Western Governors University Reviews of Bachelor's in Human Resources

This school is completely different than some other online schools in that all your tests are proctored. They can see your computer screen and your desk. That means that to pass any class it is all your own knowledge. I definitely feel like the other schools give online schools a bad rep, but I had studied hard for each and every class and it was just as hard for me as the brick and mortars I attended. The positive for this was I could attend classes in the comfort of my home, and take my tests.... Read More Ad a parent to young children this was very important to me. I also appreciate not having to go into debt so much.

I cannot say enough about how positive this experience was. I just finished my B.S. in Business and Human Resources Management. I did this in 13 months and 11 days-chiefly because I was very determined to achieve this goal. You will be asked to agree to goals, timelines with slightly adjustable dates and be held to these commitments. Several comments I read state they don’t like talking to their mentor on a weekly basis, but they want you to succeed and stay on the ‘on time progress’ that is required.... Read More My enrollment counselor was polite and very helpful. My program mentor let me take the reins but kept me on track giving advice as to which courses to take next and making sure I was balancing final exams and writing assignments. Instructors were always on hand-sometimes late at night-to answer questions if you need assistance. Tests are proctored by a third party organization that was easy once you do it a couple times. You get immediate results from your exams. Writing assignments can take 2-3 days to get evaluated from an outside organization, but I had some get returned in hours. I haven’t decided if I will attend a commencement, but my diploma and transcripts, both complimentary, are already being processed within a week of my degree completion. I am a Director in a casino. I work a lot. I had to study for a couple hours most nights and 8-10 hours on days off. But I did what it took. If you are not self-driven this is probably not the best school for you. If you know that you want to finish your degree, accelerate and save money this is a great institution. I got my Bachelors for $10,140 from an accredited university, with an accredited college of business and an industry leading certification organization supporting the program. It was a life changing experience, and there’s no better feeling than being done.

I am very independent and asking for help is not in my nature, helping others is. After a very false start I found myself ignorning calls from a mentor who seemed to be more interested in moving on to the next call. (It was terrible!) I made the choice to change programs and was assigned to a mentor who understood my drive. I graduated! HOWEVER, the closest venue for me to walk across the stage and have the experience of receiving my EARNED degree is 9 hours away. Huge letdown. For me, WGU offered... Read More the best value. Six months after graduation I am still unemployed in a state that boasts a 2.8% unemployment rate. Resources are great, instructor availability is decent. Your assigned mentor should be on YOUR page, not theirs. If you can't take control of your education, WGU might not be the best place for you.

I recently completed the BS Business-HR Management Program and I really enjoyed my experience at WGU. I will admit, WGU is completely different and requires a high level of motivation. I didnt find the courses to be challenging (but Ive always considered school to be easy; even when I attended a traditional state college) but they definitely required a tremendous amount of work. I wrote 140 pages worth of papers in the last nine courses I completed. If you are willing to take control of your learning... Read More and are motivated then I would definitely recommend you to check out Western Governors University.

The work was challenging and the mentor helpful with encouragement and direction. The folks that give WGU bad reviews fail to point out that several industry certifications are either recognized for credit or required for graduation. I trust industry recognized achievement milestone over some disgruntled student that probably never graduated. The support resources amply if you took the time to locate them. My salary increased 11k within 3 months of graduation as my skills and experience had a degree... Read More to validate. This school may not be for everyone but is perfect for an adult that works full time and cannot spend years balancing a bricks and mortar schedule with frat parties.

This university is a JOKE. They baby you and have to call you once a week for the first term and bug you so bad if you miss a call. Anita is extremely unprofessional and told me I didn't take my schooling seriously. Excuse me, but I PAY for you to have a job. I had family health issues that got me behind a bit and this place is not sympathetic at all. The courses are difficult and the tests have NOTHING to do with what you read and study for hours every single day. Would never recommend this place... Read More to anybody.

I just completed the Bachelor program in Human Resources Management. I work full time and have a family. I had an Associates of Arts degree, WGU was able to apply the AA degree to fulfill the general requirements. I have several years human resources experience and found the courses to be challenging in general. The program took 4 terms with a 1 month term break between the 3rd and 4th term. 18 to 21 competencies per term were doable but probably the most I could do while not neglecting my other... Read More responsibilities. I was able to complete all courses during the scheduled term.

I could not be happier with WGU. I made the decision to attend WGU after I obtained a full time management position. I wasn't able to find classes offered at my local CSU after 5PM. WGU allowed me the opportunity to keep my full time job and finish my degree in a year and a half (after transferring in credits from my AA). This school is not for everyone. You have to be extremely self-motivated and focused. It's very easy to slack off and not succeed. If you don't like your student mentor, request... Read More another one. I had a bad experience with my first one, and my experience was so much more enjoyable and SUCCESSFUL after switching. My hardest class was Finance, and I did not receive the help I needed via the class mentor. I utilized Youtube and other resources to learn the material on my own. Overall, I plan on returning to WGU for my MBA in a couple years after I take a break and have a couple kids. Make the time, make it a priority, and you can make it happen.

Overall, WGU is a great educational option for individuals who are self-motivated. If you need someone to constantly harp on you to get stuff done, this may not be the best choice for you. When it comes to instruction the Course Materials and Course aids are extremely helpful resources, and most (notice I said "most" not "all") of the Course Mentors are extremely helpful individuals. That being said, if you struggle with teaching yourself (by that I mean reading the material and doing the work independently... Read More without it being required to pass, pick a different school). I chose WGU because of the cost of attendance. Flat rate tuition = BIG SAVINGS if you are motivated. For example last term (aka:semester) I completed 31 competency units (aka:credit hours) for the same less than the current COA for 12 hours and my local university. The Financial Aid office is the best I have EVER come into contact with. I sent them an email today and less than 2 hours later, I had an answer and a solution! There is never a bs hoop to jump through. Student Mentor - I have heard horror stories of terrible student mentors here and honestly I don't know whether the reviewers who wrote said horror stories are entitled and incompetent or telling the truth, either way: there is a solution: contact Student Services and ask for a different mentor if you are unhappy with yours. All that said: I absolutely LOVE my mentor, she is motivational without nagging and very, very understanding and encouraging when I fail to meet a goal or deadline. There is never a negative response to any excuse I have. I am so thankful for her. During your first term, you are required to speak to your mentor by phone every week, but these are scheduled for the same day of the week and time of day each week so it is easy to find something that works for your schedule and after the first term, the calls are bi-weekly but you can request to remain on weekly if you want to. Competency-based programs: Pros: if you have work experience or knowledge of a course (i.e. Employment Law) then you can take a Pre-Assessment (think of it like the quiz some professors give at the start of the semester and end of semester to gauge where you are at or what you have learned) IF you pass the Pre-Assessment you can take the Assessment and if you pass that you get credit for the class, without doing any actual work! It helps when you know material and don't want to waste time doing stuff you already know how to do. Pass/No Pass - you either pass or you don't. When you pass you are guaranteed a "3.0 or higher" GPA on your transcript. If you don't pass even by just 1 point, you typically have to conference with a Course Mentor (aka Professor), jump through a few hoops (think extra credit work) and re-take the Final. You get 3 free chances to take a final and pass without it affecting your GPA, if you need to take a final a fourth time, then you will be required to pay a re-take fee of $60. Cons: The online learning can be especially difficult with regard to mathematic courses, i.e. Managerial Accounting and Finance. I am naturally, not a math person (I also read a study where scientific research has identified that people who are good at math are born that way and it doesn't get easier with practice for those not born that way - so I can confidently say that no matter how hard I try I will have a very hard time with math, forever). I had a very very very very hard time teaching myself Managerial Accounting and Finance, in fact, as I type this they are the only 2 courses standing between me and a BS- Business, HR Management. Long term, I would like to go to Law School, I have NOT been told that WGUs grading structure will be an admissions issue if it is, I will update this posting. I recommend WGU to EVERYONE I know because it is affordable and truly the best option for parents and/or full-time employees. I will say this: at one point during my WGU experience I was enrolled full time at WGU, had 3 children under the age of 6 and was working a full time job and 2 part time jobs. That was the same term I completed 31 hours in, so if you have an excuse, forget it - ANYONE can make their education a priority. I don't have time is not an excuse, we all have the same 168 hours in a week, you had the time, you just didn't make it a priority. Make school a priority and save money with WGU!

Not only was it a positive and rewarding experience to get my degree at WGU, they also offer great alumni services. My student mentor was great, the course mentors were helpful when I needed them, and my degree has allowed me to get a better job. It might be hard for some people to do education without hand holding but it was exactly what I needed. I was able to finish on one year and I learned a lot about my field, this is a place where you can learn as much as you want if you are willing to put... Read More the effort into it. Being able to fly through a few classes, with my current knowledge, was a huge relief. I'm trying to be partial in my review but it's hard to be when you are so excited. Because WGU also offers scholarships, one of which I received for $500 a term, I was able to finish my Bachelor's for under $5300 including all materials and fees. I intend to return for my Masters.

So after reading TONS of reviews about WGU (considering for my MBA) I decided since I just completed my degree that I should jump in. I work in HR, currently holding a VP role at my company. I had completed 4 years of college coursework in various fields prior to coming to WGU but when I got into HR I had nothing specific to that field. I transferred in as many credits as possible. At first, it was an adjustment for me to get used to having weekly calls with my mentor. I can tell you that those calls... Read More are the reason I made it through. Not all mentors and students will mesh. I had to request a change to a new one shortly after starting. This school will NOT be for you if you are not a self starter. If you are not someone who will get motivated to get the course work and studying done without someone pressuring you, this will NOT be the place to go. It took me several years due to my hectic schedule, but I just finally finished my Bachelor's degree. I can say without hesitation, that the work that WGU makes you do, in most cases, is significantly harder than that I was asked to do at Community Colleges or other Universities that I have attended. There are no cake walk courses that you can just breeze through. You have to work hard. I am proud to say I got my degree at WGU and I'm proud to say I save a fortune over what others pay. Almost all of the negative reviews point towards the same thing. Either a poor mentor (request a new one) or someone isn't cut out for self study courses. If you need help, there ARE people there to help. YOU have to do the work.

This college is not for students who are not self motivated. At times it can be very frustrating especially with Taskstream, the 3rd party grading system. Sometimes, especially at the end of the month, papers can take days to be graded and I have heard horror stories from other students about not receiving a grade before the end of the term; causing an incomplete or did not pass on their transcripts. The other thing that really bothers me is the fact that proctored online exams are not yet able to... Read More be taken on the newer operating systems (Windows 8). I had to go to a friends house to take my last proctored online exam, as I live in a rural area and the nearest assessment testing site was several miles away. All in all, I feel as though I am receiving a good education and have learned a ton, but as I said this school is not for everyone. If you have good study and time management skills, this is a good school and the price is excellent.