I'm already burnt out

[allvia]

What courses do you have left?

[pluggingalong]

What courses do you have left?

I have a lot left, though I've finished most of the core gen-ed type classes. Of the 9 on the spread-sheet that do not have transfer equivalents, I don't have any of those.

[allvia]

What courses do you have left?

I have a lot left, though I've finished most of the core gen-ed type classes. Of the 9 on the spread-sheet that do not have transfer equivalents, I don't have any of those.

Ok, let me ask a different way - of the courses that do have transfer equivalents what do you have left? Having 'a lot' of courses left doesn't help us see the full picture that you're currently in. If you're attending on a Pell Grant or employer sponsored tuition assistance it may be best to just take you time and not rush; however, if you're paying out of pocket it might (again, might) be another story. I even tried to go back to some of your old posts and I didn't see anything that indicated what you transferred in before you started. Burnout is real and it has a way of clouding both the achievements behind you and the goals ahead. We all just want to help you work through the process and get to your bachelor.

[pluggingalong]

I am self-paying. These are my remaining classes:

Composition: Successful Self-Expression – D270
Business of IT - Project Management – D324
Business of IT – Applications – D336
IT Leadership Foundations – D370

Java Fundamentals – D286
Java Frameworks – D287
Back-End Programming – D288
Advanced Java – D387

Data Management - Foundations – D426
Data Management - Applications – D427
Advanced Data Management – D326
Data Structures and Algorithms I – C949

Technical Communication – D339
User Interface Design – D279
User Experience Design – D479
Software Design and Quality Assurance – D480

Version Control – D197
JavaScript Programming – D280
Front-End Web Development – D277
Cloud Foundations – D282

Introduction to Systems Thinking – D372
Network and Security - Foundations – D315
Hardware and Operating Systems Essentials – D386
Ethics in Technology – D333

Software Security and Testing – D385
Mobile Application Development (Android) – D308
Software Engineering – D284
Software Engineering Capstone – D424

[MNomadic]

@LevelUp: Do you have a source for the below statement? Because I'm active in the WGU groups of reddit, discord, YouTube , Facebook,  etc and this is the only place I've seen someone say that's the #1 reason people drop out is not transferring in enough classes. Does that reason also apply to other degree programs where people drop out? 

The number #1 reason why people drop out of WGU is because they don't transfer enough credits in and get overwhelmed by the amount of work they have to do.

@ OP: before dropping out, have you considered taking a term break? You can take 1-3 months with no problem. Also, what is your goal? You're in the software engineering program, java track but you don't want to be a java programmer, what do you want to do? Figuring out your final goal might help you find the best path forward (though you don't need a degree to be perfectly aligned with your career goal). 

Another tip: not sure what methodology you've been using so far but don't feel like you need to work through all the material in the course before taking your OA/PA. Checking out reddit can gain you insights on what you should focus on to efficiently complete your courses quickly. I almost never touched the actual course books but I always was well prepared for all my assessments because I focused on learning what I needed to without too much extra "fluff." 


Also remember, it's a self paced program so if you need to take a break here and there to avoid burnout, just do it .

[pluggingalong]

@LevelUp: Do you have a source for the below statement? Because I'm active in the WGU groups of reddit, discord, YouTube , Facebook,  etc and this is the only place I've seen someone say that's the #1 reason people drop out is not transferring in enough classes. Does that reason also apply to other degree programs where people drop out? 

The number #1 reason why people drop out of WGU is because they don't transfer enough credits in and get overwhelmed by the amount of work they have to do.

@ OP: before dropping out, have you considered taking a term break? You can take 1-3 months with no problem. Also, what is your goal? You're in the software engineering program, java track but you don't want to be a java programmer, what do you want to do? Figuring out your final goal might help you find the best path forward (though you don't need a degree to be perfectly aligned with your career goal). 

Another tip: not sure what methodology you've been using so far but don't feel like you need to work through all the material in the course before taking your OA/PA. Checking out reddit can gain you insights on what you should focus on to efficiently complete your courses quickly. I almost never touched the actual course books but I always was well prepared for all my assessments because I focused on learning what I needed to without too much extra "fluff." 


Also remember, it's a self paced program so if you need to take a break here and there to avoid burnout, just do it .

My primary goal is to get a BS degree.  I had wanted to do that while taking as few big tests as possible, because I always over-study and take a long time memorizing every iota of information. Big tests for me, meant certification exams. To memorize facts, I have to write them, so classes like US Constitution, I did great on the "big test", but only because I repeatedly wrote in a notebook everything the test covered.  Most of the classes I've completed have had "big tests" even though they were not certs, so I am actually getting over that fear. It was both a fear of choking on a big test and the slowness of having to write everything in preparation that make me go slow. I picked Software Engineering because I've programmed in various languages for many years, and it only had one Comptia cert.

Taking classes at study.com/sophia would probably only help me if there was less to memorize, or they are done by completing written assignments.  I did the Scripting Foundations (D278) in 1 week since it was mostly logic, while the Web Dev Foundations (D276) took me 3 weeks because I wanted to memorize every HTML/CSS rule that might be on the test. The Web Dev took me 3x longer because while simpler in theory, it just had more rules to memorize.

I read everything in ZyBooks and do every exercise and lab, taking notes as a I go.  Then I go through my notes repeatedly, writing everything in my notes I haven't memorized. I sometimes use outside sources if I need better explanations. For example, in Statistics, I had to buy some math books on Kindle, until I got one that described certain things in a way I could grasp them.

[pluggingalong]

The SWE spreadsheet says "Technical Communication" can be taken at SDC as English 305, but SDC describes the English 305 class as "Technical Communication (excluding both BS Software Engineering and BS Computer Science programs)". Does this mean you cannot transfer English 305 at SDC for the SWE degree? This is the first one I tried to verify.

---

Is there an advantage to taking a class at SDC versus SOP? I see the WGU class "Business of IT - Project Management – D324" is on the spreadsheet as "SOPhia", but SDC also has a transferable class ("Business 311 - Project Management"). If I was in SDC taking all the possible SDC transferable classes, would be it be a good idea to just take the class at SDC? Or is there an advantage to going to SOPhia?

[rachel83az]

Always double-check the spreadsheet by comparing with https://partners.wgu.edu/ (and the ACE National Guide, if needed, for the ACE ID) https://www.acenet.edu/national-guide/Pa...fault.aspx

It's theoretically possible for degree requirements to have changed since the last time the plan was updated. That appears to have happened here. English 305 is still valid for the gen ed portion, but not for Technical Communication. @LevelUP is the main one who maintains the wiki pages about WGU, so it looks like it might be time for another update. I checked Sophia, SDC, StraighterLine, and WGU Academy and there doesn't seem to be an alternate source for Technical Communication now.

[pluggingalong]

I was trying to verify that the spreadsheet's CIW certs still transfer, and I found a WGU page that lists the ones that do. Except it doesn't list what they transfer in to at WGU. Is this something you just have to ask a counselor, or maybe the exact transfers are listed somewhere?

The spreadsheet lists these WGU courses have CIW counterparts:

Front-End Web Development – D277 (CIW: CIW Advanced HTML5 and CSS3 Specialist (1DO-620))
JavaScript Programming – D280 (CIW: CIW JavaScript Specialist (1D0-735))
User Interface Design – D279 (CIW User Interface Designer (1D0-621))
User Experience Design – D479 (CIW: CIW User Interface Designer (1D0-621))


WGU says these CIW classes transfer:

CIW Advanced HTML5 and CSS3 Specialist (1DO-620)
CIW Database Design Specialist (1D0-541)
Web Design Specialist (CIW 1D0-520)
CIW User Interface Designer (1D0-621)
CIW Web Foundations Associate (1D0-610)
CIW Web Design Professional (1DO-520 and 1D0-525)
CIW Web Development Professional Certification
CIW JavaScript Specialist (1D0-735)

---

It looks like there are 12 classes I have to take at WGU and 16 I could take at other places:

Must take at WGU (no transfers)

Version Control – D197
Technical Communication – D339
Ethics in Technology – D333
Introduction to Systems Thinking – D372

Java Fundamentals – D286
Java Frameworks – D287
Back-End Programming – D288
Mobile Application Development (Android) – D308
Advanced Java – D387

Software Design and Quality Assurance – D480
Software Security and Testing – D385
Software Engineering Capstone – D424

Can take outside WGU:

A+ = Hardware and Operating Systems Essentials – D386
AWS = Cloud Foundations – D282
ITIL = Business of IT – Applications – D336
CIW = Front-End Web Development – D277
CIW = JavaScript Programming – D280
CIW = User Interface Design – D279
CIW = User Experience Design – D479
SOP = IT Leadership Foundations – D370
SDC/SOP = Business of IT - Project Management – D324
SDC/SOP = Data Management - Foundations – D426
SDC/SOP = Composition: Successful Self-Expression – D270
SDC/SOP = Network and Security - Foundations – D315
SDC = Data Management - Applications – D427
SDC = Software Engineering – D284
SDC = Advanced Data Management – D326
SDC = Data Structures and Algorithms I – C949

[MNomadic]

This page should clarify what certs transfer for what classes:

https://partners.wgu.edu/general-transfe...or-dynamic

I don't have any experience with CIW certs but WGU used to include them in the program but removed them for a reason.

Some notes about your listed transfers and what *I* would do:

A+ - this is 2 exams, that's the equivalent of 2 courses and 2 opportunities to fail. Personally, I would just take this one at WGU. The A+ cert doesn't hold much value for people in programming type professions.

AWS/ITIL - these are free at WGU. I would just prestudy for them and then be ready to take them right as you return to WGU.

CIW certs - I know nothing about these but I would do some research before committing to these instead of WGU's courses. They may be easy/cheap, the may be notoriously hard. The 4 you listed would all be big tests whereas the equivalent WGU course for some of them are actually just simple projects that could be completed relatively quick so I suggest double checking before committing to taking CIW certs.

Project management - I recommend Sophia for this one. Much quicker/easier.

Data management foundations, I recommend SDC for this one. There's so much overlap between SDC's 3 data management courses that it's practically like just taking 1 slightly bigger course.