I was envited to attend a meeting about BYU-I pathways. Its a program through BYU-I, for cheap tuition for online degrees. When I say cheap I mean dirt cheap. They are charging loke 65$ a credit! As far as I can tell you don't have to have an endorsement to attened, but you do have to be lds. What's the other draw back, well you have to meet with a missionary once a week. Here is the link to the program www.byui.edu/online/pathway they have information meetings at the slcc institute building on thursday the 30th at 7pm.

It's actually a missionary program. That's why you have to talk to the (senior) missionaries once a week even if you are a member.

The pathways program is just for 1 year and no ecclesiastical endorsement is required for the first year but you have meet with the missionaries every week. Then after the first year if you want to continue in the degree program you have to have an ecclesiastical endorsement. Sounds like a way to lure in inactive members with cheap tuition and then they are hoping to get them fully active within the year. Probably easier when they have the motivation of not being able to continue their degree if they don't.

The focus also seems to be on international students.
http://www.byui.edu/online/pathway/

Return and report......


So it is a one year program, and you don't really take any classes that go towards a degree. But after the first year you can apply to byui and continue paying the 65$ per credit hour. You do have to follow all of the byui rules, so honner code and bishop and so endorsement yada yada yada. Including religion classes.

You have most of the information correct, but the classes you take the first year DO count towards your degree. At BYU-I you have to take 15 religion credits during the course of your degree. Through Pathways you get them out of the way the first year. In addition to taking your basic math, science and English credits. Then you go into your core courses for your degree. I just didn't want you to think that the first year was a waste. It all counts. After the first year you do have to agree to abide by the honor code at BYU-I. But this is to continue to receive that very low tuition rate. Also, you're not meeting one on one with the missionary couple. You're attending an Institute type class and you get together for the math/science/English class. I am starting the program in 10 weeks. I hope this helps.

Good to get some university credits under your belt for cheap. Don't forget though, that the religion credits will not be accepted anywhere else but the BYU system.

Good to get some university credits under your belt for cheap. Don't forget though, that the religion credits will not be accepted anywhere else but the BYU system. So, the cost per transfer acceptable credits rises when the religion ones are eliminated.

So, you've been at the program awhile by now.
what do you think?

I'm considering getting involved, as well.

I AM INTERESTED IN TEACHING AN ESL--ENGLISH AS A SECOND LAUNGUAGE--CLASS IN VICTORVILLE, CA. ANY ADVICE FROM ANYONE--I AM BOTH A MEXICAN AND AN AMERICAN CITIZEN--SPANISH AND ENGLISH SPEAKER.

You may want to start a new thread to ask this.

I dont think I woukd have been abke to get a bishops endorsement, so I didn't start the program.

I'm actually sitting in the class now. I don't recall having to become endorsed by anyone. I'm not a huge fan of the religious part of the class. But college credits are college credits. Nobody asks if I'm active in church, and nobody really asks any questions. Just come to class and do the work.

I just want to correct some misconceptions about the Pathway program. I am a Pathway "missionary". First, although you generally have to be LDS to enter the program, you do not have to be active or have an ecclesiastical endorsement. No one is going to ask you any sort of "worthiness" questions. Second, the first year of Pathway is called Academic Start. Your take 2 courses for each of three terms. One course each term is a religion course taught by a local institute teacher. The other three courses are a general learning strategy course (1st term), a writing course (2nd term) and a basic math course (3rd term). These courses are online courses taught by BYU Idaho faculty. Once a week, the students meet together for the religion class, followed by a 1 hour meeting in which the students take turns teaching each other based on a lesson plan from the online course. This meeting is called "the gathering". A couple that have the calling "BYU Idaho Pathway Program missionaries" are assigned to the gathering to facilitate the program. In my case, I am a college professor and am able to assist the students in learning. Pathway missionaries are not proselyting missionaries. My main concern is helping the students succeed in the program by succeeding academically. This program allows students who otherwise would not be attending college to enter a college program. After the academic start year, any student with a B average in the 3 academic courses (the religion courses do not count in the GPA) are accepted to continue as BYU Idaho students. They can continue as online students, or they can actually matriculate on site at BYU Idaho. The three academic courses do count towards a degree. They are great courses which teach basic fundamental principles. I think all students entering college anywhere would benefit from these courses. Considering the type of students that enter the Pathway program, the program will help many. For example, in our current group are students that tried and failed to enter college previously, students that did not graduate from high school, students who did not have financial resources to go to college, students who were afraid to try to go to college, etc. They are all succeeding in this program. I feel honored to work with these wonderful people, and I do not have a hidden motive to get them active in the Church. The program does teach basic "Gospel" principles such as "we are children of God and hence have great potential to achieve beyond our perceived capacities"; "we are loved"; "we have agency"; "self-reliance" etc. It is required that the students attend the 1 hour gathering each week in order to participate in the academic discussions and take their turn is leading the discussions. The gathering is a great learning opportunity that is unavailable in many online courses in other programs. If I could change one thing about the program it would be to change the title of what I do from BYU Idaho Pathway Missionary to BYU Idaho Pathway Facilitator. The might alleviate the concern of some that the program is aimed at preaching to them. It is not. The program is aimed at improving lives through education. My job is to advertise the program locally in order to find potential students, educate people about the program, and to facilitate the weekly gatherings.

Thanks for the information but aren't you supposed to avoid reading anti-Mormon literature?

I do not agree at all with academic bashing here of BYU. I got a great education and loved my academic life there. The social life was terrible, but academically I have not had any problems, including getting 2 grad degrees from other prestigious schools.

BYU-I is a joke. It is Ricks College with a 4 year degree. Just like UTEP is not Texas and UC Santa Cruz is not Berkley, BYUI is not BYU. Don't waste your money and time on the classes. You would be better off with a community college. Go to a state school and keep away from an LDS Church-sponsored one.

vcsheffield you realize you are posting to an ex mormon board? My husband was kind enough to let our bishop know of my disbelief and attendance at another church, that coupled with the fact that I haven't been to the lds church for a couple of years would not go over well when I ask him to sign my endorsement. I have known a couple of people who have gone through the pathways program, they feel differently about pressure to attend and follow lds teachings. This program may be good for some, and the cost of $65 going forward is great, but you are misrepresenting the ease and lack of church involvement.

@ the one and only:
Thanks for responding. I do realize that I posted to an ex mormon board. I am not trying to convince people of anything except to clarify some of the misperceptions regarding the Pathway program. I stand by everything that I said in my previous post. I politely disagree with your statement that I am "misrepresenting the ease and lack of church involvement". I realize that my wife and I are only one of many Pathway missionary couples, but from the training we received and our practice, I can state without equivocation that no ecclesiastical endorsement is required in year 1 (Academic Start year). Furthermore, we put no pressure on anyone to attend church or follow LDS teachings. Obviously, I cannot vouch for other missionary couples or other students in the program elsewhere, but it does not happen with our group and there is nothing in the training to encourage pressuring of students to adhere to LDS teachings or to be active. I could care less about the church activity of our class. As you will note above, I did state that the students take a religion course each term, so I did not hide that fact. Note however, the students would not have to pass the religion courses to stay and advance in the program. This is an outstanding program to help give people the opportunity to get a bachelors or associate degree. To restate, I stand by my original post. I wish you the best. Kindest regards!

My TBM wife did Pathway last year and is currently enrolled in BYU-Idaho’s online degree program. She didn’t need an ecclesiastical endorsement last year, but needed one to be accepted into BYU-Idaho’s online degree program. Last year during Pathway, she took two Book of Mormon classes and one Teachings of the Living Prophets class, as well as the three basic Pathway classes (Life Skills, Basic Writing, and Personal Finance). She has loved the program, and the ultra-cheap tuition is great.

In my opinion, the Pathway program is not suitable for ex-Mormons or even doubting Mormons. Starting the second year, you’ll need an ecclesiastical endorsement, which means that you need to attend church, pay tithing, and essentially everything else required of temple recommend holders. If you’re still at a point in your personal beliefs where you’re OK with attending church, paying tithing, sustaining church leaders, etc., great. But if at any time during your online degree program you decide to resign from the church, or stop attending church or stop paying tithing, you will not be able to renew your ecclesiastical endorsement and thus will not be able to finish your degree.

In my opinion, this is a clever tactic by the Church to lure people in with cheap tuition and then require them to take classes on the Book of Mormon and Mormon prophets and to obtain ecclesiastical endorsements in the hope that they will become active, tithe-paying members of the Church. Even the classes that my wife has taken this year are filled with Church references. The coursework for her statistics class is filled with faith-promoting quotes from General Authorities. Her history class on developing nations talked extensively about the humanitarian work the Church has done—not just as a side note, but as the main focus of the course.

If you are an active, believing member who wants to earn a cheap degree and will regard the Church propaganda as inspiring and uplifting (as is the case for my wife), the Pathway program is for you. If you are an inactive member who knows the truth about the origins of the Church and thus no longer fully believes, I would steer clear of Pathway. If you are an inactive member who knows nothing about the Church’s dark past, then you are just what the Church is looking for—enroll in Pathway and get on the path back to full activity in the Church.

Damn right it's a lure. I am lolling about the whole 'fish in the water doesn't even know it is swimming' thing. No pressure, of course not! The believer is involved in so much more mormonism than the class stuff where he probably has to remember to be a bit more PC than comes naturally, that to him it doesn't feel churchy at all. Absolute lack of any perspective whatsoever. Almost smells more scientology than mormon, except for the low low price.

Just like so much more of mormonism, the representative serves up the correct line while everybody else fails to get the memo. You know, like with the baptizing dead Jews thing. They say they will stop doing it and will spread the word. They get busted again and again they say they will stop doing it and will spread the word. They get busted at it AGAIN and this time they make the parts of the system that got them busted available only to members instead of everyone. Gee, they never bothered to spread the memo in the first place.
And just like that situation, I'd guarantee the senior mishies that aren't this official representative are not going to act the way this one says he does.

A corporation with the kind of extensive history of institutionalized lying that this one has is not going to stop any time soon over the little fleck of public relations image problem it's got right now.

As I stated previously, I am not trying to convince people of anything, I am just trying to clarify misinformation about the Pathway program. @ anon10, you are correct in that no ecclesiastical endorsement is required for year 1, but is required for subsequent years. However, you are misinformed as to what an ecclesiastical endorsement is. It does not require LDS Church attendance nor the paying of tithes, sustaining of church leaders or "everything else required of temple recommend holders. It does require signing and agreeing to adhere to the CES honor code which consists of the following (copied directly):
Be honest
Live a chaste and virtuous life
Obey the law
Use clean language
Respect others
Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee and substance abuse
Participate regularly in church services
Observe Dress and Grooming Standards
Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code

I am a former bishop, and I signed an ecclesiastic endorsement for a non-members that never attended an LDS meeting or paid tithing. I also signed an endorsement for an individual who was an inactive member that attended another church. In one case, I signed an endorsement for a current BYU student, who was working on overcoming substance abuse issues (and not just alcohol). I respectfully disagree with you (anon10). What is required for an ecclesiastical endorsement is agreeing to adhere to the honor code, not a temple recommend. @ WinksWinks: I think you are a bit off topic (baptizing dead Jews). I agree that the Pathway program is trying to lure people into getting an education. I have seen it help people who were going nowhere with their education move forward with their educational goals. In response to "senior mishies that aren't this official representative are not going to act the way this one says he does". I am not entirely sure what you are trying to say, but I guarantee that I act the way I say I do! Kind regards!

It's nice to here the perspective from the other side but I'm a little confused by your church attendance and ecclesiastical endorsement claim. You said, regarding obtaining the endorsement for the second year "it does not require LDS Church attendance" but then later state that "It does require signing and agreeing to adhere to the CES honor code which consists of the following (copied directly)...Participate regularly in church services..."

Maybe I'm reading that wrong as I am on my I-phone but it sounds like you have to attend church meetings.

As for the dead dunking of Jews, the poster was just using it as an example of Mormons, including their highest leaders, of not being fully honest with the public. They often talk out of both sides of their mouth, downplay, or outright omit important details in the goal of presenting the milk instead of the meat.

Dear ex-cult member: sorry to be confusing. To enter Pathway, one needs to be LDS or with permission have close ties to the LDS church (such as be married to a member. To continue with Pathway in year 2, one needs to agree to the honor code, which includes attending church-- it does not say LDS Church. If i were the bishop I would be happy to provide an endorsement to someone who was in the Pathway program, wanted to continue, ageed to the honor code in spirit,did not attend LDS church but attended another church of their choice. I think that many bishops would agree with me.

Vcsheffield why are you posting on here???? Does BYU-I really need student to fill seats so bad that you are looking to those of us who left? I get that you want everyone to understand the program, but where you sent looking on Google and came here? Are you a regular reader/contributor to this board? Why do you care what a bunch of ex mormons think?

Maybe because he/she actually cares that we know the truth regarding the program.

You guys need to lighten up; many colleges have programs that try to expose the non-traditional student to college and show them it isn't so scary. This one is just run by a church school. I'm sure you can take your non-religion credits and transfer somewhere else if you want after year one.

The only problem that this poster doesn't seem to get is that, at least at BYU Provo, ex Mormons cannot under any circumstances by any ecclesiastical leadership whatsoever obtain an ecclesiastical endorsement. Resigned or excommunicated members do not count as non members, they count as completely excluded from ever attending unless they repent. This is specifically written into the BYU Provo honor code, just being an ex member you are automatically in violation. As such, this information is super misleading. Also, according to the BYU Provo honor code, once you are a Mormon you have to abide by church standards and get your endorsement through a bishop, only never Mormons get a slightly relaxed standard.

...you can go to a community college for about the same price.

My local community college charges $80 per credit hour and offers some online classes. I'm taking one starting next week.

No missionaries, no endorsements, fully accredited, and classes transfer to 4 year schools.

I already have my 4-year degree, but if I were just starting, this is the way I would go. They also offer World Religions and Bible as Literature classes if you like.

Be very careful about attending BYU-I if you don't intend to graduate there. My niece went there for 3 yrs & tried to transfer elsewhere. No one would accept her credits - even the acedemic ones. Even Salt Lake Community College would only accept one of her acedemic credits. She was screwed. Her only choice was to finish at BYU-I or transfer to BYU. She ended up reluctantly transferring to BYU. Her brother tried to take his acedemic credits and transfer them to the Colorado School of the Minds (all A's in science, engineering & math classes) & he was laughed out of the building. Another reluctant transfer to BYU-Provo. Sure the tuition is cheap but make sure you plan to be locked in to graduation from a BYU institution.

Colorado School of the Minds...

Love it!


Sounds way more elite than Colorado School of Mines...