Mentors

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Apr 24, 2014

Usually, you talk once a week in the beginning, and then you can cut back to every two weeks. It is helpful to be able to be looking at the same computer screen while talking- rather than endless email exchanges. Your weekly calls last anywhere from 5-30 minutes. If you have no current needs, it's pretty quick. Honestly, I felt the same way you did, and my mentor ended up becoming a friend. I looked forward to our weekly chats. So much so that I requested her to be my MSN mentor as well.

liberated847 · Apr 24, 2014

Agree, I felt the same way but now I look forward to my short weekly updates.

featherzRN, MSN · Apr 24, 2014

I agree, I hate talking on the phone but generally it was quick and a 'hey, look what I did, can you open this?' and that was it. My mentor was awesome so that helped.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2014

My mentor seems to have an ulterior motive of stretching my time out with WGU. I definitely do not want to spend three terms working on my BSN, and I'd really like to get everything done in one term. I have another phone appointment with my mentor soon, so we shall see...

featherzRN, MSN · Apr 25, 2014

There are a few like that, Commuter. I'd advise a change of mentors if you get through your first 12 units and are unable to accelerate without a hassle. Sometimes, however, they are hesitant until they know you can do it, as it appears their performance is partially based on yours. I was lucky to have a confident mentor who opened whatever I needed after I got through my first 12 in about three weeks.

klone, MSN, RN · Apr 25, 2014

Yes, I agree with Featherz - they will be hesitant at first until they see your progress. I would say, don't even broach the subject now, just zoom through your classes, and if you have finished all but the last class you're working on, it's easy enough for her to open it up at that time.

My poor mentor - my first term, I actually didn't finish one of my assigned classes, so it rolled over into the next term. This term (which ends at the end of May) I finished all of my assigned classes two months early, and I asked her if I could accelerate a class (I have NEVER completed a term EARLY before, this is VERY unusual for me, Master Procrastinator). The only problem is the only two classes I had to choose from were the Administration Specialist class (5 credits, five fairly involved tasks) and the Lit Review (a LOT of work). So she just said "Tell you what, I won't open it, but you can work ahead on the tasks. If you get all 5 tasks done by mid-May, I will open it up for you and you can submit them all at once." I agreed to that plan. And have I actually DONE any of the tasks yet? Noooo. And I decided I'm not going to. So it was a good plan after all (but she knows me, and probably suspected I would have a hard time actually completing the tasks on time).

Anyway, for the most part, our biweekly phone calls consist of "How's it going? Any questions? Do you need anything from me? No? Okay" and we either hang up in less than 5 minutes, or we move on to discussion about family or the weather.

I preferred my BSN mentor a lot more than the mentor I have now. We just clicked more on a personal level. I asked her to mentor me for the MSN, but she had only mentored one other MSN student and she felt like I would need someone more "seasoned".

DisneyRNMSN · Apr 25, 2014

I promise you your mentor doesn't want you hanging around any longer than necessary. The number of graduates is an important metric (in addition to how many students achieve 100% OTP).

The new BSN is almost impossible to complete in just 6 months due to the community health practicum.

Having said that, if you get almost everything done in the first term, it doesn't mean you have to spend an entire 2nd term at WGU; when you finish-you graduate! So, if it takes you 1 month of the 2nd term, then you are done. Plus, if your 2nd term has less than 12 CU's, rather than pay the flat rate, you can request a tuition adjustment from the Bursar's office.

featherzRN, MSN · Apr 25, 2014

I promise you your mentor doesn't want you hanging around any longer than necessary. The number of graduates is an important metric (in addition to how many students achieve 100% OTP).
The new BSN is almost impossible to complete in just 6 months due to the community health practicum.
Having said that, if you get almost everything done in the first term, it doesn't mean you have to spend an entire 2nd term at WGU; when you finish-you graduate! So, if it takes you 1 month of the 2nd term, then you are done. Plus, if your 2nd term has less than 12 CU's, rather than pay the flat rate, you can request a tuition adjustment from the Bursar's office.

You CAN still finish in 6 months - we just had another four monther over on the facebook page.. But it requires a lot of work and a supportive mentor that will open both community health classes in the same term (no, it is not forbidden - mentor discretion). I agree that coming in and telling the mentor that you want to finish in 6 is not the best plan - get those first 12 done ASAP to prove you can do it as I am guessing a LOT of people say that and then are unable to follow through- and that can hurt the mentor's performance scores.

And yes, tuition is prorated if you need to go another term.

Even though it is still possible to do in one term (I did it with 50 CU to do), it is NOT easy - I had to neglect everyone and everything to do it. You may find that 2 terms is a better pace for you.

momof3lv · Apr 26, 2014

I agree with all you. I didn't even mention accelerating when I spoke with my mentor for the first time. I figure my actions will speak for them self if i breeze through it. I don't really feel like I will get it done in one term but we will see how it goes. She did recommend that I try taking. The pa on one or two classes now before I start in may just to see how I do so I take that as a good sign that she is not going to try to hold me back if I want to accelerate later.