BS IT Security at Western Governors University (WGU BSITSECU) Strategy help

[timmmay]

Hi Everyone,

I came across this site yesterday during a renewed interest in getting my degree. As the title implies, I'm looking to get a Bachelor's degree finally. A little background on myself, I began working at a small IT help desk around 1997. After a few years, I took a 5 year gap to help with the family business but decided to get back into IT around 2005. Since then, I've been privileged to work with some amazing people and on great IT projects both internationally and here in the USA. Fortunately, I've always been able to land jobs based on my experience and referrals, so I never carved out the time to get a degree. Now I want one. However, time comes at a pretty high cost for me, so I am interested in an accelerated online program and Western Governors University seems to be a pretty good match. This will be an evening and weekend effort for both me and my family.

Now some questions for the experts:

1) Has anyone here been through the BS IT Security track, and how did you accomplish it?

2) Does it make sense to obtain CU's from outside the WGU program, prior to enrolling? (I've read about some that try to complete in a single session) It seems like MANY do that, why?

3) WGU has a partnership with Straighterline and a pretty clear course equivalency chart. Is that the best program to complete the general ed subjects outside of the WGU program, or are there others that are better suited/cheaper?

I have industry certs that line up with this degree already (CCNA R&S, CCNA Security) so those will eliminate some time needed to complete. I think at this point, I'm just trying to find that sweet spot of CU's transferred in vs taken at WGU if there is one. Cost is also a factor since this will all be out of pocket and I'm not made of money. As I just finished typing this I am reminded of the project info-graphic I always demonstrate to people, (CHEAP - FAST - GOOD, Pick two), and here I am trying to find all three. milelol:

Thank you for your time spent reading my wall of text and I appreciate any insight you may have to offer!

[bjcheung77]

1) Has anyone here been through the BS IT Security track, and how did you accomplish it?

2) Does it make sense to obtain CU's from outside the WGU program, prior to enrolling? (I've read about some that try to complete in a single session) It seems like MANY do that, why?

3) WGU has a partnership with Straighterline and a pretty clear course equivalency chart. Is that the best program to complete the general ed subjects outside of the WGU program, or are there others that are better suited/cheaper?

As I just finished typing this I am reminded of the project info-graphic I always demonstrate to people, (CHEAP - FAST - GOOD, Pick two), and here I am trying to find all three. milelol:

Thank you for your time spent reading my wall of text and I appreciate any insight you may have to offer!

1) JSD is going through the program right now, a few others are doing exactly what you're doing (including me).

2) You should take as many general education courses or "CU's" before enrolling, once enrolled, you won't be able to transfer them in.
Many people try to finish in one term, the reason is simple - COST! If you do two terms, that cost goes up - it doubles!

3) Yes, WGU's partnership with Straighterline is the "cheapest/easiest/fastest" set of courses you can complete.
I don't think any other set of courses would come through better, cheaper, easier or faster. You should couple it with Study.com

Finally, you can get all 3 - cheap/fast/good with an ALEKS/Straighterline/Study.com and WGU triple combo for the win!
Note: For me, it's actually, cheap/easy/fast - but it's pretty much the same as what you're looking for...

[dfrecore]

Here is some helpful info:

https://partners.wgu.edu/TransferGuideli...curity.pdf

https://www.wgu.edu/admissions/alternati...al_science


I think that the only Gen Ed course you want to take at WGU is Critical Thinking & Logic, because it's supposed to be easy (and there's no alternative for it at SL/Study.com). It's also supposed to be very fast and easy at WGU.

You may also think about taking the Science Lab at WGU, because it's a little more expensive at SL (and not available at Study.com). Again, also easier/faster than the SL option.

-------------------------------------------

English Comp I - Think about taking this as a CLEP exam rather than SL/Study.com if you're looking at speed. College Comp Modular w/o Essay is all Multiple choice, no writing.

English Comp II - Again, CLEP/DSST is a good option here, although SL/Study.com has it. DSST's Advanced College Comp will work, no writing, all M/C.

College Comp w/essay might be able to be used for both English Comp I & II.

^^Whichever you choose, I would get that approved ahead of time, or make sure it will work, since I don't know - someone on this forum might know.

---------------

Intro to Comm (Speech) - SL or Study.com

Intro to Geography - any SocSci available at SL/Study.com

Intermediate Algebra - ALEKS ASAP (completion before 6/30) - do this right now. Today.

College Algebra - ALEKS ASAP (completion before 6/30) - do this as soon as you finish Int. Alg.

Stats - ALEKS ASAP (completion before 6/30), if you can't finish it, take SL Business Stats or DSST

Biology - SL/Study.com

Integrated Physical Science - SL/Study.com

intro to Humanities - SL/Study.com

Org Behavior - SL/Study.com/DSST

Technical Comm - TECEP, CSU-Global CBE

=========================

Prin of Management - SL/Study.com/CLEP/Saylor (it's on the website as required, but not on the transfer guidelines, so check on this)

Intro to IT - SL

Scripting & Programming - SL's C++

Business of IT Project Management - Study.com/Sophia/CSU-Global (although I haven't heard if any of these will work, so double check)

Data Management Foundations - CSU-Global


CCNA Security - should cover:
Network & Security Foundations
Fundamentals of Interconnecting Network Devices
Interconnecting Network Devices
Networks
Designing Customized Security

[timmmay]

Thank you for all of this! It's amazing the help one finds from strangers on the internet. I went ahead and started intermediate algebra at ALEKS. I haven't seen that material in many years, but thankfully it all comes back! Here's to hoping that I get these few done before their status changes at the end of the month. Thank you all again. I sincerely appreciate it.

[timmmay]

Here is some helpful info: ...

Intermediate Algebra - ALEKS ASAP (completion before 6/30) - do this right now. Today.

College Algebra - ALEKS ASAP (completion before 6/30) - do this as soon as you finish Int. Alg.

Stats - ALEKS ASAP (completion before 6/30), if you can't finish it, take SL Business Stats or DSST

So this seemed easy enough. Sign up with a master account, set up a student account, and start hammering away. I began the intermediate algebra course, I did a few problems in the initial assessment, then began clicking through the rest without answering to see what the material was like. I've come to find out that was a huge mistake. Is there an easy way to retake that initial exam so I'm not doing so much extra work coursework? Or should I just suck it up and finish the other 200 sections?

Thanks again.

[bjcheung77]

What was your initial assessment percentage? You don't have to "finish" the topics, you just need to run through assessments.
If your percentage was over 70% on the initial assessment, you're done. If not, do a few topics, request assessment in Master account.
Make sure the assessment is done on the student account and the % is over 70, otherwise, rinse and repeat until it goes over 70%.

[Old Guy]

Is there an easy way to retake that initial exam so I'm not doing so much extra work coursework? Or should I just suck it up and finish the other 200 sections?

Go to the master account and switch courses to say Intro Algebra. Make sure it takes. Then go back to the master account and switch back to intermediate. When you book into the student account, you should have a new assessment. If there is a possibility of attending Charter Oak State College, complete Intro Algebra first as you will get credit for it and in total, it is no more work. As the whole program is being redesigned some old advice may become obsolete. I wouldn't get carried away with assessments, they come every 5 hours automatically. They confirm the credit for the pie sections you have completed.

[Thorne]

Go to the master account and switch courses to say Intro Algebra. Make sure it takes. Then go back to the master account and switch back to intermediate. When you book into the student account, you should have a new assessment. If there is a possibility of attending Charter Oak State College, complete Intro Algebra first as you will get credit for it and in total, it is no more work. As the whole program is being redesigned some old advice may become obsolete. I wouldn't get carried away with assessments, they come every 5 hours automatically. They confirm the credit for the pie sections you have completed.

They tanked this. I tried switching from Trig to Int. Algebra and back, but my original score still held.

[timmmay]

What was your initial assessment percentage? You don't have to "finish" the topics, you just need to run through assessments.
If your percentage was over 70% on the initial assessment, you're done. If not, do a few topics, request assessment in Master account.
Make sure the assessment is done on the student account and the % is over 70, otherwise, rinse and repeat until it goes over 70%.

My initial assessment was 8%. I'm up around 30% now, and I've had two additional assessments automatically assigned. I'm easily clearing all topics on the assessments, and find it almost fun to revisit the material after 20 years, but I'm burning quite a bit of time and worried I wont get through this and the college algebra course before the end of this month before the ACE issue expires.

[dfrecore]

My initial assessment was 8%. I'm up around 30% now, and I've had two additional assessments automatically assigned. I'm easily clearing all topics on the assessments, and find it almost fun to revisit the material after 20 years, but I'm burning quite a bit of time and worried I wont get through this and the college algebra course before the end of this month before the ACE issue expires.

I found that once I got going pretty good on Intermediate, it started to go faster. I went to 100%, knowing that I was going to do College Algebra right afterwards. I think the higher you go with Intermediate, the higher you'll start for College. Even if you only go to 70% on Intermediate, your initial assessment for College won't be too terribly low. Maybe 30-50%, and then you'll get to 70% pretty quickly on that as well. You should be able to get through both before the month is over.