Course Overview

Pathways to Learning and Possibility: An Introduction to College, Career, and Life Exploration is a four-week, online asynchronous course designed for high school students who want to think more intentionally about their future. Grounded in the spirit of the liberal arts, the course invites you to explore big questions about identity, purpose, and direction while developing a deeper understanding of your interests, strengths, values, and goals.

Through guided reflection, practical activities, and engaging self-exploration, you will consider how learning across disciplines can shape the way you think about yourself and the world around you. The course encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and self-discovery as you consider college pathways, academic exploration, and long-term goals.

You will complete activities at your own pace each week, making the course accessible to busy schedules while still encouraging meaningful engagement.

By the end of the course, you will have developed a stronger sense of self, greater awareness of your options, and practical strategies for approaching the transition from high school with confidence, curiosity, and a broader liberal arts perspective.

Course outline

The Pathways to Learning and Possiblity course includes four modules:

• Week 1: Introduction to the Course and Self-Discovery: You’ll begin by exploring your interests, strengths, values, and goals as a foundation for thinking about your future. This week introduces key ideas about self-awareness and reflection as tools for making intentional choices after high school.
• Week 2: Exploring the Liberal Arts and Academic Interests: This week focuses on the liberal arts and how learning across different disciplines can help you understand yourself and the world around you. You’ll learn how subjects like the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and arts can connect to your interests and future possibilities.
• Week 3: College, Career, and Decision-Making: You’ll learn about college pathways, academic interests, and how majors and areas of study can connect to long-term goals. This week introduces decision-making strategies to help you think about what you want from a college experience.
• Week 4: Looking Ahead and Building a Personal Pathway: In the final week, you’ll learn how to bring together what you’ve discovered about yourself, your interests, and your goals. The focus is on building confidence and clarity as you think about your next steps after high school.

Each weekly module contains a mix of short readings or videos, guided reflection, and opportunities to think about your interests, values, and future goals. You can expect to learn through self-assessment, exploration of academic and career pathways, and activities that help you connect what you’re learning to your own experiences. The course is designed to be flexible and manageable, with each week building on the last. By the end of the course, you’ll have a clearer sense of who you are and what possibilities may be ahead.

Dates

The 2027 Pathways to Learning and Possiblity course runs from Feburary 1-26, 2027.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Pathways to Learning and Possiblity course, individuals should:

• Be a current high school student.
• Be at least 13 years of age by February 1, 2027.
• Have a minimum 3.5 weighted cumulative grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

International applicants for whom English is a second language should provide documentation of their ability to complete coursework in English by providing an official TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, Duolingo, or GATEWAY score report. Additional guidelines for international applicants are available here.

Enrollment & Fees

We will begin accepting registration requests on November 2, 2026. Individuals interested in enrolling should submit a registration form, copy of their transcript, and signed parent/guardian liability waiver and release. A 250-word response to the prompt "What are you curious about, and how do you hope this course will help you explore your interests, strengths, or future goals?" is required. 

Registration requests are reviewed on a rolling basis until the course fills or the application deadline of January 11, 2027. Space is limited, so we encourage you not to wait until the deadline to submit registration request materials.

There is no fee to enroll in the Pathways to Learning and Possibility course.

Digital Badge

You will earn a digital badge upon successful completion of the course. This badge recognizes your engagement with the course and the learning you demonstrate as you explore your interests, strengths, values, and future pathways through the liberal arts. It can be shared on resumes, academic profiles, and digital platforms as a record of your accomplishment.

To earn the badge, you will need to:

• Complete all required weekly modules
• Participate in course activities and reflections
• Submit the final culminating reflection assignment
• Demonstrate consistent effort and engagement throughout the course