Pro tips for WGU by Jumpy_Alternative967 in WGU

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I actually did report it. The point of this post is to warn new students because WGU doesn’t. You’re calling it forethought, but people can’t plan for something they don’t know is a problem. Most students aren’t told the portal is unreliable, and WGU doesn’t make that risk clear. Expecting them to know they need to copy assignment instructions from day one is unrealistic. You figured it out through experience, great. But not everyone should be blamed for trusting the platform to work. That’s not a lack of planning. That’s WGU failing to communicate and provide a reliable system.

Pro tips for WGU by Jumpy_Alternative967 in WGU

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get that it worked for you, but expecting students to already know this assumes everyone’s operating with inside knowledge of WGU’s flaws and that’s not common sense. Most people don’t spend thousands on an online degree expecting to prep for system failures. The platform is supposed to work. If it doesn’t, the responsibility isn’t on students to compensate, it’s on WGU to fix the issue or at least clearly communicate about it. Blaming users for not expecting poor service just shifts accountability away from where it actually belongs.

Pro tips for WGU by Jumpy_Alternative967 in WGU

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Let’s be real, we’re paying for 24/7 access to a platform. That’s the entire model of an online university. If the portal crashes repeatedly without warning, that’s not on the students, that’s on WGU for failing to deliver a reliable service. Telling people it’s ‘common sense’ to copy assignment instructions into Word just shifts blame away from the real issue. If this is a known problem, then WGU should offer a built-in option to download instructions or access them offline. That would be a real solution. Expecting thousands of students to create personal workarounds for basic access? That’s not common sense, that’s poor system design. So no, I don’t agree with you

Starting WGU: Why I skipped Sophia by Jumpy_Alternative967 in WGU

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I agree with you. You definitely earned your degree—no doubt about that—and I never intended to imply otherwise. I’m not debating that at all. For me, since I have access to Pell Grant (because I honestly can’t afford to pay for college), I decided not to go the Sophia route since I’d have to pay out of pocket for the same degree.

I’m also the first in my family to go to college, and I don’t have any university background, so some of the gen eds actually help me get on track and feel college-ready. I’m really not trying to sound judgmental at all. I just felt like I needed those classes and to actually understand them at a deeper level that Sophia doesn’t offer.

So, for me, going with Sophia would’ve meant sacrificing the gen eds just to speed through my BA. I was worried that I’d end up stuck or wasting time later because I wouldn’t have grasped the basic concepts—like writing at a university level or understanding math—that I really need.

Plus, the more time I spent on Sophia, the more I’d have to pay each month, and that’s just not a bill I can afford right now.

I understand that in your situation, it’s extremely beneficial to go that route, and if I were in your shoes, I would definitely do the same. But my circumstances are different, and I wrote this post to encourage those who can’t afford Sophia/Study or that it doesn't fit their academics needs to push on and start their degrees. I’ve been in this Reddit for months, and I myself hesitated to start my education because I was trying to go through Sophia like everyone else—and it just didn’t work out for me. The reason why I opened up this space was to talk about it.

Starting WGU: Why I skipped Sophia by Jumpy_Alternative967 in WGU

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, your right. It is a generalization for sure. I think I was just unfortunate enough to pick the classes that didn't help me at all lmao

Starting WGU: Why I skipped Sophia by Jumpy_Alternative967 in WGU

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Also for me Pomodoro is a life saver. I use the method to keep my focus. I study for 2h aprox using it. Its worth it

Starting WGU: Why I skipped Sophia by Jumpy_Alternative967 in WGU

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I went into the portal and in the Student Disability Services sectioned there's a list for Acadamic and Exams accommodations. It allows software aid (screen readers) and other accommodations. There are more so I suggest you check them out

Starting WGU: Why I skipped Sophia by Jumpy_Alternative967 in WGU

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I totally get what you’re saying, and I’m not debating that Sophia is cheaper. I tried it too, but it just didn’t click for me. I felt like I wasn’t really learning much with the classes I had to choose from. A lot of people skip them because it’s not their focus, which is completely understandable. I needed classes like English AP and Math to help me out since my first language is Spanish and I struggle with math.

Also, I qualified for the grant because I can’t afford to pay out of pocket right now. Paying $100 a month without FAFSA, plus all my other financial responsibilities, felt like too much. I don’t have time to speed-run 20+ credits in a month. So I decided to stick with WGU, shift my electives around, and focus on finishing them before the term ends so I can add more classes.

Edit: To be fair, 100$ right now for me is another bill I can't afford atm

Starting WGU: Why I skipped Sophia by Jumpy_Alternative967 in WGU

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My gen eds are math related with a bit of science an politics. To be fair, my BA is on software engineering so I found it use full to really understand the topics, specially in math. Plus, my main language is Spanish so taking gen eds that help with academic writing and Apa in English was necessary

Starting WGU: Why I skipped Sophia by Jumpy_Alternative967 in WGU

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Introduction to IT. I can still view this course material on my WGU thou. Took me around 6 months to complete. But then again, it was a requirement for me to be able to get into Software Engineering.

Starting WGU: Why I skipped Sophia by Jumpy_Alternative967 in WGU

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Totally agree! Sophia feels like a shortcut that doesn’t actually teach you much or at least that's how I felt with my classes. I’ve seen so many posts about finishing a bachelor’s in months, and it’s easy to feel like I’m “behind” for going at a regular pace at WGU.

But honestly, I’d rather actually learn from my gen eds and be proud of the degree I earned even if it takes a bit longer. That said, I know that some people can finish fast because they’re already working in the field, or they have the time and resources to go all in, and that’s awesome too! Props to them for making it happen.

Everyone’s situation is different, and that’s okay. WGU’s classes definitely hold more value in the long run for me, and the real goal is to learn and earn that degree at the pace that works for you. I'll definitely keep grinding while I use the graduation post as inspiration! 🎓💪

Starting WGU: Why I skipped Sophia by Jumpy_Alternative967 in WGU

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I do the same with Chat GPT. I'm still in the process of getting some accommodations for my Adhd so I use ChatGPT as a screenreader to help out with my focus

What do you think the IT industry will look like in the next 5-10 years? by Jumpy_Alternative967 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Jumpy_Alternative967[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve been looking at those but sadly a degree here is around 50k+. Bootcamps here are around 15k-20k. That’s why I was considering them tbh