College Transition Programs for Community College Students

Abstract

Over the past four decades the number of students enrolling in colleges and universities requiring at least one pre-college level course has been about one-third of all students. Underprepared students are as likely to complete their academic goals as their prepared counterparts if they are able to complete their remedial course work. This study examined the effects of a summer bridge transition program designed to help student prepare for their first term of college. Three years of summer bridge data were analyzed. In the second year of the summer bridge program mathematics and English components were added to the curriculum. Six hypotheses were tested using separate two by two mixed factorial ANOVAs on credits earned and grade point average, curriculum, by bridge participation. There were no significant differences found between participants of the summer bridge program and non-participants. The results of this study suggest that additional research is necessary to examine the effects of summer bridge programs.