Unfortunately before I understood how valuable an education was, I was past the point where I could drop everything and go to school. I have sporadically attended traditional brick and mortar institutions but had difficulty working 50 plus hours a week, going to school and raising a family. I have been able to rise to a management position without a degree but it took longer and I have had to prove myself my entire career. Everyone that works for me has a bachelors or higher.
As usual, this letter avoids all the critical issues and reads as if it may have been written by some WGU flack. Note the estimate of 23% employment. That IS low but it is also supported by NO published WGU data. It is also interesting that this author never says he is learning things .. just that he is getting a degree.
I will email the authors and see if he or seh ever returns the email.
I have been going to WGU for a little more than a year now and at my current rate should graduate with my B.S. in Business Administration in another 1.5 years with a total cost of 15,000 dollars including books. My son is going to the local community college and will pay approximately 8000 dollars plus books for a two year degree in computer science. He is a very good student but would find WGU to difficult because it is tailored to working adults with some college.
At WGU there are easy, difficult and in-between courses. I have taken similar courses at other traditional schools I have attended. The advantage to WGU is I get to attend class at 6:00 am in the morning or my lunch break or late at night… It is completely up to me. They are fully accredited (regionally and nationally) whichis the standard as to whether it was safe for an employer to trust the person has a college level education. I know who they are, the accreditation agencies, that is. I however have no idea who you are or what makes you more qualified than those responsible for accreditation, Time Magazine or NBC News to judge quality.
Someone mentioned graduation rates. WGU is not very proud of the number, I will grant you that. I heard it’s only around 23%. I find it interesting that WGU is criticized for being too easy and too hard to graduate from. People assume that it’s going to be easy and then it turns out to be difficult. I am the only one holding myself accountable to finish. I do not have to look a professor in the eye if I don’t do an assignment. Fact is, if you are competent in a subject you can test out in a matter of days in most cases. If you are not competent it will require work. If I knew everything, I could graduate from WGU in weeks; I obviously don’t so it looks like it will take me 2.5 years. Oh and that 2.5 years is with no breaks either, no summers off.
I have yet to have a problem in any class that I cannot talk to a professor on staff about. Everyone seems to have a firm grasp on the material I have been assigned. My personal mentor just took several weeks off to work on his doctorate. (WGU doesn’t offer doctorates BTW).
Finally, I am a 45 year old professional man. I do not need the same instruction style as someone right out of high school. I reject the notion that the only acceptable path for education is being lectured to in person. I do not need my hand held. WGU is my path and it is a good one. Don’t hire me if I ever apply wherever you work, you sound narrow minded and I don’t think deserve me.