Grow Your Own Q&A
GYO funding is granted via school districts only. WMU does not award GYO funding. Reach out to your school district to see if they have GYO funding and a partnership with WMU to learn what you need to do to receive funding. If you are selected by your school district, you may then apply to WMU. The school district's GYO contact supplies WMU with a candidate list.
We are happy to help add WMU to the partnership if your district is not already one of our partners.
Students within the GYO program are responsible for purchasing their books and will then seek reimbursement from their school district.
No. ACT scores are not required when applying to the GYO program.
Yes. Each program will be hosting an orientation for GYO students. Orientation will be taking place late July and early August. They will be conducted virtually, in-person and recorded for those unable to attend.
GYO students will register for classes when instructed by the department their program is housed in. GYO students can also reach out to program coordinators with questions if needed.
Yes. Most classes will be online and will either be partial synchronous or asynchronous. Some classes may meet in person to ensure student success in the GYO program.
No. Students can turn this in if they choose to. As students are eligible for financial aid, not scholarships. FA will take into consideration their school is paying for them.
For information about tax filing, GYO students should contact their school districts. 1098 forms will not be sent by WMU.
No. GYO students can waive this in their application. If students don’t, WMU requires them to sign a FERPA release to discuss their records with the contacts at the school districts.
No. In the application, GYO students will be asked to add their high school counselor and their email. This is not required. However, the system will send the counselor a request for transcript or to fill out student’s academic report. The transcript is the only requirement for admission for the undergraduate application.
Yes. All transcripts (high school or college) need to be sent electronically to WMU or Becky Huntley. Transcripts older than 5 years are still required but will not be weighed as heavily during the admission process.
Yes, CTE is offered in the GYO program. It is labeled as Workforce Education and Development (WFED) at WMU.
No. WMU will not be conducting background checks when admitting students to the GYO program. Background checks conducted by school districts will be accepted by WMU.
No. Parking permits will not be necessary if parking after 5 p.m. or on the weekend. However, if parking passes are determined to be needed, WMU Parking Service will coordinate with the student’s school district.
A cohort is a group of students who study the same program and share learning experiences. Students will progress through the GYO program as a unified entity rather than as individuals taking individual classes over different time frames. Cohorts will be created and assigned by department faculty.
In-person classes might be required for certain programs. For example, courses that are conducted in a science lab. Additionally, some online classes may meet in person during the semester to ensure student success in the GYO program.
WMU is dedicated to best serving students and classes at satellite locations may be used during the GYO program.