Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Propel Pathway?
Propel Pathway is a first year college program designed to ensure financially challenged students get the support they need to access and complete college. Pathway is ideal for students who may need extra help making a successful transition to college.
The Pathway program offers smaller college class sizes and 500 hours of dedicated coaching and tutoring. Additionally, Pathway is offered at NO cost, including all tuition, fees, books, and a laptop computer.
Check out more information on our website.
2. How is Pathway different from a Community College?
What makes Pathway unique isn’t the courses that students take – it’s what happens outside of class. Students benefit from being part of a small supportive cohort of students with dedicated coaching and tutoring, as well as a Success Seminar focused on learning all the skills they need to be successful college students and young professionals. With this level of extraordinary support, the program produces consistently outstanding results.
3. Does Pathway offer a dual enrollment option?
No, students must have earned a High School diploma or its equivalent to be eligible for Pathway.
4. Does Pathway offer sports or club organizations?
Pathway does not offer athletics, but students may form their own clubs, affinity groups, or organizations. Students are placed in cohorts where they take classes, study and participate in events as a group throughout their time at Pathway. When students transition out of Pathway to their next college or university, they can participate in the organizations offered at their selected school.
5. Will attending Pathway impact NCAA eligibility for student-athletes?
No, student-athletes interested in participating in the NCAA or NAIA will not have their eligibility impacted by attending Pathway. They are able to transfer to a college or university of their choice and begin their student athlete career at their selected school. (Please check the NCAA Eligibility Center for more information).
6. What percentage of Pathway participants continue their education?
94% of Pathway students have been accepted to 4-year colleges and universities and continue their education. Through their participation in Pathway, many students (who were not previously eligible) became eligible for competitive scholarships and grant awards, and gained admission to more competitive colleges and universities.
Pathway alumni are enrolled at colleges and universities across the country. In California where we ran the Pathway program for several years, alumni have successfully enrolled at several of the public University of California and California State University campuses, as well as many private colleges. Pathway is launching across the country this year and expects to see similar matriculation outcomes everywhere we go.
7. Will students’ credits transfer?
Yes! Credits are issued by a regionally-accredited, non-profit partner university. Pathway only offers typical general education courses required by public universities and most private universities for graduation and as prerequisites for most majors.
8. Where is Pathway located?
In summer of 2022, Pathway is launching in downtown Birmingham, AL and downtown Columbia, SC. The site locations will be conveniently located for students near public transportation for easy access. Pathway does not offer transportation, but if students have trouble making it to the site, success coaches will work with students to discuss potential solutions. Specific locations will be determined and shared with incoming students soon.
9. Does Pathway offer student housing or dormitories?
No, Pathway chooses a site near our partner schools and public transportation for easy access. There is no student housing or dormitories.
1. What is Pathway’s acceptance criteria?
There is no minimum GPA requirement to apply for Pathway, and SAT/ACT is not required. Applications are reviewed and accepted on a rolling admissions basis. That means we will review and accept students as we receive applications, so students should apply as early as possible. Since space in Pathway is limited, the program prioritizes students with academic and/or financial need who could benefit from a more supportive transition to college. Pathway collaborates with school staff to identify and encourage prospective students to apply based on academic and/or financial need.
2. Is there an application fee?
No, applying to Pathway is free. Go to www.Pathway.info and click “apply now” to complete and submit the interest form. You will receive an email with the application. To ensure proper submission, utilize a personal email not a school email.
3. Is there an age limit for attending Pathway?
Pathway is designed to serve recent high school graduates.The common age range of applicants are between the ages of 18 and 20. However, we are open to all financially-challenged high school graduates who are interested in going to college who require additional support to access and complete college.
4. Are students with a GED eligible to apply?
Yes! Students with a high school diploma or a GED are eligible to apply to Pathway.
5. When is the Pathway Application deadline?
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, so you should apply as early as possible for the best chances of being admitted.
6. What components do students need to complete their application?
In order to apply, students must submit a Pathway application, an unofficial transcript, and complete the FAFSA or their state’s Dream Act Grant application. The application takes about 20 minutes to complete, and includes an essay of 300 words or less. Propel provides financial aid workshops to support students and families in completing the FAFSA and Dream Act grant application in their state.
Register here for a financial aid workshop by going to our eventbrite webpage. Virtual financial aid workshops run every Wednesday at 6 PM EST / 5 PM CST. If you have any specific financial aid questions, you can email finaid@propelcenter.org for additional assistance.
7. What are the federal school codes for the FAFSA application?
In different states, Propel Pathway works with different sponsoring universities. Students should use the following Federal School Code for their applications. In South Carolina, use Allen University (003417). In Alabama, use Miles College (001028).
8. Why does the application ask questions on race and legal sex designation?
Pathway complies with federal reporting requirements, which require that we ask this information in a specific format. The demographic information provided has no impact on your application. Pathway values connection and diversity, and students' identities are both recognized and respected.
9. Can students apply if they are 1 or more years out of HS?
Yes, high school graduates who are financially-challenged who are interested in going to college and need support can apply to Propel Pathway.
10. Are Non-United States Citizens eligible to enroll at Pathway?
Yes, students are eligible to attend Pathway. There are three components to the application. For the FAFSA portion of the application, students will instead complete the Dream Act Grant application or their state's equivalent application.
11. Are students who have earned college credits in high school eligible to apply?
Yes! Students who earned college credits during high school are eligible to apply. While Pathway works best when students have earned fewer than 12 earned college credits, it depends on the specific credits that the student completed. The student should reach out to our Propel Pathway team at pathway@propelcenter.org so that we can determine if the program is the right opportunity for them.
1. How is Pathway funded? How does Pathway use these funds?
Pathway is provided at NO COST to the student. Pathway uses the federal grant aid (Pell Grant) and any state aid that students are eligible for to fund our program. Pathway students do NOT take out student loans. And, Pathway utilizes less than 25% of federal and state grant aid available to the student per year they are enrolled. The program is designed to serve students with academic and financial needs, and there are no additional costs to students or families to participate.
Pathway uses these federal and state resources to pay for faculty, staff, books, equipment (each student is issued a laptop), facilities, etc. Students pay NO tuition or fees, and all of their books and supplies are provided for them, along with over 500 hours of tutoring and academic support per year. Best of all, the program generates no student debt!
2. What happens if a student withdraws?
If a student withdraws from Pathway, they receive any college credits they earned up to that point. They can still transfer the credit they’ve earned at Pathway to the college or university of their choice. There is never any charge for the program, and there are no loans that would need to be repaid.
3. Does Pathway provide support for students with childcare needs?
Success coaches at Pathway are assigned a small cohort of students to guide and advise. These coaches will work with students who have childcare or other needs and problem-solve any challenges any student may have with accessing and persisting through college.
1. When will Pathway release admission decisions?
Pathway will begin sharing admission decisions as early as March.
2. What is the latest you can apply?
Pathway will accept applications until May but due to the rolling admissions process, availability will become limited closer to the application deadline. Rolling admissions is a process where our team reviews and makes decisions on applicants soon after receiving the application. Pathway will assess applications and fill available spaces on a first come first serve basis and will continue to accept applications until the program is full. We highly recommend that students complete their application as soon as possible.
Please remember that an application is not complete without a complete FAFSA.
3. Is this an online program?
No. Pathway is a classroom-based program. Courses are taught in-person at a college extension site by college faculty, with small class sizes and two tutors specialized in math and writing assigned to each cohort of approximately 35 students. Pathway is designed to prepare students for success on a traditional college campus – that means teaching students how to be successful in traditional college classrooms, how to utilize office hours, how to ask for tutoring, and how to navigate financial aid. Note that if health emergencies (like a surge in the COVID-19 pandemic) require schools to move to a remote platform, Pathway will remain a remote, synchronous program (with live online classes).
4. Is Pathway a one or two year program?
Propel Pathway is a one-year program. Students can earn up to 36 credits and Propel staff support students in the transfer process, including admission applications and financial aid.
After Pathway, students can transfer to the college or university of their choice usually with sophomore status due to the college credits they have earned. Students can transfer either to a two or four year college.
Pathway continues to support students with counseling and advising and career support after they transfer – all the way until they graduate college and start a career.
5. Are students able to earn enough credits at Pathway to graduate with an Associate of Arts degree?
Propel Pathway does not offer an Associates degree of our own, but students can transfer directly into Associates programs at our partner universities or other colleges where, because of the credits they have already earned, they can typically earn an Associates in less than a year.
6. Are students able to transfer to a trade school and apply their credits earned at Pathway towards their trade school certificate or diploma?
Yes, students are able to attend a trade school after Pathway. Trade schools have varying course requirements, but many trade schools do require the same "general education" courses that students take at Pathway. Let us know if you have a specific trade school or program in mind, and we can help determine how Pathway can help you!
7. How many credits can students receive at Pathway?
Students can earn up to 36 credits at the Propel Pathway program (about 12 units or 4 classes per term for three academic terms). Students may transfer to their college or university of choice after their year in the program.
8. Does Pathway support ESL students, or students with 504s or IEPs?
Yes, Pathway supports students with learning needs and students who are learning English as a second language. Each cohort, averaging 35 students, is supported by two tutors and a success coach. The two tutors are experts in math and writing. The success coach manages the cohort, provides counseling, academic support and mentoring. Over 500 hours of coaching and academic support are provided every year. Our program also includes an “Extended Time Option” which provides students additional time to reach proficiency, resulting in higher grades and earned course credits.
9. What happens to students when they complete their year of classes with Pathway?
Students transfer to the college or university of their choice, due to the college credits they have earned. Students can transfer either to a two or four year college. Propel Pathway continues to support students with counseling, advising, and career support after they transfer – all the way until they graduate with their degree and start a career.
10. Will students’ credits transfer?
Yes! Credits are issued by a regionally-accredited, non-profit partner university. Pathway offers the general education courses required by public state universities.
11. Who teaches students in Pathway? What are their qualifications and affiliations?
Faculty who teach at Pathway serve under faculty appointment at the sponsoring university. Faculty must have earned a Master’s or Doctoral degree in the subject matter of their class.
12. What is a Mastery Based Learning Framework?
Unlike most traditional colleges and universities, Pathway offers students additional time and resources to successfully complete classes, reducing or eliminating D’s, F’s, or repeated courses. In doing so, Pathway allows students time to adjust to the increased workload of college. This is similar to MIT’s First Year Grading policy.
13. Are remedial English or Math classes offered at Pathway?
Remedial courses are not typically offered. Students are placed directly in college-level Courses, and we provide the tutoring and support students need to complete those courses successfully. Courses are generally offered in the morning, and our tutors and success coaches work with the students in the afternoon to complete assigned work, get support with the reading load, and get tutoring for specific assignments as needed.
14. Does Pathway support students completing specialized lower division requirements (ie. Nursing)?
Students interested in these programs (e.g. Nursing) can and have started at Pathway.
Students who are interested in specialized programs can do their first year at Pathway (where they gain academic confidence and skills), then transfer to a community college or private non-profit to pursue their specialized program.
15. How do AP credits from high school work at Pathway?
Students with AP Tests with a score of 3 or higher may receive credit toward their degrees.
16. When are classes held and are there student breaks?
Generally, the calendar is as follows, though specific sites may have different calendars.
Summer Term July to Mid-October
Break 2 weeks in late October
Fall Term November to February
Spring Break 1 week in early March
Spring Term March to Mid-June
Break 2 weeks in late June
1. What's the acceptance rate to other schools after completing the Pathway courses?
100% of students are admitted to the sponsor university as part of the Pathway program. All of our sponsor universities are 4-year colleges or universities. 85% of students who finish the Pathway program continue on in a 4-year college or university. Through their participation in Pathway, many students (who were not previously eligible) became eligible for competitive state grant awards or other competitive scholarships, and many gained admission to transfer to other selective colleges and universities.
Pathway alumni are enrolled at colleges and universities across the country. In California, for example, alumni have successfully enrolled at several University of California and California State University campuses, as well as private colleges such as Mills and William Jessup University.
1. Where can I access the application?
You can access your application and our website here. You can get to the application by clicking on the Apply Today button.
2. I am getting logged out of the applicant/partner community while completing the application process.
To access the application, cookies must be enabled. To enable cookies on your browser, follow these steps:
1. On your computer, open Chrome.
2. At the top right, click More. Settings.
3. Under "Privacy and security," click Site settings.
4. Click Cookies.
5. From here, you can: Turn on cookies: Next to "Blocked," turn on the switch. Turn off cookies: Turn off Allow sites to save and read cookie data.
Still having technical difficulties?
If you have any additional questions, connect with us by email at pathway@propelcenter.org.
If you have any additional questions, connect with us by email at pathway@propelcenter.org.
You can also reach out directly to our Student Engagement Managers by email or phone.
PROPEL Birmingham
Jared Brown
Student Engagement Manager
jared@propelcenter.org
205.922.5920 (text or call)
PROPEL Columbia
Danyá Mayo Cox
Student Engagement Manager
danya@propelcenter.org
803.830.6390 (text or call)