College Education Programs

• Prisons offering programs typically have a deal with a local university and a private fund or grant that helps pay for the education program. Professors teach classes at the prison and students take tests much like they would at a university.
  
  

Entrance Exam

• College education programs have a limited amount of spots open for hundreds or even thousands of applicants in a prison. Prisoners must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for these programs, and many prisons help inmates earn a GED while incarcerated. Prisoners must compete with each other to earn a spot in the college program through either an entrance exam or a written essay. In-person interviews may also be required.
  
  

Mentoring

• Mentors are usually volunteers who provide support and encouragement to prisoners working in a college program. These individuals work as a team and visit the prison several times a year. Mentors may help with spiritual growth and give suggestions to prisoners on how to continue their education once they are released.
  
  

Correspondence

• Low security prisons sometimes offer correspondence programs in which prisoners receive course materials by mail, perform the required work and then return what they've done in the mail for a grade. The prison must have a policy allowing for such mail transfers. Correspondence can help prisoners continue their education or begin a college path that they can continue once released.