July 2019 – Page 2 – Continually Learning Academy | Professional Learning for Schools

Yes, I really got my Master's Degree for $ 3,500 from Western Governors University. I have been asked many questions in recent years about WGU and why I chose this university. I will share five reasons why I chose WGU and answer some frequently asked questions people have asked me. I can also send you a link where you can get your $65 application fee waved because I’m an alumni of the university. If I don’t answer all your questions, leave it in the comments and I will try to answer it. Here are the five main reasons I chose WGU. 1. Affordability Going back to school should be easy with the program prices listed when you visit a university’s website. Unfortunately your big decision is made harder with prices buried deep in the website somewhere. One of the things I loved about Western Governors University is that they were very transparent with their pricing. They have you pay a flat rate for 6 months of classes. It doesn’t matter how many classes you can complete in the 6 month period, the rate doesn’t change. I loved this aspect of WGU! With a baby on the way, I needed to know exactly how much this decision was going to cost my family, so we could weigh the pros and cons. Another aspect that was appealing was that the college didn’t require me to take the GRE or GMAT to get accepted, which would have added to the cost of school. Tuition changes at universities throughout the years, but Western Governors University seems to be still valuing affordability for their students at $3,000 to $4,000 for a 6 month period. It does depend on the program that you select, but their prices are very competitive for the programs they offer. Even if I compared the full price of my 2 year program versus other universities, WGU won every time. Please do your research, but WGU seems to still be a very affordable option. My older brother’s Master's Degree cost him around $26,000. So, even if I took the full 2 years for the program, I would have a total cost around $15,000, which still is very competitive for a Master's Degree. One of the major reasons I selected WGU was for it’s affordability. 2. Self Paced and Competency Based The WGU programs are self paced based on a competency based system. You can work through your selected program at your own pace. The programs also pride themselves on being competency based, which means you can test out of certain course of concepts that you understand already. Also, the majority of the programs are available online, which adds to the flexibility of the programs. WGU has you complete courses at your own pace, so if you already know the material you can test out of it or move through the course quicker. Basically, you sign up for the program you would like to take and you can complete as many courses in the 6 month period. This is actually the main reason I completed my Master's for $3,500. I completed all of the courses and the capstone project for the Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction in the first 6 month period. If I needed another 6 months to complete the Master's, I would have to pay the flat rate again until I completed the courses. The competency based method opens the door to completing courses quicker that you already have experience in. I really liked this element of WGU and this aspect saved me at least $10,000 compared to other colleges. Something else that I liked was that if the papers I wrote for my assignments didn’t meet their standard, I could rework it and resubmit. So, if a paper didn’t pass they would send it back with corrections for me to make. I would make any corrections needed and resubmit the paper. I have found the ability to resubmit very helpful, and it helps to relieve anxiety as well. 3. Support Staff It takes about a month or so to get all of the paperwork worked out before you can officially start. As soon as you start, the support staff is with you all the way until the end. I really appreciated having an advisor that checked in and answered any questions I had along the way. They also have content experts that you can reference as you go throughout the various courses of your program. They were always there when I needed help in various areas. The support team was the most valuable when I started to work on my capstone project. I had a lot of questions and needed advised on topics before I started the project. In my 6 month period, I never had a negative interaction with the support staff at WGU. They were always patient with answering my questions, and seeking to assist me during my time there. It was nice to have such a supportive group behind me. They even have helped me after I have graduated with transcripts and future career advise. 4. Had the Degree I Wanted Another reason I chose Western Governors University is that they had a program that I was interested in. I got my Master's in Curriculum and Instruction. However, WGU has a great variety of Master's Degrees. They have around 30 Master's programs. With around 15 in the field of education and teaching. Take a look at the variety of programs they offer and see if anything jumps out to you. I always recommend getting something that is affordable and makes sense in your situation. A Master's that opens doors for your future career is something to consider as well. I went with WGU because they had what I was looking for at a good price. With the variety and affordability of their programs, they are hard to beat. When I added everything up WGU was a great opportunity for me and my family’s future. 5. Accredited And Quality Education The final major reason that I selected WGU was that the programs were accredited and had high quality reviews. As I researched the University, I found many good reviews about the quality of education offered. I talked to some alumni of WGU and they discussed their experiences with me. As I reflect on my own learning experience at WGU, I would have to say it was extremely beneficial and I learned a lot. Before I started the program, I wanted to make sure the degree would be accepted in my home state. So, once I did my research and I found that the accreditation would work for my home state, I jumped onboard. My state recognized the degree which opened multiple doors for me and also gave me a raise at my teaching job. Frequently Asked Questions Hopefully the above sections has answered some of your questions, but here are a few more frequently asked questions. If you have more questions leave a comment and I will try to answer it. Make sure you comment below if you are interested in the alumni link that will wave your $65 application fee at the bottom of this section. When can you start? When I went to the university you could start any month of the year. Just remember it takes about a month for paperwork. I started in May and finished by October, so I only had to pay the flat rate for 6 months one time. What were your classes like? Each of the programs are a little different, so ask for help from the WGU staff. My program, Master's of Science in Curriculum and Instruction, was all papers and PowerPoints, except for two tests. The tests were taken at home with the camera they provided that I setup in my room. A proctor watches you take the test for academic honesty purposes. So, my program was mainly papers, but a math program may include more tests than papers. The support staff are really open to all your questions and concerns. Just ask and they will be more than happy to help inform you about the program you are interested in. How long did you dedicate each day to work on the Master's? This is a complicated question for multiple reasons, but I will try to answer it. I did my six month period from May through October on purpose so I would have the summer off to focus on the program. In the summer, I woke up early around 6 a.m. and would work until I finished a paper. Typically, I would finish before 12 and take a break whenever I finished. I would try to proofread in the afternoon and submit the paper. I would do 2 to 3 papers a week. It is hard to say exactly how much time you will need because of your background knowledge, your writing ability, and other variables. I sometimes would be able to write faster about one topic and not as fast on another because of my background knowledge. The reality is that it is a Master's program and there is a time commitment to it. Everyone is different, but the positive thing about WGU is that you have the option of going faster if you can. For a lot of programs out there, you just have to go at the same pace as everyone else whether that is faster or slower than you are comfortable with. Did your master open doors for you? My Master's not only gave me a raise in my teacher pay in the state that I was teaching in, but it also opened other career opportunities. In the years that followed, I was given the opportunity to be an adjunct at a college to design and teach various courses. Also, I am currently a full time college professor and am no longer teaching in pubic school. I miss my public school teaching job, but this Master's Degree definitely opened some opportunities for me that I wouldn’t have had without it. If you have any other questions leave it in the comments below and I will try to answer it. I can’t over emphasize how helpful the WGU support staff was for me! I can try to answer any questions you have, but WGU can probably answer your questions quicker and more accurate than myself. I hope they will be just as helpful to you if you decide to start the process. I can send you the alumni link. I do get a $30 credit to the WGU store for every referral, but I do fully support and recommend WGU for the reasons mentioned above. The link will wave the application fee, which has been around $65 in the past. All you have to do is comment below that you are interested. Please use the email you would prefer to receive the link and your first and last name. I really hope this was informative for you! Please pin and share to help others! Thank you for Continually Learning with us! Kyle and Sarah