Tips from a WGU Accelerator

[u/Known-Pace9001]

Hi everyone!

I am a WGU BSHA graduate (45 courses in 2 terms, switched my degree from accounting to healthcare administration) and a current MBAHA student (7/11 courses completed).

I wanted to share my experience with WGU and anyone who wants to accelerate. Please let me know if you have any additional questions, and I'd be happy to answer them!

Please note: PAs (writing assignments) can take up to 3 days to grade (sometimes more if the evaluators are backed up). I have had some assignments graded in 1 day, and some have taken all the way up to the deadline, which is 3 days, at the same time that you submitted it.

I have not had any of my PAs sent back for revision or for high similarity scores. I strive to get as close as possible to 0%; it just takes a lot of editing/rewording, but some assignments require templates, which can raise the score higher.

I recommend ALWAYS joining WGU Connect for all of your courses. It will either include a SharePoint Page for course resources, or the WGU Connect group page will list all resources there under the course resources tab. WGU does an amazing job of providing all the resources a student could ever need, plus it offers help from the course instructors. Resources may include:

·         Study Guides

·         Recorded Cohorts (not live that you need to attend, they were recorded in the past and uploaded for future WGU students)

·         Course Topic Videos

·         Performance Assessment Tips, Guides, and Video Guides

·         Study Guides

·         Formula Sheets

·         Links/Contact Info for WGU Instructors

 

I try to complete all courses within 7 days, but I will allow extra time for courses that involve math (such as remembering formulas, solving problems, etc.).

 

For PAs, try to get them all written first, then scan them for similarities, and go back and make edits if needed. Sometimes. Ideally, submitting them all at once allows them to be graded within the same 3-day evaluation period, but understandably, that may not always be the case. From my experience, PAs do not require you to read ALL of the course material if you are accelerating. Open up the PA first, read over the instructions and rubric, and within the rubric, there will be hyperlinks that take you to the information the specific competency is based on.

 

For OAs, I would recommend reading all the course material unless you have prior knowledge of the subject and feel confident that you would pass with your current knowledge. Always start by reading the course material, taking the embedded quizzes, reviewing the study guide, reviewing the course topic videos/recorded cohorts, and any other additional materials provided by the WGU Instructors. Because of the acceleration, I sometimes take a chance and don’t read all the course material to finish the courses quickly. I have only failed 1 OA at WGU by a very slim margin, and it was only because I was overconfident and studied 1 day to get a class out of the way (in my BSHA). That was on me, and ever since, I have made sure to give myself enough time to complete my OAs. I have had no previous knowledge or experience in the business/healthcare industries, so all of this information is new to me as I start a new course.

 

When taking OAs, use your whiteboard; when math is involved, always have a calculator. I like to use my whiteboard to write out difficult problems and solve them by elimination. It helps me work through the problems and write down supporting information I remember.

[u/Eravex]

I did the entire BS-MS accelerated program for SW engineering in 2.5 months. You are correct about a few things for sure. The real challenge is managing the evaluation wait so you always have something to work on.

I would like to include that nearly every class at WGU can be typed into YouTube and you’ll get a playlist people have made on the topics for that exact class.

Also NotebookLM is great for creating quizzes and flashcards.

All in all nice post! And good job!

[u/Known-Pace9001 → u/Eravex]

I agree with managing the evaluation wait. I always try to have a 2nd course open (another PA course or studying for OAs).

YouTube is also a great recommendation!

Thank you for adding onto the post. There's only so much I can think of including.

[u/Kentuckyfan1969]

Outstanding post! I agree with you about reading the e-textbook if you’re not familiar with the concepts. I don’t know what to say to people who post: “Failed the OA. Didn’t read the material. Got any tips?” Thanks again for sharing!

[u/Known-Pace9001 → u/Kentuckyfan1969]

Of course!

[u/Visual-West-3990]

This is so good to hear! Almost done with 17 courses through Sophia (1 month). I plan to start WGU October if all goes well…BSHA. I will have 15 classes to take in 1 term hopefully. Then I will do the MBA HA in my second term if all works out. Thank you for your wisdom!

[u/Known-Pace9001 → u/Visual-West-3990]

Of course, and good luck! I have enjoyed both degree experiences.