What is Guided Pathways?

Guided Pathways is an integrated, highly structured, approach to student success that:

• Provides all students with a set of clear course-taking patterns that promotes better enrollment decisions and prepares students for future success
• Integrates support services in ways that make it easier for students to get the help they need during every step of their community college experience

The Four Pillars of Guided Pathways

Guided Pathways consists of four dimensions or “Four Pillars”:

• “Clarify the Path” – create clear curricular pathways to employment and further education
• “Enter the Path” – help students choose and enter a program pathway
• “Stay on the Path” – help students stay on their path
• “Ensure Learning” – ensuring that learning is happening with intentional outcomes

Key Elements of Guided Pathways

• Programs that are fully mapped out and aligned with further education and career advancement while also providing structured or guided exploration for undecided students.
• Proactive academic and career advising from the start through completion and/or transfer, with assigned point of contact at each stage.
• Early alert systems aligned with interventions and resources to help students stay on the pathway, persist, and progress.
• Redesigning and integrating basic skills/developmental education classes to accelerate students to college-level classes.
• Structured onboarding process including improved placement tests and co-requisite instruction that provide students with clear, actionable, and usable information they need to get to the right start in college.
• Instructional support and co-curricular activities aligned with classroom learning and career interests.