Since beginning its Guided Pathways (GP) implementation in 2014, Bakersfield College (BC) has seen universal growth and improvement across virtually every student success metric at the college. To ensure that more students complete and/or transfer—on time and without excess units—BC has intentionally designed an innovative, formal structure through which cross-functional teams of faculty and staff are responsible for advancing four key research-based momentum points. The goals have become our college's mantra and the aligned activities our practice. They include:
- Attempting 15+ units in the first term
- Completion of transfer-level math and English in the first year
- Attempting 30+ units in the first year
- Completion of 9 core pathway units in the first year
Bakersfield College's GP implementation has required a whole-college effort to redesign existing structures to advance equitable access and completion, which has led to whole-college gains in our GP momentum points.