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Deciding to pursue a post-secondary degree is just the first step on your path to a rewarding career. Completing the path successfully requires a financial plan and genuine dedication to whatever academic program you pursue. Alison Bell, Regional Vice President of Western Governors University, weighs in on how WGU helps its students clear the hurdles that can stand between you and a degree.
Q: How should someone who is considering taking classes at WGU prepare academically?
Alison Bell: WGU has the same level of academic rigor as any other university you are considering, so preparation for WGU looks like preparation for any university. That said, if it’s been some time since you have been enrolled in courses anywhere, it would be worthwhile to review the requirements of the degree program that you are planning to enroll in and do some honest self-assessment of the subjects that might be more challenging based on what you know about your own strengths and weaknesses. There are several free resources to brush up on basic academic skills (Khan Academy, Coursera, edX). Beyond that, assess the amount of time you have available for coursework, talk with your family/community about your plans to start a degree program, and ask for support in prioritizing your studies. WGU is online and self-paced with a lot of support from program mentors and course instructors, but success requires that you prioritize time for learning.
Q: Financial considerations are also top of mind for anyone pursuing a degree. Tell us about WGU’s responsible borrowing initiative.
Alison Bell: WGU‘s responsible borrowing initiative was launched in 2013 to help students understand student loans and realistically assess what they need. WGU‘s Office of Financial Aid not only informs students of what they are eligible to receive but also identifies unmet costs and encourages students to borrow only the amount needed to cover them. Since the launch of this initiative, the average borrowing per year/per student has decreased by more than 30%. Currently, 65% of borrowers accept the recommendation to borrow less, and 10% decline loans completely.
Q: How does WGU help students stay on track and meet their academic/degree goals?
Alison Bell: Students enrolled at WGU are assigned a student mentor. The student mentor serves as an accountability partner throughout their academic journey, guiding them in pacing their coursework, setting and achieving milestones, and helping them stay on task when the journey becomes challenging. The average time it takes WGU students to complete their bachelor’s degree is 2.5 years, and their master’s degree is 1.5 years.
Q: How does WGU set itself apart from competing institutions?
Alison Bell: WGU’s competency-based, flexible, affordable model of education allows students to complete their degree at their own pace by earning credit for skills and competencies they already know and spending more time on more challenging courses. WGU‘s degree programs are workforce-relevant and prepare graduates for career advancement. Our grads increase their income on average by $22,000 within 2 years of graduation. That’s an impressive return on investment.
Q: What are some of your most popular programs right now?
Alison Bell: Our students tend to be pretty savvy about which programs will put them in the best position to start and/or advance their career. Our most popular programs right now are the bachelor’s in nursing in our Leavitt School of Health, the master’s in curriculum and instruction in WGU’s School of Education, the bachelor’s degree in business management from the School of Business and our MBA program at the School of Business.