WGU is focused on student and graduate success
Focus on Student Learning & Success
In addition to knowing that the university you attend is accredited, it is important to know that you will learn the things you need to know to be successful in your career. At WGU, we are focused on your learning.
Collegiate Learning Assessment
The Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) is a national exam that measures higher-order skills, such as critical thinking and written communication. In 2011-2012, 172 institutions participated in the CLA.
- WGU seniors scored higher than 78% of participating institutions.
- WGU’s value-added score, measuring incremental learning, was higher than 93% of participating institutions.
Employer Acceptance
WGU students graduate with degrees that prepare them to succeed in their careers.
Employer Satisfaction (2012 Survey of Employers by Harris Interactive)
- 97% said that WGU graduates meet or exceed expectations; 91% said WGU graduates exceed expectations.
- 99% said they would hire another WGU graduate.
- 95% rated WGU graduates’ job performance as good as or better than the job performance of other graduates; 55% rated it better.
- 100% said that their WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs; 67% said that they were very well or extremely prepared.
Graduates reporting that the majority of competencies learned in college related directly to their work:
- 82 percent of WGU Graduates
- 65 percent of Graduates in Harris Survey
The university's current 13-month retention rate (the percentage of students who return after their first year) is 79%, which is higher than the average for U.S. public colleges and universities.
WGU graduates hold responsible positions in many major companies throughout the U.S.
- College of Business Graduates
- College of Health Professions Graduates
- College of Information Technology Graduates
Graduates of WGU’s Teachers College can be found in almost every major public school district in the U.S. A number of WGU graduates have been recognized have been recognized for their work through awards and grants.
WGU Performance in 2012 National Study of Student Engagement (NSSE)
NSSE is a national survey that measures student engagement with various academic activities. In 2012, the NSSE polled over 300,000 students from 577 institutions. WGU students reported having better relationships with faculty, spending more time on academic work, applying more higher order thinking skills, and feeling higher overall satisfaction than the national average.
| WGU | Private Nonprofit Universities | All Institutions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating of entire educational experience (Excellent = 4, Good = 3, Fair = 2, Poor = 1) |
First Yr | 3.61 | 3.21 | 3.28 |
| Senior | 3.60 | 3.20 | 3.28 | |
| Relationships with faculty members (Unfriendly, unavailable = 1 to Helpful, available = 7) |
First Yr | 6.21 | 5.29 | 5.40 |
| Senior | 6.14 | 5.56 | 5.60 | |
| How much have examinations challenged you? (Very little = 1 to Very much = 7) |
First Yr | 5.98 | 5.49 | 5.54 |
| Senior | 6.05 | 5.56 | 5.56 | |
| Hours spent studying, reading, writing, and other academic activities (1=0 hrs/wk, 2=1–5 hrs/wk, 3=6–10 hrs/wk, 4=11–15 hrs/wk, 5=16–20 hrs/wk, 6=21–25 hrs/wk, 7=26–30 hrs/wk, 8=more than 30 hrs/wk) |
First Yr | 4.86 | 4.07 | 4.37 |
| Senior | 4.84 | 4.29 | 4.43 | |
| Received prompt written or oral feedback from faculty (Never = 1, Sometimes = 2, Often = 3, Very often = 4) |
First Yr | 3.26 | 2.72 | 2.77 |
| Senior | 3.21 | 2.88 | 2.89 | |
| Extent to which your experience contributed to your development in the following areas: (Very little = 1, Some = 2, Quite a bit = 3, Very much = 4) | ||||
| Acquiring job- or work-related knowledge and skills | First Yr | 3.36 | 2.81 | 2.89 |
| Senior | 3.50 | 3.13 | 3.13 | |
| Writing clearly and effectively | First Yr | 3.34 | 3.07 | 3.08 |
| Senior | 3.45 | 3.16 | 3.18 | |
| Learning effectively on your own | First Yr | 3.47 | 2.97 | 2.99 |
| Senior | 3.57 | 3.07 | 3.11 | |
| Solving complex real-world problems | First Yr | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.75 |
| Senior | 3.04 | 2.83 | 2.88 | |
| Extent to which coursework emphasized the following: (Very little = 1, Some = 2, Quite a bit = 3, Very much = 4) | ||||
| Analyzing basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory | First Yr | 3.26 | 3.14 | 3.22 |
| Senior | 3.42 | 3.29 | 3.34 | |
| Synthesizing and organizing ideas, information, or experiences into more-complex interpretations and relationships | First Yr | 3.15 | 2.93 | 3.00 |
| Senior | 3.41 | 3.11 | 3.16 | |
| Making judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods | First Yr | 3.04 | 2.95 | 2.98 |
| Senior | 3.19 | 3.08 | 3.10 | |
| Applying theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations | First Yr | 3.20 | 3.07 | 3.13 |
| Senior | 3.46 | 3.27 | 3.30 | |
| Providing support needed for academic success (Very little = 1, Some = 2, Quite a bit = 3, Very much = 4) |
First Yr | 3.57 | 3.10 | 3.18 |
| Senior | 3.50 | 2.98 | 3.04 | |
| Would you attend the same institution again? (Definitely yes = 4, Probably yes = 3, Probably not = 2, Definitely not = 1) |
First Yr | 3.76 | 3.24 | 3.28 |
| Senior | 3.72 | 3.20 | 3.24 | |
