Postsecondary Education in Pennsylvania

By MB -
In late September, the PA WIB's Task Force on Adult Learning released a report making recommendations on degree and certificate completion. The report focused on a number of issues critical to ongoing student success.

The report covered the following topics: preparedness, affordability, articulation, and cultural barriers, and also made recommendations on how Pennsylvania could move past the barriers it faces. Below are some of the highlights under each topic - please read the report in full to learn more:

  • Preparedness: When students enter postsecondary education or training, they often do so without the requisite skills to be successful: 59 percent of students entering community colleges need remedial courses, and only 3-4 of every ten students who begin remediation actually finish it.
  • Affordability: Pennsylvania's public colleges and universities are the sixth most expensive nationally. (PathWays PA has also written a report on community college affordability, which you can find on our website).
  • Articulation: Articulation agreements allow students to transfer credits from one school to another, which is particularly important when students move from community colleges to four year schools. However, not all credits transfer, forcing some students to retake (and pay for) courses they have already passed successfully.
  • Cultural Barriers: Students face family and cultural barriers that do not prioritize degree or certificate completion or do not understand the post-secondary system.

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