Yesterday I caught up with Robert Mendenhall, president of Western Governors University. I was an early board member but hadn’t talked to Bob in a couple years. The progress they are making is really exciting. WGU serves 21,000 students and is growing by more than 30% annually.
Here’s why WGU is cranking: the average time to a bachelor’s degree is 30 months—about twice as fast as a traditional college. Speed to degree results from:
- Willingness to accept transfer credits
- Ability to test out of subjects where students have experience.
- The online instruction allows students to move at their own pace
The teachers college is the largest; business, IT, and health are all growing rapidly.
WGU uses computer-based instruction that allows them to stretch staffing ratios and charge about $5,800 per year.
Indiana just adopted WGU as their 8th university. Gov. Daniels understands that he needs to educate Indiana not protect existing institutions.
Why would you pay $58,000 per year to listen to a string of lousy lectures when you can go to WGU for 1/10 as much and finish twice as fast?
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- Going Back to College to Complete Your Degree? (eon.businesswire.com)
- Western Governors University Online Nursing School Enrollment Passes 1,000 (eon.businesswire.com)
- Tom Vander Ark: College Squeezing Out the Middle Class (huffingtonpost.com)
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[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tom Vander Ark, David S. Doty. David S. Doty said: And it's in UT. [email protected]: WGU serves 21000 students online; growing 30% because its fast, affordable, respected. http://bit.ly/boPQQK […]