A High School to Community College to

Four-Year College Program Initiative

Pathway Program MissionThe Pathway to the Baccalaureate Program increases access to higher education for selected Northern Virginia high school students who have both the desire and the capacity to achieve a baccalaureate degree, but whose likelihood of academic success would be significantly enhanced by receiving the targeted support and structural guidance provided by the Pathway Program. The program provides an environment to facilitate the successful transition and increased retention and transfer of students from high school, through Northern Virginia Community College, to George Mason University or another university of the student’s choice.

Pathway Program GenesisAs four-year institutions in Virginia become

increasingly competitive, more traditional-aged students are enrolling in community colleges with the intent of transferring.

Many high school students who declare their intent to attend Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) are not successfully enrolling.

The population of students in NVCC’s service area who are academically-qualified but at-risk of persisting in post-secondary education continues to grow rapidly.

Program Development TimelineProgram Development TimelineNOVA’s President, Dr. Robert Templin, met with NOVA’s President, Dr. Robert Templin, met with

executive leadership of two K-12 systems (FCPS and executive leadership of two K-12 systems (FCPS and LCPS) and George Mason University (2004) LCPS) and George Mason University (2004)

Executive leadership established a multi-institutional Executive leadership established a multi-institutional Task Force to address regional issues and educational Task Force to address regional issues and educational trends in the region (2004-2005)trends in the region (2004-2005)

Program Charter completed and ratified; Memoranda Program Charter completed and ratified; Memoranda of Agreement approved (2005)of Agreement approved (2005)

Program pilot launched in 12 high schools in FCPS and Program pilot launched in 12 high schools in FCPS and LCPS (2005-06)LCPS (2005-06)

http://www.fccps.org/index.html

Pathway Consortium OperationsPathway Consortium OperationsConsortium is run by an External Steering Committee Consortium is run by an External Steering Committee

with representation from all program partnerswith representation from all program partnersExternal Steering Committee is comprised of senior External Steering Committee is comprised of senior

leaders from program partners (Director, Vice President, leaders from program partners (Director, Vice President, Assistant Superintendant, Provost, etc.)Assistant Superintendant, Provost, etc.)

Steering Committee meets annually to review program Steering Committee meets annually to review program goals, operations and to approve calendar and process goals, operations and to approve calendar and process for following yearfor following year

Additional meetings with individual program partners Additional meetings with individual program partners are held on an as-needed basisare held on an as-needed basis

Student Application ProcessStudent Application ProcessProgram information disseminated to all 12Program information disseminated to all 12thth grade grade

students in participating high schools students in participating high schools Outreach to community organizations and college access Outreach to community organizations and college access

programs tied to partner high schoolsprograms tied to partner high schoolsStudents complete 1 page/double-sided program Students complete 1 page/double-sided program

application and submit to high school counselorapplication and submit to high school counselorSchool counselor completes recommendation and School counselor completes recommendation and

provides required supplemental information provides required supplemental information Applications are reviewed by team of NOVA and Mason Applications are reviewed by team of NOVA and Mason

representativesrepresentativesDecisions mailed 4 weeks after application deadlineDecisions mailed 4 weeks after application deadline

Pathway Student Selection CriteriaStrong post-secondary academic potential Long-term academic goal is to complete a

baccalaureate degreeDesire and focus toward future academic

achievement Strength of character and maturityAppropriate attendance and behavioral conductParticipation in another college access program

At-Risk Population93% of Pathway students meet one or more US Department of Education criteria known to adversely affect academic persistence in college:

Immigrant or child of immigrant parentsMember of a minority groupLow income or single parent householdFirst generation college studentPresence of a disabilityWard of the state

Pathway Student DataHigh School GPA Range: 0.5-4.1Median GPA (HS): 2.5035% of students completed at least one

college-level course while enrolled in high school

55% of students completed at least one Tech Prep or Vocational/Technical course while enrolled in high school

36% receive Free or Reduced Lunch46% of FAFSA-filers are within 150% of Federal

Poverty Level

The Pathway to the Baccalaureate Program

Student Development

Learning Community Financial Support

Counseling Services

Key Program InterventionsHigh school program services provided on-

site at participating high schools during regular school hours

True one-stop, case management model for student services

Financial aid/literacy training and program-specific grants and scholarships

Learning community/cohort-building model beginning in high school

Early, continuous investment by all participating institutions in student success

Pathway to theBaccalaureate

Program Design

High School SeniorReceives PathwayTransition Services

onsite at participatinghigh school

Student is admittedto and attends

another institutionof higher education

(2 year/ 4 year)

Student attends NVCC,Receives PathwayRetention/ Transfer

Services from NVCC &George Mason

Student elects non-academic post-

secondary option(employment,

military service,etc.)

Student is admittedand attends GeorgeMason University,Receives PathwayRetention Services

Student earnsBaccalaureate Degree

Student is admittedto and attends

another four-yearcollege or university

Transition ProgramPlacement testing, academic advising and

early course registration occur on-site at high schools

Counselors act as liaison with college departments to ensure that all required transition documentation has been submitted to the college

Pathway Transition Counselors work on-campus in July and August (funded by NVCC) to verify that transition processes are completed

Retention/Transfer ProgramLearning Community courses, workshops

and events at NVCC and MasonRetention Counselors dedicated to program

participantsMandatory academic advising prior to

course registrationRequired participation in college’s Student

Development programming and campus lifeEarly Alert Program: mid-semester progress

Retention/Transfer ProgramAccess to selected academic, athletic, social,

and cultural activities at MasonMason Advisor meets each semester with

participating students Personalized assistance with each step of

transfer processGuest Matriculation at George Mason while

completing a NVCC degreeEarly, Guaranteed Admission to George Mason

with 2.50+ GPA and an Associate in Arts or Sciences Degree

Retention Program at MasonContinued academic monitoring by Pathway

Advisors at MasonComprehensive orientations for transfer

studentsContinued participation in cohort meetings,

workshops, and events for Mason degree candidates

Early review for Mason financial aidMentoring of younger program students

Program Assessment Data85% of cohorts 1-4 successfully transitioned

from high school to higher education (National Average: 63% in 12 years)*

98% of students earn college credit in the first year (National Average: 47% in 12 years)*

First to second semester persistence rate for cohorts 1-4: 90% (NVCC average: 77%)

Year-to-year persistence rate for cohorts 1-4: 81% (NVCC average: 65%)

* US Department of Education, NEL Study

Program Assessment Data73% of students in good academic

standing after the first semester (Average among similar control groups: 40-50%)*

66% of deferral and “stop-out” students enroll or re-enroll within one year

Financial Aid participation rate is double the NVCC average

Four year Pathway graduation rate is double NOVA’s general graduation rate

65% of students have not participated in other college access programs

* Lumina Foundation, “May 2004 Newsletter”

Current Pathway Funding ModelSchool systems and NVCC jointly fund the

Pathway Program, with minimal grant supportCost of program to district is based upon

number of schools and students servedEach transition counselor serves up to 360 high

school studentsEach retention counselor serves up to 600

college studentsHigh schools selected at discretion of school

system based on funding and need

College Readiness PilotPathway Connection College Readiness pilot

launch in 2011-12 Focus on reducing need for remediation

among at-risk students by 50%Pathway Connection will use a one-stop,

case management approach to early remediation of lagging academic skills

Two year program pilot will serve 800 10th and 11th grade students at 8 high schools