WGU Named "Best Value School" for Third Consecutive Year

Nonprofit, competency-based university one of only 22 to make University Research and Review's list

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Nov 16, 2016, 12:06 ET

SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the third consecutive year, nonprofit, online Western Governors University (WGU) has been recognized by University Research & Review (UR&R) as a "Best Value School," one of only 22 universities to receive the award this year.

According to UR&R's founders, only institutions that provide a great value for their students are considered for the Best Value School Award. Awardees are chosen by a selection committee that includes academicians and entrepreneurs who consider nominees individually rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all metrics system.

"We're impressed with the overwhelmingly positive reviews from WGU's students," said L. Joseph Schmoke, UR&R founder and chair. "It's clear that WGU's affordability and innovative competency-based education model represent the practicality that students, and the higher ed industry, have been looking for."

Many of the positive comments from students and alumni evaluated by UR&R recognized the support students receive while earning their degrees. WGU is a student-centered university focused on ensuring that students succeed and graduate. As a result, WGU has received high marks in a number of national surveys. According to the 2015 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), WGU students ranked the university higher than the national average on a number of key satisfaction indicators, including:

Quality of interactions with faculty: 12 percentage points higher
Quality of academic support: 12 percentage points higher
Challenged to do their best work: 17 percentage points higher
Acquisition of job-related knowledge and skills: 10 percentage points higher
Would attend the same institution again: 10 percentage points higher
Rating of entire educational experience: 6 percentage points higher

In addition, Western Governors University regularly surveys its students and graduates to gauge satisfaction and drive continued improvement. In a survey conducted last year, 96% of WGU students expressed satisfaction with their experience.

Competency-based education focuses on measuring learning rather than time. Instead of logging hours in classes with set times, students can study and learn on schedules that fit their lives, applying prior learning and experience to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. For many students, this means they can accelerate their time to a degree and graduate sooner, saving both time and money. Tuition at WGU, which hasn't increased since 2008, is charged at an affordable flat rate of $2,890 per six-month term for most programs, regardless of the number of courses taken, so students who move more quickly through their programs spend less.

About WGU

Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit Western Governors University now serves more than 76,000 students nationwide and has more than 72,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation's leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In less than 20 years, the university has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families, and preparing the workforce needed in today's rapidly evolving economy. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies, and was featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. The university's 2015 Annual Report is now available online.

Contact for media inquiries:	Contact for enrollment information:
Joan Mitchell – VP of Public Relations	866-225-5948
801-428-5463	wgu.edu
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