Western Governors University

A math course mentor actually replied to an email of mine saying "sorry, we have thousands of students, so I can't be held responsible for making mistakes." There is no such thing as customer service and no communication between departments, no responsibility taken for any of their staff's actions, but they'll bill you on time! I would Not recommend this university. They do NOT care about the students, only care about collecting their money from you. The incompetence is overwhelming and I totally agree about the grading process - it is a JOKE! I've gotten papers back saying you need to include such and such, or this doesn't meet requirements, so I'll highlight everything in my paper without one revision and will point out that it is all there, and they totally change the grade to what it should have been to begin with. What an incredible waste of time! If you take an exam at a testing site BEWARE! The program allows you to mark items for review, BUT you can NOT go back to those items at the end of the test! This fouled up software made me fail a test just because I couldn't go back and I only missed passing by TWO questions. I had to retake the entire test again !

I'm currently enrolled at WGU for a B.S. Marketing Management. I chose WGU for several reasons: #1. It's regionally and nationally accredited #2. Online remote access from home or anywhere #3. Cost-effective/affordable #4. Referral-My spouse has been attending WGU for six months now (B.S. Sales and Sales Management), and his experience so far has been wonderful from support (IE. FA, resources, testing) to mentoring. This also helped my decision! That being said, I have several years experience working admissions sales for private institutes/"for-profit" colleges. From work experiences the education sector is forever changing, thus schools MUST comply and make new changes too. From an employee's view it sucks, because you can't stay consistent long enough to see what's really working. Nevertheless, the employees' work experience should not have an impact on the student's school experience. Which brings me to the following, WGU has been around ten years and now serves as THE "innovator" for "online only accredited" program offerings. Today many state colleges and universities are being forced into "new trends" and following WGU's footsteps because of the current economical challenges. It appears we are all working more than 40hr work weeks, and this leaves very little time for family, friends, hobbies, even school. The typical available "mortal college" schedule does not seem to fit-in with today's professionals or anyone that has a demanding lifestyle. Mostly is better suited for high school grads living at home. All schools (colleges, universities, institutes) MUST make money, it's a business! In the past, these type of schools did not have a need and/or felt forced to offering online type programs. Think about it campus life is one entity, and online is another. That's much work and production behind the scenes. The economic trends are pushing these schools to become more innovative by offering EASY access through online programs and go beyond their usual target customer "HS grads". Hence, online has become more acceptable throughout the education sector and employers. You'll probably see this become the NEW norm, where most colleges/universities will start to offer online degree programs. Right now in the Sate of Florida, UCF, UF, and Seminole State College to name a few offer online degrees. Terms and conditions can vary per school. Lastly, ALL schools have internal issues, mishaps, changes, and the list goes on! The key here is for you as the prospective student to find out more about the "field/career" you plan to pursue and it's certification or licensing requirements. If you're pursuing teaching, call your state's department of education and ask about the required test, certifications and licenses. Look for schools that offer what fits the demand in your fieldscertification/licensing process. This can vary from state to state, from field to field. It's YOUR responsibility as the "student" to do the research before hand. Stay focused on what's your personal and professional goal, and know in advance nothing in life comes easy it requires motivation and determination to complete anything you begin! Education is a necessity today. Good luck!

WGU provided the opportunity so that I could continue my education at a reasonable price while caring for my family and working part-time. The mentors were knowledgeable and eager to help with direction and resources. I have completed my BA and will begin my Masters with WGU soon.

I absolutely love attending WGU. I have been doing classes for over a year now. I travel for work. Some weeks I have 30 hours to study. Other weeks I have 5. WGU lets me work the way I need to and still have a job and a family. I am blown away by how much I am learning. You have to be self-motivated. You have to work hard. If you do, the payoff is great. I love my mentor an having the entire university on my laptop. There is a reason Bill Gates loves this program!

After completing my degree I must say that I am grateful for my experience there. Sure it IS NOT a traditional school but that's what I needed. Having just finished we will see what employers and future schools (i want an MBA) say about it. I do know this. Working 48 hours a week, having a baby and a wife, full time religious responsibilities do not lend much extra time for school. Particularly schools in which thats all I can do. I worked my butt off and now I am a COLLEGE GRADUATE. Yes, the mentors over different courses can be difficult to contact but they do contact you. Again this school is for those who are shakers-and-movers. If you want something call, email then call/email again. I can not begin to express how grateful I am for my degree and my experience here. Things do change often at the university, they change in the real world too. What makes these changes welcome is they are always trying to improve, get more people/organizations/states behind them. Indiana just announced that they will now accept STATE Funding as it is now considered a STATE school there. What a great school trying to give everyone a chance to go to school at a price that you wont owe money to your parents or uncle sam for the rest of your life. In summary WGU has one or two faults but it gets it right 99% of the time if you want it too.

I have taken courses both in a brick and mortar University and online elsewhere. Western Governors offers a challenging series of courses that require dedication to complete successfully. It is important that the person taking courses at WGU be computer savvy-as everything is done using the web. I am very pleased with my experience at WGU and would definitely recommend it. I suspect those that posted tough reviews of this institution actually found navigating the necessary tasks to be difficult. That cannot be blamed on the University but rather the student. I am learning a good deal of information at this University-and the mentor is incredibly supportive and helpful. Being self motivated is critical-if you are not-do not go to this University. I strongly recommend Western Governors.

I love WGU, I was given a gift by finding out about this school, I graduated last week and I'm so thankful. the courses were well designed and my mentor was perfect. I see some of the negative comments and I feel for the people that are not able to learn without an instructor to hold their hand...

I would recommend WGU, absolutely. It's not very well known, but has put together programs that will challenge you and make sure you know your stuff. I could not find another online school of this caliber in this price range-- and I looked long and hard. The flexibility is a real plus... I work hard when I want to, and take breaks as needed. Can't say much more than that.

Online education is rapidly gaining greater acceptance globally. Online education requires a disciplined, independent learning capability. WGU students must be motivated and capable of following the Guided Learning Tools which serve as the path to acquire the knowledge required pass the assessment or proctored exams. WGU cleaarly positions itself as an institution for mature adults who place high value on their education and are willing to put forth the effort to gain the competancy to meet the requirements of each course. Motivated, self starters who are willing to make the effort will find that a quality education is available to them at WGU. Because it is an accelerated program, the advantage for working adults is that WGU allows students to use knowledge they have already acquired to pass assessments/exams at their own pace. I completed the BS in Marketing Management degree in two year while transferring only 25 competency units. As advertised, WGU is accredited, accelerated and affordable and I truly believe WGU offers a quality education to those willing to take on the responsibility for their own education. WGU has recently modified the business curriculum to further improve the education you receive. I am pleased to be starting the MBA program at WGU next month and I look forward to completing the coursework and achieving the graduate degree. I would highly recommend WGU to any mature, responsible adult who places high value on their effort to reach a goal.