Western Governors University Reviews

Thank God for WGU

By: jamesnrhodes (In Progress) on July 22, 2008

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After reading many  of the reviews here, I am going to chime in with my two cents.

WGU is not an institution for students that need their hands to be held throughout their degree program. The courses require you to read and actually do research for your essays. Yes, there are a lot of essays to be written, but quite honestly I feel essays make you work to understand a subject more thoroughly. Believe me, I have learned things I never knew before about US history though my research.

The mentors are quite excellent. Since I am a disciplined person, my mentor just calls me up to check up on my progress. Also, if I do have any questions she is readily available through e-mail or a telephone call during the daytime.

I am disabled (permanent cane use) from a military accident in Canada. Being able to take an accredited degree online is a bonus for me. I don't have to undergo the daily grind of traveling to a brick and mortar university. WGU saves me time and money by being able to study in my computer/study room.

I secured employment as a substitute teacher because of my degree program at WGU. Since I am teaching courses only in my field - Social Studies (Economics, Geography, US History, World History, etc.) - I am getting valuable classroom experience BEFORE going into my Demonstration Teaching phase. When I am ready for that I will have about four years of classroom experience. I expect to do well in the DT phase, because I have been able to apply things I have learned in my Foundations of Teaching courses. Getting to apply this stuff is so cool IMHO.

A regular history teacher has even told me that I have extensive and impressive knowledge about American history and politics. He was shocked when I told him I hail from Canada. Other teachers have told me that I would pass my student teaching phase with flying colors. This all just validates my decision to become a secondary Social Science teacher.

For the people that are whining about minor issues, WGU is going through some major growing pains - they now have over 10,000 students. Since I started in the summer of 2004, I have seen many changes happen. Some I agree with and some I don't - I don't expect to agree with everything they do. For me, the important thing is that WGU has more accreditation than most brick and mortar universities. This is why I chose to take my degree through them. Getting NCATE accreditation was the icing on the cake IMHO.

Online post-secondary education is the future folks. Get used to it... Online education requires a different mindset than a brick and mortar university. You have to be organized and disciplined in order to get work done. Thanks Apple for iCal, because that program keeps me VERY organized. :)

Not much value

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on July 15, 2008

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Although I am easily passing WGU courses, I am not learning much.  There is little challenge and poor value for the amount I am paying for this program.  
I am very disappointed with the lack of quality of education.  
I doubt the courses I took at WGU will even transfer because they do not have grades.  Just pass and fail.
I enrolled and found out my military TA would not pay for term based tuition.  So I have to do class by class, and that cost significantly more.  Because WGU does not provide grades, I found out I have to pay back what tuition assistance I did receive.

Awesome program

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on June 24, 2008

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I am almost finished with my teaching degree and am loving is program.  I always hated waiting for the class to catch up and to move on.  This university allows us to all move at our own rate.  The mentors are awesome and there is always more resources if you need more help grasping a concept.  I would recomend this school to any self-motavated student.

Questionable

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on June 23, 2008

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I have completed 1.5 years with WGU (MA in Educational Studies) My first mentor was wonderful and definately worth his Phd. However my next mentor was pathetic and I requested a change. My current mentor makes me wonder about his credentials to say the least.
Yes the school is nationally, regionally and NCATE accredited but what does that really mean? The majority of the tasks make no sense, are true busy work and come in duplicate. The graders (GOD WHO ARE THEY) are a joke! They do not follow the task directions or rubric but rather grade as they wish. Constantly asking for items not mentioned in the task. I guess we are suppose to guess.
Now that being said, I have attended both traditional and other online schools and WGU is not all that its cracked up to be. 
Only AFTER I removed WGU from my resume did I get call backs about teaching jobs EVEN FROM NURSERY SCHOOLS so I am VERY upset and scared about WGU. IF I transfer to a school here will I lose all of the work I did? Not to mention $$$.
I dont know about the other states but the message I am getting about NYC is that if the "school" is not well known, dont even bother. Online doesnt matter so much because many of our NYS schools offer distance learing, however when people see WGU they RUN!

Excellent Value for Military

By: rslawrence2561 (In Progress) on June 7, 2008

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I am an Air Force officer nearing military retirement and am finishing my second 6-month term at WGU.  WGU is an excellent value for students with full-time jobs who can only work on their studies at odd hours and weekends.  The education I've received so far has allowed me to speak on an intelligent basis with the Principal and host science teacher at the local high school during my WGU-required "pre-clinical field experiences."  Looks like I'll be able to student teach at this school as well.  WGU hasn't been easy but the learning materials and academic mentor support to date have been excellent.  Comparitively low cost and NCATE accreditation are pluses as well.

Great for people who want to learn

By: L_Stapley (In Progress) on May 23, 2008

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I am in my third year here at WGU it is a great school for people who are willing to learn and work independently. I have had a few difficulties but none I didn't have with brick and mortar school I attended. I had no problem transferring credits from the other school. My mentor is very good she has always answered my questions promptly and so has every other department in WGU. The tasks are not busy work they are designed to teach you and at least these tasks require you use your brain not just regurgitate useless facts. If you’re looking for an easy school then WGU is not for you. The mentors won’t hold your hand and give you the answers they will help you be successful but it is up to you to do the work and study hard.  I will say sometimes communication is not the best and mentors and the school could do a better job of letting you know important information.

Student Teaching Placement - Be Cautious

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on May 20, 2008

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I have just earned my teaching certificate after completing WGU's teaching certification program. There were very many tasks for each domain; many tasks I personally felt were inconsequential and were just busy work. I was lucky and had great mentors. I felt that the cohort was a complete waste of my time. 
The one thing that I would caution anyone who is considering earning their teaching certificate through WGU is to first check with their own school district to see if WGU students have been placed into student teaching programs. This is very important. Many urban school districts have close relationships with nearby college teaching programs and will not even consider placing anyone from WGU into a school as a student teacher. After two nerve wrecking months of waiting for WGU to find me a placement (they went through every school district and private school within 50 miles of my location)I found my own placement because I personally knew a teacher who agreed to be my Host Teacher. You do not want to do all of the work and pay for all of the tuition to find, at the end, you cannot complete your program because no school within a 100 miles will accept you.

My Experience

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on May 5, 2008

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I am currently a student. So far the experience has been sometimes great, sometimes frustrating. However, the degree program is delivering the content I expect from a teacher's college. I have spoken to many new graduates of teacher's colleges at the school I work at; all of them tell me that I am studying exactly the same type of material that they covered in their programs.

WGU

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on April 25, 2008

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Great Value

Bachelor of Arts, Science (Bio endorsement)

By: fstvansk8a (Graduate) on April 13, 2008

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I had a lot of credits from a community college. I was planning on using the credits toward a degree in education. The college changed the required credits and only about 30 would transfer. It would have taken me another three years to finish. Then I found WGU and was very skeptical. I decided to talk to the school and I found that I could use what I knew to help me. I didn't have to sit through classes and drive downtown to hear a bunch of information I already knew. I am now done with my degree (after 1 1/2 years). Every time I doubted WGUs legitimacy or practices I was reaffirmed. I passed the Praxis II Science exam with a 195/200 (about the 99th percentile). Also, all the "Busy work" really pays off if you learn from it. When I was interviewed by my principal I was asked about things I did "busy work" on. For example, you are required to write a lengthy essay on formative assessment and summative assessment. Also you are required to write a paper on scaffolding. I was able to talk about these topics with ease the first time I talked to my principal.

Altogether, you get out of the school what you put into it. The busy work is for a reason, and everything else they require you to learn is worth learning. The people whining about the problems with the school are those that couldn't hack it. This school is not for anybody. It is for those willing to do the work. The school has policies to quickly get rid of students that are unable to do well. These are the students complaining. They do not have any policies though that will hold a person back.

Mentor don't have a Degree!

By: KimDay27 (In Progress) on April 7, 2008

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While attending WGU, I found out that my mentor/ and graders did not hold a BA degree. When asked why their BIO was not posted on their web site I was given the run around. Before attending WGU, I would strongly recommend that they assign you to a mentor that has the qualification. WGU no longer post the Bio’s of the mentors because of this particular incident.

For Independant, Self Disciplined Learners

By: virtue_summer (In Progress) on March 16, 2008

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I have been attending WGU since September.  I have experience attending both brick and mortar schools and other online programs, and I found that WGU compares well.  It is different than brick and mortar schools because you have to be an independant learner with self discipline.  A professor will not feed you the information and constantly keep you on task.  You must do a lot of this yourself.  Your mentor will keep in touch with you on a regular basis by  phone, though, to check  your progress and this helps.  

The tasks are not necessarily difficult, but many of them did make me think about the subject and that's the important thing.  Transferring in was easy and with the exception of a critical thinking and a science course, I had already completed all of my non teaching related requirements.  

My mentor calls me regularly and responds to my e-mail in a timely manner, and if she doesn't know the answer she always directs me to the person that does.  WGU also provides a lot of answers to common questions through their online students handbook, etc.  

The learning materials are varied and provide a good range of views.  They seem to try to avoid the bias that exists in many traditional courses due to professors who only present views that match their own.  Videos that show students and teachers interacting are extremely helpful to me, as well be in person observations in classrooms which WGU provides as well before student teaching.

I have already learned a lot, including very practical information such as a teachers legal rights in the classroom.  I don't know about other people's experiences but the graders have been very consistent with me and the rubrics are a lifesaver in terms of knowing ahead of time what is required and how the assignment will be graded.  I was never given a rubric at my brick and mortar universities.  I also enjoy not being subject to a professor's odd requirements.  At a previous university I once got an F on an essay for not having enough sentences in my paragraphs!  At WGU I revise if the comments make sense and if they don't I explain my position and it is usually respected or the reasoning of the comments clarified.  

As to cost, it's hard for me to beat WGU.  At my brick and mortar university I had to commute an hour each way and the cost of gas is astronomical, not to mention the fact that the commute cost me valuable time and slowed down my progress.  At WGU I'm getting through school faster because I can work ahead and I'm able to combine the last few requirements for my BA with the requirements for my teaching credential.  I am also available to apply for and interview for education related jobs other than teaching while I finish my credential because I don't have to work around an inflexible schedule.

Stay away from WGU!

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on March 16, 2008

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Stay away from WGU.  It is a waste of time and money.  I am in my second year and want out.  The college changes policies very often.  The papers are busy work.  It takes almost a week to get them back.  They are graded by people who grade them the way they want.  Forget the rubic.  I do have a nice mentor.  The graders go through taskstream.  They are jokes.  No one ever sees their creditials.  I am passing the work at WGU.  This is a very bad college.  They would not take my previous credits from my college.  I have received emails from others who have had the same problems.  I was told that I could test out of subject that I have know for years.  This is not accurate.  Acculation is almost impossible.  Please, run away from this college.  Get your degree from a college that you can be proud of.  I can say that I am very ashamed of this college.

Western Governors University

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on March 10, 2008

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Western Governors University is a complete ripoff. The program deliberately slows you down, so that WGU can charge you more. I thought that this would be a quicker way to finish my degree, but I would have easily finished by now if I had gone to a different college, and taken the traditional route.

It often takes weeks to get a simple assignment graded. And when you finally get it back, the grader is often wrong! Example: I failed an accounting assignment, because I was told revenues/expenses are not part of operating cash flows in a cash flow statement! What?? Every accounting text book confirmed I was right. Who's grading these papers??? Besides this, I was told before I enrolled at WGU that I could test out of courses that I already knew - the majority of courses turned out to be assignment based.

Of course I should have known what I was getting into soon after I enrolled. After I enrolled they refused to give me credit for my associates degree - even though they guaranteed me that everything would transfer BEFORE I paid my tuition/fees. When I threatened legal action and showed them written proof that I had received from their "mentors" BEFORE I enrolled, they were suddenly able to transfer everything.

Their "mentors" are also completely useless. My various mentors had completely no idea about business-related subjects, even though I am majoring in a business degree. If you intend to study at WGU, think of the mentors more as cheerleaders than anything else. Good luck!

WGU is great for IT professionals

By: ksallee (In Progress) on March 9, 2008

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I've been going to WGU for almost 2.5 years and just about to complete the program.  For IT professionals who are self-learners with limited time to sit in traditional college or university classroom, this is the perfect program.  The competency based learning model has allowed me to use my existing IT and work experience to take advantage of the program and accelerate my degree (I'll have a 4 year degree completed in 2.5 years).  Even if you need a little hand-holding (which is understandable for an online degree), WGU has mentors that are much more hands on then Universities counselors.  They actually require communication every couple weeks and are there to help you every step of the way.  Additionally, the work can be challenging and arguably more difficult then a traditional class as the range of what is covered is much broader.  For example, in traditional college class you may take say Algebra I as a 3-4 SH class.  With WGU, there's a Quantitative Literacy objective exam that covers Algebra, Statistics, Geometry etc...Very difficult exam that requires real knowledge of the subjects in order to gain competency.

The mentors are horrible

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on March 9, 2008

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I can't believe what mess I've gotten myself in by signing up with this school. My mentor is absolutley insane. She placed me in the wrong program, failed to review my transcripts and then fails to make phone calls. My only suggestion for anyone taking WGU classes would be to ask alot of questions to a lot of people. You are bound to get more than one answer. Just stick to your guns and fight for what you need. I NEED certification so that I can move and make more money so I am sticking with the program but I'm actually thinking about dropping this program. I feel like my time is being wasted. The "graders" don't know what they are talking about half the time. Apparently they skim through the work and often ask for things that are already contained in the paper, task, whatever.

BEWARE!!!

College is work: not a free ride.

By: commonman78 (Graduate) on March 8, 2008

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I completed the post-baccalaureate program for elementary education while teaching on a provisional certificate.  They worked with me, DID NOT hold my hand, and helped me succeed.  If you want to be spoon fed, this IS NOT a program for you.  You actually have to do the work, not just attend class and pass a test.  The scheduling was fine and the work was hard.  Finally getting my certificate was worth it.  I also knew a lot more than my colleagues about the basics, including fundamental concepts, special education requirements, how N.C.L.B. works, etc.  This knowledge has given me a competitive edge in the workplace.  I've had some problems with financial aid, but they were resolved.  If you’re self-motivated, this is definitely the program for you!

Western Governors IS Military Friendly

By: reo_hope (In Progress) on February 22, 2008

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I beg to differ with the previous poster's comment regarding WGU being difficult for a military student.  I recently graduated from WGU with a Bachelor's Degree in Business. I have also completed thirteen years service in the military to date.

Additionally I am a veteran of several distance learning programs including American Intercontinental University, University of Phoenix, and Central Texas College's online program.  I found WGU to be both a superior learning experience and much more affordable.  

The first class which acts as a sort of introductory course is a little tedious, but it ensures all students have an understanding of the way WGU operates.  It IS a different learning environment and the "one credit hour class" serves to indoctrinate new students.

WGU is not for everyone but should be considered a valid option for many adult learners seeking a flexible, affordable degree option.

Not for miliary

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on February 15, 2008

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 successfully completed one term at WGU. I will not go back.
It has been a nightmare at WGU. 
The terms are not six months, because you have to finish before the sixth month. I spent the 1st month doing a bunch of nonsense work on how to be a student. It was a huge waste of time for a worthless one credit. It was more work than the three credit chemistry class.
How about the five star review - that claims they completed 57 credits in six months! I can't see how that is done, it takes me weeks to get one assessment scheduled. It takes a long time to get single little essay graded. They made me take courses from the Museum of Natural Science, that did not count, but wasted time. I am an independent worker that had little trouble with the course work. In fact much of it was mundane high school level type stuff. Almost insulting to be doing it at this level. 
It appeared they were purposely slowing me down. The amount of mis-information they gave me was annoying. The mentor knew less about the topics than I did. I learned very little completing 18 credits in six months. Since I am looking for a challenge, I will be going to a more traditional school. WGU is a joke to those looking to advanced their education. It is good if you want to breeze through a cheap program and get a degree. But to me a waste of money. I want to advance my knowledge and my degree - but I did not get $3,000 worth of knowledge. So WGU is a poor value.
They claim to be military friendly, but make you take a full term, which is not easy to do with military tuition assistance.

Best school for IT guys

By: salmanpost (In Progress) on February 11, 2008

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Best online university at this cost.  While learning new stuff you get the IT industry certificates and the best part is that WGU pay for it

Scary, Scary, Scary

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on February 9, 2008

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First, let me say that I did graduate from the post-bacc elementary ed program-with far above average scores by the way. This review is not sour grapes from some one who needed too much "hand-holding" and could not finish. 

This is a very scary program.  The basic premise seems to be that competency is demonstrated by the ability to produce amazing quantities of low-quality busy work and pass exams that often call for demonstably incorrect answers. I checked, the exams are not designed by subject matter experts; the tests are easy to pass by figuring out the answers to the pre-tests then projecting the same error frame-work to the test. 

If you are the type who feels really proud that you got all the way to end of your coloring book faster than the the kids and get the wear a little gold star for the rest of the day-this is for you. If you're interested in actual suject matter knowledge find a school where professors teach.

Couldn't be more thrilled

By: chris (In Progress) on February 6, 2008

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WGU's competency-based model has allowed me to complete 57 units in 6 months!  It is a great school for self-motivated people.  If you need a lot of hand-holding, WGU is not for you.  But for me, it was exactly what I was looking for.  And at less than $3000 per semester (with no per-unit cost) it was an unbeatable deal for me.  And I feel secure that it is well-respected due to it's accreditation.

A good fit for capable adults

By: kpbrady (In Progress) on February 6, 2008

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I am 43 years old, and I have a BA and an MBA from traditional on-campus schools.  I have read all of the other reviews, and it seems that there is a common theme.  Adults that are intelligent and do not need their hand held do well.  Some young kids, others that struggle academically, and people that are not motivated do not succeed.

I like the program.  It seems that most of the bad reviews were written by people that did not pass.  Many of them stated that they flunked tests, multiple times even.  If they were flunking tests at WGU it is likely that they were at the wrong school.  They probably should have been at a community college, or not in college at all.

I have never had problems getting answers from my mentor or the University.  I get a human right away, and almost always get a solution right away.

I did have a problem with one of the anonymous taskstream graders, but I emailed a copy of what I submitted for the task to my mentor and he took care of it.  No big deal.  The graders can be picky though.  I can see how students that have poor writing skills would have a lot of trouble getting passing scores.

I am pleased with my experience

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on January 25, 2008

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I have been enrolled at WGU since January 2005.  I am finishing up my last assignment currently and will then be certified to teach elementary school level. My experience with WGU has been exceptional.  I will say that there are many changes with the school at this point, but the reason for these changes are due to the growth the university is experiencing.  The program is also not for someone who needs a professor standing over them telling them what to do and when.  I have had no problems scheduling exams in my three years with the university nor have I ever waited two weeks for a response from anyone at the university. I will say that I have had a few mentors and my last one was not very helpful.  
As a WGU student, I often find it necessary to call my mentor for advice and she is available to help me immediately either through online messenger, email or phone.  I feel that as an adult student I am able to be successful in this independent learning environment and finding a great mentor was the best thing for aiding my success.  
I have and will recommend this school to anyone who is an independent learner looking to accelerate through their program.  I have enjoyed my time with this school.

Awesome school if you're motivated

By: chris (In Progress) on January 21, 2008

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WGU is the wave of the future in education.  My mentor guides my progress and answers any questions I have.  I love that the books are entirely optional!  (They tell you books are mandatory, but if you're smart and a good internet searcher, you can get away without them.)  WGU is very affordable and their cost structure encourages acceleration because it saves you money!  I came in in Sept. with my AA, and I will graduate with my state credential in only 15 mos. (including student teaching).

not worth the trouble

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on January 21, 2008

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The problem I encountered with WGU was a lack of consistency.  The grading of tasks are done at the whims of the person who happens to get your work.  There is an inconsistency in the grading and in the directions themselves at times.  The directions, materials, and rubric can have conflicting information.  This is a huge problem and the result is unfair practices and outcomes for the student.  I wasted a lot of time and money here.  The other problem is a lack of ability to transfer credits.  If your talking about transfer of credits to WGU, no problem.  I think they are generous.  The problem is getting a school to accept WGU competency units which technically don't carry a grade.  Apart from these serious problems, I might recommend WGU because it can work well for someone that needs the flexibility and affordability it offers.

WGU not for U

By: jlin54321 (In Progress) on January 7, 2008

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The ONLY way you should consider WGU is if you're stay-at home person (mom, busy professional,social phobia).
I've been there for a year and a half. The administration is beyond surly, bordering on rude, incompetent and apt to change rules as they go along ( always to their financial benefit). 
Mentors are better,they try their best but are overworked and underpaid, hence few stay put.
Mentors manage 60 students at a time).
There's a strong quasi-political bias in faculty and curriculum ( hint of Christian right wing).
Instructional material is beyond pathetic. Tasks are written on a cheap, many are incoherent and wrong. 
The tasks are graded by ANONYMOUS sub-contractors with wildly differing standards (rubrics notwithstanding)!!!

The community boards are beyond pathetic. Typical comment: "Help! Stuck on Task 607.123.2. What is..blank... blank."

The pros: Only Two
 
1It's cheap, IF and ONLY iF, you can work very fast. 
BUT if you like to take your time, it'll be more expensive than a State U and  a LOT more hassle.

2. You don't have to get out of your house.
Oh, wait you have to take some proctored exams... never mind. And pay $60 extra for it if you fail it twice. The reason given.. to encourage you to study better. What crock of sh*t.

Conclusion: Stay Away...go to your State U, get a decent education and a social life.  
    
P.S. I am actually being optimistic. It's a lot worse.

DO NOT attend WGU!

By: ejacks (In Progress) on January 7, 2008

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I began WGU on August 1st. Boy was that a disappoint. From day one it has been horrific. First I had to PURCHASE an electronic "book" that was $30 some dollars. There are tons of "cases" in them. Then all of your assignments are tons of ESSAYS. First is like a 3 page essay, then a 10 page essay and it keeps going up! I did not have a teacher like I thought I would have. You teach yourself everything. What am I paying for? Someone to grade my papers. Then my whole "plan" got screwed up. I was majoring in Business, to obtain a Masters. But when I logged in one day, it had me majoring in Elementary Education and all my curriculm based that way. It took forever to get it changed. Things kept getting worse, my mentor quit, etc, so I decided to withdraw and put my money towards a local college that also offers online accreddited degrees (indiana wesleyan). I withdraw right after a month of attending. NOW They are coming after me for almost TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS! This is incredibly insane. I will not pay that. I never got the service to pay for that. It was ridiculous!  I also spoke to employers and they said they do not consider that a "reputable" university. I know it might sound nice, I sure thought it did, but I certaintly changed my mind after "trying it".

Not Satisfied

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on December 24, 2007

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I have been very disappointed with WGU.  My mentor is not helpful at all and when I ask her a question she doesn't seem to know herself yet she has a PHD in math. One is required to complete these taskstream assignments with no help. The community is not helpful and the assessments one is required to complete has nothing to do with the work you have done in taskstream which are supposed to be helpful.  Don't waste your money or time as this program si very time consuming.

WGU ok so far

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on December 21, 2007

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This is my first term at WGU. I went to a state school for my undergrad degree and I have to say that there will always be minor (occasionally major) complaints at any university but overall I’m pleased with my experience at WGU. I think it is what it advertises to be: online, affordable, accredited, and accelerated. 
	I have been able to accelerate my progress but it means putting in extra time. During your first month you talk with your mentor and select which assessments you will be taking that term and set dates when you will complete each assessment- if you don't meet your goal, it counts as your first "failed attempt" but you can still pass it before the term is over and it will be a "pass" on your transcript. Your tuition covers the first few attempts, so that is why not taking an assessment on time is a big deal- it counts as one of your "free" attempts even if you do not take the test. A term is 6 months long, but you can't sign up for assessments that involve writing papers later than the 5th month there is also a limit on how late you can take an objective exam. Their rationale behind this is you may have to make revisions/wait for work to be graded. Their graders do take a while- it took about an average of a week on each of my assignments to get graded the first time, and then if you have any revisions, there's another week you have to wait. They do let you have access to "learning resources" and the course of study (syllabus) the last 2 months of the term so you could always start other work. I think the quality of education I'm receiving is comparable to my undergrad degree in science education I received at a state school. My mentor does call me every week or so and that makes me feel more connected. The competency based approach is a good idea. It seems like some people have the idea that you could just test, test, test, and then be handed a diploma without "doing anything." What I have found is that my program does have some "objective exams" and if I had come to the program having already majored in math education perhaps I could test out of some/most of them. But over half of my "assessments" are assignments or papers. Even if a person came with all of the knowledge for the degree, the person would still end up writing hundreds of pages of work, plus complete a research project. You don't have to take classes over what you already know, but WGU does require quite a bit of work- someone could not take tests for a week straight and walk away with a degree. The biggest complaint I have so far is that my mentor is very nice but never, ever knows the answers to my questions and they signed me up for the "wrong" assessments this term and then wouldn't change them when I pointed that out. But I worked through it and it's fine now. I do think they require depth of knowledge in the MA in math ed degree and that it's a good value for the money. I'm glad they provide an accredited way for me to get my degree online at my own pace.

B.S. in Marketing Management

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on December 20, 2007

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At the age of 35 I decided it was time to pursue a degree. Unfortunately, my job and location limited my ability to go to a brick and mortar school. I also was not interested in slogging through basic math, business & English courses in a classroom with a bunch of 18-20 year olds. 

WGU is not for everybody; if you need a teacher to tell you what to do, and when to do it, then do not enroll. If you cannot research on your own, then do not enroll. If you cannot read a grading matrix and ascertain what you should do, then do not enroll. If you are not capable of putting several paragraphs together to form a well written essay, then you should not enroll. If you want to work hard, and at your own speed, then WGU might be for you. I will have gone from no college credit to a B.S. in Marketing Management in 3 years. I could've have done it faster, but I had a cross country move and a couple of job changes mixed while in the middle of school and it slowed my progress. 

I understand some students have had troublesome mentors, or unresponsive mentors. Really, I have only needed mine on occasion and she has been nothing but great, and has been promoted up the ranks. She kept me as a student because I am a month from graduation. There are steps to take if you are having trouble getting answers from your mentor, but really if you need too much hand holding, you might consider a traditional classroom environment.

You get what you pay for

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on November 28, 2007

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I started out at WGU and I am already on my third mentor.  The coursework is not the problem, the problem with the school is the lack of communication.  If you have the time to spend making 5 phone calls to get one answer to an email you sent or a voicemail you left over two weeks ago, then by all means this school is for you.  If WGU would properly train their staff on how you answer phone calls and emails in a 24 hour period, the school might be worth the money.  But then again, I guess that is why the tuition is so cheap, you have to scream your head off to get an answer to one question, which takes about two minutes to answer but sucks about two weeks out of your time with the phone calls and emails you have to get just to get a response.  WGU should take some tips from the business world and learn how to respond in a professional and timely fashion to phone calls and emails.  If WGU could fix this aspect, then I would have no hesitation in recommending the school to a future educator.

WGU is best for independent learners!

By: avending (In Progress) on November 23, 2007

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I've read several reviews that speak to the lack of guidance at WGU.  If you need a professor to tell you what to do, and when to do it, WGU may not be for you.  If you’re an independent learner that understands the steps to competency in a subject, and can assess when you’re ready to test on a subject, then WGU is the perfect fit.

WGU offers helpful mentors and a vast array of material.  It is up to you to decide how much or how little you want to use.

Competency Based to ?

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on November 13, 2007

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They have two different programs for each class.  One is a lab that requires you to write papers, make posters and do stuff that would not challenge a high school student.  The other is a test, which may require some review.  
For some labs, they require you to enroll into American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) online courses (very good courses), but “enroll” is the key, you don’t have to participate or pass the course, just gather the needed info to complete lab projects that are graded separately in Task Stream.  You get zero credit for completing and passing the more demanding AMNH courses.  
The text books have little to do with the tests or labs.  The labs do very little to help learn the competencies.
The program I joined involved a list of competencies and, learning resources.  With pretests, you would gauge what competencies you knew and which ones you needed to review.  Students were required to get a high pretest score to take the final exam.  I was very successful in this model and thought I was in a good graduate program.
Then the program changed.
They stopped giving students the competencies and now it is confusing on what is required.  They give you a course guide.  The course guide is a jumble of vague test book references and internet links (including Wikipedia!).  The course guide is very amateurish and I wonder if they even checked what they are asking students to do.  I ran into several very vague reference sites and dead links.  They still have the pretest, but stopped giving a report listing what was correct and incorrect, so it does little to prepare for the final exam.
The mentors are friendly enough, but I would question their credentials.  You have one mentor assigned to you for everything.  Mentors are not held responsible for providing inaccurate and misleading information to students.

WGU is Great for the right person

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on November 11, 2007

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WGU is geared for adult students that are organized and can motivate themselves.  When entering a program at WGU the student must understand that this is not a "normal" university.  There are no classes, it is self paced and the student must be able to use research skills.  I have attended WGU for a year and a half.  In that time I have had to deal with many changes at the university because they are still in a period of growth.  The main concept is great and it's a good value for the money because you can take more classes in a term if you have the time and strength and you don't pay any more for your term than you would already have paid for.  There is a lot of writing assignments and I have also found that having the books has been of minimal help, but so far I have been able to pass assessments without a lot of problems that other students seem to have.  There are message boards set up for each "assessment" and I find that they are more of gripe sessions than actual helpful information unless you direct your own questions to the facilitators who are actually part of the mentor program.  If you are interested in the education program that WGU offers, be sure to read the stipulations carefully and truly assess yourself before you sign on to do the program.  The required EWB program that you initially take as an introduction course is very valuable as you will get a sample of how things work and if you are able to work within that environment.  At that point you are able to opt out of the program if it isn't for you.  WGU is different than Phoenix University and Rio Salado as online "courses".  These two schools have structured online classes ... WGU does not have classes, but classes like these are available to take for some assessments that are included in your tuition.  WGU is not an easy alternative to college, its just a different way of going about it and you have to be disciplined to keep up with it.

Great for adults!!

By: iamamhb (In Progress) on November 2, 2007

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WGU has been a true gift!! I have had previous college experience, with my Associates out of the way, and part of my bachelors at a brick and mortar state university. I always felt like sitting in the class room was a waste of time and wished to just "do the assignments and to take the tests". Once I found WGU, I couldn't be happier! It is different from even other online courses. First of all, there are no message board requirements each week, no collaborative assignments with other students. You have the entire term to finish your assignments and take the tests. Or you may elect to finish them in a matter of weeks, and take additional courses at no additional charge!!! This is truely a school for working adults, or parents who are pressed for time. If you like getting a list of tasks (assignments), completing them, and taking a test, then this is the school for you. Many classes have books that are "recomended", yet after a quick browse through the message boards one may find that there is no need to even spend money on books for many classes. CDs and computer programs and some books are sent to you free of charge for some classes. Granted, there are no "teachers", but there are learning communities and message boards for every class with at least 2-4 leaders, who answer questions, if they arent already answered by fellow students who are very eager to help. These message boards are very detailed and questions are just as if in a real class room. If you arent sure that your doing something right, they will give examples, just as a real professor would. For those that need a bit of encouragement, there is a required relationship with a mentor, whom you will schedule phone conversations with on a regular basis. In the beginning it is at least once a week, then slows to once a month unless you need them more. You are always allowed to call when you want, or email. I have also found that other students are really helpful as well. Many of us have exchanged instant messenger names so that we can talk in real time about life, assingments or even have complaint sessions. Word of warning though, it is very very easy to put off doing assigments until the end of the term and getting caught up in stress to get them turned in with time for grading!!! so...PROCRASTINATORS BEWARE! 
The cost is only a few hundred more than what I was paying at Fayetteville State University!!! Much cheaper than other online schools that I checked out first.
Now that I have sounded like a full fledged comercial, I will leave y'all to finish my essay in RUA1.

Wonderful School

By: shlmos (In Progress) on September 12, 2007

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I am in my third year of WGU.  It is fabulous.  I had the same mentor all the way through until recently, and the only reason she ceased to be my mentor was because she was unexpectantly promoted.  She is still a major source of support for me though.  The program is work at your own pace.  Meaning, if you can possibly do it, you have the option of receiving your bachelors degree in one term.  You have to realize though that, as with any other school, there is a minimum you must complete each term in order to continue (75% or 12 units), and this is especially true if you receive federal financial aid because it is government regulated.  
It is a school better suited to those who work independently, and are capable of learning on there own.  But this is the case with any online institution.  They provide all the help possible, but you can only do so much when you aren't face to face.  The test are hard, but they are trying to make certain that you know your material.  Currently many tests are large, and a few are equivalent to 4 college course finals and one would be equivalent to 7 college course finals, and you take it in one test.  On the other hand, you are learning much more much more quickly.  They are, however, in progress of breaking these large tests up.  
I haven't had a problem with the school.  In fact, it has been a fabulous experience so far, and I am looking forward to completing my degree a years early.  Actually two, considering I changed my major a year into this (from Information Systems to Business-Information Technology Management).  The price is awesome compared to any other school.  I highly recommend this school to anyone who hasn't the time (or in my case patience) to sit in a traditional class room who is capable of working independently on their studies.  Oh, and one more thing, the school has regional accreditation, which is the best form of accreditation a university can receive.  Some businesses and organizations won't accept any other form!

WGU - Worth every penny

By: linlo68 (In Progress) on August 30, 2007

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I am currently attending Western Governors University full time working toward my Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. I have attended both on-line and traditional universities in the past and they all change their programs… it’s a part of life. I have read the other reviews here and have this to say; WGU is very upfront with all of their requirements. You have to plan and manage you time accordingly. This is not a university for those who require a lot of hand holding. This is a competency based school and as such you as a student are required to learn on your own. I have had no issues meeting the requirements that WGU has established for my degree program. I too was affected by the "policy" change that was referred to in another post. This change has no effect on my ability to complete more then the 12 required units of study per semester. This policy was instituted to help those students who were having problems meeting the requirement to complete at least 12 units per semester. I have been able to complete 18 units in less then twelve months and should have my degree in six months. The beauty of this school is you have the opportunity to complete as many classes as you want for a fix semester fee. As with anything in life, WGU is what YOU make of it…

Not Very Good

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on June 19, 2007

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WGU assigns a mentor to each student. I have had 4 mentors in 2 1/2 years because they left WGU. There is no support for the courses. The courses are composed of 6 to 10 extensive essays you are required to write. The instructions are very vague and there is no support. The text books for the course usually have very little to do with the actual work you are required to complete. The exams are not based on the text books and the competencies that the exams are based on can be up to 4-5 pages of material. You basically teach yourself and write tons and tons of essays. You need to be very good at finding your own material to complete the research and you must be willing to write about 100 or more essays depending on the degree you are working on.

Great Opportunity

By: taylormade52 (In Progress) on June 17, 2007

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This is a terrific program if you make the most out of it by taking classes they offer and utilizing that information. Most difficult is getting use to the different interfaces each set of classes offers. The mentoring and guidance is phenomenal and I found my mentor available by both email and phone. I am in my third semester and will be finished ahead of schedule. It does require the student to have some initiative and focus as would any online program.

Think twice

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on April 7, 2007

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I have three terms left.  They have changed policy midstream effectively cutting the term from six months to four 1/2 months (not notifying students until five days after the policy change).  Advertise go at your own pace but now if you do not make the deadline you have set four months earlier, they charge you $60.00 after four weeks if you are late.  The problem is they can take up to two weeks to grade a paper and send it back for a small correction, then another two weeks to grade again.  The worst thing is that they left a message today basically saying they can do what they want, thanked everyone for the feedback but they didn't care and were sticking to what they decided.  They keep denying they've cut the time of the term.  We aren't stupid out there,it's not true just because they say it is.  They have basically cheated their students and not lived up to their promises.  There is talk of suing them but I bet they checked with their lawyers before they did this.  I gave the school a value of 9 because a degree is worth a lot to me.

They don't have the right to mess with our dreams and goals do they?

You get what you give out of it

By: greener.john (In Progress) on March 28, 2007

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I have to say you get out of this school what you put into it. I'm fairly happy with the entire process and people who put a lot into it get a lot out of it. Well worth the money and I went to a state university in California. There is busy work but that exists everywhere I have been.

Not very good

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on March 12, 2007

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The way this school is set up is that it is a series of test. There are no teachers and classes that you learn from. You teach yourself. I found this format to be hard. They suggest books for you to read and such but there is no assignments and no instructor telling you what you need.

Graduate

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on March 3, 2007

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My WGU experience was a depressing slog through low quality materials (20 year old Cantor training videos) and mind-numbing busy work. This is really not a university -it's just an opportunity to write assignments (that are graded by people with low substantive knowledge) and take  easy tests that don't match the assignments anyway. After a while I pretty much gave up trying and just made stuff up. It didn't matter -I still passed. I would never hire a WGU grad based only on a WGU credential.

Highly Recommended!!

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on January 12, 2007

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I would highly recommend WGU.  Their mentors are nice and will help you with every step of the way.  The tuition is very affordable, usually cheaper than most state universities.  

They are FULLY accredited.

WGU Bad Money

By: gukelaw (In Progress) on December 19, 2006

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I attended Western Governor's University over a year ago.  I thought the program was well organized but I have now been contacted by a collection agency about $81 they claim I still owe.  It has been reported to the credit bureaus as delinquent and instead of trying to resolve the debt WGU referred me to a collection agency and affected my credit for $81.  Think twice before signing up!

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