Questions regarding WGU and other issues.

[JSN7]

Alright, this may be a long post. Currently, I am due to start the Bachelors of Cyber Security & Information Assurance at Western Governors University. Just to give some background WGU does not have a normal grading system. They are based on a “pass/fail” system.  


Here is an example from the WGU transcript.


Grading System Official Transcripts include six possible marks: y Pass: Certifies successful completion of a course of study. The student has demonstrated the required competencies by passing the final assessment with a grade equivalent of “B” or better or 3.00 grade points on a 4.00 scale.


I am considering starting my program due to its cost effectiveness, and then transferring my credits to a B&M school to finish. This is because my long term goal after finishing is to either attend a top graduate program (Columbia, UC Berkley, Georgetown.) Three of the schools have stated I would be eligible for consideration to the program. Alternatively I have considered law school because I have narrowed down my interest to data privacy law and some legal focus masters degrees are available. However, I am pretty sure GPA is important to most graduate and law schools. So my goal of transferring to a B&M to finish out my program is my goal, now despite transfer credits could I still calculate a GPA based on the remaining credits. With that being said has anyone had success with transferring WGU credits to other schools? I have not really been given a straight answer by any of the institutions I’ve spoken to. \



This has caused great stress overall, any help/advice would be much appreciated.

[bluebooger]

> I am pretty sure GPA is important to most graduate and law schools.

total guess
but if you have a high enough score on the LSAT then it might make up for pass/fail scores on a college transcript

> has anyone had success with transferring WGU credits to other schools?

should probably check on their reddit
https://old.reddit.com/r/WGU/

but I'm again guessing that transferring from WGU to a B&M school to finish wouldn't work
even though its regionally accredited the fact that its competency based is probably a strike against it

why not just finish at WGU and then do an online masters -- Georgia Institute of Technology's new Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity program --
https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...ersecurity

Georgia Institute of Technology is well known and respected

[JSN7]

I do like the Georgia Tech program, but I do have my heart set on UC Berkley.

[Merlin]

Plenty of schools accept WGU degrees and students without issue. GPA is often one of the least significant factors in grad school acceptance. They will look at your overall application package. But references and your statement of purpose are generally weighted much higher than GPA or even GMAT/GRE/LSAT scores when considering good candidates for grad school (particularly so for doctoral studies).

That said, here is a list of schools that have accepted students from WGU into their graduate or doctorate programs...

https://www.wgu.edu/alumni/career-suppor...paths.html

That list isn't definitive since not every student reports their college admissions status to WGU, but it's a good place to start if you're curious.

[JSN7]

So an ivy league masters may not be out of reach?

[JSN7]

Also what other schools take WGU credits?

[Merlin]

So an ivy league masters may not be out of reach?

I would say it depends on your overall academic history and the quality of your application package. So if you have great references, an amazing statement of purpose, and top GMAT/GRE scores, you should have a pretty good chance relative to people from other schools with a similar transfer GPA (which is 3.0 for WGU courses).

[bluebooger]

there's always Harvard Extension school

grad degrees
https://www.extension.harvard.edu/academ...te-degrees

grad certificates
https://www.extension.harvard.edu/academ...rtificates

[jsd]

FYI -- if you have under 60 hours of graded credit (such as all of your credit hours come from WGU or other pass/fail school) then LSAC will report no GPA for you. So even if you go to a school like TESU and get an A in your two required courses and have a 4.0 on those, with transferred ACE credit for everything else, they will not consider your 4.0

LSAT is a huge part of the picture, but for competitive law schools you should absolutely ensure at least 60 graded hours.

[Merlin]

FYI -- if you have under 60 hours of graded credit (such as all of your credit hours come from WGU or other pass/fail school) then LSAC will report no GPA for you. So even if you go to a school like TESU and get an A in your two required courses and have a 4.0 on those, with transferred ACE credit for everything else, they will not consider your 4.0

LSAT is a huge part of the picture, but for competitive law schools you should absolutely ensure at least 60 graded hours.

I can see that for ACE courses transferred into WGU, but for courses taken at WGU they may honor the 3.0 equivalency that is recommended on the transcript. I have yet to hear about any school that doesn't recognize WGU credits as 3.0 equivalency for transfer GPA purposes. Of course, you still need 60+ credits from WGU to make that argument have value.