There’s no disagreeing to the growing pressure on students, which affect their retention and completion rates. Much
research has been done on student success, with an emphasis on the importance of intervening early with hi-risk students as well as increased attention to obstacles confronting students in the first week of their first term. This includes academic unpreparedness, and provides the students a transition/break from study hours, rigor and study skills required in high schools to those required in college.
Summer Bridge Programs and mentoring programs are being adapted by most institutions to help bridge the gap between high school’s senior year and college’s freshman year.
In this regard, the Seizing Opportunities for Achievement and Retention (SOAR program) is worth a mention. Directed by Wayne Jackson, the director of Multicultural Academic and Support Services in University of Central Florida, SOAR is very effective and has a model worth examining. The program runs with a budget of $56,000 annually and devotes the resources in 5-key areas, implementing a holistic technique to prepare students for goal-setting, study and leadership. The 5-key areas are:
- Leadership Development
- Community-Building
- Mentoring
- Student Success Strategies Course
- Academic Courses with Support
How to Increase Impact and Retention?
One needs to be intentional when it comes to inviting representatives from student organizations, student body government etc. When these leaders and organizations come to talk with students, and help them bridge opportunities for leadership, the students want to learn and know from one of their own, and implement the teachings to support their academic and career goals.
What to do if there is Limited Budget?
If you had a low budget with enough funds to pilot only the program that helps in transition to college – you need to develop the formal mentoring program. Well trained mentors will be able to easily help students navigate the first academic year. However, the second step is having an intensive summer bridge program that covers the mentors and students integrated into the program from the first day itself. This is because, that bridge will help students cross a lot of the formidable first-term barriers before students start their first quarter of classes. This will also help students get adjusted to the climate of campus early, and the support services will be available to them.
What’s for Students entering STEM Discipline?
At first glance probably, the STEM students can’t be singled out as one of those at-risk students. But lower division STEM courses often have high withdraw/fail rates. The study hours have to go up suddenly, which shocks the most. The course may have students who is doing more study hours per week to meet the demand of the course. Preparing them for the transition will be the key players for their academic success and persistence. It is critical to get them off with a good start.
In short, student must be prepared for the rigor of the program, and need to be educated about what to expect when they join, and what support can they get from the institution. It is important to encourage them to approach both their co-curricular and curricular plans with purpose and intention.
Join expert speaker Dr. Paz Maya Oliverez in this webinar, ‘How to Develop and Implement a Summer Bridge Program for First-Generation College Students’ to know more about Summer Bridge Programs and the best ways to develop and implement them.
