Documenting My Son's WGU Experience

[rowan555]

Good to know. My advisor is...clueless about what transfers and what doesn't. Even with the WGU/SL partnership, he wasn't sure if it was valid.

This is disappointing - my son's enrollment advisor was so helpful. On the other hand, his student mentor seems to....not be. It's going to be an interesting 6 months.

[jsd]

This is disappointing - my son's enrollment advisor was so helpful. On the other hand, his student mentor seems to....not be. It's going to be an interesting 6 months.

good advice i got up front from other students (that thankfully I didn't have to use -- my student mentor is great): if you don't click with your Student Mentor, get a new one. You're shouldn't be paying the money and spending the time to struggle with your mentor. Lots of people apparently stick with lousy mentors because they don't know you can just ask the school for a new one.

[rowan555]

good advice i got up front from other students (that thankfully I didn't have to use -- my student mentor is great): if you don't click with your Student Mentor, get a new one. You're shouldn't be paying the money and spending the time to struggle with your mentor. Lots of people apparently stick with lousy mentors because they don't know you can just ask the school for a new one.

He may need to. He hasn't even gotten to his start date yet and he's already frustrated. He asked about getting Office and was told he had to wait until June 1. He had really wanted to start working on Spreadsheets but his new pc doesn't have Office. A week later I do some googling and discover the information he needed to get him access to Office immediately. He's also wanting to take 2 exams ASAP, so he was asking if there will be a tracking number/ship notification for his webcam (so he knows what to expect and can begin planning his exam schedule) and the guy just replies "You'll get it the 14th of the month or later." I paid his tuition in full May 5th or so in the hopes of his getting the webcam closer to the start date, but apparently that isn't happening. The mentor could explain things a bit better, for sure.

[teacher2]

He may need to. He hasn't even gotten to his start date yet and he's already frustrated. He asked about getting Office and was told he had to wait until June 1. He had really wanted to start working on Spreadsheets but his new pc doesn't have Office. A week later I do some googling and discover the information he needed to get him access to Office immediately. He's also wanting to take 2 exams ASAP, so he was asking if there will be a tracking number/ship notification for his webcam (so he knows what to expect and can begin planning his exam schedule) and the guy just replies "You'll get it the 14th of the month or later." I paid his tuition in full May 5th or so in the hopes of his getting the webcam closer to the start date, but apparently that isn't happening. The mentor could explain things a bit better, for sure.

Sorry this is so. I paid my tuition early as well but could not take my exams either. They do supply you with a webcam but it took 12 days for mine to come in. Does your son have any performance assessment classes? He can knock those out while he waits for his webcam. I know for me it was frustrating as I was used to the study and take final mentality! Also, as far as the mentor mine was initially rather gruff around the edges but after passing a course a week for the last three weeks she has come around. Learning to work with people like this is part of life! LoL I was a little unhappy about the whole student mentor thing as well 'cause I'd rather be my own mentor and if I need help I'll ask the folks on the forum!

[sanantone]

Admissions reps don't know how credits will transfer. Most schools will tell you to send transcripts for an evaluation. They aren't going to spend resources on giving preliminary evaluations to people who haven't applied. Also, admissions staff are understandably reluctant about talking to people who aren't prospective students. They're probably used to getting calls from parents of people who have just graduated from high school, but not for full-grown adults. If someone is going to be going to a college, then they need to learn how to ask questions for themselves. If they can't do that, then they probably aren't ready for college.

[Thorne]

Admissions reps don't know how credits will transfer. Most schools will tell you to send transcripts for an evaluation.

This I understand, but I don't understand why they don't know the sources of credit which may transfer, especially when you convey your desire to wrap up the requirements before enrollment.

They're probably used to getting calls from parents of people who have just graduated from high school, but not for full-grown adults. If someone is going to be going to a college, then they need to learn how to ask questions for themselves. If they can't do that, then they probably aren't ready for college.

But...but...my mommy helps me when I am scared! I don't like the big bad enrollment counselors talking to me alone without parental guidance. /s

[sanantone]

This I understand, but I don't understand why they don't know the sources of credit which may transfer, especially when you convey your desire to wrap up the requirements before enrollment.


But...but...my mommy helps me when I am scared! I don't like the big bad enrollment counselors to talk to me alone and without parental guidance. /s

Admissions/enrollment reps often don't know that information either. You normally have to talk to someone in the registrar, an academic advisor, or a dean or chair. The Big 3 are pretty much the only schools who have most of this mapped out because their purpose is to accept a wide array of credit-earning options. If it's not on WGU's website, then enrollment counselors will have to ask the appropriate department for the info.

Normally, these aren't issues for people because they can transfer credits any time. WGU is just weird. It may have something to do with the competency-based system.

[dfrecore]

Admissions reps don't know how credits will transfer. Most schools will tell you to send transcripts for an evaluation. They aren't going to spend resources on giving preliminary evaluations to people who haven't applied. Also, admissions staff are understandably reluctant about talking to people who aren't prospective students. They're probably used to getting calls from parents of people who have just graduated from high school, but not for full-grown adults. If someone is going to be going to a college, then they need to learn how to ask questions for themselves. If they can't do that, then they probably aren't ready for college.

My husband has applied and had a full eval. So he's not in this boat. The advisor still doesn't have a clue, and doesn't know enough to ask around to find someone else who actually might have a clue.

[dfrecore]

Admissions/enrollment reps often don't know that information either. You normally have to talk to someone in the registrar, an academic advisor, or a dean or chair. The Big 3 are pretty much the only schools who have most of this mapped out because their purpose is to accept a wide array of credit-earning options. If it's not on WGU's website, then enrollment counselors will have to ask the appropriate department for the info.

Normally, these aren't issues for people because they can transfer credits any time. WGU is just weird. It may have something to do with the competency-based system.

WGU actually has all kinds of stuff on their website about what they accept, they're a partner school for SL, they specifically take ALEKS, Study.com, DSST & CLEP. So the fact that some people on their staff don't know about this, and yet don't ask around, just seems inept to me. When I don't know something, I don't just say, sorry, no clue, go figure it out yourself. I say "Sorry, but I'm not sure how this works. Let me check with a couple of people and see if I can figure it out."

I guess part of the problem is we're dealing with an enrollment counselor rather than an advisor?

[sanantone]

WGU actually has all kinds of stuff on their website about what they accept, they're a partner school for SL, they specifically take ALEKS, Study.com, DSST & CLEP. So the fact that some people on their staff don't know about this, and yet don't ask around, just seems inept to me. When I don't know something, I don't just say, sorry, no clue, go figure it out yourself. I say "Sorry, but I'm not sure how this works. Let me check with a couple of people and see if I can figure it out."

I guess part of the problem is we're dealing with an enrollment counselor rather than an advisor?

I know the page is not easy to find; but, once it's linked to here, aren't people's questions answered? If you're asking about a course that is not on their website, not even TESU or Excelsior will always give you an answer without being enrolled. I paid my application fee, and Excelsior told me that I needed to enroll to have a couple of courses further evaluated. They're probably the only school that does this.

Even at non-profit schools, a common thing job ads for admissions reps will ask for is sales experience. Even though they aren't paid commission because it's illegal, their job is to sell the school and enroll as many people as possible.

But, I agree. They should either try to find the info, direct the student to the appropriate department, or tell the student that they can only evaluate credits already completed. "I don't know" is not an acceptable answer.