I got denied acceptance from WGU. I need help. What are my other options?

Discussion in 'IT and Computer-Related Degrees' started by linuxguy1010, Aug 27, 2013.

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  1. linuxguy1010

    linuxguy1010 New Member

    I really wanted to go to WGU. I like their affordability, reputable university, the classes will get you ready for the certifications and you can speed up towards graduating. I took their application exam. Got a call few hours later. The admissions rep told me what will really help is taking a course in A+ certification or doing self-study and passing the test. He said that will help getting accepted at WGU.

    I had to drop ITT Tech a year ago. My life changed completely. I am a father now and can't pay for childcare so I need to go to a online university. Plus I kept hearing bad things about ITT Tech. I was only in ITT Tech a semester.

    But now Sallie Mae is breathing down my neck to make payments. I can defer the loans but only while I am in school.

    I am leaning more towards programming instead of Network Administration.

    So are there any schools that are similar to WGU? I hope someone here can help out. Thank you.
     
  2. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    Have you explorer the big three (TESC, Excelsior, Charter Oak State College)? Any other school like WGU, Northern Arizona University. I think University of Wisconsin start doing competency degree method.

    The cheapest degree completion for you are Peru State College and/or Fort Hays State University.
     
  3. linuxguy1010

    linuxguy1010 New Member

    It looks like I have some researching to do for my future online university. Thank you for naming those schools.
     
  4. rebel100

    rebel100 New Member

    If this is undergrad, and for the purpose of deferment, I would re-apply under a different degree program while I got my IT chops up to par and switched into that degree in your second semester. Know that once you start an undergrad WGU degree it probably best to finish there. They work under a competency based model and award "competency units" rather than credits. There is no GPA, just pass or fail....trying to transfer that back out later may be a headache, its not how most schools operate.

    What is the goal?
     
  5. AsianStew

    AsianStew Moderator Staff Member

    Depending on what you need. Several people from Degreeinfo have gone to CIE/WC and then moved onto an RA for a Bachelors. You may want to go to Cleveland Institute of Electronics and World College first to get an AA and transfer to WGU. That's the route I'm going, but I'm going for a Bachelors at CIE/WC and then a Masters at WGU.
     
  6. ITmajor12

    ITmajor12 New Member

    Hi there sorry to hear about WGU, they were my initial option but after speaking to an enrollment counselor i decided to change my mind he was very rude told me because im a military spouse i am not considered etc etc, then after a few emails back and forth someone else contacted me trying to get me to enroll, my overall initial experience was horrible. Aside from this i did not like the whole grading system since i have heard from dozens that its an issue when transferring to other universities etc. Cheaper is not always better, my experience with them has been awful and frankly i dont want anything to do with them.

    Anyways, i am currently doing my IT degree over at CSU Global and i absolutely Love it thus far! The teachers i currently have are amazing, my counselor is always available i mean they really do cater to you. For me, it has been the best decision i made, you can even finish your degree faster by adding more classes then the ones you are given. I definitely recommend them!
     
  7. ITmajor12

    ITmajor12 New Member


    I agree with rebel 100, if you do want to attend there, then you would need to finish there because the whole no gpa and pass/fail will become an issue when transferring, since the majority of regionally accredited schools even state universities dont operate this way. Yea they are cheaper but this is something to consider if your not planning on staying there past a bachelors. I have heard harvard does but unless you want to transfer to harvard, it will be an issue to transfer. Because most schools do work with GPA. Best of luck, i know how tedious it is to decide on an online university!
     
  8. linuxguy1010

    linuxguy1010 New Member

    The goals are simple. Go to a reputable online school and not a "diploma mill". Get my degree and a few certifications. Get either a paid internship or a job a few months after I graduate. Provide a better quality of life for my wife and son. I'm tired of working warehouse jobs. So....very....tired. I don't have any connections. Oh man I wish I did. I would love to get into programming but I have heard there are two kinds of people in the tech industry. Ones who are natural programmers and others that are not. The others that are not move into System Administration or something similar.

    The certifications I will do on my own. I just hope the classes are good enough that I will be comfortable enough to take the tests.

    I'm 90% sure I want to go into I.T. I have been into technology since I was 15 years old. I do like it a lot. I just have a few concerns for it. Maybe I should make another forum post regarding my concerns.
     
  9. linuxguy1010

    linuxguy1010 New Member

    The goals are simple. Go to a reputable online university. Graduate and obtain some certifications. Get a job or a paid internship a few months after graduating. Provide a better quality of life for my wife and son. The certifications I will gladly pay on my own. I just hope the classes will prepare me enough for the tests.



    Thank you for the recommendation. Is it Colorado State University?

    I'm so sick and tired of working warehouse jobs. I don't have any good connections. I have been the I.T. guy for friends and family for the past 10 years. Always asking me what should I buy, can you make this faster, please get rid of this virus, it's not turning on etc.
    I'm 90% sure I want to go into I.T. I just have a few concerns. I think I will make another forum post regarding these concerns.

    Thank you for letting me know about the bad experience with WGU. That is the first bad experience I have heard about them. That has provided me with some second thoughts
     
  10. curtisc83

    curtisc83 New Member

    Liberty University will take your ITT credits. LU is legit as it comes and they accepted my UG NA degree from Westwood for admission into their business school. I enjoy LU because its a solid school and I'm a sports fan. They do play NCAA D1-FCS football :)

    Keep in mind CSU Global is not CSU proper. While it is part of the Colorado State University System, CSU–Global Campus' roots do not date back to the original Colorado State University founded in 1870 as the Colorado Agricultural College. Think of it as CO's version of University of Maryland University College.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 28, 2013
  11. ChloeJason

    ChloeJason member

    If this is basic, and for the objective of deferment, I would re-apply under a different level system while I got my IT grinds up to apart and turned into that level in your second term.
     
  12. ITmajor12

    ITmajor12 New Member

    Thank you for the recommendation. Is it Colorado State University?

    I'm so sick and tired of working warehouse jobs. I don't have any good connections. I have been the I.T. guy for friends and family for the past 10 years. Always asking me what should I buy, can you make this faster, please get rid of this virus, it's not turning on etc.
    I'm 90% sure I want to go into I.T. I just have a few concerns. I think I will make another forum post regarding these concerns.

    Thank you for letting me know about the bad experience with WGU. That is the first bad experience I have heard about them. That has provided me with some second thoughts[/QUOTE]

    Its Colorado State University Global Campus (which is online) It is part of the Colorado State University System as is Colorado State University Fort Collins and Colorado State University Pueblo. They are all under the same university system. When you graduate you graduate under the Colorado State University System which in this case the campus would be Global campus if attending their online campus. They are regionally accredited as well as a public not for profit university.

    There are many options out there i really hope you find the one that best suits you. I am very happy with my decision it is a state university system which is a plus and its regionally accredited as well. I was in fear of diploma mills as well, i did A LOT of research before deciding on an online school, i understand how you feel about getting a career and leave the current day to day job for a positive change for both you and your family. Do your research really well, take a list of schools that interest you and that fits your lifestyle as well as career goals and research research research, since remember its your future.

    Many people will tell you this school is great that school is great but it will eventually come down to what YOU will be looking for in a university. Write down what your looking for as far as career goals and decide which university best fits your goals as well as finances and expenses. I really wish you the best i know how frustrating it is. Even though i had a rough experience with WGU does not mean the same for the rest, that was just my experience. Personally when looking for a university i was not very comfortable of their grading scale since i have future plans of attending other known universities when i go back to the states that do not work with that type of grading scale and figured it would be an issue to transfer with no gpa.
     
  13. linuxguy1010

    linuxguy1010 New Member

    I never realized how difficult and time consuming finding the right school that fits my needs. I just want a non-profit university that has a Bachelor degree in Computer Science fully online. That is also reputable. So many to choose from. Does anyone have any advice for me or anyone else in a similar boat?
     
  14. linuxguy1010

    linuxguy1010 New Member

    I have never realized how difficult and time consuming picking the right school is. I just want a online university that is non-profit, has excellent professors and support and also has a Computer Science degree online. There is so many to choose from.

    Does anyone have any advice for me?
     
  15. addision

    addision Member

    Options

    Whoa, lets put the brakes on.

    How far are you through any courses at ITT? Some may transfer. ITT has been around for nearly 40 years or so now and they don't have the horrible reputation they had in the 70's and 80's. I work at a University and many of the people "engineers" that come in to repair the various scientific equipment are from ITT. They earn a good wage 40-65k and they are well respected as they know their equipment. Now the options for them to move up are slightly limited and they have agreed, but ITT is not a bad school.

    To fend off the loan payments, at the very least you could enroll in a community college. I know it may be a little late for some schools as the semesters have already begun. But there are many that have late start or short term semesters. But trust me, you would want to do your best to save on the cost of tuition, and community college can do that for you.

    Now if you need financial aid, some states have waivers for tuition if you are low income. Here in California they have a Board of Governors Waiver for community colleges . It will eliminate the cost of tuition, but you still have to cover books etc. And now some rules have changed where the cc's will give you the pell grants as well. Sometimes the cc's limited it because the "cost of living" and tuition were lower and they didn't want to administer the headaches of financial aid over and above the cost of tuition, but the recession changed that.

    There are many online cc's available all over the country. I am taking a Calculus II course from Coastline right now (Coastline Community College). They even sent me out a debit card that they use to pay you your financial aid(I am not eligible as I already have a degree). Please don't think that just because you get financial aid loans that the education is free. Grants are good loans are bad. Try to borrow as little as possible, but that's another conversation.

    The IT field is being flooded with students. Of course there will still be jobs, but wages are being driven down. If you are going to do this in IT give a lot of thought to specializing in a particular field. Not just programming but programming specific languages. Not just system admin, but distributed cloud architecture. The market is flooded with general IT graduates that are willing to do anything to get a job.

    And the system Admin jobs just got hit by the push to "cloud computing". So now where you had 4 or 5 system admins, you have one who oversees more computer virtual "instances" from one location. They worry less about sending a tech out to see what's wrong with your computer and they just delete the bad "instance" of your desktop and create you a new one of the last good instance that was saved. This eliminates three to four workers in the loop.

    If you specialize your job options may be a little more limited but you will get a better wage for the work that you do. I know it's hard.

    Please think beyond the school you will get your first degree from. If you want to go further in the future you may not be able to go into graduate studies with a degree from certain schools. Which brings me to another point. If you know that you want to go to graduate school, you can get you degree from a lower school as the most important consideration is the last school you graduated from. So, for example, if you go to one of the "Big Three" and then go to USC, or UC Boulder, Colorado State or Michigan State for your masters, no one cares where you got you undergrad degree.

    But please look into the Community Colleges to get most of your lower undergraduate coursework done. They a substantial bargain and with that new baby you wants to do every thing you can t keep your costs down.
     
  16. Boachiem

    Boachiem New Member

    Hi , Can you tell me more about the school fees.
     
  17. At least you found out first

    I paid the $80 application fee, only to be told, "You need some experience with online classes first." What???? Isn't that the purpose, to take classes online? I had already been in college (b&m) and received As and Bs. And, no, they wouldn't refund the $80.

    Now they're sending me mail, wanting me to reapply. I figure I'm going to let them send me at least $80 worth of postage before I say no.
     

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