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A degree from WGU can make all the difference in your life’s trajectory. Just ask the over 200,000 WGU graduates. They consistently report how their WGU degrees have helped them advance their careers, earn more money, and realize their dreams.
But not everyone is ready for a regular WGU degree program. That’s why WGU created WGU Academy. Low cost and low risk, WGU Academy is an alternative launching pad for eventual success at WGU.
By completing the appropriate program at WGU Academy, you will be guaranteed admission to WGU with fully transferable courses. Just as important, the Academy program is designed to strengthen your confidence, develop your learning skills, and establish the foundation for eventual success and graduation from WGU.
Interested? Ready to learn more?
WGU Academy
How is WGU Academy different?
WGU created WGU Academy to provide a different, low-risk approach to early college success. While everyone can succeed in college under the right circ*mstances, over the years WGU learned that not everyone who wants to go to WGU is ready for a full course load and a six-month tuition plan. Some, in fact, don’t meet the admission requirements and are consequently not admitted.
WGU Academy solves the dilemma nicely. The Academy offers a low-cost approach that can dramatically increase the likelihood of eventual success in a WGU degree program. Students enjoy a flexible and pragmatic opportunity to prove—to themselves and to WGU—that they are motivated, confident, and academically prepared. And they are guaranteed admission into WGUupon completing their Academy program.
Some important differences about Academy:
- WGU Academy operates with a great deal of flexibility in order to meet the needs of the students it serves.
- Academy offers a more flexible tuition plan and a different kind of learning experience than the degree programs at WGU.
- Academy’s courses are not themselves accredited, but the academic courses at Academy are fully transferable into WGU programs.
- Academy students also take a special course, the Program for Academic and Career Advancement (PACA), that strengthens their confidence, tenacity, and learning skills. (Read more about the PACA course.)
There are other differences that relate to courses, the coaching approach, assessments and grading, and other operational aspects, but everything we do at WGU Academy is designed to prepare you for your future academic and career success.
Completing a WGU Academy program offers powerful advantages.
Guaranteed Admission to WGU
The perfect onramp to a WGU degree and your career goals, your WGU Academy program will meet the academic requirements for admission to WGU. Once you complete your required courses which includes the Program for Academic and Career Advancement (PACA), you will only need to clear any remaining non-academic enrollment requirements to enroll at WGU.
The WGU enrollment requirements include completing the admissions application process (and, possibly, the Readiness Assessment) if you have not already done so. The remaining requirements may include such things as sending in all transcripts from any prior colleges you attended, if any, and special pre-enrollment steps for certain programs, etc. A WGU enrollment counselor or WGU Academy enrollment counselor can help clarify the additional enrollment steps.
Low cost & low risk
We want to make WGU Academy as affordable as possible. Tuition is $150 a month and charged monthly. Our goal is to provide you with a low-cost and low-risk way to meet WGU admission requirements, develop your academic aptitude and habits, and prepare you for a full course load at WGU.
Transferable college-level courses
If you’re prepared to focus, study, and put in the needed hours, you can expect to complete courses at WGU Academy that are fully transferable to WGU and clear requirements in your degree program. The courses are not considered "remedial," although you will have resources available to provide extra assistance if needed.
Personalized coaching
College-level coursework isn’t easy. Drawing on WGU’s award-winning expertise, WGU Academy has developed a coaching and peer support approach that will strengthen your academic skills, build your confidence, and reinforce your determination to succeed. The Program for Academic and Career Advancement (PACA) is at the heart of our approach, coupled with personalized one-to-one support from an assigned coach. There’s nothing quite like it in all of higher education, and it really works!
Completing your courses
Courses are largely self-paced, however the PACA course has set session times where you will meet on-line with your cohort. When you enroll in PACA, you’ll select the cohort with the session times that work with your schedule. For your other course, you will be studying independently on your schedule with 24/7 access to learning resources, such as e-textbooks (which are FREE). Tutors for each course are available, too. You’ll decide when you’re ready to tackle the assessments (tests, papers, etc.) based upon your study experience and readiness.
Free electronic textbooks
The required textbooks and other learning resources needed for each course are FREE and incorporated into the courses, saving you hundreds of dollars on costly textbooks! (If we ever have a situation where we must include a supplemental resource fee, we will be very clear and upfront about the cost. No surprises!)
PACA college success program
Based on an award-winning course at WGU, PACA will strengthen your confidence and resolve, develop your self-directed learning skills, and provide a foundation for both academic and career success. As a part of your PACA experience you will be assigned a personal coach. Many of the most successful people in the world are supported by coaches – such as sports coaches, life coaches, and executive coaches. Effective coaching focuses on learning, developing skills, and creating an environment that supports and sustains your commitment. While personalized coaching often costs a great deal in other settings, your coaching experience here at WGU Academy is included in your tuition.
Who should consider WGU Academy?
Enrolling at Academy may be better if…
- You have no prior college experience
- You have been denied admission to WGU
- You want to test yourself before starting a regular full-time degree program
- You want to develop core competences like writing and math in a low-risk environment
Enrolling at WGU may be better if…
- You already have experienced some college success
- You are ready for a regular course load and 6-month term
- You already possess experience in your field of study
- You are confident in your core academic skills
Not your ordinary college course.
More about the Program for Academic and Career Advancement (PACA)
WGU Academy exists to make students successful. Yet the path toward a college degree can include real challenges, roadblocks, and hurdles. The Program for Academic and Career Advancement (PACA) is designed to help you develop the positive mindset, confidence, tenacity, and planning and study habits that dramatically increase your odds of finishing your program and fulfilling your dreams.Drawing on a WGU award-winning course that has served over 20,000 students, the content of the PACA course has been described as “transformative” by many students and is certain to strengthen your resolve and confidence.
The power of coaching
College-level coursework isn’t easy. Even the most successful students benefit from various kinds of support during their college experience. Drawing on WGU’s award-winning expertise, WGU Academy has developed a coaching and peer-support approach that will strengthen your academic skills, build your confidence, and reinforce your determination to succeed. The Program for Academic and Career Advancement (PACA) is at the heart of our approach, coupled with personalized one-to-one support from an assigned coach. There’s nothing quite like it in all of higher education, and it really works!
The basic Academy approach
For guaranteed admission into a WGU degree program, you must complete the Program for Academic and Career Advancement (PACA) and one course that aligns with your intended program at WGU.
You should plan on up to 3-4 months to complete both courses. However, you can complete them at your own pace, potentially saving time and money. Additional courses may be added later if you choose, but they are not required for full admission into WGU.
More Information About WGU Academy:
Visit the WGU Academy program area that fits your degree interest.
