Western Governors University

Author: Jenna Vasquez

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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

While there are a variety of specific degrees, all programs are broken down into one of the colleges. Because of the focus on these four main programs the quality of education is improved. Creating a high-speed, high-quality, highly accessible education is all made possible through WGU's attention to detail.

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.

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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.

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The Bottom Line

WGU offers an opportunity for students to obtain the post-secondary education necessary to succeed in the fields of education, business, technology, and nursing at a reasonable cost. The University does well on its mission to create a flexible learning environment that is of high quality and accessibility. The University is highly focused on four categories that may not meet the needs of all students. Those who want to apply to a WGU program will need to follow a simple process online:

1. Fill out basic information
2. Submit educational background
3. Provide demographic information
4. Review application
5. Submit