUs and waiting on QLT1 to be assessed. I also have TTV1 and TEV1 (both A+ exams) set for the 10th and will schedule TPV1 and TSV1 soon. I'm hoping to finish 62 CUs by term end (end of March). Things will slow down a lot for next term though as I don't have any Java, database or Cisco exp. I'll be focusing on BGV1 and BLV1 (CCNA and CCNA:Security) for my 12 CUs and anything else I can finish that term.

I have a wife and 2 kids (12 and 2) and work 40+ hours a week. Benefits are that I have set hours (7-3:30) and weekends/holidays off (work for school district but work summers).

I have found that at WGU you can do as much or as little as you want as long as you hit your 12 CU minimum. Not saying WGU will be easy but it is easier then going to a B+M school and sitting in classes for hours to listen to someone read from a book and test you per chapter.

Oh holy crap 26? We started at the same time. Lets race! Muahahah!

Does that include transfered credits or did you start from scratch?

uhtrinity

The most I ever completed was 24 undergrad credits in a single term, and two more at 18. Nothing compared to some of the beasts that post here.

I appear to be on track for 10, maybe 12 grad credits this current term as I am almost finished with my first 2 classes (4 credits) in just over 2 months.

eansdad

chmorin wrote: »

Oh holy crap 26? We started at the same time. Lets race! Muahahah!

Does that include transfered credits or did you start from scratch?

Transfered in 6 but this isn't counting that. This school was made with me in mind. Can't stand months of a class going over stuff I already know. Helps that I made it through Calc and Physics in HS, took 5 years (long story) and went to a good HS. Took some college classes, helped my wife with her college courses, owned my own business and watch a lot of History/Discovery/Military Channel. i also don't mind passing some of these classes by the skin of my teeth (Gen-Ed). I'm more concerned about the IT stuff and piece of paper at the end.

uhtrinity - The grad courses look to be a lot harder then the under grad, at least for the MS in IA. Some of those certs make taking the Comptia and M$ certs like 3rd grade math.

uhtrinity

I can't speak for MS IT programs, but the first course of the M.ed program covers 9 chapters of one textbook and at least 9 additional printable resources for the exam. I'm scheduled to take the exam tomorrow, so wish me good luck.

I think it will speed up after that other than some instructional packages that appear to be on the same scale as the undergrad capstone in complexity and the Masters Capstone, that will include those packages.

I didn't tackle the WGU Master IT programs for two reasons
1. I doubted I would utilize it
2. The difficulty of those certs

Even the MS exams make CompTia exams look like cake, I couldn't imagine doing harder ones. At least this degree is directly related to the branch of IT I am working in.

jmasterj206

I am coming to the end of my first semester and should be finishing 33 credits. I may have bit off more than I can chew with this science at the end of the semester. There is a lot more material with the science class than what I expected. I work 50 hours a week and am on call 24/7, but I have no family, so that may help me compared to others.

erpadmin

uhtrinity wrote: »

Even the MS exams make CompTia exams look like cake

You needed to take MS exams to validate that?

uhtrinity

erpadmin wrote: »

You needed to take MS exams to validate that?

Yeah!! I hadn't taken any MS exams until that point, only CIW and Comptia.

Btw took my first Masters Exam today and while it covered a lot of material the exam wasn't too bad (I passed with a good margin). In fact roughly half of the kryterion pretest questions were on the final exam. Nice change from the old WGU pretests that had nothing to do with the exams (talking 2008ish).

erpadmin

uhtrinity wrote: »

Yeah!! I hadn't taken any MS exams until that point, only CIW and Comptia.

Btw took my first Masters Exam today and while it covered a lot of material the exam wasn't too bad (I passed with a good margin). In fact roughly half of the kryterion pretest questions were on the final exam. Nice change from the old WGU pretests that had nothing to do with the exams (talking 2008ish).

That is pretty nice. I'm basically in the same boat...but I guess I kinda knew via experience that CompTIA exams were pretty much cake compared to Microsoft. But WGU has put a gun to my head to take those exams and get off of my fear. LOL. CIW (in my case) involved very little studying. (Forget cake, that was a joke.) I can at least say I put study effort toward CompTIA....(didn't walk in there expecting to pass...Network+ taught me that lesson....lol).

BerryKix

I'm completing 75 this term. I have no job though so this is pretty much my life with no days off. All day every day. It's worth it.

uhtrinity

A question for those knocking out 40, 50, or more credits a term. Aren't you afraid that a potential employer might look at your transcripts and assume that WGU credits are devalued since they can be passed so quickly? I am a fan of acceleration, but some of these numbers are just crazy.

To the last poster, 75 is just insane, that is more than half of an entire program and equates to a 3 credit course per week. I can understand that for content that a person has a lot of experience in, but it is hard to imagine someone with that much experience in that number of multiple domains and no prior equivalent degree.

Iristheangel

uhtrinity wrote: »

A question for those knocking out 40, 50, or more credits a term. Aren't you afraid that a potential employer might look at your transcripts and assume that WGU credits are devalued since they can be passed so quickly? I am a fan of acceleration, but some of these numbers are just crazy.

To the last poster, 75 is just insane, that is more than half of an entire program and equates to a 3 credit course per week. I can understand that for content that a person has a lot of experience in, but it is hard to imagine someone with that much experience in that number of multiple domains and no prior equivalent degree.

Hmm... I've never heard of an employer checking your transcripts. They usually just care if they can verify the degree (and sometimes the GPA)

Excellent1

uhtrinity wrote: »

A question for those knocking out 40, 50, or more credits a term. Aren't you afraid that a potential employer might look at your transcripts and assume that WGU credits are devalued since they can be passed so quickly? I am a fan of acceleration, but some of these numbers are just crazy.

To the last poster, 75 is just insane, that is more than half of an entire program and equates to a 3 credit course per week. I can understand that for content that a person has a lot of experience in, but it is hard to imagine someone with that much experience in that number of multiple domains and no prior equivalent degree.

Regarding whether an employer might look at the transcripts and be concerned, I don't think that's an issue. For the vast, vast majority of employers, the degree is a box to check, nothing more. That said, for an online degree, you will face more scrutiny, but given the fact that the program is accredited, I'm not concerned with any fair-minded review of the degree that I earn. The truth is that if a given company is predisposed toward devaluing online degrees, you're hosed whether you took 1 year or 10 to finish your degree. That's just the way it is.

As for your other point, I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I should have over 50 done by the end of February (if not more, depends on work). For myself, a lot of this material is stuff that I've covered professionally. The CLC1 class, for example, was what I think of as common sense, in terms of critical thinking. The MGC1 and ORC1 classes are typical management paradigm speak that I've been dealing with for the last 14 years, so when I took the pre-assessment, I scored over 75%. Those should be another very easy 8 CU's. In other words, I think that for some of us (myself anyway), a lot of this is fairly well known.

I also think that if you were to review the actual breakdown of most people's performance, you will find there is a huge rush initially while they go through and knock out all the "easy" courses, along with all of those thye are familiar with. My guess is that, statistically, you would see that the high level of performance doesn't continue once those people encounter the more difficult / less well known portion of their degree. That said, no one is going to post and say, "yes! I knocked out 12 CU's that term, and I had to retake one of the exams 4 times!! Woo!". All you're going to see if the success stories, for the most part. So I think the perception is somewhat skewed for actual performance.

I'm sure once I start running into MS certs (next term), I'll be sloooowing down. Just a hunch, but until then I want to get as much done as possible.

BerryKix

First, I spend pretty much my life sitting on this computer studying. My only contact with the outside world at the moment is to go to the grocery store and the gym. If we were to break down how much study time per course, you're looking in the range of 50-70 hours per course depending on which one. In the case of Java, I spent probably 100+ hours on it. I was so obsessive that I would often times not even eat.

Second, I pre-studied for many of the courses. I had already studied for the javascript course before I even got in. Same goes for Project+, Windows 7 configuration, CCNA, CCNA Security. In the case of the CCNA, I've actually studied 3 times now. So on these courses it was basically just a review for me before the exam.

Third, like any academic institution, there are courses that are...how should I put this...bullshit. Leadership concepts and applications for example can be completed in 2 days or less. All you're doing is writing essays. I ended up writing 16 pages for it. Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior and Leadership, and Principles of Management are just a test you go in and take. I already have a degree in Marketing from a B&M so these were an absolute breeze for me. All I did was skim through the material.

The reality is that I probably spent more time on just two of these courses studying than I did for my entire Marketing degree. If you're willing to sit there morning to night, day in and day out with no rest, it's very doable. Especially if you study for these courses before hand. I also had completed the Network+, Security+, and A+ before everything else so I had basic knowledge already. Also, many of these courses are 6 credits each, not 3. It's not as big an accomplishment as you are making it out to be.

Excellent1

Yeah, I wish I had known about WGU a year ago. I was unemployed a while between the last place I worked and the one I'm at now. I could have hammered a lot of it out during my downtime. That said, even with working full time, I should be done in less than a year and a half.

Well, depending on MS certs. I might wash out and have to go into horticulture or something. Time will tell.

BerryKix

If I could do it all over again I never would have wasted time on a B&M. Why spend 16 weeks on something that can really be done in 1 week? The only reason a B&M takes long is because you are forced to wait for the test. I would literally walk on to campus 1 day a month to take my exams and then have to wait another month. The entire thing is a scam. Also, these B&Ms use online too, and they are inferior to WGU by a long ways. The WGU system is going to become the norm in the future. It just makes too much sense from a student standpoint and from an economic standpoint given the state of B&M state universities.

By the way, I don't know which MS certs you are going to take, but my Windows 7 Configuration course used TestOut. It makes the course really easy. Don't know if you've used it yet. Complete with videos and practice tests. Beats any online course I've ever taken.

Excellent1

BerryKix wrote: »

If I could do it all over again I never would have wasted time on a B&M. Why spend 16 weeks on something that can really be done in 1 week? The only reason a B&M takes long is because you are forced to wait for the test. I would literally walk on to campus 1 day a month to take my exams and then have to wait another month. The entire thing is a scam. Also, these B&Ms use online too, and they are inferior to WGU by a long ways. The WGU system is going to become the norm in the future. It just makes too much sense from a student standpoint and from an economic standpoint given the state of B&M state universities.

By the way, I don't know which MS certs you are going to take, but my Windows 7 Configuration course used TestOut. It makes the course really easy. Don't know if you've used it yet. Complete with videos and practice tests. Beats any online course I've ever taken.

Good to know that the material for the Windows 7 worked well for you--appreciate the feedback. I've just never really messed with Windows Server in an enterprise environment (other than some very basic group policy stuff way back on 2000). Anyway, I'm looking forward to it, but unsure how I'll do.

As for B&M's vs online, I agree that in the future WGU's model will be the most prevalent. The thing about today's world, however, is that many employers still devalue online degrees. The online degree reputation was rightfully terrible at first, given all the diploma mills. Now, I'm one of many seriously considering a B&M online program just for the name of the university. I'd love to take WGU's master's program, but I know the sad truth is that a B&M diploma is given more weight in the working world.

I think that paradigm will shift over time, but we're not there yet, sadly.

erpadmin

Excellent1 wrote: »

Regarding whether an employer might look at the transcripts and be concerned, I don't think that's an issue. For the vast, vast majority of employers, the degree is a box to check, nothing more. That said, for an online degree, you will face more scrutiny, but given the fact that the program is accredited, I'm not concerned with any fair-minded review of the degree that I earn. The truth is that if a given company is predisposed toward devaluing online degrees, you're hosed whether you took 1 year or 10 to finish your degree. That's just the way it is.

I agree with this as well. I have said this from the beginning though, it's all about the saleability of this degree and the fact that it's regionally accredited should help with that. Folks like us who might have had an idea of what college is like, plus valid work experience are going to do this degree in a respectable amount of time. But what I like about having a BS from WGU is that I'm going to have a BS...no more having "some college" for me. The only comparison I can accept as valid is comparing this to an Ivy League school or even a state flagship university that's Division I, to which I already have an argument ready (Mommy and Daddy couldn't afford it...and as I got older, I couldn't afford it, either.) Any other comparisons, and it's almost apples to apples. (Especially if another candidate graudated from a no-name Division III state school.) WGU is different, no doubt about it, but as I've also stated...it counts. Whether people like it or not, it counts, it's legal, and I'll be able to say I'm a college graduate. But that's what makes me want to get a Masters at a B&M school and not from WGU.

Excellent1 wrote: »

The MGC1 and ORC1 classes are typical management paradigm speak that I've been dealing with for the last 14 years, so when I took the pre-assessment, I scored over 75%. Those should be another very easy 8 CU's. In other words, I think that for some of us (myself anyway), a lot of this is fairly well known.

Well I guess I know what I'm shooting for after AKV1...

Thanks for that, that gives me hope.

Excellent1 wrote: »

I also think that if you were to review the actual breakdown of most people's performance, you will find there is a huge rush initially while they go through and knock out all the "easy" courses, along with all of those thye are familiar with. My guess is that, statistically, you would see that the high level of performance doesn't continue once those people encounter the more difficult / less well known portion of their degree. That said, no one is going to post and say, "yes! I knocked out 12 CU's that term, and I had to retake one of the exams 4 times!! Woo!". All you're going to see if the success stories, for the most part. So I think the perception is somewhat skewed for actual performance.

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.

erpadmin

BerryKix wrote: »

Third, like any academic institution, there are courses that are...how should I put this...bullshit. Leadership concepts and applications for example can be completed in 2 days or less. All you're doing is writing essays. I ended up writing 16 pages for it. Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior and Leadership, and Principles of Management are just a test you go in and take. I already have a degree in Marketing from a B&M so these were an absolute breeze for me. All I did was skim through the material.

First of all, you're a beast! (That's a good thing btw...lol). I always like hearing how folks are just killing these classes. I'm hoping my next term I can have something beast-like myself.

Second, if you have a Bachelors in Marketing already, why not go for a Masters in IT?