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English Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
A Guided Pathway is a sequence of courses to be taken in a particular STEM major to complete a STEM degree with built-in academic mentoring and personal guidance throughout the entire length of your college career. The sequence of courses is designed to provide students with the most efficient paths to degree completion. This provides the opportunity to graduate in four years and utilize financial aid efficiently.
There are two ideal scenarios:
- a student will begin a Guided Pathway commitment during high school, take their first two years of classes at the community college level, then transfer into La Sierra as a junior to complete their STEM degree.
- a student will begin a Guided Pathway commitment during high school and take all their courses over four years at La Sierra to obtain their STEM degree.
However, students may still enter a Guided Pathway as a community college transfer student or as a four-year-college transfer student (without an initial high school commitment) as long as they meet the eligibility requirements.
High school seniors looking to begin college at La Sierra must apply to La Sierra University, complete the Guided Pathways application and sign the Letter of Intent.
California community college students need to be in good standing at an accredited California community college or other four-year college to be eligible for the Guided Pathways program. Students must apply to La Sierra University, commit to completing the community college coursework of the Guided Pathway for an intended major within three years while maintaining a GPA of 2.5 or above, and intend to transfer to La Sierra at the completion of the community college coursework for degree completion.
No. The Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) is a special associate's degree program offered through the California Community College system. An ADT is similar in content to a traditional associate program, but the courses are specifically designed to transfer to a four-year institution for bachelors degree completion. It is also known as “a degree with a guarantee,” meaning that students who earn their AA-T (Associate in Arts for Transfer) or AS-T (Associate in Science for Transfer) are guaranteed admission to La Sierra University at junior standing with a pathway to degree completion in two years.
Guided Pathways include integrated guidance and academic resources, and consider students a part of La Sierra from the start. Guided Pathways are designed to parallel La Sierra's first two years of curriculum in their respective majors.
Financial Literacy within the Guided Pathways to Success program is a comprehensive resource to keep students financially sound before, during, and after college. This system of supporting students is an approach that aims to help students leave college with less debt and as prepared to manage their personal finances as they are to start a new career. It is not financial aid.
One-on-one personalized mentoring is available to students throughout their Guided Pathway process. Services range from assistance with course selection to supplemental instruction offered in coordination with the Office of Academic and Career Services (OACS).
La Sierra University accepts students from any accredited California community college.
If you are already enrolled in a gateway course (a class such as General Chemistry, General Biology or Calculus that must be passed in order to remain in a STEM degree program), you may benefit from this grant. Some of the possible benefits include mentorship from STEM faculty, supplemental instruction in degree courses and access to innovative technology.
CalGrant can be received for a maximum of 4 years. Ideally, if a student decides to use CalGrant in community college, those units should be completed within two years. The remaining two years will be spent at La Sierra for degree completion, and aid maximized.
Pell Grant can be received for a maximum of 6 years. Students could potentially take 3 years at a Community College and 3 at La Sierra (or any other combination) and receive the Pell all 6 years.
If students have specific questions about finances, they can contact Student Financial Services at sfs@lasierra.edu.
If students are taking classes at both a Community College and La Sierra University at the same time, they can only receive aid for one school. The other will need to be paid for in cash or from private loans, which is not recommended.
Students wanting to participate in the Guided Pathways to Success program must complete a program application and letter of intent (by emailing guidedpathways@lasierra.edu) which outlines eligibility requirements and program expectations.
STEM Ed Pathways are degrees designed to help students become well-rounded high school STEM educators in specific STEM fields. Students can complete STEM Ed Pathways by following the pathways we have outlined. Like Guided Pathways, STEM Ed Pathways are designed to be completed in four years.
Email guidedpathways@lasierra.edu for more information or an application and letter of intent. Contact Andrea Schröer, at FinLit@lasierra.edu for more information on the Guided Pathways to Success Financial Literacy program.