University Governance
WGU Academy
Addressing College Readiness
WGU Academy serves a critical role in supporting individuals in their goal to expand their learning through higher education by providing a guaranteed pathway to starting their college education. WGU Academy creates a way for all learners to move through obstacles to start their education by preparing them through skill development, education credit attainment, and psychological preparedness.
Developing Confidence to Succeed
A major component of achieving educational success is having the confidence and the personal awareness to set and reach goals. WGU Academy focuses on developing not just the credit necessary to pursue a degree, but also the mental tools necessary to be successful in achieving that goal.
The WGU Academy Approach
WGU Academy employs a two-pronged approach to preparing students for college success:
- Academic preparation. As a low-cost, low-risk on-ramp to a WGU degree program—or, potentially, to a program at another institution—WGU Academy offers transferable college-level courses. These are not “remedial” courses—they’re rigorous academic courses that provide students with resources and any extra assistance they may require to earn the college credits they need to launch a successful college career.
- A growth mindset. Too many college readiness programs focus on academic coursework but miss the opportunities to support students’ social, emotional, and psychological barriers to success. WGU Academy helps students learn to believe—to know—that they can succeed in postsecondary education. With the coach-guided Program for Academic and Career Advancement (PACA), Academy strengthens students’ confidence and resolve, develops self-directed learning skills, and provides a foundation for both academic and career success. Students also work with a personal Success Coach throughout their time at Academy.
Increasing Access: 2020 Growth
8,954
New Students Served in 2020
1,583
Academy Graduates in 2020
146%
Growth in New Students over 2019