Does WGU get any respect with employers

Hey everyone,

I noticed all this love for the WGU school on this website and was wondering if employers give WGU respect. I know I heard that they don't respect Devry or ITT but that was years ago not sure how thats viewed these days. I am currently living close to Trenton, NJ. The school thats local and affordable to me is Thomas Edison State College which is also distance learning. Many employers I've came across would mention that they "know" someone thats going there and its no joke. I also heard Professors at a University mentioned that Thomas Edison State college is a good school. All this ranting and raving about Thomas Edison but never any mention about WGU when I talk about the school people people look at me like a deer in headlights.

I would prefer to go to WGU since the real accelerated method lets you test out which would leave me completing my degree in under 1 yr tops with an Associates in CS and an alphabet soup of certs. It seems like since I'm in jersey Thomas Edison State College is the distance learning thats "known" around these parts but would take me a full 2 years and then some to complete.

Thanks in advance for giving your input.

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down77

This is an argumentative question and is largely based on the individual employer. For the large organizations I have worked for and/or consulted for I have never once heard a negative comment about my having a BS/MS from WGU. One of the reasons I was selected by my current employer was for the fact that I graduated from one of their educational technology alliance partners AND was able to demonstrate confidence and mastery of the subject matter material. The last statement comes from the 10+ years in the industry, dedication, and determination to stay on top of my chosen field.

When it comes down to the HR/Hiring game education is important because it is viewed as a base level of competence; in reality it shows them that you should have the basic english, math, etc skills that they would expect of any candidate. What matters most is not the school that your degree comes from, but how you present yourself professionally and the knowledge/skills/abilities and experience that you bring with you as a valued asset to the organization.

demonfurbie

for most wgu'ers its just a check mark we all have work exp. and thats what employers really like to look at

forestgiant

Amazon.com, IBM, and Microsoft liked my MSc ISA from WGU. They were very interested in the courses I have taken and my thesis. Interviewers and myself spent our time discussing how we could solve problems for our potential clients. Not a person ever questioned the value of my degree. However, I'm in my early 30's and have been in IT since I was 18, so YMMV.

kanecain

And, also, don't think that WGU will accept anybody as a student. I have two co-workers who couldn't get past the admission process. It is a good school, that is mostly non-profit, and will drop your butt very quickly if you're not keeping up with your courses.

it_consultant

WGU, which stands for "Western Governor's University" (since it was created by Governor's of western US states) is inevitably better known in the west.
I can't comment on the quality of the education compared to U of Phoenix but I can say that it doesn't automatically draw the "Oh you didn't go to a real college" like you get from saying you went to Devry or Colorado Tech University.

techiie

demonfurbie wrote: »

for most wgu'ers its just a check mark we all have work exp. and thats what employers really like to look at

I have 2 yrs as a sys admin in a small shop supporting about 30 SMB's. Want to get an enterprise level admin role and only thing holding me back is my lack of B.S. I am really interested in WGU just don't want to complete and realized I wasted my time as employers roll their eyes when they read WGU on the resume.

@itconsultant I wasn't aware that CTU wasn't respected as a real degree. I was actually considering attending there 3 yrs back.

eansdad

When asked about WGU I just let them know about the certs tied into the program and the partnerships that WGU has with maior vendors. I just got a new job working for one of the worlds largest banks in their NOC so it can't be all that bad.

Also it isn't that ITT, DeVry and the others are bad, we all know someone who went to one of these schools and is really a great IT person, it is just that with the volume of people they put out the overall quality isn't there.

I'm not sure about the north but in SJ Thomas Edison U is nothing more then a quick way to earn a degree and ranks with U of P, Kaplan and the rest. Teachers down here use it as a fast track for a BS to get their teaching cert or to get a Masters so they can move up in pay. It is one of 3 schools that will accept any and all credit (including life credit) to which you can bring them 120 credits and pay for a degree.

techiie

I wasn't by any means bashing ITT or Devry. I read in other threads people that graduated from those schools that made it and are rather successful but I suppose the lack of quality graduates caused a stigma with employers that tarnished the reputation. I've came across many Devry graduates since there is one located in jersey that wished they never attended the school. Employers stated to them in interviews that they won't hire them because they graduated from that school regardless of the major they completed ex:Accounting, I.T., electrical engineering, etc. I didn't know them personally so I can't comment on the aptitude on the subject they majored in.

it_consultant

techiie wrote: »

I wasn't by any means bashing ITT or Devry. I read in other threads people that graduated from those schools that made it and are rather successful but I suppose the lack of quality graduates caused a stigma with employers that tarnished the reputation. I've came across many Devry graduates since there is one located in jersey that wished they never attended the school. Employers stated to them in interviews that they won't hire them because they graduated from that school regardless of the major they completed ex:Accounting, I.T., electrical engineering, etc. I didn't know them personally so I can't comment on the aptitude on the subject they majored in.

I fell OK bashing ITT, Devry, CTU, AIU, U of PH etc. Not because they don't have quality graduates, I knew a Nurse Practitioner who graduated from U of PH with a masters in nursing who could rock your socks. Of course, she made $80K as NP supervisor and a good portion of her salary was tied up in student loans. When you look at the cost and graduation rates, those schools (including, to some degree, WGU) start looking a lot like a scam.

demonfurbie

dont forget to add in a lot of schools wont take a degree from the list it_consultant listed to get into their masters program, wgu is taken at almost all schools to get into a masters program.. well at least i havent heard of any one having issues getting in any school with a wgu degree

erpadmin

eansdad wrote: »

I'm not sure about the north but in SJ Thomas Edison U is nothing more then a quick way to earn a degree and ranks with U of P, Kaplan and the rest. Teachers down here use it as a fast track for a BS to get their teaching cert or to get a Masters so they can move up in pay. It is one of 3 schools that will accept any and all credit (including life credit) to which you can bring them 120 credits and pay for a degree.

TESC up north isn't looked down very much, AFAIK in NNJ. I know someone who only has a BS from there and he's in IT management.

I seriously considered TESC every couple of years prior to attending WGU. First of all, contacting folks for even the simplest questions was a process. Second, it really wasn't making sense for me to spend years earning a BS from there. Yes, you can test out of a lot of classes, but in that sense, it was almost like WGU.

I would have seriously done TESC, but I was too much of a hurry to spend years earning one BS. WGU ultimately won that battle.

techiie

My schedule is rather erratic so I cannot attend a BM school nor the online schools that require you to be available certain times for group discussion or something similar. I need something done at my own pace but TESC would take me longer then I want to progress WGU seems like the best bet.

It_consultant's comment was a bit disheartening saying WGU is of the likes of the other schools he mentioned but I do appreciate the honesty.

tpatt100

It hasn't hurt me call wise from recruiters or HR departments for companies (not graduated yet done in Dec) but to be honest I don't think some of them even cared and focused on my past experience.

lantech

Ask iristheangel about her experience at WGU and how it effected her job search. I don't think she is complaining one bit about her education.

WGU is like anywhere else. You get out of it what you put into it.

tpatt100

Now to be totally honest here it all depends on where you might be interviewing ALONG with who looks at your resume. I interviewed at a major university and the room was mostly PHD types that graduated from the university. I think I did rather well but a few times one of the IT people had to educate the rest on how IT contractors jump around due to contracts not being the same as being "directly employed".

I do not doubt in fact I just assume that if you run across people with advanced degrees from traditional schools you better be top notch in all other areas because people out there might look at you differently because they went to school the "traditional way".

The University of Phoenix type schools have helped a lot of working adults but it also has created a stigma due to their recruiting practices that might hurt some of us.

NOC-Ninja

In my experience, employers doesn't care about my degree.

All they care is if I have a CCNA or CCNP and years of experience. Now the next questions for them are:
1. what projects have I deployed?
2. list of technical questions
3. can i get along with their teammates?
4. salary

erpadmin

techiie wrote: »

It_consultant's comment was a bit disheartening saying WGU is of the likes of the other schools he mentioned but I do appreciate the honesty.

You may want to reread his post again....he's not saying that at all about WGU.

I can't comment on the quality of the education [of WGU] compared to U of Phoenix but I can say that it [WGU] doesn't automatically draw the "Oh you didn't go to a real college" like you get from saying you went to Devry or Colorado Tech University.

techiie

it_consultant wrote: »

I fell OK bashing ITT, Devry, CTU, AIU, U of PH etc. When you look at the cost and graduation rates, those schools (including, to some degree, WGU) start looking a lot like a scam.

@erpadmin The one I'm quoting is the one I was referring too when I made my last comment. Which now that I'm thinking is a little contradictory to the one you quoted.

The question I should ask @IT_Consultant why do you feel WGU is starting to look a lot like a scam?

bdub

So far I havent had any issues with employers and the fact I am attending WGU. Most interviewers never heard of it, and when I explain it they seem interested and impressed that I am able to keep up with work/school while also having a family.

The biggest difference between a school like WGU and some other more well known school is if you come from a really well known school you might just happen to get interviewed by someone who also attended that school, and in turn may have a better chance at getting the job.

WGU is definitely not a scam, just look at the graduation and retention rates. Though they have gone up since I started with WGU but they are still really low.

it_consultant

techiie wrote: »

@erpadmin The one I'm quoting is the one I was referring too when I made my last comment. Which now that I'm thinking is a little contradictory to the one you quoted.

The question I should ask @IT_Consultant why do you feel WGU is starting to look a lot like a scam?

Their graduation rate is nothing to write home about. Their tuition and fee structure is more fair and I think the degree can be earned with considerably less money than from, say, an American Intercontinental University. As other posters mentioned, they will drop you quickly if you are not performing, which probably does not help their graduation rates - which is 22%.

Western Governors University - Review & Ranking | American School Search

I should point out that my first comment was that WGU does not automatically draw eye rolls like AIU does - this does not directly comment on the quality of education one can have at the school. The second comment refers to the fact that in some measurable ways (graduation rate, online only, accredited by a relatively weak agency) the school is little different than other online only institutions. In other ways (price, being non-profit) the school is quite better a bit better than others. I am also careful to delineate between the quality of the school and the quality of the students because I don't want to offend anyone here and they are two discrete things.

tecke

In 2011 WGU's graduation rate was 22%, this to me proves that this school is no joke. The thing with WGU is that they do not advertise as much as the other big guys and are mostly establishing there brand through the positive reviews they are receiving from students. Now the issue I have noticed is that most people aren't aware of Western Governors and that means more than likely the HR people at company x will simply not have an opinion on WGU and may throw it under the rug as "another online school" but that's not the case.

techiie

That is an excellent point. Actually, even though the graduation rate was 22% that is actually better then having a 100% graduation rate. That right there tells me they don't give a diploma to anyone. It shows me that they aren't afraid to fail or drop someone from school meaning its definitely not a diploma mill. Anyone just can't graduate it takes a lot of dedication and hard work. I respect that. I recall a statistic that my social psychology professor gave out in class that 88% of people attending the school will not graduate there either will drop out or will transfer and finish someone else. Perhaps 22% is probably the average of graduation rate.

tecke

Here is another point to consider from wgu's website.
Online Degree | How Employers View Online Bachelor Degrees | WGU

it_consultant

techiie wrote: »

That is an excellent point. Actually, even though the graduation rate was 22% that is actually better then having a 100% graduation rate. That right there tells me they don't give a diploma to anyone. It shows me that they aren't afraid to fail or drop someone from school meaning its definitely not a diploma mill. Anyone just can't graduate it takes a lot of dedication and hard work. I respect that. I recall a statistic that my social psychology professor gave out in class that 88% of people attending the school will not graduate there either will drop out or will transfer and finish someone else. Perhaps 22% is probably the average of graduation rate.

I would be interested in understanding the metrics behind their graduation rate. 22% is really low for a school that people don't go to right after high school. People who go to WGU are interested in going to college. That means that somewhere in the process at WGU students are losing interest for some reason. Their lower tuition is really their saving grace. Statistically speaking; you will not graduate from WGU, at least you won't have excessive debt following you around.

techiie

Yes as I may be a statistic I was also considering transferring all the certs required with my a.a.s and knocking out whatever I can in one term. Afterwards, transferring over to tesc to finish my B.S and I'd have to take chem 1 & 2, physics, few other classes to finish at tesc probably 9 classes total. All that seems like a hassle though. After reading everyones comment I don't think it'll make a difference if I finish at WGU or TESC. I think I may stick with WGU.

Valsacar

I did my BS at Excelsior, which is in the same group (Big 3) with TESC for accelerated degrees. It was generally good, they (like TESC) are much more willing to accept credits (basically anything ACE approved) to speed up the process. I would have gone with WGU if I had known about it, I am doing my Masters there (MSISA) and much prefer it. Even though my online classes with EC were pretty easy to deal with (as far as time), I can go a lot faster without the need to stick to a traditional class schedule.

Some people at work have looked at some of my WGU projects and they've all been impressed with them, more so than traditional school work.

Hypntick

I don't think they're losing interest exactly. I think some people require structure in order to keep them moving toward their goal. While WGU does provide a modest level of structure, the only real motivation to finish is yourself. If you're incapable of motivating yourself to learn and need constant reminders and all that, a more traditional school is what I would suggest.

For some of us, the hands off approach works best. If an option like this didn't exist and traditional methods were all that was available. I would either not have a degree or be one of the people that is saddled with a ton of debt and nothing to show for it.

snokerpoker

My current employer respects it and always has. Maybe that is one of the reasons why I am not looking for a different job.

psenior

My experience has been that going back to school to complete your degree looks good on your resume. I list the Bachelor's degree I will be getting on there and the expected date. I believe this allows me to get past the HR software that looks for 4 year degrees as part of the job qualifications without misrepresenting myself.

I have had only one interviewer ask me about WGU. I was interviewing at a local college (NSU) for a job in their IT department and the hiring manager was unfamiliar with that school. He asked detailed questions about what online educational software they used, etc. I didn't get that job, but I have another interview at NSU tomorrow for a sys admin position, so we'll see if the question comes up again or not.

Iristheangel

I graduated in July and have had no shortage of job offers from which you can read in other forum posts of mine.

I haven't had much of an issue with my degree or major. If anyone ever asks me about the school, they just ask where it is since they've never heard about it. That being said, I have had one and only one person have an issue with my degree and I wrote a long post about it last month. The long and short of it was that I was getting interviewed by 7 people in this company and one didn't like my degree and some answers I gave for some non-technical questions. He was a UCI grad who was very particular about getting MIT, Stanford, or UCI grads in and I guess I rubbed him the wrong way. The other 6 people loved me through so he got outvoted and I was offered the job. I ended up rejecting it because the offer letter they provided me was $30K less than the job I have now but I'm proud that I got that offer letter.

I liked my time at WGU. I learned a lot and I wouldn't change a thing except that I probably would have gone to college earlier if I was more motivated. Unlike a lot of people, I did have the financial means through my parents, the grades from a higher-end private school, and the connections to have gotten into an Ivy League school but I turned 18 and was tired of school so I chose not to move on. Some of us take longer to mature and it was a hard bumpy road for me.

That being said, I don't regret my school choice. I had an interesting conversation with my older sister earlier this week about colleges and it school ranking came up. She was a hard science major at the University of Chicago and admits that the name of her school got her hired at her first job but she advanced the ranks to where she is now with her own skills. She's a C-level executive for a major pharmaceutical company and admits that when she looks around at the other executives, she notices that there aren't just Ivy Leaguers at that level anymore. I've experienced the same thing myself. At my last job, my direct supervisor was a Devry grad and her manager was a University of Phoenix grad. At my current job, the IT Director is IT major from Devry, the network architect who bills the company $260/hr for fulltime work graduated from Devry with an EE, the CIO graduated with an arts degree from Princeton. The work force is diverse. Getting a good degree from a top tier college will definitely help you out when you first start out. Depending on the company, it might even help you advance quicker so it's still a decent ROI depending on who you are and how old you are. For me, I started college at 28 and couldn't leave the work force to dedicate 4+ years of my life to college. I didn't want to choose a college that had a poor reputation with a lot of the employers out there and I am against for-profit colleges on principal so I wouldn't have gone the Devry, UoP, etc route. It wasn't worth it to me to bury myself in $50-100K of debt, stop working for 4 years, and go to a prestigious B&M school so I could impress that 1 guy in 7 who wanted me to have that degree.

In the end, will employers discriminate based on your degree or college name? Sure. In all likelihood, you just won't get a call after you submit your resume so you won't know either way if it was your degree or something else. The good news is that there is a great majority of employers out there that couldn't give a damn what the name of your school is and have openings that they can't fill because they can't find skilled enough workers. After you get a certain amount of experience and/or get to a certain certification level, it won't matter anyways.

Good luck. I made the best choice for myself at the time. I hope you make the best choice for yourself wherever you end up