Bridgepoint Education's Ashford University Forms Articulation Agreement with Folsom Lake College

Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE: BPI), a provider of post-secondary education services focused on providing higher access to higher education, announced today that Ashford University has signed an articulation agreement with Folsom Lake College.

The school is part of California's Los Rios Community College District, one of the largest in the state, serving about 85,000 students. Through the agreement, students will now be able to transfer up to 90 community college credits into one of Ashford's online or campus bachelor's degree programs.

"This partnership enables students at Folsom Lake College to embark upon one of Ashford's four year undergraduate programs, while putting their hard-earned credits from Folsom to use," said David Vande Pol, senior director of academic partnerships for Ashford University. "Ashford is excited to work with an institution that is so student centered and achievement oriented."

"Folsom Lake College offers its students more than 30 different associate degree options," said Chris Clark, transfer services coordinator for Folsom Lake College. "But we also wanted to give students the ability to use our programs to segue into a compatible, academically-acclaimed bachelor's program. Our partnership with Ashford University enables our students to do that."

Folsom Lake College has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the U.S., according to a December 2008 report from the national trade publication, Community College Week.  

To date, Ashford University has 32 articulation agreements representing 121 colleges.

About Bridgepoint Education

Bridgepoint Education's postsecondary education services focus on offering associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in such disciplines as business, education, psychology, social sciences and health sciences.  Bridgepoint Education's regionally accredited academic institutions – Ashford University and University of the Rockies – deliver their programs online as well as at traditional campuses located in Clinton, Iowa, and Colorado Springs, Colorado.  For more information about Bridgepoint Education, visit www.bridgepointeducation.com or call Shari Rodriguez, director of Public Relations at 858.668.2580.

About Ashford University

Founded in 1918, Ashford University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (www.ncahlc.org).  The University offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs online and at its Clinton, Iowa, campus.  The University is known for its high quality yet highly affordable online and on-campus programs.  For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu or call Shari Rodriguez, director of Public Relations, at 858.513.9240 x2513.

About Folsom Lake College

A college of the Los Rios Community College District and one of California's 110 Community Colleges, Folsom Lake College serves approximately 9,300 students at the main Folsom campus, El Dorado Center, and Rancho Cordova Center.  For more information on Folsom Lake College, please visit www.flc.losrios.edu.