Student contributor: Bryan Billings
Whether you are a new student at WGU or a seasoned pro, we can all relate to being the “new kid”. WGU student and IT professional, Bryan Billings, recently shared some sage advice for new students on a Facebook post and we thought we would share his wise words. Enjoy!
What Advice Would You Give to a Baby Owl?
- You get out of WGU what you put into it. You can do the bare minimum and try to pass the course, but you won't retain much that way…And what’s the point of that?
- Course mentors are there when you need help on the material. USE THEM. If your mentor offers to set up a call with you, DO IT! They offer such a great value and can often provide additional materials and reference study sheets to help you beyond the basic course materials.
- Find a study routine and stick to it. 15-20 hours per week are suggested in order to be successful with your on-time progress.
- Life can get in the way--don't let it break your stride.
- Don’t forget to schedule your online proctored test and if you have to go through a testing center, plan ahead as it can get busy during peak hours.
- You can read course material and even take pre-assessments for any course in your plan, even ones not in your current term. Use this tip when you finish all your enrolled courses to get a jump start on your next term, or to safely accelerate courses in your current term.
- Don't procrastinate, you can always make up reasons not to start. Get to work!
- For performance objectives, read the rubric and grade yourself on all the same criteria before submitting your work.
- Remember why you went back to school in the first place. That goal will help drive you through tough courses.
- Pacing guides are just a suggestion. You may find you are faster or slower than the suggested pace. Both are fine, just as long as you moving the ball forward.
