The Smart Scheduling™ Guide to Pathways

Implementing guided pathways is one of the most promising strategies to boost student completion, but without aligned course scheduling, even the most thoughtfully designed pathways fall short. This guide explores how institutions can strengthen their guided pathways work through strategic scheduling practices that support student momentum, simplify decision-making, and enhance operational efficiency.

Whether you're starting to build pathways or refining your current approach, this resource provides a step-by-step roadmap for turning pathway plans into tangible results.

What You’ll Learn:

• How misaligned scheduling derails student progress
  Learn why offering the right courses at the right time is critical to the success of guided pathways.

• 8 actionable steps to build and sustain powerful pathways
  From auditing your current infrastructure to analyzing toxic course combinations and aligning your schedule, discover a replicable process to drive change.

• Ways to reduce excess credits and time-to-degree
  See how institutions using academic maps and smart scheduling help students stay on track—and save money.

• How to align academic maps, advising, and scheduling
  Leverage course demand forecasting and institutional data to improve coordination and student access.

Why It Matters:

• Students with sustained momentum pay 9–19% less in tuition and fees

• Only 18% of transfer students complete a bachelor’s degree within 2 years

• 26% of required courses aren’t offered in the term listed on the pathway

“In my work with AASCU institutions, I’ve seen how powerful clear academic pathways and intentional course scheduling can be in helping students stay on track and reach their goals. When institutions design pathways that reflect student needs—not just historical habits—they remove barriers, reduce excess credits, and build real momentum. This isn’t just about operational efficiency; it’s about ensuring every student has a supported, timely path to completion.”

Dr. Lisa Hunter

Associate Vice President of Academic Innovation and Transformation