Qualified students start concurrent enrollment as early as the second semester of their sophomore year and can take up to 16 college hours per semester. Students have access to OCCC facilities, including the gym, library and college labs, while also eligible to participate in Santa Fe South athletics, clubs and extracurricular activities. In addition to taking concurrent courses, students are expected to complete 18 hours of community service each semester. During the past academic year, students earned more than 8,000 community service hours.

“Pathways allows students to get ahead while still in high school,†says OCCC President Jerry Steward. “The students leave Pathways and OCCC prepared to enter the workforce or continue their education at four-year institutions.â€

In the 2018-2019 academic year, 100 of the 203 Pathways students were enrolled in college courses. The average credit hours among graduates was 47, whereas the national average for concurrent credit is 37 hours.

Pathways Principal Christopher McAdoo says, “The small class allow for increased interaction with our students. The middle college design enables more students, particularly low-income and minority students, to experience rigorous high school and college coursework that leads to improved outcomes.

According to Pathways, middle college students are consistently outperforming their peers nationwide. Ninety percent of middle college students graduate high school compared to 78 percent of traditional high school students. Overall, 30 percent of middle college students earn an associate’s degree while in high school.

Pathways is located at 7777 South May Avenue on OCCC’s Main Campus. Pathways is affiliated with Santa Fe South Public Schools in Oklahoma City. To learn more about Pathways, visit www.pathwaysmiddlecollege.org.