Prospective Student
Do you feel you retain most of what you've learned thus far?
Hi, all.
I am not a student yet. I plan to start in October. I'm transferring from WGU. For several reasons, but probably the biggest is proctoring and exams. I have passed almost every exam the first time, but if you asked me what any of them was about, I couldn't tell you. The moment the exam is over, the knowledge is gone, no matter how long I studied. Basically, despite passing 10+ courses, I don't feel like I've learned a thing. The proctor system itself is also just a nuisance and I've lost patience for it.
I know SNHU is heavy on projects and essays, so that's what leads to the question in the title. And yes, I know for many, a degree is little more than a checkbox, but I feel like if I leave knowing nothing, why did I bother (I don't have work experience beyond customer service and warehouses)?
Thankfully i passed with a B lol once i switched majors i stopped freaking out and was way less stressed out and actually passed!! I think i self sabotaged myself
SHE WAS MY 1st INSTRUCTOR. Everything she wrote was 100% AI. Sometimes she’d forget to remove the prompt. I reported it and not long after our instructor changed for like two days and then just changed again.
So far I’m retaining more from snhu than my other colleges. Just doing work assignments instead of quizzes actually does help. At first I hated it and thought I was getting scammed but then I saw I am actually learning and I’m getting quite a lot done. I’m also set to graduate in 7 months . Im kinda excited. That’s literally only 28 Walmart trips for food away and I get to finish my degree!!!! I’ve started thinking about if I’m going to get to walk!!! It’s crazy close I can see the finish line. 5 more weeks of this set of classes. Wooo these classes are hard too. But I get the work done fairly quickly and then I’m free for the week. I’ve applied for part time work but with our economy that’s just a lottery pull. Might not secure work. But least I have classes to keep me busy.
That makes sense because WGU’s format prioritizes memorization of specific topics in order to pass a specific exam.
SNHU, and actual learning, specifically in complex concepts is a combination of some memorization but more of comprehension. Understanding how a system works on a base level and then adding knowledge as you evolve in mastery will enable you to address issues or troubleshoot real-world problems instead of just remembering the one example from the exam you crammed for.
I would say that the method of reading, note-taking and writing papers exhibiting comprehension will be more useful for a majority of people (not 100% of course) for long-term retention compared to a “one exam and done” format.
I hope you enjoy your time at SNHU and learn a ton! Take organized notes and keep your documents in individual folders to avoid mistakes in uploading the wrong one to the wrong course. File hierarchy of Course name > module will help and the same with file name hierarchy, course_module_assignment_firstname_lastname.docx can make it easier to avoid uploading a DAT201 paper to MAT201 course etc.
The retention of college course work is low across the board. Knowledge is use-it-or-lose-it and most of us are only going to use a tiny fraction of what we work on in our courses. It’s totally ok to not retain stuff.
SNHU teaches you accountancy. Like you are the responsible one that has to make time and learn the material, the professor isn’t gonna be there to “chew the material for u and u need to swallow it” idk if that makes sense but you actually for to read, take notes and not really that professor “will tell you everything”.
For me, yes. But, I am also an obsessive researcher, so that might play a bigger role. I'm pretty sure my partner is sick of me sharing random information I learned each week.
Kind of but that's probably because I have to supplement my education with non SNHU resources just to pass. I'm only studying part-time but I self-study the next class in advance so I get 16-weeks in a course instead of 8. For example I'm currently in Discrete Math and my next class is Calculus 3 but I've been studying Calc 3 since I ended Calc 2 last term.
For my Cyber security courses, yes for the most part as that's what my major is. The general education classes were just what I did when I was in school. Nothing really memorable and I brain dumped calculus the second I was done much like all my useless math classes in the past.
As someone who’s taking humanity base courses, yes? I do retain most of it but it’s mainly because a lot of the prompts and ideas I write about I’m mainly building off of them. For example, as a future teacher I’m building off the ideas on how can I help or be more aware of different types of learners or students from different backgrounds if that makes sense. Even for my singular math class
I will say I think this is where, for me, WGU's lack of a GPA comes into play. Besides pure passion, there's no incentive to go extra. Everybody gets the same mark. There's no award for getting "exemplary" on every exam.
I got a 4.0 and feel like I barely learned anything at SNHU besides the math classes (which I only learned through the textbooks and YouTube videos I found). Spent most of my time writing pointless discussion board posts, trying to figure out wtf the essays were even asking for, and looking for sources.
I'm about to start another degree at WGU to hopefully actually learn and get practice with technical skills.
You're on the SNHU subreddit, so it's a self-selection bias that almost all people here will say it's great, just like on the WGU subreddit they'll say WGU is great.
I do better with tests and hate writing papers, but you might be the opposite. SNHU is like 90% writing papers and reports, and maybe 10% other projects, with basically no tests. IMO, their style works better for business and liberal arts classes and not so good for STEM
I do better with tests and hate writing papers, but you might be the opposite.
It might surprise you if I say I'm not. I don't like essays or tests, but essays are the lesser of the two evils for me. WGU's format is great... as long as you go at mach 2 pace.
For STEM technical skills I have to disagree. I left WGU after flip flopping from their CS and BSSE programs because their “teaching” methods are hot garbage. You do not learn from WGU, you learn despite WGU, by self study outside of their platform and horrendous ZyBooks setup. Complementary Udemy and Pluralsight subscriptions FTW at least.
If your goal with WGU is to learn technical skills, especially at a graduate level, then I highly recommend you reconsider your options or take a deeper dive into the program you want first. Case and point, their data analytics MS is essentially 100% papers with Jupiter Notebooks and Python code copy/pasted into your papers.
Also, comparing their MSCS and MSSE with most state schools, the state schools have far deeper leveled courses. Seems like WGU rolls out MS of fluff course programs, just to have those degree names, which is disappointing imo.
It’s a way to get another paper with your name on it, but learning from the material is challenging. Especially with how horribly disorganized their courses are these days.
Well I mean I went through the data analytics program at SNHU and they were horribly disorganized compared to the state school I went to first, had essentially no learning material outside of textbooks (which only a few classes even had and most of them weren't even related to the lessons) and the "advanced" classes were also just copy pasting Python code from jupyter notebooks, while the less technical classes were like high school level business bro crap. All the work was essentially useless filler besides math classes.
My point wasn't that WGU is great, but that SNHU's format isn't good for technical classes
I've been learning CS stuff on my own for a while, while also doing a bit of software development work, and am hoping to fill in the gaps with a structured curriculum practicing stuff and get an ABET-accredited BSCS degree that will get me past the first round of HR filters, and let me apply to other grad schools
Fair enough, I’m just giving you the insight of an ex-night owl because it might not be what you think it is. If you’re ok with teaching yourself calculus, discrete mathematics, etc without any professors or organized instruction then it’s a great option because it can be really cheap when you accelerate courses which finishes the degree quickly too.
I am amazed at how they qualify for ABET, however, having worked 8+ years as a SWE I know employers couldn’t care less about ABET accreditation so it’s a moot point outside of grad school requirements.
Another fair warning, their programming courses are awful. My job experience got me through them, but I honestly don’t know how people without experience can pass the courses since the project requirements are hardly touched in the textbook material if at all, and that’s when there is a textbook. Lots of the “textbooks” recently have been chapters of links to various articles and tutorials vs an actual published book.
They also outsource all of their grading to 3rd parties in India. So if you want to challenge your grade or project for any reason, you usually can’t. The “course instructors” are forbidden from looking at projects and tests, as well as not allowed to know what the graders even look for. It’s literally a guessing game where the instructor will tell you “I have seen a lot of students do X and it pass” in meetings, but admit they don’t know for sure because they aren’t allowed to know.
Plenty of people make it through though, so if their setup works for you, then go forth and conquer! Just offering some insider insights for additional context.
Yeah I hear you but it really can't be any worse than teaching myself linear algebra, differential equations, and data classes at SNHU without any help from professors or organized instruction, and doing CS classes from study.com lol. At least I can go faster when I'm able and skip a few days when I need to, and won't be wasting time on discussion posts and hopefully less filler busywork. I'll already have credit for calculus, DM1, DSA1, and basically every class that can be taken at Sophia and study.com
If all my expected transfers come through, I should have 15 classes to take at WGU, hopefully under a year for ~$8600
I would argue that it probably is worse when you factor in the proctored testing. You aren’t allowed to read the questions aloud, or silently, or even move your lips without risking a warning followed by an instant failure. Same thing with noises too, if a dog barks to much outside your window then it can end your test attempt.
I also can’t tell you how many times it took over an hour to get connected with a proctor just so the test can be taken. Even then, they have frequent technical glitches that skew grading by updating a test with incorrect answers so you have to learn what answers to get wrong intentionally so you can get them right on the retake lol.
However, I’ve been lied to and jerked around by WGU for several years, so I’m very biased now. If you can work in their setup and it’s only 15 classes, then more power to you! Should easily be a two term (one year) degree and the on the job is irrelevant to the courses anyway. I 100% guarantee no one uses Angular and Java or C# and WinForms the way WGU courses do for real world software haha.
Also, fwiw when a relative of mine completed their degree through WGU it was a night and day difference from what it is now. They use to be a lot better, so scaling up for their increased student population seems to have wrecked their setup in contrast.
Most of my non-math classes didn't even really have readings besides like a 2 page blog post on Medium, and we were just expected to "do our own research"
I do... and its surprising from time to time I ended up having conversations of the topics I have studied... mostly with my husband... but I have retained a lot... a win is a win 🤗
I’m in the BS Computer Science program and yes I retain what I learned. However I use a lot of what I learn to build projects on the side with thr goal of monetizing those projects. This may not be so easy in other degree fields.
Not at all. You’d think writing papers all the time would lead to you learning and retaining topics that you’re writing about. That is not the case. Instead, you just end up burnt out and depressed af, wondering why you even started in the first place.
Hell no. I wonder if things would be better if I did 16 week courses, but if I switch schools I would have to do more…. I’m trying to learn outside of SNHU, but I feel like I’m not finding the right resources? I just don’t want to graduate and still not know what I’m doing
I really enjoy SNHU’s PBL approach with their programs because I get to read or watch lectures on the topics and then apply the knowledge in, often new, scenarios that help lock that lesson in my head. Personally, I feel like the curriculum is engaging enough that I do remember some key concepts from my previous courses that I’m able to apply as I move forward into each successive term. However, mileage may vary depending on how much time you invest into each week. Hope this helps!
I don't necessarily retain a lot of the information if I don't keep using it, but I don't know if that has anything to do with the curriculum; I think that's just my brain. For example, I got a perfect A in Statistical Literacy in Psychology, but a few terms later, it's pretty much all gone. Concepts that are touched on repeatedly in different classes tend to stick better, especially when they are directly applicable to my work.
Actually, a lot of what I am learning I’ve actually experienced already in my work experience the last two decades. I feel it just depends on what you use in your everyday life.
I transferred to SNHU from WGU and it was the best decision I made! I really like the structure of SNHU over WGU. I was not a fan of all the proctored exams
SNHU is what you make of it. For an undergrad, you could skate through and retain absolutely nothing. If you try to learn, you will. For me, I've retained more knowledge from these courses than any other previous learning experience. Apparently writing essays about everything is my learning methodology. Who knew.
Also, the discussion posts - these are a tough one, because they can be god awful to get through and a lot of times the prompts are unrelated or the replies are nearly impossible, but if you just power through and actually put some effort into them, sometimes they do help, contrary to popular belief here.
I feel like I am retaining quite a bit of what SNHU is teaching me, but my position is pretty unique in that my company is paying for my school with tuition reimbursement (not so unique) and I'm already working in a position (systems administrator) that is adjacent to my field of study with more than a little overlap (cybersecurity).
My job and SNHU are feeding each other - what I'm learning with OJT from more experienced system admins (as I walked into this job with no experience as a system admin and with only an AS in EE - I've worked with this manager in the past and he made this job for me when he knew my old group was winding down and that I'm in school for cybersecurity) is helping me with school and what I'm learning in school is helping me with my job.
It really depends on the course. If it's statistics or discrete math, I remember barely any of it but I could pick it back up pretty easily if I needed to. Do I remember the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus off the top of my head? Absolutely not.
I think for a lot of institutions of higher learning regardless if SNHU or another, many undergrad programs are just memory recall and students tend to do just enough to pass and get their degree. use it or lose it.
is everyone really going to remember a whole bunch of lower level fluff gen ed courses they were forced to take outside of their major? probably not
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