LinuxRacr's Quest for WGU Success...

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

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I Just passed the 1D0-510 CIW Foundations Associate exam, which now completes the WFV1 (IT Fundamentals I) class. While a lot of it is review for most IT professionals, I can see why it would be a requirement for a first class of an IT degree. I don't mind doing basic stuff because it can only fill any possible knowledge gaps.

Just took my pre-assessment for BNC1 (Organizational Behavior and Leadership) and passed just three points above the cut score. I reviewed the coaching report, and I see the areas I need to really brush up on before attempting the pre-assessment again, and then taking the official assessment. If I can study hard over the next couple of days, I can have yet another class out of the way early.

LinuxRacr wrote: »

Just took my pre-assessment for BNC1 (Organizational Behavior and Leadership) and passed just three points above the cut score. I reviewed the coaching report, and I see the areas I need to really brush up on before attempting the pre-assessment again, and then taking the official assessment. If I can study hard over the next couple of days, I can have yet another class out of the way early.

Nice! I am taking my BNC1 exam this thursday. Having to schedule the OLP five days in advance is kind of a pain, though.

Oooh, thanks for the reminder on the OLP. I need to get that scheduled.

erpadmin wrote: »

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!!

My wife is making fun of me for always using my new purple WGU Texas mug. She says it is almost as if you never had a coffee mug before...lol...

I love that blue mug! Keep at it, I'm knocking on CLC1's door already, trying to get my first semesters worth of classes done by the end of January so I can start cranking on some of the harder IT classes.

LinuxRacr wrote: »

Oooh, thanks for the reminder on the OLP. I need to get that scheduled.

Since you can probably do some classes in five days, I will schedule the exam, when I am about 80% done with the material. I study other courses, if feel I am ready for it. just took the pre-assessment for BNC1, got 88%, so I am going to jump back into the 642 course.

erpadmin wrote: »

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.

Thanks for the advice on this. I'm spec-ing hardware now for my server build. I don't just plan to lab with Windows, but I also plan to experiment with several flavors of UNIX/Linux to update my skillset. I'm trying to get back to my roots of why I got into IT in the first place, and re-open the doors of possibility once more.

I was able to get my hands on a Dell PowerEdge 2950 today for a VMWare EXsi labbing server. Now I just have to load up the memory and get some drives!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nK80uC9aHM

Sweet dude! We still have a few of those as production servers at work, lol.

Between family obligations (wife/kids/me sick) and forced (yes, forced to train to do another job outside of my scope of duties) training at work over the last couple of weeks, I haven't been able to move past the BNC1 class of yet, but soon I shall. I finally got a chance to finish up studying the chapters that my coaching report on my pre-test told me I needed to finish. As a result, I bumped up those scores significantly, and should be ready for the final assessment. I have submitted for scheduling online proctoring for next week. And then it will be time to tackle the A+ exams for the IT Fundamentals II and III classes.

Just completed BNC1 literally 10 minutes ago via OLP (online proctoring) from home.

I had a scare during the test though; Right when I was almost finished with the exam, a message pops up informing me that WebSentinel has stopped working, and then my Windows 7 machine crashed! This NEVER happens. I was like WTF? I quickly rebooted, and logged back in. Luckily I was able to continue from where I left off, and completed the exam. As soon as I finished, I logged into my student portal, and immediately saw that BNC1 was now missing from my list of classes. I scrolled down to see the PASS! I'm taking today to celebrate, and get ready for the AXV1, and CPV1 classes (A+ Exams). 20 weeks left. I wonder if I can squeeze in COV1 (CCNA)?

LinuxRacr wrote: »

Just completed BNC1 literally 10 minutes ago via OLP (online proctoring) from home.

I had a scare during the test though; Right when I was almost finished with the exam, a message pops up informing me that WebSentinel has stopped working, and then my Windows 7 machine crashed! This NEVER happens. I was like WTF? I quickly rebooted, and logged back in. Luckily I was able to continue from where I left off, and completed the exam. As soon as I finished, I logged into my student portal, and immediately saw that BNC1 was now missing from my list of classes. I scrolled down to see the PASS! I'm taking today to celebrate, and get ready for the AXV1, and CPV1 classes (A+ Exams). 20 weeks left. I wonder if I can squeeze in COV1 (CCNA)?

That was a close one! I do like the OLP. You should have time to knock out the COV1, depending on your network experience. Might be a tight fit to get both done. They are only 3 CU courses, but should be 6 CU. My mentor said after this term, they are switching from LabSim for the CCNA to another product, she didn't know which one, though.

LinuxRacr wrote: »

Just completed BNC1 literally 10 minutes ago via OLP (online proctoring) from home.

I had a scare during the test though; Right when I was almost finished with the exam, a message pops up informing me that WebSentinel has stopped working, and then my Windows 7 machine crashed! This NEVER happens. I was like WTF? I quickly rebooted, and logged back in. Luckily I was able to continue from where I left off, and completed the exam. As soon as I finished, I logged into my student portal, and immediately saw that BNC1 was now missing from my list of classes. I scrolled down to see the PASS! I'm taking today to celebrate, and get ready for the AXV1, and CPV1 classes (A+ Exams). 20 weeks left. I wonder if I can squeeze in COV1 (CCNA)?

Congratulations....today I'm just going to dedicate 30-40 minutes on finishing up a video for my ISP class, take the wife food shopping, then hopefully see some good football, with my G-men bringing the win back home to NJ (yes folks...NJ). Today is going to be like church after 6PM EST.

Congrats man....you should have plenty of places to celebrate on such a fine Super Bowl Sunday.

Oh and btw, do not be discouraged by technical glitches. The OLP technical support will get you straight if there's ever a problem. I had an issue with CLC1, but they were able to get it right.

Congrats! Now you can enjoy da Super Bowl!

Thanks everyone! After I take my A+ exams, I will need to prepare to take my CCNA exams. Those of you who have taken those exams, what did you do to prepare? Setup a personal lab with routers and switches? GNS3?

LinuxRacr wrote: »

Thanks everyone! After I take my A+ exams, I will need to prepare to take my CCNA exams. Those of you who have taken those exams, what did you do to prepare? Setup a personal lab with routers and switches? GNS3?

Congrats, man.

As for the CCNA courses, in hindsight, the Network simulator that is provided would probably be more than sufficient to pass the exams. However, I wasn't looking to pass the exams, I was looking to develop real, hands-on experience with Cisco gear since I don't work with it currently at my job. If you are in the same boat, I would definitely recommend buying a couple of cheap routers/switches and diving in. If not, pick up a couple different sources (Odom/Lammle/Bryant) and hit the simulator for a solid grasp of what's covered in the exam. Main thing is to know your subnetting well--it's really a major underpinning of the whole thing. Good luck.

Any recommendations for cheap routers that would get the job done?

2811's are good. Not sure what you consider cheap though. Cisco 800 series routers will get your hands on the IOS for about $100 - $300 range. I find the 800's annoying though since there is a built in switch on them and the commands are a little different (not much if you have been around Cisco for a while) and may throw off a rookie.

Simulators are good but with GNS3 you will need access to IOS Images (impossible to do legally without a SmartNet Contract). If you know someone who has been through Cisco's Net Academy you may be able to "borrow" a copy of packet tracer.

How are you looking to get through the CCNA? Going through CCENT 1+2 or go right at it with the CCNA exam?

I like your signature line. Mind If I steal it and update it with my WGU demographics?

I'm thinking it would be best for me to just take the first exam this term (COV1), and get my CCENT at the end of this term, and then take the 2nd exam (CQV1) at the beginning of my 2nd term. I may be able to do them both, this term. I'll decide one way or another after I get through the A+ exams.

If I remember correctly (and it's been a while). I dont think that there is too much CLI on the CCENT 1 exam. I believe that exam was where I hit subnetting pretty hard. I would definately knock out the A+ before you get elbows deep into Cisco.

As I've been studying for my A+, I've also been getting my home lab together. I now have my Dell PE 2950 racked in a 14U cabinet enclosure. I've also acquired the following for my CCNA studies coming up next:

Cisco 881W Router
Cisco 2621 Router
Cisco 3550 layer 3 switch
Cisco 2950 switch

Progressing though the A+ stuff slower than I would like, but I am making progress. I plan to set a date for the exams this weekend before April.

LinuxRacr wrote: »

Progressing though the A+ stuff slower than I would like, but I am making progress. I plan to set a date for the exams this weekend before April.

Are you doing them both together? I spaced mine out about a week, just in case I was missing anything from the first test. Just me being overly cautious and I could have done them both together. I wish they had a combined exam like Cisco does for the CCNA.

I plan on putting at least a day or two between the exams.

LinuxRacr wrote: »

I plan on putting at least a day or two between the exams.

I did A+ a few days apart...actually, I believe within a month (November through December) I spread out A+ and Network+. Eight years of professional IT experience, twelve years total, and I still did spread the exams out because I did not want to risk failing an A+ exam by one question or something stupid like I did for Network+ back when it was 001. A+ laid a decent foundation for Network+ which would then much later build a foundation for Security+.

While doing A+ in one day is certainly possible, there's no need for it. It's not right or wrong if you do either.

Thanks. I went ahead and scheduled my 220-701 A+ Essentials exam for Saturday, April 7th. Once I get my results from that exam, and figure out what's going to go down at work, I'll schedule my 220-702.

Test in the morning.... Looking to cross another class off the list!

AXV1 (CompTIA 220-701) passed! I'll know tomorrow when I will schedule the 220-702.

Congrats on passing!

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