Western Governors University Reviews
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So far so good...
School recommended by
Angela
on
February 23, 2010
5/5 people found this review helpful
I enrolled in November with about 60 previous college credits and have had a very positive experience thus far. My mentor has been there every step of the way.
I had one goal when I enrolled and that was to graduate as quickly as possible. I've worked in the corporate world for numerous years and feel that I have a good grasp of most business concepts. Through WGU's objective assessment options, I have been able to test out of 5 courses in three months and expect to graduate by the end of the summer.
I have yet to participate in any of the learning communities, as I feel that that would only slow me down. It is; however, nice to know that participation is not required but these communities are there if you need them.
If you are looking for a traditional educational experience and a lot of guidance, then this may not be the right school for you. If you; however, are looking to accelerate your degree, are a self starter and feel that you can do will with self-guided study, then I would highly recommend WGU.
Learn More about Western Governors UniversityWGU is great!
School recommended by
anonomous
on
February 01, 2010
11/11 people found this review helpful
I have been attending WGU for a year and a hlaf. I started form scratch, with only a HS diploma. I have completed 2 yrs of work with this past year and a half. I am now considered a junior, that fast. I have a full time job, and family. I found that all the mentors have been great, with the exception of one. In that case, I kept in close contact with my academic mentor and got through the course. YOu get what you put in on your own merit and schedule. There are no required chats, group work or meetings. They are there if you need them, but are not required. The mentors for the course work, you have acces to them via phone, email or chat- all you have to do is ask. I am extremely happy with my choice to attend WGU!!
Corruption at WGU
School not recommended by
Anonymous
on
January 27, 2010
7/21 people found this review helpful
I am currently attending WGU so I have to remain anonymous because of the retaliation from the "Evaulation Department." Do not go to this school!! Your grades are at the mercy of "evaluators" who have total control of your work. The evaluators are 'secret' and if you file a complaint about your grades, the evaluators will collude to cover-up their mistakes. Your "Mentor" will not help you, in fact everything at WGU is designed so that you, as a student,can never have direct access to any director.There is no Academic Affairs Dept. It is appalling that this school has accreditation. Utah should be ashamed of itself!!
BA Intermediate/HS Social Studies
School recommended by
Cynthia Balderson
on
January 14, 2010
13/13 people found this review helpful
I enrolled in WGU in an HR program since my military experience supported it. After one semester, I realized that I really want to teach, not do HR the rest of my life. The change of major happened seamlessly! You get out of any school what you put in. The first semester, I put in plenty, the second, nothing. After I changed my major, I reallized the only thing hampering my progress now is my full-time job! I may actually stop working for awhile in order to accelerate progress in school. If you are truly a "lifelong learner" and enjoy learning on all fronts, this is the place! You can draw upon your life experiences and prior knowledge and thoroughly enjoy WGU. I'm hoping to be ready to demonstration teach within the next year.
Graduate Program-ELL
School recommended by
Darlene Townsend
on
November 19, 2009
32/34 people found this review helpful
I will finish my degree from Western Governor's University in June. I have had a wonderful experience with the school. The flexibility, price, and curriculum have fit my needs. When I took my Praxis test, I was prepared because of my classes at WGU. I have to say it has not been a spoon fed experience as some have described. In the past, good grades came easy for me. I have had to work very hard to pass some of the objective exams and tasks. However, I would expect no less from an accredited graduate program. I read one post that suggested that if one didn't pass a task the first time, they could just submit the same task, and it would be passed without a problem. I DON'T think so. The graders have been very diligent and consistent. I have submitted numerous papers, and for a few, I actually got them back a third time. We really do learn from our mistakes. The rubrics are there, and the graders do use them. I would definitely recommend WGU to any learner who is serious about getting an online degree.
Hard but Good
School recommended by
Mary
on
October 02, 2009
46/47 people found this review helpful
Found this university to be a refreshing change to the traditional university. They GET what it means to be an adult. The flexibility of the programs are unmatched and the tuition is remarkably low. It truly allows one to go at their own pace. But dang, it was not easy. Very very rigorous program I went through. Truly an independent learning environment so if ur not organized, can't prioritize your time well, like to learn things on your own, and have a good 15 hours a week or more, ur gunna hate it at WGU. The degrees teach the latest skill sets needed in the work place today and the place is accredited up the ying yang. Very very credible! My mentor was very helpful in getting me through. There was a lot of help. But it was still always up to me to get it done. No group projects. AGain, not for everyone but wow it was just great for me. Thanks for letting me put in my two cents.
MBA/IT is a good program
School recommended by
Tony M.
on
September 07, 2009
33/36 people found this review helpful
I have completed half of my MBA degree. From my experience, this is the only regionally accredited online MBA program with such a low price. There is no spoon feeding but there is support to point you in the right direction. I would choose this school again and I look forward to the $20k pay raise with my MBA and my existing ten years of experience. One thing that comes to mind is don't expect a magical degree to win a corner office job. You need to work hard at brand name companies and network with people get to the interview table. Winning a high paying job is based on your degree level and certifications (35%), your experience (25%), and your personality/ network (18%) (and a few other minor factors). Remember, a degree is only 1/3rd of the way to the summit.
Negative reviews are related to Teaching programs only
School recommended by
Dave
on
August 28, 2009
40/56 people found this review helpful
This school is a great school however if you read the reviews here and from other sites you will notice ALL the negative reviews are from people currently enrolled or who've just graduated from there teaching programs.
In my opinion they expected too much hand holding and then got frustrated when things didn't happen as fast as they liked.
Notice there are NO bad reviews from IT or Business degree people - Interesting isn't it!
This means its the students in the teaching programs who are unfairly reviewing or slamming the school.
B.S. Finance
School recommended by
Jessica K
on
August 04, 2009
58/60 people found this review helpful
I found Western Governors University to be an excellent experience. I just earned my BS in Finance last month and learned more than I ever thought possible. I have attended other traditional schools and found the teachers at Western Governors to be in almost every case more easily accessible and knowledgeable as at the other Universities I attended.
Furthermore, TASKSTREAM which is used by Western Governor as the sight which you submit all assignments and then who grades them is not unique to Western Governors. TASKSTREAM is also used by schools such as the University of Vermont, University of Illinois and GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY. Anyone who knows anything knows that George Mason offers an excellent education!
It should also be noted that schools such as George Washington University now offer completely online degrees that are highly respected. Because of Western Governors affiliation with the Western Governors association along with outstanding education, I see a bright and respected future for this University. I should also mention that I have had absolutely NO problem getting into an excellent ABA Law School with my WGU degree.
For those of you complaining, I hope you will at least do a little more research on what you’re complaining about before posting “ambiguous reviews” on this website. Overall, Western Governors is a great school and anyone who can use a computer and has some motivation will complete their program with an average amount of difficulty which should be expected when earning your degree. I was able to complete mine in 10 months and 7 days without transferring any previous credits at about 20 hours per week.
Now, if you are looking for a free handout as it sounds that some of you are, this is not the school for you. I suggest you instead sign up for one of those un-accredited universities that will print you a fake degree for a fee, otherwise, pull up your pants, use your brain and act like a grown up before attempting a college that was designed for real grown-ups.
Recommended for the motivated
School recommended by
Ben
on
July 27, 2009
36/39 people found this review helpful
Without divulging in details, I was able to complete a BS in Finance at WGU in 2009 and in an exceptional time. It was not based on the ease of the work; one needs to be self-motivated and able to understand the not-confusing process of Taskstream etc... I found my mentor to be very helpful, I did not find there to be a push recruiting style and I did not happen to need the financial aid so did not deal with this end of the program. I did find that WGU is what they advertise it to be, self-paced, quality and challenging. For those nay-sayers that cannot grasp the clear instructions of the tasks required or who struggle without direct supervision, don't apply. For those independent of mind and driven either by time, economics or whatever, this university is THE PLACE to get your degree. I am currently considering the MBA program through WGU and will certainly attend within the next six months when my personal economy allows it.
Highly recommended for independent learners
School recommended by
WGU Student
on
July 26, 2009
38/38 people found this review helpful
Hi,
I enrolled in WGU one year ago. I am VERY PLEASED with the school. I transferred from a major University because they did not offer enough online classes. Nor did my former school offer online classes in my major.
I have found WGU to be a wonderful and challenging school for those who ENJOY learning ONLINE and do not need the classroom environment to succeed. However, for those of you who need a little more time and attention you can easily find that in the WGU student learning communities.
The community mentors are experienced educators who will work with you to ensure your success. There are also wonderful individual mentors and a student support hotline.
If you are serious about learning, WGU is the way to go.
I do agree that some of the taskstream assignemnts and the objective exams are poorly written. HOWEVER, this problem lies with TASKSTREAM and PROMETRICS who are PRIVATE COMPANIES that WGU contracts to provide provide Comprehensive assessments to their students. The same companies provide services to OTHER ONLINE and Traditional Schools. The assessments are not always as clear as the training material. Therefore, you may spend quite a bit of time trying to interpret the question being asked.
The school utilizes Thinkwell and other wonderful training resources. I would suggest they contract these companies or a better assessment developer to provide test. My only other recommendation would be offering more grants and scholarships to existing undergrad students! However, financial Aid is available for those who qualify!
Overall, my experience thus far has been GREAT! I would suggest that you give WGU a try. You will be glad that you did!
Special Education Major
You get what YOU put in!
School recommended by
Ann
on
July 24, 2009
26/26 people found this review helpful
I am enrolled in WGU's Masters program and this is my 6th term. I have to admit that I could have been done by now what it not for MY slacking off. WGU is legit and a wonderful opportunity for those that just cant afford traditional schools or who have other obligations.
Firts off if you need your hand held then WGU or any other online school IS NOT FOR YOU. WGU allows you to use your experience and move as fast as you are able to.
For those who state that the exams are bogus and you dont have to buy books then they are fooling themselves!!! The exams are detailed and very comprehensive -. I have earned an AAS and BS from major NYS schools and the work at WGU is just as hard and at times just as BORING. Yes many courses seem to be busy work, but that can be said of any school. Bottom line, you get what you put in. Take your work seriously and you will learn. As for getting a job, yes many employers still look down at online schools but thats just life. Many want TOP NOTCH schools like Columbia, NYU, etc so again, what can you do. I think the people that post these neg, hard reviews are just bitter and looking for an easy way out of earning their degree!
Bitterness is ridiculous. WGU is a fine school
School recommended by
Heather
on
April 22, 2009
55/57 people found this review helpful
I earned my B.A. in Elementary Education via WGU. They are the *ONLY* online university accredited by NCATE, and they also hold FOUR other accreditations. This learning model is not for everyone, but it is certainly a great value and would not be accredited by multiple agencies if it wasn't a great academic opportunity. Those of you who say that you use the internet and paraphrase essays until you get a different grader are just showing your ignorance as a person. If you are attending classes with the intentions of scraping by to pass, then you are going to cut corners at any institution. If you follow the courses of study, you will learn above and beyond what you would at a "traditional" university.
RUN DON'T WALK!!!
School not recommended by
Gerald
on
April 13, 2009
50/78 people found this review helpful
I have completed just over 3 terms at WGU with no prior college experience. I am now starting to take my major courses and all the things I liked about the school have now turned into true impediments to actually learning anything. One of the prior reviews said that if you failed a task in Taskstream all you have to do is resubmit the EXACT same work and it will pass...they were CORRECT! This is how I finished all of the general education stuff, but now that I am starting work on my major courses that I will need real retention in, I have decided to transfer to another school. Well, guess what, NO other school I have talked to will take ANY of the credits I earned at WGU. This fact alone should make anyone extremely wary of this school.
B.S. Marketing Management - WGU is a Great Experience and Value!
School recommended by
Anonymous
on
March 28, 2009
30/31 people found this review helpful
This month I completed all the requirements for a B.S in Marketing Management. WGU offers an attractive alternative for working adults who choose to attend an online school versus a traditional campus setting.
The programs require that the students demonstrate competency in their subject area. There are a number of different methods to attain the knowledge for each subject area including text books and online "classes". This method allows the student several means to acquire the requisite knowledge.
To be successful the student must be a self-starter and motivated to be a self-learner.
I have been working in Marketing for 25 years, and I found the subject matter to be relevant and comprehensive. In fact, after attending traditional on-campus schools part time studying engineering for over seven years, I found the coursework to be just as challenging as in a traditional setting.
You get out what you put in, and I believe that WGU offers a credible education at a very reasonable price, especially since it is self-paced. I completed 106 competency units (credits) in two years to earn my degree, which was possible due to my real world marketing experience, which I was able to draw upon in completing each course.
I would highly recommend WGU for anyone willing to put in the work and understand the non-traditional learning environment.
Not recommended
School not recommended by
K. Reynolds
on
February 28, 2009
65/95 people found this review helpful
I have been with WGU since 2006, my experience has been horrible.
After registering for a class, the student is given access to Taskstream; this is where all of the assignments are located. The wording in the assignments are confusing and ambiguous. The study guides are poorly made and do not offer any clarity. Once the assignment is completed, the student submits it through Taskstream to "mysterious" graders with unknown qualifications. Once the paper is graded, the student receives vague feedback.
The university lacks cohesion, clear expectations, clarity in assignments, and a sense of community. The students feel isolated, and struggle to fulfill their academic obligations. Accessing the student threads within the WGU portal, one will see a plethora of student complaints, struggles, and frustration.
M.S. Health Education
School recommended by
J. Johnson
on
February 19, 2009
43/52 people found this review helpful
I just graduated and I have to say that this was the best learning experience ever. I would tell anyone I know to attend WGU. My wife also just completed the MBA program and found it to be a wonderful and challenging program. To any person that is not sure about this type of learning, I assure you, having graduated from a traditional university and from WGU, that WGU is one of the best universities in the United States.
Be Weary
School not recommended by
Anonymous
on
February 19, 2009
47/82 people found this review helpful
I am enrolled in a Masters Program at WGU. This is my 2nd semester and I must say the program is not challenging at all. I did not purchase any of the books. I did not study anything at all. I completed the assingments by just getting information off of the internet and submitting it. The pass/ fail also sucks because it does not tell you how you are really doing. I would avoid this school at all cost.
Not My Experience
School recommended by
Sceptic
on
July 10, 2008
55/72 people found this review helpful
These glowing reviews do not mesh with my experience. I did not find challenging course work or state of the art technology. The technology I experienced was crude (glorifed e-mail), poorly organized, and not well-supported.
The course content was worse: the learning objectives were not supported by the tasks, materials or tests. Indeed, some of the task prompts were not written in coherent, standard English. The tests were easy but rather random, often fixating on minor points at the expense of other more important concepts. For example, the test on teaching reading was basically just a phonemic awareness assessment. I didn't even buy the books and I passed.
Don't start me on the grading. All right I'll tell you the secret: the graders don't know jack (really they don't) so all you need to do is paraphrase some semi-related jargon from the Internet and if you don't pass the first time submit it again. Worked like a charm for me. One of my little offerings went from failing to a perfect score through the magic of grader shopping.
If you are willing to trade low quality for a good price and convenience, consider this program- it worked for me- but as you read the glowing reviews ask yourself whether they seem just a little too like the work of a marketing department.
Certified MBA
School not recommended by
Brian
on
May 01, 2008
126/193 people found this review helpful
Please don't waste your time or money. I attended this so called college a few years back and it was horrible. The staff was unprofessional and didn't seem to know much of anything. Anyone can attend because their biggest concern is recruiting people. Once you get signed up they help you destroy your credit by applying for all these loans. The school is way over priced and you are left with just a bill after its all said and done. I regret the day i stepped foot in that place.
Elementary Ed
School recommended by
anonymous
on
April 23, 2008
73/77 people found this review helpful
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.
IT (Information Technology)
School recommended by
anonymous
on
March 17, 2008
56/60 people found this review helpful
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.
BS/Marketing
School recommended by
anonymous
on
March 17, 2008
90/100 people found this review helpful
I just completed my BS/marketing degree at Western Governors University. I completed the program in 3 years. I could have accelerated it a bit more but I took some time off for family matters. I was so pleased with the program that I have re-enrolled to begin work on my masters program. I did extensive research before I began an online degree program. I found that Western Governors University was the option that most met my criteria, they are NFP and fully accredited. I had a great mentor who helped guide and prepare me, I had no problem getting quick responses or feedback. I think in today’s techno savvy world, online degrees are becoming more and more acceptable.
Every brick and mortar university that I am familiar with offer online courses, and most offer full degree programs. Your human resources departments are fully aware of online programs and the merit of their content. Just make sure you choose a good program! I found some of the course content extremely difficult and other courses were extremely easy. I found a direct correlation to my existing experience in the business world. If I already had experience or expertise in the subject mater or partial subject matter, the course was easy and went quickly. I can honestly say that some of the newly acquired knowledge has already been useful in my current occupation. The Western Governors website says that they consider a B grade passing, anything below that and you must take the assessment again.
The study guides are very broad and general, you are forced to learn much more than what is on the exam. Most other traditional classes I have attended actually focus more about what is on the actual exam. I suppose this is Wester Governors’ way of making sure you have subject matter competence. If I were forced to say anything negative regarding Western Governors University, it would be about the exams. When they are completed, you receive your score (usually within 24 hours) and a noted pass or fail. You are not given any feedback regarding wrong answers. I always wish I knew what questions I marked incorrectly so that I could continue to learn from my wrong answers.
