Last updated: July 08, 2025 - written by Hannah Wright
A little background: With existing experience in my area of study and using full-time hours, I earned a bachelorās degree and a masterās degree in under 1 year at Western Governors University (business management programs). NOTE:Ā IĀ had full-time hours to dedicate, and came in with 8+ years of existing experience.
But these methods/tips can still apply to you no matter what program of study you're in or how much time you have (even if you plan to do WGU part-time or thinking of enrolling in another program like computer science).
Of course, the more experience you have and the more time you have to dedicate, the faster you can accelerate.
If you're willing to put in the work, it's totally possible for you to graduate early, too, and potentially save thousands of dollars and a lot of time.
Why IĀ chose WGU
IĀ chose WGU because it is well-respected (many tech companies hire grads or send their employees through their programs)Ā and the curriculum is properly accredited. It has also been around for many years. It's not a fly-by-night school. I also chose it due to the fact that it was self-paced so I could accelerate.
They also had great stats:Ā Most grads see an average income boost of $22,200 within two years.Ā IĀ was going to further my education to improve my business, and also to give myself a new challenge / to mark it off of a list of things I had wanted to do.
It was actually the only school I could find that was properly accredited, online and self-paced and didn't hold you back if you wanted to TRULY accelerate (which was ideal for me because IĀ already had significant experience in my field of study).
IĀ didn't want to have to commute to a physical school or sit through lectures for 4 years if IĀ knew some of the topics already due to existing experience.Ā But,Ā IĀ also knew IĀ had more to learn and was excited about it.
If I could do it, you can too. Seriously. Itās all about having a system to follow. The tips and tricks Iām sharing will help you throughout your acceleration journey.Ā
Just remember: with a little perseverance, itās absolutely possible.
You control your pace. The more hours you put in, the faster youāll finish.
But even with just an hour a day, you can make serious progress if youāre consistent.Ā
If you have more time, and if you have focus, you can really shine.
Now, letās talk about how you can save money before even starting. While you don't have to worry about transferring in credits, it can really save you a lot of time and money to get some core credits out of the way before enrolling.Ā Plus, it gives you a sense of momentum before starting.
I initially had 0 credits and learned the best way to save time and money before starting was to go through an approved provider and get a headstart on credits inexpensively and quickly, so IĀ decided to do that.Ā Plus, IĀ wanted to knock some classes out of the way before starting.
I ended up choosing Sophia.org, which you may have heard of - itās a WGU partner site where you can complete many core credits online before enrolling.
I would highly recommend it, as it saved me a lot of time and money.
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ā Note:Ā What you're reading right now is a free sample section of my "Graduate Early Blueprint"Ā which IĀ crafted to help others who are interested in accelerating at WGU.Ā If you think you want to do the same, check it out.Ā It also has a helpful template and slides to help you with strategy along the way!
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This is very important and not enough people talk about it: Not all Sophia courses within your selected area of focus are accepted by WGU, but thereās a comprehensive list on the WGU website (and it depends on your major), go to the WGUĀ Partners page and click āSophia Learning LLC" and then select the name of your desired program.
Sophia isnāt the only option: Study.com and Straighterline are also popular. I chose Sophia for the business program core credits, as it was inexpensive and was the fastest way to get through many of those core credits. Just be sure to check which credits your program accepts before enrolling in any course.
All-in-all, if you are looking for a school that is online, flexible, and self-paced where you can accelerate if you choose (especially if you have existing knowledge in your field of study through work), you can be in a great position to accelerate at WGU.
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š» PS:Ā Do you want to accelerate your degree?Ā check out my "Graduate Early Blueprint"Ā to get all my tips on how to best accelerate through WGU if you are serious about the idea of graduating early.Ā IĀ hope it saves you a ton of time.
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Last updated: July 8, 2025