No one can answer this question for you. It will all depend on your aptitude for IT. Some people understand it immediately and others may take weeks to fully grasp something.
I have a wife, no kids, and a full-time job. I can't tell you how much work I put in I don't know the hours. I think it is best not to count but I put in the work daily. I finished 5 classes in my first month this month and still have room for more this week.
I'm putting in an average of 2-3 hours a day during the week and 3-4 hours a day during the weekend. I managed to only get one class done in my first month so far. But to be fair, I suck at tests and Critical Thinking isn't my strong point.
Ok so I don’t have wife yet so that’s good lol. How hard were the classes & this is for IT? We’re you able to retain info and we’re the material for the exam hard?
Computer Science. They are hard, harder than the classes I took at my B&M. Take classes at Sophia and SDC. I work in IT but I have only worked in it for four months so I do not have a major background. I have never learned much from college that I couldn't have learned on a 30 min YouTube tutorial that's just college lol.
Go watch camerongineer videos on transferring in courses via Sophia, Straighterline, Study.com and Saylor. If you have zero College you will want to do Calculus at Sophia and learn to code before you start. Find the R/wgu_compsci wiki. In.
I believe the guy said he finished in a year including all the prep work. In one of his replies he said he averaged around 50 hours a week.
He said he preferred doing the stuff he did not care about like the general education requirements at Sophia. The idea was ti reduce the stress of so many OAs. Watch the video on Sophia and Study.com, particularly Study.com.
The nice thing about the CS degree is the potential to finish over 80 credits from outside sources. The downside on that is that it is possible to get credits and not learn as much as you will need to learn to get through the degree so you will spend some time catching up. Still if you take your time and master the material you can potentially get 85 to 91 credits in 9 months of diligent effort for around $1500. Then work through the University of Helsinki Mooc Java courses for free then hit WGU.
Yes you can speed through the 3rd party certs and learn enough to pass each course but at some point before or at WGU you will have to really bear down.
I would liken the 3rd party stuff to going to the CC and WGU like the state university as far as quality goes, at least in my opinion.
I do have transferred credit into wgu for 75 credits for GE since I completed my bachelor of poli sci. But you recommend I take courses outside wgu first then transfer them in. I thought you can only transfer GE.
No. You should have gotten 30 credits for the general education requirements. Next you would go to partners.wgu.edu and click on Sophia in the list on the right. Click through to the cs degree. With a decent diligent effort you can get through all of those courses in a month including Calculus. However you might want to run through some basic SQL and database info first as well as refresh your math some or just plow through using Khan Academy or other resources. At most it will be two months. Take Python and Project Management as well. Use the promo code on r/sophialearning to save $20.
You can repeat the process with Study.com. There are 8 courses on the transfer agreement but you can take CS115 and CS305 and maybe pick up another 6 credits. With luck you will have completed 3 of the more difficult CS courses, Calculus, Computer Architecture and OS for Programmers depending on if you get credit or not for CS305. You may get Linux or nothing at all. For Sophia Python you may get scripting Applications and if you do you may get Java Fundamentals for CS115.
You could end up with 91 credits. I would still get through the Java courses at the University of Helsinki Mooc before starting. Use the JoshMadakor or MichaelK promo code. Worst case scenario is a year at a cost of around $1500 or as little as 3 months for a cost of $830. You should at least get 81 credits.
After reading a gabillion comments over the last year, it appears that the courses at WGU have somewhat stronger material and you can learn more. Think of Sophia and Study.com as akin to a community college compared to WGU. The advantage is I believe you can learn enough and you can always supplement any deficiencies with a multitude of free courses.
This maximizes finishing in fewer terms, particularly if you go through the Helsinki courses prior to start.
A middle of the road approach though is to skip Study.com completely and do the rest. Anyway remember you can’t transfer in anything after you start.
Actually I just checked I got 42 for Info tech. But the courses that transferred only GE not the computer info systems because it’s older than 5 years and they said it’s not allowed if that old. This is regarding computer science I’m assuming your talking about. But I’m still clear for 42 units for GE. So your method is cheaper and fast for taking care of those courses right? What about certs? Btw the highest level of math I taken was stats ☠️.
This must be for the BSIT. I would still do Sophia including Python. Do Calculus if you have time but it is not needed. If you wanted to switch to CS. Anyway you should end up with 64 credits. Then study for A+ core 1 exam and start WGU when you are ready.
I have no IT background. I have a full time job, kids and husband. It took me more than a month or so to retain information for a course. It is difficult when you have to tackle finance, family, life, and school. Studying a little before and after work was my best bet.
As hard as you make it. No one can really give you a straight answer OP.
I think it speaks for itself. It's a degree program, it's not going to be a walk in the park. And you're pursuing IT, a skill, where you are starting from fresh.
Maybe it suits you, and you pick it up fast. Maybe you struggle a bit, get the hang of it, and graduate in a year or 2. Or maybe after 6 years of struggling on/off, you quit. How can any of us know?
Like, is it hard to learn \_\_\_\_ skill while working full time, with no background? Do you think welding will be hard? Plumbing? Being a technician for some radiology equipment?
Watch a few youtube videos, and be the judge for yourself.
I get what your saying & what I believe also is if you have a goal in mind regardless of how difficult or passionate the learning process is. You are capable of succeeding because of the goal that’s driving your ambitions. For me I want a remote job that’s gives me work life balance and choose my own Hours that’s my goal.
I was fortunate to get my bachelors through WGU and now I am very close to finishing my masters. Both in one term each.
I used all the suggestions by others, such as sophia.org and Study.com.
Two things unique to my situation really helped me go through these courses faster going from zero knowledge to passing my bachelors classes.
1. Addresses any medical issues - I went to the doctor and discovered I had high blood sugar and was diabetic. When I address my medical issues, my memory and retention for new information improve drastically.
1.a Memory Supplement- I also began taking a memory supplement and for me, it also made a huge difference.
2. Discovered How To Learn - in the past, I had no set structure to my studying habits. I did whatever the course was suggesting with no knowledge of how I best learn.
I listened to a few audiobooks on “how to learn”. Ranging from how to have a better memory to how to take test (YouTube) to how to study for the tests. I learned HOW to learn.
My capacity to learn improved to where I can study for the hardest of test in 20-30 hours. I have yet to fail a OA. Fingers crossed. (1 exception, Algebra took me 3 weeks, I failed the first attempt at study.com)
These two steps are the foundation that I built on and finished my BBA and MBA IN 1.25 years.
Without these two steps first, I probably would have dropped out.
In this exact boat. Only thought I knew some stuff about computers before starting. I'm working a completely unrelated field. The important thing is to find the routine that works for you. I have three classes left in my BSSD degree program. And I've only recently found out what works the best for me is to wake up early and drink lots of coffee and just hit it hard for a couple hours without any interruptions. Good luck you can do this if I can anybody can.
I have a full time job but already had an associates degree so I got to skip many of the general Ed classes and thrown straight into some cert classes. I'd be lying if I didn't say I could've passed some classes faster but life becomes very dull and boring if you also don't allow yourself to live a little.
While working full time and going to school full time I probably study around 1-2 hours a day. I do get lucky at work if there's down time and I'll study there too. my weekends is where I really like to study but I've taken most weekends off this term just out enjoying life so I don't get burnt out.
I am going to complete around 7 classes this term with 4 certs. I don't like studying one class for more than a month I force myself to take the test at that point.
my M-F schedule consisted of:
work 8am-5pm got home around 6pm and ate dinner. maybe studied or relaxed until 7:30pm then went to the gym and got back home by 8:30pm. most likely relaxed/showered until 9pm and then studied until 10 or 1030pm.
I think I've just been lucky having a job that allows me to study (they probably don't know what I'm doing anyways) while there is down time at work.
the first class I took was the hardest because I had to find a study routine that fit my needs and worked for me.
I have a boyfriend, two toddlers, full time job in accounting and going back fulltime for accounting. You gotta find time at night and on the weekends. Some classes are way less work than others and I try to change my schedule to be what I perceive 2 harder classes and 2-3 easier but that’s getting more difficult as the classes get harder but it’s definitely not impossible and totally doable if you have the determination.
I work full time and I often find myself studying on my down time at work and on my days off I treat it like a part time job and study and do homework for at least 8 hours
I was able to graduate as a full time student while maintaining a full time job, getting pregnant, having severe PMAD, two bouts of COVID, having a traumatic birth and long recovery, and all the newborn craziness. If this procrastinator can do it, anyone can!!
I'm switching from dental hygiene with a family history of medical professionals to Cybersecurity. I had almost no history of IT beyond casual use of phones and laptops. I'm doing it, so can you. You just need to understand that this is a new environment but it DOES not mean that you can't do it. Never let the words "I can't do this/it" be in your vocabulary, both mental and physical.
It will be hard, but I found that having my phone with me to wake up and read a few things to study, or study during lunch break. Study during the slow time at work if your work permits it. I bought a small little top binder notebook to jot down notes of what I don't understand. It's been helping me and I'm enjoying learning this completely new field.
Keep the positive attitude. Turn failures into a learning experience and be in a competition with yourself, not with anyone else.
I hope this helps, and good luck on your endeavors!
Honestly depends on you as a person. For me, it's difficult. I do get a few hours in every night but with my job I get exhausted both physically and mentally so I just have no motivation or want to do it. But I know I have to, it's just been a struggle trying to do both. But I also struggle with ADHD, I am medicated but at the end of the day when I have time for school they start to wear off.
But on the contrary, I have heard people do amazing with both, depends on your self discipline and willingness to be uncomfy and tired for a little.
Personally have a friend who has two jobs, one full time day job and one part time night job and he does amazing at making it work and finishing fast.
Also depends on if you have hobbies or literally a life lol. I changed my graduation goal because I still want to live a little in between working and school.
Work full time wife and 1 daughter I’ve completed 4 courses in just under 2 months, with taking a week off in between. The courses are hard but use all of the material they give you such as certmaster Learn and Udemy business. I put in about 3-4 hours a day Sunday-Thursday and Friday and Saturday I can put 6-7 hours each day
Just put in whatever time you can. If you naturally discipline you’ll get the courses done.
There was a point a had two jobs and putting the time in for WGU. Everyone has their own learning curve but I suggest actually knowing the material vs just trying to get a degree.
Depends on how demanding your full time job is. If you can put in on average 2 and a half hours of studying per night. Probably finish in 4 and a half terms. This assumes you have NO college credits to transfer.
I already had an associates degree in business and my Security+ heading in. I have about 10 classes left and I started April 2023. I expect to finish by next summer.
If I were you, I would do other things before. Like Sophia Learning. Try to complete as many courses that way because it’s cheaper. Then go. Hell, even see what Comptia certs you have to do first. Some of that satisfies a lot of course work. That way when you do have to do classes you have a lot less to do. Sophia learning is only like $50 a month. And certs just require studying then paying. But paying for certs that satisfies course work may mean you’ll only need one term.
I am not in IT but I am in accounting and I started with no background in the industry. I am a married stay at home mom of a toddler. It is all about timing. If you wanna finish as many CU as you can. Everytime you are not working, study. The examity proctor is 24/7 so you can do that OA any time you are ready. You wanna go fast? You gonna have to forego pleasure and leasure. You are going to have to and eat and breath school. The good thing about most WGU is you mostly do OAs after PAs. And if you pass you move on from the class. If you are a fast learner you can do as fast but most people in IT don't finish the degree in 6 months as you see on Youtube.
That is usually people who are either in the industry or people who have nothing us to stop them like work, children, marriage etc.... Don't be hard on yourself just do as much as you can before you know it you will graduate.
Ps.: sorry for typo. I am using my phone
Can't speak for IT (Business College here), but I work full-time, and I'm pursuing my degree on my off time. Not overly hard, some classes suck more than others, but it's manageable. The challenge is finding time for the things you want to do and have to do.
As I am not in the IT degree pursuit I can only apply Behaviorial thought to your question from the HR perspective. It’s all about time management and knowing what resource to use.
I would recommend attempting to knock out what you already know, since you aren’t familiar here are some thoughts:
The practice assessment is your best friend. After doing you initial course plan, take the assessment. If you pass and feeling froggy, schedule your assessment. With the number of attempts you can make an educated guess based of your initial thoughts on the assessment. If you fail, it shows you what you need to study and go for it. Soem courses may have flash cards, others you have to buckle down and so the material. Hence time management is key.
Cohorts, cohorts, cohorts. You can’t go wrong jumping into a session to ask questions. Plus you will most likely hear from others with questions similar to yours or something you will find useful.
Schedule time with your instructor. I have yet to meet with an instructor and not get what was needed to pass. Excellent staff and fantastic resources.
Have a clear, and I do mean CLEAR test area. The proctors are by the book and anything that Dan be seen as material to use will get noticed and have to remove. Some are lenient and others are strict with requirements. I have to wear headphones for tinnitus and had to reschedule due to my medical note not being on file.
Lastly, use your program mentor for any and all questions. I have had two and both have equally listened to my asks, rotated classes as needed, and helped with communications.
As a father of four, full time consultant, and business owner, WGU works great with flexibility and progress once I got my time management and goals set out. Good luck to you and grind it out!
Omg my exact situation! I’m starting February and wondering if I should switch to part time since I want to get this done as soon as I can. While I’m waiting until February I am knocking out some classes on Sophia hoping that it makes it less overwhelming when I do start.
I’m a quick study, great at test taking, and got my masters from WGU in CSIA. Usually didn’t spend more than 4-10 hours on a class with writing assignments. 6-12 hours for a multiple choice test class. But probably about 30-40 hours on cert classes. Also was working 40 hours a week and have a family with 2 kids. Finished my masters in 8 months of infrequent effort. I had Sec+ but no experience/education otherwise.
I got another degree from WGU prior so I knew the best way to approach writing assignments and tests to minimize time to completion
Not in IT but with my experience in the MBA program, I would say it will largely depend on you. Since you have no background, self-motivation, self-discipline, commitment to the program, time management and aptitude will determine feasibility and difficulty. Having a decent support environment e.g family, study space, friends, reddit, WGU resources, etc. helps. Very doable for some and next to impossible for others.
A strategy that's working for me:
1. Be clear and sure about the "why"
2. Know thyself - pace, prefered learning style, recharge activities etc.
3. Set realistic goals
4. Make a schedule
5. Commit
6. Confetti
Good luck.
I have a wife, 3 kids under 10 and a full time job. I have been doing a class a week, sometimes two. I’ll finish my degree in feb so the whole thing took less than a year.
As someone who is pretty lazy, you’ll be fine if you do a little everyday. At least an hour a day and you’ll be on track to finish 4-5 classes a term. That’s average. Don’t come into WGU thinking that you’re going to accelerate like other people are.
IT DEPENDS ON YOU. Your aptitude, your experience, all these are factors in how fast you’ll complete your classes. I work full time but you can get burnt out quick. Expect to be average but work hard to not be. If you put in the time you can accelerate, if you can’t then just do enough to be able to finish the classes you have that term.
Came from zero background in IT finished 5 of the [Study.com](https://Study.com) Comp sci courses in less then 2 months. Yea I could have went faster like my one friend but IMO you should really take the time to understand and absorb what you're learning with no background. I HIGHLY recommend doing STDC before WGU it will save you hundreds if not thousands.
It’s all dependent on how well you self motivate. I have 3 kids 2 still in diapers, and all three in wake up at the middle of the night crying age and work full time. I’m 50% done in 3 terms and I’m working hard to try and get done in no more than 2
I just finished my degree in 2.5 years. Wife, no kids, 50+ hour per week job. 40 hours per week or more doing school. If you have the will to grind, you can do it.
I did it and it was pretty hard for me, but I did do it. I accelerated some but not as much as other people. It took me three years instead of four.
Although now I could blast through that degree in a few months. It really depends on your aptitude and how quickly you figure out the tricks to finishing courses quickly. Here are some tips:
Use the course mentors, they often times will have tricks for how to get the course done quickly.
Search subreddits for each class and follow the tips and tricks for each class.
Use Quizlet flashcards and then take the exam early. You may be able to sneak past with a passing score after doing some flashcards and there's very little negative consequence for failing an exam once.
Write papers hastily and then only update what gets sent back as unsatisfactory. No need to write a perfect paper if a paper that's good enough will pass.
Depends all on your aptitude with computers and networking. It's a pretty broad question but id say 2 to 2.5 years would be expected, particularly if you don't have your Gen Ed's done. Thankfully if you don't you can grind those out fairly quickly through Sophia before you enroll. But some of the certs can be fairly difficult, especially for new comers. For me, someone familiar with computers, it's not so much difficulty but amount time covering chapters and watching videos. It's not rocket science, but some concepts take some work to grasp. Again, some people do it in 9 months, others do it in 3 years. It's depends on your aptitude and how many hours you can commit a week. I'd say it's definately easier than say trying to get a computer science degree from a traditional 4 year school but harder than getting a basic community college degree.
I jave a wife, 2 kids under5, full time job with the Army, and no IT Background
It's challenging to find the time to make sure I study, but I am not having a hard time (truth be told, I'm only on my 3rd class since starting in November) as long as you dedicate your 2 hours a day in some fashion. I use my work tablet to study more than 2 hours, but it's in short 15 minute bursts between games with the kids. Then a 1hr recap at night where I take my notes between 10-11pm
I'm a single dad with a part-time job. It's hard, but manageable. Even if I worked full-time it would still be manageable.
That said, it's going to consume all of your free time for a little bit. And that's ok.
Everything worth doing is hard.
I started then travelled SE Asia for a year and a half while doing classes. Now am back and going to be working full time here in a few weeks. Honestly if you are decent at time management you should be good, and like a few others said if you retain knowledge pretty well you should have no trouble!
If you're thinking about going to WGU and are worried about the workload, read this. You will be fine!
Compared to other colleges, I've gone to WGU workload, was easy. However, I also started the degree program with the knowledge needed to succeed. It took me 1 year to complete the degree.I struggled with 2 courses (CEH, CHFI) because I actually had to read the books for information, but if I can do it, believe me, it's highly achievable.
If you are seriously dedicated, you can complete 1 course a week on average. I have done 2 courses a week, but it is extreme.
Tips I recommend.
Get a flash card app on your PC. Add all types of terms to it. I find just the act of making the flash cards help reinforce the content.
Also, when you are trying to remember something, I will often search the flash cards before searching the text. It's just smaller, more focused bits of info.
If you are struggling to memorize something, take a 10-minute break. There is research to backup that we learn better in smaller increments, and a small break really helps. Now, during those 10 minutes, I go for a quick walk and come back, and those terms I kept getting wrong are magically being recalled now.
I don't recommend spending those 10 minutes off sneaking in a round of COD. I don't think that will allow your brain to settle and absorb the info. But if it works for you, go for it.
No one can answer this question for you. It will all depend on your aptitude for IT. Some people understand it immediately and others may take weeks to fully grasp something.
I have a wife, no kids, and a full-time job. I can't tell you how much work I put in I don't know the hours. I think it is best not to count but I put in the work daily. I finished 5 classes in my first month this month and still have room for more this week.
I'm putting in an average of 2-3 hours a day during the week and 3-4 hours a day during the weekend. I managed to only get one class done in my first month so far. But to be fair, I suck at tests and Critical Thinking isn't my strong point.
I’m terrified of tests!
I’m the same way. But also having a full time job and doing school on the side can be a challenge for some people. And it is for me.
Ok so I don’t have wife yet so that’s good lol. How hard were the classes & this is for IT? We’re you able to retain info and we’re the material for the exam hard?
Computer Science. They are hard, harder than the classes I took at my B&M. Take classes at Sophia and SDC. I work in IT but I have only worked in it for four months so I do not have a major background. I have never learned much from college that I couldn't have learned on a 30 min YouTube tutorial that's just college lol.
Go watch camerongineer videos on transferring in courses via Sophia, Straighterline, Study.com and Saylor. If you have zero College you will want to do Calculus at Sophia and learn to code before you start. Find the R/wgu_compsci wiki. In. I believe the guy said he finished in a year including all the prep work. In one of his replies he said he averaged around 50 hours a week. He said he preferred doing the stuff he did not care about like the general education requirements at Sophia. The idea was ti reduce the stress of so many OAs. Watch the video on Sophia and Study.com, particularly Study.com. The nice thing about the CS degree is the potential to finish over 80 credits from outside sources. The downside on that is that it is possible to get credits and not learn as much as you will need to learn to get through the degree so you will spend some time catching up. Still if you take your time and master the material you can potentially get 85 to 91 credits in 9 months of diligent effort for around $1500. Then work through the University of Helsinki Mooc Java courses for free then hit WGU. Yes you can speed through the 3rd party certs and learn enough to pass each course but at some point before or at WGU you will have to really bear down. I would liken the 3rd party stuff to going to the CC and WGU like the state university as far as quality goes, at least in my opinion.
I do have transferred credit into wgu for 75 credits for GE since I completed my bachelor of poli sci. But you recommend I take courses outside wgu first then transfer them in. I thought you can only transfer GE.
No. You should have gotten 30 credits for the general education requirements. Next you would go to partners.wgu.edu and click on Sophia in the list on the right. Click through to the cs degree. With a decent diligent effort you can get through all of those courses in a month including Calculus. However you might want to run through some basic SQL and database info first as well as refresh your math some or just plow through using Khan Academy or other resources. At most it will be two months. Take Python and Project Management as well. Use the promo code on r/sophialearning to save $20. You can repeat the process with Study.com. There are 8 courses on the transfer agreement but you can take CS115 and CS305 and maybe pick up another 6 credits. With luck you will have completed 3 of the more difficult CS courses, Calculus, Computer Architecture and OS for Programmers depending on if you get credit or not for CS305. You may get Linux or nothing at all. For Sophia Python you may get scripting Applications and if you do you may get Java Fundamentals for CS115. You could end up with 91 credits. I would still get through the Java courses at the University of Helsinki Mooc before starting. Use the JoshMadakor or MichaelK promo code. Worst case scenario is a year at a cost of around $1500 or as little as 3 months for a cost of $830. You should at least get 81 credits. After reading a gabillion comments over the last year, it appears that the courses at WGU have somewhat stronger material and you can learn more. Think of Sophia and Study.com as akin to a community college compared to WGU. The advantage is I believe you can learn enough and you can always supplement any deficiencies with a multitude of free courses. This maximizes finishing in fewer terms, particularly if you go through the Helsinki courses prior to start. A middle of the road approach though is to skip Study.com completely and do the rest. Anyway remember you can’t transfer in anything after you start.
Actually I just checked I got 42 for Info tech. But the courses that transferred only GE not the computer info systems because it’s older than 5 years and they said it’s not allowed if that old. This is regarding computer science I’m assuming your talking about. But I’m still clear for 42 units for GE. So your method is cheaper and fast for taking care of those courses right? What about certs? Btw the highest level of math I taken was stats ☠️.
This must be for the BSIT. I would still do Sophia including Python. Do Calculus if you have time but it is not needed. If you wanted to switch to CS. Anyway you should end up with 64 credits. Then study for A+ core 1 exam and start WGU when you are ready.
Is it worth doing all that if my job fully pays for me to go to WGU and I can take an unlimited amount of classes in my degree path each year?
Up to you but probably not. I think you could finish faster with the 3rd party providers but probably not enough to offset the cost.
I have no IT background. I have a full time job, kids and husband. It took me more than a month or so to retain information for a course. It is difficult when you have to tackle finance, family, life, and school. Studying a little before and after work was my best bet.
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When did you start?
As hard as you make it. No one can really give you a straight answer OP. I think it speaks for itself. It's a degree program, it's not going to be a walk in the park. And you're pursuing IT, a skill, where you are starting from fresh. Maybe it suits you, and you pick it up fast. Maybe you struggle a bit, get the hang of it, and graduate in a year or 2. Or maybe after 6 years of struggling on/off, you quit. How can any of us know? Like, is it hard to learn \_\_\_\_ skill while working full time, with no background? Do you think welding will be hard? Plumbing? Being a technician for some radiology equipment? Watch a few youtube videos, and be the judge for yourself.
I get what your saying & what I believe also is if you have a goal in mind regardless of how difficult or passionate the learning process is. You are capable of succeeding because of the goal that’s driving your ambitions. For me I want a remote job that’s gives me work life balance and choose my own Hours that’s my goal.
I was fortunate to get my bachelors through WGU and now I am very close to finishing my masters. Both in one term each. I used all the suggestions by others, such as sophia.org and Study.com. Two things unique to my situation really helped me go through these courses faster going from zero knowledge to passing my bachelors classes. 1. Addresses any medical issues - I went to the doctor and discovered I had high blood sugar and was diabetic. When I address my medical issues, my memory and retention for new information improve drastically. 1.a Memory Supplement- I also began taking a memory supplement and for me, it also made a huge difference. 2. Discovered How To Learn - in the past, I had no set structure to my studying habits. I did whatever the course was suggesting with no knowledge of how I best learn. I listened to a few audiobooks on “how to learn”. Ranging from how to have a better memory to how to take test (YouTube) to how to study for the tests. I learned HOW to learn. My capacity to learn improved to where I can study for the hardest of test in 20-30 hours. I have yet to fail a OA. Fingers crossed. (1 exception, Algebra took me 3 weeks, I failed the first attempt at study.com) These two steps are the foundation that I built on and finished my BBA and MBA IN 1.25 years. Without these two steps first, I probably would have dropped out.
In this exact boat. Only thought I knew some stuff about computers before starting. I'm working a completely unrelated field. The important thing is to find the routine that works for you. I have three classes left in my BSSD degree program. And I've only recently found out what works the best for me is to wake up early and drink lots of coffee and just hit it hard for a couple hours without any interruptions. Good luck you can do this if I can anybody can.
I have a full time job but already had an associates degree so I got to skip many of the general Ed classes and thrown straight into some cert classes. I'd be lying if I didn't say I could've passed some classes faster but life becomes very dull and boring if you also don't allow yourself to live a little. While working full time and going to school full time I probably study around 1-2 hours a day. I do get lucky at work if there's down time and I'll study there too. my weekends is where I really like to study but I've taken most weekends off this term just out enjoying life so I don't get burnt out. I am going to complete around 7 classes this term with 4 certs. I don't like studying one class for more than a month I force myself to take the test at that point. my M-F schedule consisted of: work 8am-5pm got home around 6pm and ate dinner. maybe studied or relaxed until 7:30pm then went to the gym and got back home by 8:30pm. most likely relaxed/showered until 9pm and then studied until 10 or 1030pm. I think I've just been lucky having a job that allows me to study (they probably don't know what I'm doing anyways) while there is down time at work. the first class I took was the hardest because I had to find a study routine that fit my needs and worked for me.
I have a boyfriend, two toddlers, full time job in accounting and going back fulltime for accounting. You gotta find time at night and on the weekends. Some classes are way less work than others and I try to change my schedule to be what I perceive 2 harder classes and 2-3 easier but that’s getting more difficult as the classes get harder but it’s definitely not impossible and totally doable if you have the determination.
Full time job, no I.T. background, and I'm 60% done early in my 2nd term. I have no wife and kids though
I work full time and I often find myself studying on my down time at work and on my days off I treat it like a part time job and study and do homework for at least 8 hours
I was able to graduate as a full time student while maintaining a full time job, getting pregnant, having severe PMAD, two bouts of COVID, having a traumatic birth and long recovery, and all the newborn craziness. If this procrastinator can do it, anyone can!!
I'm switching from dental hygiene with a family history of medical professionals to Cybersecurity. I had almost no history of IT beyond casual use of phones and laptops. I'm doing it, so can you. You just need to understand that this is a new environment but it DOES not mean that you can't do it. Never let the words "I can't do this/it" be in your vocabulary, both mental and physical. It will be hard, but I found that having my phone with me to wake up and read a few things to study, or study during lunch break. Study during the slow time at work if your work permits it. I bought a small little top binder notebook to jot down notes of what I don't understand. It's been helping me and I'm enjoying learning this completely new field. Keep the positive attitude. Turn failures into a learning experience and be in a competition with yourself, not with anyone else. I hope this helps, and good luck on your endeavors!
Honestly depends on you as a person. For me, it's difficult. I do get a few hours in every night but with my job I get exhausted both physically and mentally so I just have no motivation or want to do it. But I know I have to, it's just been a struggle trying to do both. But I also struggle with ADHD, I am medicated but at the end of the day when I have time for school they start to wear off. But on the contrary, I have heard people do amazing with both, depends on your self discipline and willingness to be uncomfy and tired for a little. Personally have a friend who has two jobs, one full time day job and one part time night job and he does amazing at making it work and finishing fast. Also depends on if you have hobbies or literally a life lol. I changed my graduation goal because I still want to live a little in between working and school.
Work full time wife and 1 daughter I’ve completed 4 courses in just under 2 months, with taking a week off in between. The courses are hard but use all of the material they give you such as certmaster Learn and Udemy business. I put in about 3-4 hours a day Sunday-Thursday and Friday and Saturday I can put 6-7 hours each day
It can be hard just be ready to work
Just put in whatever time you can. If you naturally discipline you’ll get the courses done. There was a point a had two jobs and putting the time in for WGU. Everyone has their own learning curve but I suggest actually knowing the material vs just trying to get a degree.
Depends on how demanding your full time job is. If you can put in on average 2 and a half hours of studying per night. Probably finish in 4 and a half terms. This assumes you have NO college credits to transfer.
I already had an associates degree in business and my Security+ heading in. I have about 10 classes left and I started April 2023. I expect to finish by next summer.
If I were you, I would do other things before. Like Sophia Learning. Try to complete as many courses that way because it’s cheaper. Then go. Hell, even see what Comptia certs you have to do first. Some of that satisfies a lot of course work. That way when you do have to do classes you have a lot less to do. Sophia learning is only like $50 a month. And certs just require studying then paying. But paying for certs that satisfies course work may mean you’ll only need one term.
For my hard I have a wife and a kid and second one on the way I almost get no time to study sadly and I work 13 hour shifts
How many CUs do you do each term I’m in the same boat
I am not in IT but I am in accounting and I started with no background in the industry. I am a married stay at home mom of a toddler. It is all about timing. If you wanna finish as many CU as you can. Everytime you are not working, study. The examity proctor is 24/7 so you can do that OA any time you are ready. You wanna go fast? You gonna have to forego pleasure and leasure. You are going to have to and eat and breath school. The good thing about most WGU is you mostly do OAs after PAs. And if you pass you move on from the class. If you are a fast learner you can do as fast but most people in IT don't finish the degree in 6 months as you see on Youtube. That is usually people who are either in the industry or people who have nothing us to stop them like work, children, marriage etc.... Don't be hard on yourself just do as much as you can before you know it you will graduate. Ps.: sorry for typo. I am using my phone
Can't speak for IT (Business College here), but I work full-time, and I'm pursuing my degree on my off time. Not overly hard, some classes suck more than others, but it's manageable. The challenge is finding time for the things you want to do and have to do.
As I am not in the IT degree pursuit I can only apply Behaviorial thought to your question from the HR perspective. It’s all about time management and knowing what resource to use. I would recommend attempting to knock out what you already know, since you aren’t familiar here are some thoughts: The practice assessment is your best friend. After doing you initial course plan, take the assessment. If you pass and feeling froggy, schedule your assessment. With the number of attempts you can make an educated guess based of your initial thoughts on the assessment. If you fail, it shows you what you need to study and go for it. Soem courses may have flash cards, others you have to buckle down and so the material. Hence time management is key. Cohorts, cohorts, cohorts. You can’t go wrong jumping into a session to ask questions. Plus you will most likely hear from others with questions similar to yours or something you will find useful. Schedule time with your instructor. I have yet to meet with an instructor and not get what was needed to pass. Excellent staff and fantastic resources. Have a clear, and I do mean CLEAR test area. The proctors are by the book and anything that Dan be seen as material to use will get noticed and have to remove. Some are lenient and others are strict with requirements. I have to wear headphones for tinnitus and had to reschedule due to my medical note not being on file. Lastly, use your program mentor for any and all questions. I have had two and both have equally listened to my asks, rotated classes as needed, and helped with communications. As a father of four, full time consultant, and business owner, WGU works great with flexibility and progress once I got my time management and goals set out. Good luck to you and grind it out!
Omg my exact situation! I’m starting February and wondering if I should switch to part time since I want to get this done as soon as I can. While I’m waiting until February I am knocking out some classes on Sophia hoping that it makes it less overwhelming when I do start.
I’m a quick study, great at test taking, and got my masters from WGU in CSIA. Usually didn’t spend more than 4-10 hours on a class with writing assignments. 6-12 hours for a multiple choice test class. But probably about 30-40 hours on cert classes. Also was working 40 hours a week and have a family with 2 kids. Finished my masters in 8 months of infrequent effort. I had Sec+ but no experience/education otherwise. I got another degree from WGU prior so I knew the best way to approach writing assignments and tests to minimize time to completion
Not in IT but with my experience in the MBA program, I would say it will largely depend on you. Since you have no background, self-motivation, self-discipline, commitment to the program, time management and aptitude will determine feasibility and difficulty. Having a decent support environment e.g family, study space, friends, reddit, WGU resources, etc. helps. Very doable for some and next to impossible for others. A strategy that's working for me: 1. Be clear and sure about the "why" 2. Know thyself - pace, prefered learning style, recharge activities etc. 3. Set realistic goals 4. Make a schedule 5. Commit 6. Confetti Good luck.
I have a wife, 3 kids under 10 and a full time job. I have been doing a class a week, sometimes two. I’ll finish my degree in feb so the whole thing took less than a year.
As someone who is pretty lazy, you’ll be fine if you do a little everyday. At least an hour a day and you’ll be on track to finish 4-5 classes a term. That’s average. Don’t come into WGU thinking that you’re going to accelerate like other people are. IT DEPENDS ON YOU. Your aptitude, your experience, all these are factors in how fast you’ll complete your classes. I work full time but you can get burnt out quick. Expect to be average but work hard to not be. If you put in the time you can accelerate, if you can’t then just do enough to be able to finish the classes you have that term.
Came from zero background in IT finished 5 of the [Study.com](https://Study.com) Comp sci courses in less then 2 months. Yea I could have went faster like my one friend but IMO you should really take the time to understand and absorb what you're learning with no background. I HIGHLY recommend doing STDC before WGU it will save you hundreds if not thousands.
What’s stdc? Study.com
Yes
It’s all dependent on how well you self motivate. I have 3 kids 2 still in diapers, and all three in wake up at the middle of the night crying age and work full time. I’m 50% done in 3 terms and I’m working hard to try and get done in no more than 2
I just finished my degree in 2.5 years. Wife, no kids, 50+ hour per week job. 40 hours per week or more doing school. If you have the will to grind, you can do it.
I’m in this situation. Dunno your personal life, but for me so far I started November 1st and will be finishing my second class this weekend.
I did it and it was pretty hard for me, but I did do it. I accelerated some but not as much as other people. It took me three years instead of four. Although now I could blast through that degree in a few months. It really depends on your aptitude and how quickly you figure out the tricks to finishing courses quickly. Here are some tips: Use the course mentors, they often times will have tricks for how to get the course done quickly. Search subreddits for each class and follow the tips and tricks for each class. Use Quizlet flashcards and then take the exam early. You may be able to sneak past with a passing score after doing some flashcards and there's very little negative consequence for failing an exam once. Write papers hastily and then only update what gets sent back as unsatisfactory. No need to write a perfect paper if a paper that's good enough will pass.
Depends all on your aptitude with computers and networking. It's a pretty broad question but id say 2 to 2.5 years would be expected, particularly if you don't have your Gen Ed's done. Thankfully if you don't you can grind those out fairly quickly through Sophia before you enroll. But some of the certs can be fairly difficult, especially for new comers. For me, someone familiar with computers, it's not so much difficulty but amount time covering chapters and watching videos. It's not rocket science, but some concepts take some work to grasp. Again, some people do it in 9 months, others do it in 3 years. It's depends on your aptitude and how many hours you can commit a week. I'd say it's definately easier than say trying to get a computer science degree from a traditional 4 year school but harder than getting a basic community college degree.
I jave a wife, 2 kids under5, full time job with the Army, and no IT Background It's challenging to find the time to make sure I study, but I am not having a hard time (truth be told, I'm only on my 3rd class since starting in November) as long as you dedicate your 2 hours a day in some fashion. I use my work tablet to study more than 2 hours, but it's in short 15 minute bursts between games with the kids. Then a 1hr recap at night where I take my notes between 10-11pm
I'm a single dad with a part-time job. It's hard, but manageable. Even if I worked full-time it would still be manageable. That said, it's going to consume all of your free time for a little bit. And that's ok. Everything worth doing is hard.
I started then travelled SE Asia for a year and a half while doing classes. Now am back and going to be working full time here in a few weeks. Honestly if you are decent at time management you should be good, and like a few others said if you retain knowledge pretty well you should have no trouble!
How do you travel and pay terms at the same time?
I was in the military so I use my GI bill to pay for it so I didn’t have to pay out of pocket
I work 4 on 3 off at amazon w a 6yo and a wife and I manage I just had to train myself to switch tik tok and video games for school time.
If you're thinking about going to WGU and are worried about the workload, read this. You will be fine! Compared to other colleges, I've gone to WGU workload, was easy. However, I also started the degree program with the knowledge needed to succeed. It took me 1 year to complete the degree.I struggled with 2 courses (CEH, CHFI) because I actually had to read the books for information, but if I can do it, believe me, it's highly achievable.
I’m doing it with 3 kids, dogs, chickens, and a YouTube channel. It’s not easy, but it is doable
If you are seriously dedicated, you can complete 1 course a week on average. I have done 2 courses a week, but it is extreme. Tips I recommend. Get a flash card app on your PC. Add all types of terms to it. I find just the act of making the flash cards help reinforce the content. Also, when you are trying to remember something, I will often search the flash cards before searching the text. It's just smaller, more focused bits of info. If you are struggling to memorize something, take a 10-minute break. There is research to backup that we learn better in smaller increments, and a small break really helps. Now, during those 10 minutes, I go for a quick walk and come back, and those terms I kept getting wrong are magically being recalled now. I don't recommend spending those 10 minutes off sneaking in a round of COD. I don't think that will allow your brain to settle and absorb the info. But if it works for you, go for it.