Gateway courses include Freshman Composition (sometimes referred to as writing courses), and college credit mathematics courses through pre-calculus. Gateway math courses are limited to those that lead to further math or open door-ways to majors. Courses that satisfy a requirement but do not lead to higher-level math courses were not included.

The PTC has gateway courses measured both in terms of time and subject. The following is a list of gateway variables currently in the PTC:

There are also a set of calculated variables that measure whether or not a student attempted or passed a gateway math or English course within a set time period from entry to CUNY. Those variables are as follows: