A pencil drawing a line across a gap between two sides illustrates the idea of the college readiness gap.

New program targets college readiness gap


Competency-based courses can help close to college readiness gap for aspiring students

A new competency-based series of courses aims to tackle the growing college readiness gap and prepare students for success in and after college.

WGU Academy, a new independent operating unit from Western Governors University, is intended to help solve the widening college readiness gap. Courses and programs in WGU Academy will give aspiring students an affordable, low-risk pathway that readies them for college success either at WGU or at other institutions.

The characteristics of today’s college students have changed, and the means of serving them must change with them. Nearly 70 percent of high school graduates enroll in college, but 26 percent drop out in their first year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Among the 20 million individuals enrolled, according to Higher Learning Advocates, more than 41 percent are over the age of 25, 55 percent are financially independent, and 26 percent are parents. Additionally, there are 80 million adults who need access to post-secondary credentials to be readied for the future of work.

WGU Academy will leverage WGU’s method of serving contemporary students, especially in underserved populations, and will provide personalized learning onramps that improve individuals’ progress, persistence, and attainment in their college-level programs.

“Higher education remains the surest pathway to opportunity and social mobility, but for many, lack of adequate preparation puts a college degree out of reach,” says WGU president Scott Pulsipher. “At WGU, where the average student age is 36 and more than 70 percent of our students are part of at least one underserved population, we have learned how to create flexible, personalized learning experiences that lead to great outcomes. WGU Academy will provide courses and coaching that strengthen academic and noncognitive competencies to prepare these individuals for the learning demands of college.”

WGU Academy courses will be delivered in an online, competency-based format similar to the WGU learning model. Students will enroll in customized programs of two or more college-level courses that typically include a writing course and one or more courses in math, general education, or introductory-level classes focused on desired degree paths.

In addition to college-level courses, WGU Academy offers the Program for Academic and Career Advancement. Modeled on a nationally recognized social and emotional learning course used by WGU for several years, the course provides group sessions, peer interaction, and one-to-one coaching to build confidence and college persistence.

While WGU Academy’s initial startup will focus on prospective students who are not yet ready for admission to WGU, the organization intends to seek partnerships with other institutions and organizations to scale its impact. The goal is to serve hundreds of thousands of students who need foundational college-readiness competencies and empower them with a greater chance for success upon enrollment—whether at WGU or at another college or university.

“College readiness—or the lack of it—is one of the primary barriers to opportunity for many Americans, particularly those who are part of underserved or disadvantaged populations,” says Patrick G. Partridge, WGU Academy leader. “It is estimated that U.S. colleges spend $7 billion a year on remediation programs, with nearly half of incoming students at four-year public institutions enrolling in at least one remedial course. WGU Academy will provide an affordable—and scalable—solution by closing the gap in college readiness.”

Material from a press release was used in this report.

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Laura Ascione

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