Gateway to College Information and Materials

General Information

About Gateway to College
The program design was developed by Portland Community College (PCC) in 2000. Our program, which enrolled its first class of students in August 2006, was launched with funding from PCC via replication grants awarded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The essential elements of our program adhere to those established (and field tested) by Portland Community College. See History of Gateway to College for more information.

Students go through a multi-phased selection and evaluation process so that we can (to the best of our ability) accept those who are the right “fit” for Gateway. The program is definitely not appropriate for every young person who’s dropped out of high school – it works best for students who have a strong enough academic background to ramp up quickly in order to handle college-level courses. (Gateway works on a dual credit approach – students earn both high school and college credit based on successful completion of college courses. All courses are taught by Tri-County Technical College faculty on our Pendleton Campus.) See FAQs for more information.

The costs for students to attend Gateway to College are underwritten by a variety of sources – meaning that students do not pay College tuition or book costs. They are, however, responsible for paying their own College fees (see TCTC Fees), buying their own supplies, providing their own transportation, and paying any debts incurred to the College (like library fines and parking violation tickets). Students who qualify for WIA funding may receive stipends to offset some of these costs.

The goal of Gateway to College is to graduate each student with a high school diploma and a postsecondary credential and to transition the student successfully into additional higher education and/or meaningful, family-supporting employment.

Academic Program and Record-Keeping
During the first semester (called the Foundation Semester), all Gateway students take the same four courses – a developmental math course, a developmental reading course, a developmental English course, and College Skills (a college-level, three-semester hour course designed to provide the success strategies needed to handle the rigors of academic study). The College Skills courses are taught by Gateway’s Resource Specialists. There are no “regular” Tri-County students enrolled in Foundation Semester courses – only Gateway students. This first semester experience is designed to give students the academic and emotional foundation they need to be successful in subsequent terms. However, sometimes the content in Foundation Semester courses is a repeat for Gateway students who were in advanced courses when they dropped out of high school. While this may seem counter-productive, it’s part of the program design and enables all Gateway students to bond, to experience academic success, to practice new skills, and to gain confidence needed for the Transition Semester and beyond.

During the second semester (called the Transition Semester), all Gateway students take a Study Skills course for one hour per week along with a series of college courses, depending on what they need to complete their high school diploma. The college courses taken during the Transition Semester are mixed-enrollment courses meaning that Gateway students take them with “regular” college students.

During the third semester and beyond, Gateway students are completely integrated into “regular” college courses.

At the end of each semester, the Registrar’s Office at Tri-County generates official transcripts for Gateway students. The administrative specialist from the Gateway Office picks up the transcripts (and signs for them), sorts them by district/school, and arranges to have them delivered to the appropriate high school. A grade/course equivalency summary is also prepared and distributed to each school. Staff from the Registrar’s Office and the Gateway to College Office work to ensure that processes involving student/grade data maintain appropriate confidentiality. Staff are working now to automate the process for grade/course summaries so that they will be accurate, generated quickly, and then posted to a password-protected section of this website.

Supportive Services and Follow-Up
Each student in the Gateway to College program is assigned to a Resource Specialist who serves as a mentor, success coach, and advisor. Resource Specialists teach the College Skills courses in the Foundation Semester and the Study Skills courses in the Transition Semester. They maintain close contact with their students throughout the program – during the semesters needed to complete the high school diploma and during subsequent semesters, if needed, to complete a postsecondary credential and/or to transfer to a senior college.

Resource Specialists are responsible for developing (with assistance of counselors from the student’s sponsoring high school) an Individual Graduation Plan (IGP) that lists exactly which Tri-County courses are required for completion of the high school diploma. In a few cases, the Resource Specialist may identify a Virtual High School course (rather than a high school course) in order to expedite progress toward the diploma. In creating the IGP, the Resource Specialist purposefully blends requirements for the high school diploma with requirements for a postsecondary credential so that the student maximizes his/her time and effort. However, requirements for the high school diploma receive top priority in academic planning. (For example, a student might prefer to take a series of occupational electives rather than core requirements in math or English. The Resource Specialist will prioritize course selections to ensure reasonable progress is being made toward the diploma.)

While Gateway offers the flexibility of college scheduling, which many students find attractive, Resource Specialists encourage all students to take full course loads each semester. (Students are also encouraged to continue enrollment during summer terms, although course loads may be lighter.)

All Gateway students can take advantage of the College’s regular support services and they have access to all facilities. In addition, they have the benefit of specific services available only through the Gateway program:

Academic Lab – weekly review and practice sessions linked with academic courses in the Foundation Semester. Activities are directed by faculty teaching the math, English, and reading courses.
Guaranteed Study Time – daily sessions with supervision to assist students manage their out-of-class assignments.
Tutoring – individual or small group sessions in subjects that students typically find most challenging.
Mentoring (in class) – online communication sessions with College or community mentors managed by Resource Specialists during courses they teach.
Mentoring/advising (individualized) – Regularly scheduled, individualized sessions with Resource Specialists.

Because Gateway to College is a WIA/WorkLink Youth Services Provider, we can offer additional services to students who meet specific criteria:

Transportation stipend
Transportation services (pick-up/drop-off via Gateway Van)
Child care stipend
Supplies (designated supplies only)

Graduation
Resource Specialists are responsible for tracking student progress toward high school graduation. They are also responsible for working closely with counselors at each sponsoring high school to be sure all details are handled appropriately in order to be sure there are no “glitches” in the graduation process.

Once all the proper paperwork has been submitted and processed, the student is awarded the high school diploma during Tri-County’s regular commencement ceremony. The College has two ceremonies each year – one in May and one in August. (Gateway students can, and do, graduate in December. Depending on the number of graduates, there may be a special ceremony for them or they may march in the May ceremony.) During the graduation ceremony, the principal or superintendent from the student’s sponsoring high school actually awards the diploma. The president of Tri-County Technical College and other dignitaries also participate in the ceremony and personally congratulate each graduate. If the graduate is simultaneously receiving a postsecondary credential, he/she marches twice – once with the Gateway grads and again with other Tri-County students who are receiving the same postsecondary credential.

If a Gateway graduate needs additional credit to complete his/her postsecondary credential or transfer goal, his/her resource specialist will work to ensure a smooth transition into a “regular” college student status. Among the most important services is making sure the student receives all available financial aid that he/she qualifies for as a high school graduate. Even though the student has transitioned into a “regular” college student status, his/her resource specialist still serves as a coach and mentor. Our Gateway grads are always part of the “Gateway family!”

Questions?
If you have questions or want/need additional information about Gateway to College, please contact:

Ms. Diana M. Walter
Director of Gateway to College
Tri-County Technical College
P.O. Box 587, 7900 Highway76
Pendleton, SC 29670
Phone: (864) 646-1504
Email: dwalter@tctc.edu
Office: Pickens Hall, room 125