Houston Guided Pathways to Success
University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) is proud to be among nine, two- and four-year
institutions in the Texas Gulf Coast region who are shaping a progressive movement,
which directly addresses the poor completion rates of those pursuing postsecondary
degrees. The Houston Guided Pathways to Success (Houston GPS) consortium, and its
national counterpart, Complete College America (CCA) are dedicated to significantly
increasing the number of students who not only gain a degree, but finish within the
desired four-year timeline. Together, the CCA and Houston GPS are working in tandem
to develop and implement detailed pathways designed to boost on-time graduation rates
through timely, structured, and seamless transference of course credits among the
initiative's partners; ultimately, increasing postsecondary attainment, while building
a culture of timely graduation.
As the fourth largest city in the country, Houston should be leading the charge in producing a qualified, educated workforce; however, Houston ranks 19th among the 20 largest metro cities in educational attainment; and nationally, the state of Texas ranks 33rd among U.S. states whose degree-seeking students reach graduation (Chronicle of Higher Education, 2013). Among those who do graduate, they are too few, completing in too long, and spending too much. The economic impact of securing a predominantly college educated workforce extends far beyond the obvious individual benefits — it would mark Houston and its surrounding region as a competitive and relevant presence in today's global, high-tech, data-driven marketplace. With the participation of those seeking postsecondary education on the rise, the Houston GPS initiative is both timely and critical to the economic and civic growth of the Texas Gulf Coast region.
University of Houston-Clear Lake is part of the collaborative partnership with the following four- and two-year institutions:
| Four-Year Institutions | Two-Year Institutions |
|---|---|
| University of Houston | College of the Mainland |
| University of Houston-Clear Lake | Houston Community College System |
| University of Houston-Downtown | Lone Star College System |
| University of Houston-Victoria | San Jacinto College District |
| Texas Southern University | Wharton County Junior College |
| Victoria College |
More information about Houston GPS can be found on the University of Houston Provost
website.