Western Governors University
Is This Your Business?5.0
5.0
Author: Kaitlyn Short
The mission of Western Governors University is to improve quality and expand access to post-secondary education. Western Governors University has a unique story as it was founded by 19 state governors of the United States. In order to make secondary education more accessible, WGU works hard to make the education experience a flexible as possible. There are over 50,000 students currently enrolled at WGU from all fifty states. WGU is supported by over 20 major corporations that work with students to help prepare them to enter the workforce upon graduation. Students report being more prepared for work after graduation and a 91% job placement rate testifies to the schools ability to prepare students to enter the workforce. The faculty is completely focused on student learning and is not constrained to a single class. This unique faculty-student partnership allows for teachers to provide individual support and attention to students. This partnership may explain WGU's above average 79% student retention rate.
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The Good
- Competitive Online Institution
- Flat Tuition Fee
- Mentorship Program
Competitive Online Institution
WGU provides resources to their students that make obtaining a postgraduate degree possible for working professionals. The flexibility of the learning process allows students to work full-time while continuing their education. There are no schedule online classes that pull students from other responsibilities, and teachers are accessible anytime throughout your course schedule. Job placement upon graduation is extremely high. For many online students job placement is a huge part of the reason for enrollment. WGU programs are broken down into the following colleges:- Online College of Information Technology
- Online College of Health Professions
- Online College of Business
- Teachers College
Flat Tuition Fee
WGU uses a different platform for tuition. Instead of charging per credit hour, they charge a flat rate for six months and a student can take as many classes during that period as their schedule permits. In many cases, this allows students to finish rather quickly and pay less in the long run for their education. Since the platform is broken down into six months, full time status for the student is considered throughout that period. Students can take the full-time courses concurrently or throughout the allotted time period.Mentorship Program
Each student is assigned a mentor who will check up on them weekly to make sure classes are going well. Having this extra support has helped students keep on track and move in the right direction towards graduating. These mentors will help students with study and program needs.The Bad
- Low Admission Rate
- Full-Time Status Required
- Only Four Areas of Focus
Low Admission Rate
While WGU has helped thousands of students obtain their degree, there are things prospective students should be aware of. First, the admission rate is 45 percent. A low admittance rate conflicts with the mission of the school to make post-secondary education more accessible.Full-Time Status Required
Also, the flexibility of the online schedule is weakened by the requirement that students must remain full-time. If students are working on an undergraduate degree, they are required to maintain a 12 credit hour schedule, and graduate students must maintain an eight credit hour schedule.Only Four Areas of Focus
The school offers a variety of programs, but they are limited to four focuses. If a student is not looking to study education, business, technology, or nursing, WGU is not for you.The Bottom Line
- Fill out basic information
- Submit educational background
- Provide demographic information
- Review application
- Submit
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