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https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/missionaries-preapproved-for-byu-pathway-worldwide I was a missionary in a South American country when the announcement for the Perpetual Education fund was made by President GBH. To me it hit as revelation and showed how the church could help lift to economic situations of our brothers and sisters in less advantaged parts of the world. To me it was THE takeaway from that GC.
By all accounts this new announcement of the Missionaries auto admission into BYU Pathways Worldwide Pathwayconnect program
is better than the PEF. https://pathwaynewsroom.org/faq/#what
Quote:PathwayConnect is a one-year, low-cost educational program that mixes the flexibility of online academic courses, religious education, and the benefits of weekly face-to-face gatherings with other students. (On February 7, 2017, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf announced the creation of a new organization within the Church Educational System called BYU-Pathway Worldwide, with the PathwayConnect program being one of its core products.) PathwayConnect helps students develop confidence, become self-reliant, and build leadership experience — all of which enhance students’ prospects for further education, employment, church service, and/or leading and supporting families. After students complete PathwayConnect, they may continue working toward a degree by enrolling in a BYU-Idaho online degree program, attending a local school, entering the workforce, or pursuing a variety of other goals.
After completion of the one year PathwayConnect program the student may continue towards a BYU-I certificate (only 15 credits), an Associate Degree (60 credits), or even a Bachelor’s Degree (120 credits).
This appears to be game changing for RMs without immediate educational or career prospects (especially in countries without robust “student aid”). This has the potential to stop the cycle of poverty in individual family trees in a single generation. This is a ray of hope for many! I believe the auto-admission for missionaries feature is helpful as the default option for missionaries that may not be especially self-directed otherwise (and I believe that young people without significant support can find the whole next phase of life thing to be extremely overwhelming and anxiety producing).
The fact that this anouncement is all but lost, sandwiched between the disconinuation of the POX and the one year waiting policies is interesting. I believe it to be a reflection of just how quickly the church is making changes. This is exactly the sort of thing that I would wish to see our church doing.
Roy, thank you for posting this. The Church really does take to heart the concept of providing education in very good and affordable ways. It was a steal to get the education I did from BYU. The Pathway Program was already a major benefit to those who wanted to pursue it. This is even better and more meaningful. I love this concept. It is the melding of means, good intentions, and technology, all to provide for those who have given so much for the Church.
I believe that one of the primary factors in helping the underprivileged in a global view is access to education.
When I was a missionary in South America, I worked with a lot of people who couldn’t read or write. It was an eye-opener for me. They were good, kind people, who loved their loved-ones, had their likes and dislikes, had their successes and setbacks just like we all do, but they had not had access to education when they were younger, and they were in some ways disabled because of it, and their opportunities were limited.
I’m glad to know this is the case, but… wasn’t this always the case, ever since the Pathways Program was first opened? From what I remembered, I thought pretty much everyone was auto-accepted into the BYU-Pathway program, so long as they are an active member. Online coursework, with a weekly “institute-like” meeting, run by unpaid volunteers, doesn’t really have an admittance “cap”, does it? Though as my former bishop put it, “We don’t want non-members to take advantage”. It doesn’t really feel like a policy change to me. More like a PR move to make more missionaries (and everyone else) aware of the Pathways Program. It’s wonderful that they have these opportunities, but it doesn’t feel like “news” to me.
I don’t know the history of the pathway program Dande. For me, the pathways program is less impactful in areas like the U.S. that might have multiple avenues for financing and student aid already available. Also the addition of online or virtual ‘weekly ‘institute-like” meetings” seems relatively recent and is reportedly key to auto admitting all missionaries worldwide. It wouldn’t do any good to pre-approve or auto admit an individual that lived in a part of the world where they did not have access to these weekly required meetings. The addition of “virtual gatherings” changes all that. The below quotes are taken from the 3rd article I had linked to above:
Quote:President Gilbert said. “But for those who don’t have access to education, which is the vast majority of the Church, they now have an affordable education that they can do right where they live and start almost immediately when they get home from their missions.”…
Brother Ashton explained that an extra emphasis should be given, moving forward, for mission presidents to encourage their missionaries to learn English and plan for their futures….
“When missionaries have been on their mission for 90 days, they’ll get a message in the missionary portal that says at the end of their mission they’ll be preapproved for admission into the BYU-Pathway Worldwide PathwayConnect program,” Brother Ashton continued, explaining the new preapproval process. “Then they will be encouraged throughout their mission to learn English, if they don’t already know English, because all of the programs are in English.
“Then 90 days before they go home, they’ll get an email attached with the letter saying they’re now approved for the BYU-Pathway Worldwide PathwayConnect program,” he said….
Mission presidents will be expected to provide missionaries with time outside of their regular preparation days to allow missionaries to complete the admissions processes to enroll in the BYU-Pathway programs, or other educational programs for which they may have plans to attend, Watson said.
I agree with you that the pre-approval and auto-admission process is somewhat semantical. However, I believe that it can be very effective in giving these RMs a clearly defined “pathway” (pun intended
dande48 wrote:
It’s wonderful that they have these opportunities, but it doesn’t feel like “news” to me.
I suppose you are correct from a certain perspective. It is not exactly newsworthy in the same sense that churches feeding homeless in a soup kitchen is not exactly newsworthy. “Newsflash – Churches help people! Details at 11!” However, I deliberately contrast this with the PEF. I remember the PEF as a major announcement in GC. IMO the BYU-pathway worldwide program will be more impactful and farther reaching than PEF ever was.My first thought on this was “Big deal, all they had to do was sign up anyway. There’s nothing to see here, these aren’t the droids you’re looking for. Move along.” But after it sank in I did recognize that the real effect would be on those that otherwise might not have the opportunity and might not apply, in some ways like the PEF (which I financially supported until we can’t any more). It still could be tough for some (I’m thinking of where my son serves in the South Pacific where most people don’t even have electricity, much less phones or internet). Nonetheless, I think this is good and while it probably won’t affect people like my son who will be returning to BYU for others it could be great. FWIW, we do have people in my ward involved with Pathways and as far as I can see it’s great for them. There is also an active user here involved. Unlike the PEF, it’s not just for non-North Americans.
I guess this could be a win-win. It serves as a “GI bill” of sorts to sweeten the pot for people on the fence about serving a mission (more missionaries for the church) and the pathway program has a heavy church activity focus (addressing the issue of RMs going inactive). Five or so years ago returning missionaries were placed into a “My Plan” program that treated them like children, all with the end goal of retention. The pathway program can achieve the same goal without being as infantilizing as the My Plan program.
nibbler wrote:
I guess this could be a win-win. It serves as a “GI bill” of sorts to sweeten the pot for people on the fence about serving a mission (more missionaries for the church) and the pathway program has a heavy church activity focus (addressing the issue of RMs going inactive).Five or so years ago returning missionaries were placed into a “My Plan” program that treated them like children, all with the end goal of retention. The pathway program can achieve the same goal without being as infantilizing as the My Plan program.
When i came home from my mission in 2014 i was basically put into my local ysa ward and told to date casually and find a job or go to school. Not being from Utah, i chose a community college that was super liberal with their education (having gone from testifying of Christ daily to discussing the evidences of sexual assault in education and the work force [one of my classes]) and it really threw me off my rocker. it was hard to adjust. the YSA ward was difficult to fit in with. having served a unique language mission i was unable to find opportunities to use it post-mission. eventually i ended up with a job or two, and went to byu idaho. but it was a super rough, unplanned and non-supported journey that lasted two years. it’s still affecting my education technically (won’t graduate when all my friends do, no real job experience etc) but at least i can know that things are going to get better for others.
As a business process guy, the idea of an auto-enrollment would tend to increase active course-takers in the the system. By making anything easier to get, whether education, apps, groceries, etcetera, you increase your sales. In this case, I think this means even greater accessibility for RM’s regardless of whether they were able to simply apply and have access previously. If auto-enrollment means their church data, such as age, background, English, prior educational attainment means they are automatically accepted into the Pathways program, then this represents fewer hoops and jumps, and therefore, more RM’s taking advantage of Pathways than before auto-enrollment.
I think this is a good thing really. For me the benefit is in the economic benefits this could bring to the RM eventually.
Now I am wondering, what is the cost of this to the RM? Can it help them get into other universities if they want? These aren’t meant to critique the program — just questions I have.
Just semantics here, but looking at the articles, it says missionaries are “pre-approved” rather than “auto-admitted” or “auto-enrolled”. There’s a big difference. Credit card companies “pre-approve” me all the time. 
SilentDawning wrote:
Now I am wondering, what is the cost of this to the RM? Can it help them get into other universities if they want? These aren’t meant to critique the program — just questions I have.
In the US, it’s $73 per credit; but other countries are locally adjusted to make it “affordable” (
tuition ratesThe Pathways Program is really just the first year. I guess they extend it for the rest of “BYU-I” online, but after the first year there’s really no difference than if you just enrolled to BYU-I online directly. That first year, you take 15 credits divided by three semesters. Here’s what they are:
Semester 1:PC 101 – Life Skills – 3 credits
FDREL 121 – Book of Mormon – 2 credits
Semester 2:PC 102 – Professional Skills – 3 credits
FDREL 122 – Book of Mormon – 2 credits
Semester 3:PC 103 University Skills – 3 credits
FDREL 250 – Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel – 2 credits
nibbler wrote:
Five or so years ago returning missionaries were placed into a “My Plan” program that treated them like children, all with the end goal of retention. The pathway program can achieve the same goal without being as infantilizing as the My Plan program.
I had a son come home under this program. He and his bishop both saw it for what it was and it ended up being absolutely meaningless. I think the program has been scrapped now?
Dande I do think the credits transfer. That’s why they do it through BYU-I, they’re accredited. Of course what other school is going to put Book of Mormon classes anywhere but as an elective which probably translates to “instead of 128 credits to graduate you’ll need 130.” DarkJedi wrote:
Dande I do think the credits transfer. That’s why they do it through BYU-I, they’re accredited. Of course what other school is going to put Book of Mormon classes anywhere but as an elective which probably translates to “instead of 128 credits to graduate you’ll need 130.”
I depends on the university admissions, but you’d be surprised. A lot of fundamental courses don’t transfer between universities, even as “electives”. If the new university doesn’t have a near identical course, they usually won’t accept it. BYU-I’s accreditation only means their degrees are valid, not that their individual courses will count towards a degree at another university. I’d be willing to bet the “skills” courses are far too broad to count, especially for a three credit course.
dande48 wrote:
Just semantics here, but looking at the articles, it says missionaries are “pre-approved” rather than “auto-admitted” or “auto-enrolled”. There’s a big difference. Credit card companies “pre-approve” me all the time. But you still have have to apply. RMs are now just “guaranteed” to get in now… as if they weren’t before.
Good discussion and good point. I did find that the Deseret News article uses the term “automatically admitted” in the title.
However, everywhere else the term pre-approved and approved is used.
Admission is when you are accepted to the school. Many students apply for and are admitted to several schools. Enrollment is when you select a particular program. Registration is when you set your class schedule for the term or the semester.
Pathways is not auto-enrolling missionaries:
Quote:Mission presidents will be expected to provide missionaries with time outside of their regular preparation days to allow missionaries to complete the admissions processes to enroll in the BYU-Pathway programs, or other educational programs for which they may have plans to attend, Watson said.
What I suppose I do not have clear is if there is any difference between pre-approved, approved, and admitted. Does pre-approved or approved mean that I qualify for admission but I still need to fill out the form “to complete the admissions processes.”I suppose that at the end of the day, that is a distinction for the admissions department to care about. The church is telling all missionaries that they will be accepted. That is the important message and it appears to be life changingly meaningful for many.
I guess I don’t get the purpose of the Pathway program other than to let people who are otherwise not qualified enter BYU-I. The courses seem pretty light. What is meant by “professional skills”? For me, I find students need to be prepared in math and writing clearly at a minimum, plus many need upgraded computer skills to survive in an online environment where they have to use technology. And I don’t get how so much religion curriculum helps them prepare for college either. Baffled, probably because I don’t understand the concept or curriculum well enough.
The program is intended to provide courses that are affordable, basic, and easy enough at first for people who normally would not attend college to get their feet wet, have academic success, and then move on to more traditional courses and degree paths. That could be missionaries in foreign countries, members (especially women) who did not attend college (for example, who got married instead), people who struggled initially and dropped out of college very early, or anyone else who wants a college degree but can’t afford the cost. Importantly, the cost per credit hour is frozen for ALL courses throughout one’s time at BYU-I – which makes a two-year associate’s degree more affordable and a four-year bachelor’s degree MUCH more affordable than ANY other option in the United States of which I am aware.
Also, I would have to verify this, but I have heard BYU-I has approached some public institutions about accepting the courses toward online degrees from those institutions using the same tuition level. Although they would not get the same revenue as from their traditional tuition, the students are ones from whom they would not receive any revenue otherwise – and online courses are much cheaper to administer than on-ground courses.
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