Global Starts, Summer Starts and Bridge Programs
What Happened to Starting College on a Main Campus in the Fall?
The traditional on-campus freshman start in September seems to be going the way of the slide rule and cursive writing, at least for some students. More and more colleges are sending students to satellite campuses, summer start, spring start, and international programs, staggering start times across dates and locations to enroll as many students as possible while still having enough room in class rooms and in student housing.
What is a Summer Start or a Bridge Program?
Historically, colleges and universities like Stanford, UNC Chapel Hill, UC Berkeley, and Duke have offered some students the chance to begin their freshman year in the summer before college, whether for a social or academic boost or both.
Academic Preparation: Summer start programs allow new freshmen to get a head start on their coursework, sometimes giving students a summer “college prep” curriculum to prepare them better for college. These programs often target first-generation students or those otherwise anticipated to struggle with the academic rigors of college. .
Diversity and Inclusion: Summer start programs often target underrepresented or first-generation college students who may benefit from extra social support during the transition to college.
Why Was I Assigned to a Summer Start Program? I Am Not a First Generation, at Risk, or Low Stats Student.
Recently, we are seeing an increasing number of colleges require even academically strong students to begin college early. I have a straight-A, high rigor student this year who will enroll as a first-year student at Penn State’s Smeal College of Business and is required to begin in summer. Colleges may be doing this to manage higher-than-expected enrollment numbers, spacing students out across an additional semester.
Is starting college early the right choice for you? It can make sense for a school that is top of your list. It can also be a real bonus, giving a student the chance to get socially and academically integrated with a smaller, tighter-knit group of students early on. One downside is that students looking to keep earning money the summer before college have less time to save up for school when they have to start in June or July.
On-ramping to College through a Bridge Program
Another way in which colleges are dealing with high enrollment numbers is by enrolling students with lower GPAs and test scores into programs that allow the students to live on campus and take classes on campus without matriculating as a degree-seeking student. The student lives and studies as if a freshman at the college. Then, if a student does well enough in the first semesters, she can be accepted into the college itself to matriculate as a degree-seeking student. This can be a great way for a student to on ramp to her college of choice even if she isn’t accepted outright.
Which Universities offer Bridge Programs?
University of Vermont - In the Catamount Advance program, students live together, have specialized advising, and can be admitted to UVM for sophomore year if they maintain a GPA of 2.8 or higher freshman year.
Clemson University - In the Bridge to Clemson program, students are invited to live on campus while taking courses at a community college a few miles away. Students can transfer to Clemson after completing 30 credits with a 2.5 or higher GPA.
Starting College on a Different Campus, a Different City or a Different Country
Some colleges are not just delaying a student’s start on campus but actually sending students off campus to study elsewhere for the first semester or year. Whether it is Boston University, which has been known to give students an offer contingent on doing a year of college elsewhere, or Northeastern, which sends students to its other campuses for the first year, more and more schools are managing their too-high enrollment numbers by sending students off campus when they begin school.
Should I Accept a Spot on an Alternate Campus?
Consider how you will feel about beginning college out of sync with the majority of your classmates. Would you love to be in London and Oakland for both semesters of freshman year with other Northeastern students who you will get to know well before returning to the Boston campus with them for sophomore year? Or are you worried about doing a program in Florence with students from all over the world and then starting freshman year at the University of Miami in January, knowing no one? What about a year in Paris at the American University of Paris and then starting your sophomore year in Washington D.C at George Washington?
What Factors Should I Consider Asking When Evaluating Starting College on an Alternate Campus?
How long will I spend at a different campus– one semester? One year?
Will I be with other students from my college, or will I be mixed in with students from other colleges?
Will my college have good supports for me when I start, such as through orientation and housing, or will I be left on my own to meet other students and integrate to campus life?
If I am offered a one-year delay, will I automatically be admitted, or will I have to apply as a transfer with preferred admission?
