New Year, New You: WGU Texas Offers Scholarships and Tips to Help Students Start the New Year Off Right

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The start of a new year is the time for resolutions—whether it's losing weight, getting a new job, or going back to college to complete a degree. WGU Texas, the online, competency-based university designed for working adults, is offering scholarships and tips aimed at making it easier for those who have resolved to go to back to college in 2016.  

For those making the resolution to go back to school, WGU Texas is offering A New Kind of You Scholarship. The scholarship, valued at up to $2,000 per student, will be applied at the rate of $500 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms, toward WGU Texas' already-low tuition of about $3,000 per term for most programs. WGU Texas will award up to 10 scholarships to new students enrolling in any one of its more than 50 bachelor's and master's degree programs in business, information technology, teacher education, and health professions, including nursing. Applications are being accepted now through March 30, 2016, at http://texas.wgu.edu/newyou.          

Before enrolling at any university, it is important to do your homework. Here is a checklist to help you choose a college and achieve your goals:

Choose the right degree. Make sure the degree you earn meets your career objectives. If your goal is to move into a better, higher-paying job or a different field, it is important to choose a degree that employers will recognize as relevant.

Find out if the university is accredited. The U.S. Department of Education publishes a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies that the Department has determined to be reliable authorities. Accreditation is a must-have to ensure that employers and other academic institutions will respect and recognize your degree.

Ask questions about how you will learn and the support you will receive. At many universities, you'll move through the courses at a set pace. You may want to consider a competency-based approach to learning, allowing you to move at your own pace and advance when you demonstrate mastery of the subject matter. Ask how you will interact with the faculty and what kind of support is available. Universities can connect students through chat rooms, webinars, and social media.

Ask about all costs and determine how you will pay. Higher cost does not necessarily mean higher quality, so be sure to understand all of the costs—tuition, books, and fees. Also consider the length of time to complete your degree—the longer it takes, the more it is likely to cost. Depending on your income, you may be eligible for a government grant. A federal student loan may also be an option, but careful not to borrow more than you need or incur too much debt.

Determine how your degree will help your career. Make sure that the degree program you choose offers relevant and up-to-date curriculum to ensure that when you graduate, you'll have the real-world skills employers need.

About WGU Texas 
WGU Texas is an online, nonprofit, competency-based university established to expand Texans' access to higher education throughout the state. Formed through a partnership between the state of Texas and nationally-recognized Western Governors University, WGU Texas is open to all qualified Texas residents. The university offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high-demand career fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing.

Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).*

Learn more at texas.wgu.edu or call 1-877-214-7011.

*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington, DC 20036, 202-877-6791).

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SOURCE WGU Texas

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