Thursday, February 3, 2011

WTH: WGU

Blizzard '11 is passing across the US. In some cities the snow is being cleared. In others the snow is being put down. Some of us spent our research days buying no cook food and returning videos. Some of us will spend our snow days on research. Others will stare blankly out the window seeking a glimpse of the next house over.

In the midst of it all, I received an email from someone claiming to be from Western Governors University. Since I have a Ph.D. I've somehow made it onto their hit list. No, they aren't offering me a job (which I wouldn't take anyway). Well, I guess they are offering me a "job" just not the kind I think should exist.

Here are a few excepts:

"We are currently recruiting 8-10 Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) with degrees in Basket Weaving or Basket Weaving Education to participate in a review process known as Standard Setting. This review will take place during February and March. If you are interested, please forward a current vita. Details of this review follow."

"SMEs will be paid for completing the Standard Setting Training (Step 1—1 hr.), the first pass of the test items (Step 2—abt. 10 hrs.), and attending the second pass web/conference call sessions (Step 3—abt. 12 hrs.). This should take a total of 23 hours. SMEs will be paid according to their education and experience."

Last year when I received a similar letter, I looked these people up. It claims to be a uni started by some governors of some western states to provide education to all who come. They've got lots of "normal" sounding majors in their Teacher's College. It's online only as far as I can tell. But the real kicker is that each class is worth a certain number of "Competency Units (credit equivalents)". That's right folks!!! Competency Units. There are some things that I'd like to write here about transfers, etc but you all know what I would say and, frankly, I desire to keep my posts clean.

My second experience with this regionally accredited university took place on an online forum for a Basket Weaving related (BWr) recruiting firm. This other forum I read has occasional gems on which I, a professor, can comment and give advice. On this forum a person posted a question about what s/he had to do to get BWr job. The usual "talk to your professors" advice was given. Then s/he said s/he was going to WGU and described the way the school worked. Basically you buy the book, you read the book, you do the suggested HW problems, you study for the multiple choice final exam. As I recall they don't give you letter grades just Pass or Fail. So there is no GPA to put on your resume (vital on resumes for BWr jobs, by the way). But supposedly a Pass was equivalent to at least a 3.0. So this person wanted to know if s/he could compute what the GPA would be. I, of course, posted a copy of the first letter WGU has sent me, explained that this wasn't a normal university, and that would likely create problems when this person applied to BWr jobs. I was firm but nice.

After these first two experiences the conclusion that I reached is that WGU has NO faculty in house who are qualified to write exams. So they pay $10-15 per question for professors at other schools to write their tests for them. Since there is no one qualified to write an exam there is no one qualified to assign grades. Since there is no instructor of record there can be no grades. Since there are no grades they must award "Competency Units" as opposed to credits.

But like I said this week's letter was merely similar to the first. The first letter was an offer to write exam questions. The new letter was a offer for what seems to be checking exams for errors. They want 23 hours of my time and would pay me about $800. I would do things like discuss the problems and their solutions was 8-10 other SMEs and finalize what the exam should be. As you see above it would be a three step process.

While I unenthusiastically applaud their careful planning of exams. I can't believe that they are paying up to $8000 dollars plus $15 per question to write a exam. OK, maybe I'm giving them too much credit and it's that much money for all their Basket Weaving exams.

It appears to me that they don't trust their exam writers. So they hire exam checkers. But they don't really trust their exam checkers so they make them "meet" several times (so, I guess, the exam checkers have time to check their own checking?).

I'll be honest with you, CMers. I spend maybe 1 hour writing, checking, and taking each exam before I photocopy it. Which means I haven't spent 23 hours creating exams for my own university over the last 2 years.

I don't even know what else to write about this university. There is a wordless swelling within the pit of stomach. Perhaps some of you can put in words the things I am currently thinking.

Maybe the following thought can put a shape on my swelling:

The University of Phoenix gets more of my respect. (P.S. Misspelling intentional, please pronounce it out loud).

Of course, I truly hope that some of you will reassure me that this is just a Nigerian scam.

39 comments:

  1. "The University of Phoenix gets more of my respect. (P.S. Misspelling intentional, please pronounce it out loud)."

    I have now read this at least 5 times, and I'm stuck... What misspelling?

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  2. Wow, I never thought of this. It goes way beyond the adjunct economy. Maybe we'll all become faceless drones, cranking out exam questions at $10 per for some gigantic online "university."

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  3. $800 for 23 hrs of work? Forward their application to me. That's good money, especially since I can give the questions to my students as tutoring. Win win.

    At least WGU has some quality control. I'm infuriated by my current physical chemistry textbook because of the many errors in the chapter problems and solutions manual. Nobody checked those.

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  4. Nemo, apparently I can't spell incorrectly.

    When I see the word I think "University of Faux-enix".

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    1. Well I guess you spell better than you lie, cause this entire blog is full of holes.
      So says Mrs. WGU and I don't need a PHD to tell that truth, however when I do have mine and I will it will be because WGU led me to it. I hear misery loves company. I would be appauled to know that my child attended under a professor that felt school was misery, I think I would ask for my money back. If your going to lie try not to make is so obvious.

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  5. I'm sorry ... but the perpetual badmouthing of alternative education is just wearing.

    There have been correspondence schools since pretty much the advent of the postal system.

    There have been diploma mills since pretty much the invention of education.

    There are some good, mediocre, and atrocious campus-based schools ... and alternative schools as well.

    I have no affiliation with WGU other than having researched it as a potential employer. What is so crazy about the concept of governors of mostly rural states collaborating to create an educational institution to reach their citizens who likely aren't within commuting distance of a campus?

    The State University of New York has had a "correspondence campus" since the 1970s, which has evolved to be the primary online content delivery campus for the SUNY system (though most every separate campus has their own offerings as well). They also started with a non-letter narrative grading modality as well.

    As others pointed out, this WGU venture seems to be an effort to insure some form of quality control.

    We all have had our experiences with the good, bad, and worst of educational delivery.

    Could we please focus on that and not reflexively dismiss offerings which may not look exactly like what we are accustomed?

    [off to teach an evening class to a blizzard of snowflakes at the local SLAC.]

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  6. Thank you "Aware and Scared" for your astute comments. I too find it rather unfortunate when a well-credentialed academic puts negative information into cyberspace without actually having the facts. As educators, there is a responsibility not to misinform. However, as a human being, I do understand the fear that comes with change and sympathize with those who are hesitant to embrace said change and therefore stage an assault based in ignorance.

    Without offering any of my own opinions on said University, I will share this piece from USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-07-14-IHE-Indiana-Western-WGU-online14_ST_N.htm regarding the fact that the State of Indiana has partnered with WGU in order to provide education to a larger population of their state. Washington State is in the process of doing the same and I hear that other states are looking into it as well. Oh, and the most recent Graduation Speaker at WGU (July 2010) was Martha Kanter, U.S. Under Secretary of Education. I think it’s a good sign that the federal and state governments are not only accepting, but supporting this type of progress.

    Change is always a challenge, but it does happen whether all of us are on board or not. The most brilliant minds are those who embrace change and are at the forefront of progress; not those who fight it with negativity.

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    1. Thank you for your kind words and fairness. I am a WGU student. The scary thing about WGU is it is truly NON PROFFIT. They charge less than 3k per 6 month semester and you can pass as many classes (cu) as you can squeeze into that six months. It is no fairy tale, your going to do some really hard work but they have a great support system. Mentors call you once a week urging you to complete assignments and they are life savers at time. The thing about WGU is they have people scared other onlines that is because online programs are solid profit. A teacher sets at home in her robe and responds to students at most and they don't have to pay electric bills or any of that or build a class room and they charge more for it than brick an moater classes. WGU doesn't do that they are making education affordable. I thank WGU for my degree and I will hold it up to anyone elses because I am teaching like my hair is on FIRE....I probably do have a typo or two because I got on a rant earlier now my wrist hurts and I am trying to eat dinner...just wanted to thank you for being honest and upholding to the truth.

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  7. $10 per question? I need to get in on this. Here's a free demonstration of my mad sKiLlz at writing science questions for pre-nurses:

    You accidentally give a child 15 mL of liquid crack instead of Tylenol. When the jury convicts you of malpractice, they will sentence you to 1 year of jail for each cubic centimeter of solution volume you gave that cute little tike. How long do you serve?

    For the sake of this question, let's assume that you survive long enough to complete your debt to society.

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  8. BeOpen, of course everything you say is true. But I'm still disturbed that all the courses at WGU are pass/fail, when a GPA of some description is going to be necessary to the students in their future careers.

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    1. I understand this is an old forum. In order to answer the GPA question the student is directed to write and state 3.5 for the answer. The reason for the GPA at 3.5 is the passing score for exams is 3.5 anything above and beyond is not counted.

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    2. On our resumes we list a 3.5 GPA and on our transcripts there is a grading format explaining that no exam is passed with out the equivilant of a 3.5 gpa and therefor pass means you made a 3.5 at least and not pass means you made a 3.4 or under.

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  9. I hate being pedantic, but all the comma errors in the original post made the rant against the low quality school a bit ironic to me.

    Like others...I'd also take that $8K on a regular basis. Or was it $800? I am so very confused by the details of this post.

    Plus, I am sure the intent here is to gather a bank of questions to rotate in perpetuity. (You know, knowledge never changes, etc.). Sounds very economical for a "school" not actually providing a usable education. (Let's recall that independent correspondence school diplomas have often been laughed at by potential employers.)

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  10. Dear The_Myth,

    After I saw your comment, I reread the original post with some care. There were two places where I would have put a comma, and CMP had not; but I am told I overuse commas, and I accept that this is a matter of taste (and Oxford vs non-Oxford conventions, I gather). There were two sentence fragments, which I took as colloquialisms. And there was one use of "like" for "as", which drives me INSANE, but Joseph Williams on Style (:How to Write with Clarity and Grace) has educated me on this point and I am prepared to accept that this, also, is a matter of taste.

    So, if you don't want to sound like a pedantic tight-ass, I would stifle the pedantic tight-ass comments.

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  11. Oh no you didn't!

    TM vs. MA

    The shit is ON.

    Seriously, people. I check this site for comments to avoid doing boring things like work, sleeping, work... Keep the comments rolling.

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  12. Ok....

    DOWN WITH WGU AND DOWN WITH THE MUBARAK REGIME!

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  13. Wow... talk about over-reacting....

    Dear Merely a Unicorn,

    You just noted several items of error in the OP, as have a few other people here. Ergo, your harsh commentary of me marks you as a hypocrite and your opinion of me belongs right where you sit. And since I called myself a pedant, yay for you to point it out and rub my nose in it. You're just so smart!

    I'd use stronger language, but you'll just cry victim (again). It's such a common tactic for you. Keep acting this way and no one will need to use a pejorative to know exactly what you are.

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  14. Dear The_Myth -

    ah, the hell with it. was about to respond in kind, but humour can turn nasty online. Have a good evening, and I hope you're not snowed in.

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  15. Y'all are making us English perfessers look bad. Stoppit.

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  16. If I knew y'all were grading me, I'd have spend more than an hour writing the thing. As my name might suggest, I've never been much for commas and grammar. Besides every field has its own style preferences. We worry about formulae not commas. Long sentences with lots of punctuation often obfuscate the meaning of what you are writing about.

    My big issues with WGU are
    (a) no instructors,
    (b) no GPA (while some schools like Caltech have no grades the first year all students graduate with a GPA),
    (c) no experts who can write or grade exams,
    (d) Competency Units (are they really credit equivalent, i.e. would any school actually accept the courses as transfers), and
    (e) lack of graded events (I infer from the emails from WGU that whole course must be based on the final exam. Why else would they need to pay me to write an exam if they have someone in-house who can grade HW and the like?).

    I'm not putting down alternative education, in general, but this place is so non-standard that I question whether a student would be able to reap the benefits of a college education.

    Oh, and it was $800 for a Ph.D. to "write" exams. They want 8-10 "writers." Therefore, that could mean up to $8000 for the finals plus up to $15/question.

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    1. Please do some more research. The instructors are called course mentor's and every class has at least two. They have the times posted where they are available for phone calls(a min of 40 hours a week to be avail to students).
      They do have in house greaders....ever heard of Taskstream?....
      As far as grades I have worked in upper level positions for several fortune 500 companies, since earning my Master's at WGU, and have yet to be asked about a GPA.....
      You should be impressed they call consultants in to check the work of in-house employees...
      Furthermore, there are also course mentors which have weekly meeting with their students. This is the first University in I am aware of that gives each student such personalized attention. Certianly the counclers at Fullerton never knew be by name the entire four years I attended.....
      Teachers......Do your homework...Pass or fail...You failed!

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    2. Your just wrong so many have told you this already but apparently you don't read. WGU is not a paper mill for education they are the real deal. I wanted to say I am sorry for being rude but I worked all day and then was googling something and found this and you made me really mad. That is my school, crazy math, don't think they are a mill they have heart. My husband died of a massive heart attack and I almost died someone from that school checked on my every day. When I had surgery they sent me flowers and they checked on me every day. They love their students and that is why so many of us are upset with this. I had no problems what so ever getting a job and pass fail has become the norm and they sure do transfer, I took some classess off campus and they took everyone of my credits .....just saying do some research, if your going to waste an hour of your life writing something then make sure your correct so I don't have two waste 3 hours of mine while my dinner is getting cold to defend it. Sorry again,,,,putting now!

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  17. is it wrong for me to be giggling like a little boy who just said the word "weenus" as I read this thread's comments?

    Oh, and for those of you with young sons who giggle while saying the word "weenus", point out to them that it is actually the word for the flap of skin that sticks out on your elbow, thus diminishing the novelty of its use as a modification of the word, well, you know.

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  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  19. When I get my motherfuckin' labor camp in Siberia, I will track you down "anonymous" and put you in it.

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  20. The only embarrassing thing about this blog is that anonymous embarrasses himself every time he posts. Dude: if you don't like the content, go elsewhere, ProfHacks maybe. You look like an idiot dissing the party you crashed.

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  21. Oh shit, a day without posts! Call the fucking presses, we've got an equation here: CM = Titanic !

    Yeah, watevah, anonymous. I think this would be an issue if you were one of those 'flakes that needs continuous, rapid, near-instantaneous gratification NOW with never-ending internet postings to keep from being reduced to a quivering mass via drug addiction withdrawal symptoms. Is anonymous not a prof, but instead a 'flake? He's sure posting like one, 'cuz I can't think of anyone over 30 who'd call a blog "dead" after one day of no new postings.

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  22. Why are there no posts over the past couple of days. Just last week AdjunctSlave was complaining how the slew of posts always pushed her off the front page. Now there's been 4 in 3 days? Very odd.

    Did Miami of Ohio close?

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  23. It's all of the snow. It has kept us from our illustrious careers and therefore have nothing to bitch about for days. Well, except for the snow. Can we bitch about the snow here too?

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  24. I just wanted to say that there are classes that you can pass by taking a proctored exam. There are also classes that require tasks like essays, research papers and presentations. These are graded by a third party company according set guide lines. Also, there is a requirement for the future teachers And nurses to have in class Or on site training.

    Please get all the facts before torching the place with words.

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  25. I am a current student of WGU Indiana accordingly I will try to offer a free minded perspective. WGU is indeed radically different from any traditional university. To compare the model to a traditional one would be comparing apples to oranges. Questioning the educational models efficiency based on a measurement of comparison to a traditional university would present a bogus conclusion. In order to effectively measure the “quality” we must not compare it to any formal model. However, we must first scrutinize the model leaving out any measurement of what is traditional, only then can we be open minded enough to fairly quantify the model as a whole.
    I started off my program with textbooks, classes, and expectations. Each class has a course of study uniquely different from a syllabus. It is laid out in such a way where you study at your own pace. It takes self discipline and time management in order to succeed. If one were to fall off track then there is a student mentor if needed. I have competent course mentors to turn to when there is something that needs further clarity. Course mentors are experts in their respected fields. All exams are proctored unlike a majority of other online institutions. I have enriching videos to watch, and I study from the same textbooks as most traditional universities. And there is a vast majority of traditional universities delivering programs entirely online.
    I understand the negative responses concern more about WGU than an online format. However, WGU’s online format is one that is proven effective, and is receiving millions of dollars a year in funding from all around. If this was a “Nigerian” scam than how could it be received in three states now as a state funded school? Bill Linda Gates Foundation just donated 4.2 Million dollars to a scam? I have grown accustomed to an educational model that does not test on inert information.
    I for one am proud of the education I have received. Given the many obstacles I have had these past few years with children and a full-time job it was not feasible to attend a brick & mortar institution. Just because WGU does not deliver lectures over every objective does not discredit it as a viable educational environment. They provide the resources such as: videos, textbooks, mentors, simulations, etc. I have found it highly conducive to a learning environment, and I suggest researching something first before you openly and ignorantly slander it.

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  26. It sounds like they may pay more to have a high value test they do not have the financial needs of upkeep and maintenance on buildings and benefit packages (retirement, health care, etc) of a professor. This also amounts to great savings for someone with self discipline and the need for flexibility in their schedule.
    I currently attend WGU and the self paced study it ideal with my lifestyle.

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  27. I was searching something else and came across this. Full disclosure, I'm a student at WGU enrolled in Elementary Education, I did my 1st year at U of Phoenix.

    UoP: I watched a "classmate" copy and paste Wiki for all interactions (reference numbers and all) and a paper I had to edit. They assign it to the other students. I had an issue with one of my "professors". He gave me a 0 in English for a paper on history when I'd aced my final in English before. When contacted, I told them my concerns and they said as long as they copy/paste the syllabus and post up the questions in time (most didn't anyway) there was no way to make a complaint. Another student openly discussed their husband was taking their math course for them because they didn't have time. They too passed.

    WGU: I called to verify with 5 nearby states to ensure my education would count when I went for certification. All of them said yes. I called 10 state colleges (3 in my state) and accepted WGU - as transfer or if I choose to go for Masters, they adjust how many credits they give out for the courses and can assign you a GPA based on the scores on your coursework (there are still scores). WGU is accredited by NWCCU –same as Boise, Oregon, BYU, and so on. They are also accredited through NCATE - every person I spoke with knew exactly who WGU was.

    The desktop math course has input functions and I was not close to prepared for the next level of math (though I'd done well at UoP). I take certain exams via proctoring. I can go into a B&M center OR I can choose to take it via webcam. With webcam, there can be no noises, drinks or cell phones, there must be a view of the room around me, I must display any materials (calculators, scratch paper, etc.). They can pause your exam, call you on the phone and request you to scan the room if they think anything is up. I know a few students kicked out when they were found to have someone giving answers off to the side and another wrote equations on a wall.

    I can't finish my degree online. I must do student teaching in my district. I called to verify they would allow and again, no problems (double checked). Finals that are not webcam is the most difficult work I've ever faced and I'm not allowed to pass until it's near perfect. Textbooks are same as state colleges. One example is my 12 page research paper. I had 5 "tasks “I submitted, each one graded by a 3rd party contractor staffed by mostly B&M professors who like to earn cash but don't want extra interaction with more students. Each task is submitted back with a pass or revision required & you don't get competency until you have a perfect paper.

    There ARE professors. They call them course mentors and they have a Masters. We get to work at our own pace for a flat rate. We are not required to sit in forums or lengthy lectures & we can go to LIVE cam lectures if we choose, plus a library of past ones. The great thing about this over B&M - I can call or email anytime and there is someone around the clock to help.

    I get a personal mentor. They have access to when I've logged in, what I've uploaded and may not have submitted for grading, all my homework, what pages I've accessed in my textbooks and so on. I set my courses each term with her so I can arrange my schedule how I want. I can do 12 CUs or 60 if I want. This works out well. I'm a mom to 4 kids under 10 and if we are sick for a week, I don't have to log in at all and if they are in bed early one night, I can work 5 hours. UoP wouldn't even allow me to submit 6 hours "early" one week when I was leaving. I can go on vacation at any time and download my textbooks. I realize it reads like an ad, but it addresses points that were incorrect. I'd really hate to see someone pass WGU because of this post since it’s high-ranked in Google.

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  28. If I could interject a point by point:

    "My big issues with WGU are
    (a) no instructors,"
    This is incorrect. As mentioned above, I have course mentors that can be as hands on as a full professor, from one on one video chats, phone calls, emails, etc. or you might never hear from them if you can do it yourself and need nothing. Personal mentors do not have degrees but they have nothing to do with coursework.

    "(b) no GPA (while some schools like Caltech have no grades the first year all students graduate with a GPA),"
    There is still a score on task work and "finals". The grading system a state college transfers with will give you a good GPA since you must basically get 80% or above while state colleges will give you the credits for far less. No course is worth less than that through tasks. Proctoring (Math, Constitution, etc.) DO get a percent grade with a cut score. Most colleges are doing away with GPA anyhow (Brown and New College come to mind both as acceptance and graduation - given the wide range of how GPA is calculated, 4pt, 11pt or even 15pt scale, weighted, unweighted...) Several gen ed courses in state colleges are now pass/fail. My husband has an IT degree from a different college, they never asked for a GPA and he's never listed it on a resume and he's getting 6 figures this year. If Cal Tech can assign GPA without grades, why couldn't WGU or any college taking the transfers?

    "(c) no experts who can write or grade exams,"
    A bit confused on what you mean here - they are coming to experts to write it and paying fairly well and I'd think after whatever you wrote was passed on, it would be reviewed on top of that. The grading is done by a 3rd party - Kryterion does webcam proctoring (same one Penn State, FSU and others use for the courses they allow online) and at this hour, I'm blanking on the task graders but when I was researching, I recall it's an approved company that B&M professors are allowed to outsource to when they don't want to grade their own papers.

    "(d) Competency Units (are they really credit equivalent, i.e. would any school actually accept the courses as transfers), and"

    Yes. The CUs I questioned in a spot check list, from the colleges I spoke with are the exact same as the credits at those state colleges. You don't get the same amount of CU's for each class just as you don't credits.

    "(e) lack of graded events (I infer from the emails from WGU that whole course must be based on the final exam. Why else would they need to pay me to write an exam if they have someone in-house who can grade HW and the like?)."
    This is untrue. I'm not sure what was said that you infer that, of course, but "finals" are completely graded (see cut score), and even the ones with competency still have a point system. 0-4 or 0-5 points possible in up to 15 sections of a rubric, you must get a three in EACH SECTION of the rubric or else it is sent back for revisions. You forget to drop your APA references in on an otherwise perfect essay? It's sent back. No course has just one task. Fewer CU's means fewer tasks. I had 5 "tasks" to do surrounding my paper, each one must get a 3 on a 4 pt scale on each rubric. I could get a perfect on 4 submitted works, but if I didn't on the first one, I cannot complete the CUs until I do. However, my public speaking course (I have to record a video and include graphics and submit that) is only 2 CU's but only 2 tasks.

    You also forget, exams in B&M are written by professors still. To be NCATE accredited, their exams must also adhere to a national standard for teaching teachers. All their other programs have similar accreditation but of course, there was no reason to get into detail. I did crazy research when I decided to step into this because of how UoP was and how few credits transfer and how much it costs. I made probably 120 phone calls to make sure I wasn't doing something dumb again.

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  29. Ok so the whole point of your post is so you can pitch University of Phoenix? You must have a lot of time on your hands. Just so you know, Ms. PHD, University of Phoenix uses a very poor online study method, for a lot less support for students, and a lot, a lot more money. However, what do I know, I only researched these schools for about a year before I made a decision.

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    1. Well, wedding- your post doesn't say much for the education you received, wherever you received it. She was rebutting points made about WGU. If you read her previous post, she denigrated the University of Phoenix pretty harshly. I think perhaps you should have researched further.

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  30. I think I better jump on this wagon really quick and straighten a few of the nuts and bolts up that you left lying on the floor.
    I am a WGU graduate, I went to a BM school and then when my dad got cancer and needed me to take care of him I found WGU. My first day of enrolment was the day he died. Was I nervous about an online school and that causing a problem getting a job? Yes, I sure was!
    Truth time, you can say what you want, Harvard made a statement saying thank God WGU is an online university so we don’t have to contend with them. Possibly a joke I don’t know. I will say this I am a teacher, elementary school, and my rants online never start with misery as yours do. I am offended by your blog here. Especially since you have no clue what you’re talking about.
    WGU has trained thousands of teachers, and let me say why I was so scared of an online university. When I first decided to try online, I chose University of Phoenix, talk about a degree mill, they charge you 18,000 a year for what????? For NOTHING that is what? I was in an educational psychology, the requirement was that I write a paper with a group of five other students helping. The only other requirement was that I make a post once a week and reply to at least two other posts by students. Very quickly I realized no-one was watching. I didn’t like my grade depending on other people’s plagiarism and I thought the talking stick forum was stupid. I passed that class with an A that would be a 98 A to be exact. Every post that I put in their forum said this phrase exactly….every single time….This could possibly be the worst education that a person could pay for, I would get a better degree running through the rain trying to read a newspaper I just robbed from my neighbor’s lawn. Please God let this five weeks pass fast so I can find a real school to go retake this course at because I would like to actually learn something. The grader comments went like this on my final evaluation,,,, Lesa is a student that is engaged in her coursework, helps others, and puts in long hours toward her degree, she is welcomed back to any of my courses here at UOP. YEP….bet I went back NOT!
    Let’s get back to your fibbing. WGU is dealing out an honest hard to handle degree I will call it hard to handle because most students transferring in from other online universities expect this to be a cake walk to but you do your work at WGU. The thing you said about multiple test, where, when did you see this. I write 5-15 essays for each course that I pass and each of those essays is anywhere from 20 to 150 pages in length. I was so impressed with my education that I am getting my masters there now and I certainly hope to work for them as a student mentor one day. I also upon graduation placed my resume into the teaching pool and got my choice of job. I had offers from all over and the schools were impressed because they said I knew exactly what they were talking about and that most new teachers did not know the language. You know all those pesky little things like the MTFS, or those little IEP type initials. I was ready to hit the ground running and an evaluator from one of the finest colleges in Florida said I was top one percent of any teacher he had evaluated. That being said I was contacted by 84 different schools and after talking to me for ten minutes I had offers right there, without ever even having a face to face.
    One would think that a professor with a doctorate would learn to check their facts before spreading rumors, I am inclined to think that possibly you may have wanted to enroll at WGU, or applied for work and they turned you down so this is your version of sour grapes, because anyone with an associates can check your facts and see the entire blog piece on WGU is so full of half-truths, and out and out lies that it made me dizzy reading it. By the way….You did not misspell Phoenix!!!!!!!!!

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  31. I am an MBA -Healthcare Management student at WGU. currently I am work song on my last class before possible graduation, the capstone. Like a good student I looked into the requirements of the capstone and started some things early. Name the part where WGU requires you to get a sign off from a third party, a business, that gives a "real world business problem" to solve and wrote about for your last 20 page business report. Because of the verbiage on this form I have an incredibly hard and long journey to get this form signed. As a healthcare management major my sign off must come from a business who can give me a healthcare related. Part of the form states that the person signing it must represent the organization in this matter and that the powers that be of that organization have reviewed and approved the document. This is where the major problem lies. Basically an executive level healthcare professional must sign off on this form. After three months of phone calls and in person meetings guess how many signatures I got? ZERO. It seems that as a student that just wants to take up there time zero people in professional healthcare arenas are interested in anything a student has to offer, because basically to them I am a nobody. I don't blame them either. So I contacted WGU with my dilemma. They said that I could do a healthcare styles project for a non healthcare business as long as the business problems was healthcare related. After that I got a signature within the week. I got verbally approval for my specific project from the professor and started to work on the 20 page business report. Then an email came form my professor stating my project could not be approved because it wasn't healthcare enough. I amended my problem statement to make it more related to healthcare. Still disapproved. I appealed and still disapproved. So now I have ZERO OPTIONS!!! The requirement of WGU to garner the willingness, cooperation, time, and executive level signature from a third party that is in no way affiliated with the college or the student in order to graduate is preposterous! I may not graduate now. And not because I'm not smart enough or won't work hard enough. But because I can't get the right sign off and business problem from executive level healthcare professional that don't have time for a student they don't even know. Furthermore, the unprofessionalism of a doctorate holding professor in approving and then disapproving a project is astoundingly ridiculous to stay the least. My entire program up until this point has been great. But after this, I CAN NO LONGER RECOMMEND WGU AS A COLLEGE ANYONE SHOULD GO TO! In all fairness perhaps I would recommend WGU to my worst enemy.......

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    1. Sounds like you aren't very good at professional networking. Literally, (and I mean that in the got in my car drove to the business, got the proposal signed by the CEO of a hospital) 45 minutes to have my Capstone project approved. I don't think you can blame WGU for you not being capable. Also, with this being the case, perhaps you shouldn't have put your full name on this comment.

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