How WGU Can Help You Meet Your Back-to-School Needs 

By Kimberly E. Estep

As another new year approaches, a lot of people are thinking about resolutions. For some, one of those resolutions is going back to school. Western Governors University (WGU) is a nonprofit, accredited, 100% online university designed specifically for working adults. No matter your occupational or family demands, here are three of the ways in which WGU is a good fit for your back-to-school resolution:

First, at WGU, you make your own schedule. WGU works hard to make sure that you are able to maintain a work, school, and family/social life balance. Due to the online flexibility of courses, many people can balance their school load as well as a full- or part-time job and their social life. About 78% of WGU students nationwide work full- or part-time. 

It’s important to us that you can get through school while still being able to keep your regular routines.

Second, our programs are competency-based. That is, WGU bases success on what you can do already. Each degree program is developed by a council of experts in the field who define the competencies students need to graduate. These competencies form the curriculum. What that means: if you already know some of the material – whether through previous studies or real-life work experience – you can speed through your courses. Students often “test out” and earn credit for the course, rather than being forced to sit through lessons on what they already know.

Lastly—and for many, most importantly—the cost of earning a degree at WGU is uncommonly low. WGU’s tuition comes in at roughly $7,450 per year for a bachelor’s degree, and $7,800 per year for a master’s degree, while the national averages are $12,112 and $22,913 per year, respectively. 

Also, since you work on your own schedule and can earn credit via the competency-based model, some students are able to get a degree in just one or two six-month terms. This means less money coming out of your pocket, and less debt. In fact, WGU has been nationally recognized for its Responsible Borrowing Initiative (RBI), through which students receive a personalized Financial Aid Plan, which recommends that students borrow only their “unmet direct costs”—tuition and fees minus any grants or scholarships. As a result of the RBI, average borrowing per year per WGU student (of those who borrow) has decreased by more than 30% since 2013.

If you’re wondering if an online degree is accepted, be assured that WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NCCU). WGU was founded in 1997 and is celebrating 25 years of breaking barriers to education. In a Harris Poll of employers who have hired WGU alumni, 95% said they would hire another WGU grad. 

If you’re thinking of going back to school in 2023, consider WGU! With more than 70 degree programs (including a bachelor’s in human resources management), dozens of available scholarships (most WGU students receive some form of financial aid), and eligibility for federal aid and veteran benefits, there’s something for you at WGU.