Grace-Odeleye & Santiago, 2018 / International Journal of Education and Social Science / December 2018
Many colleges are pursuing innovative alternative approaches to developmental education that aim to accelerate students’ progress in gaining important academic competencies. Summer bridge programs are one such approach. These bridge programs offer underprepared and at-risk students the opportunity to advance toward college-level coursework during the summer before they begin college. These summer bridge programs have grown increasingly popular as a strategy for providing students with the knowledge and skills required for college success. Many programmatic approaches and resources have been developed to address this issue, such as providing general education freshman courses in reading, writing, peer counseling programs, upper class and faculty mentoring programs, which provide at-risk students the admission, the academic preparation, and social support. These support are designed with the intention of helping firstgeneration college students succeed by introducing them to college campuses services, taking actual courses for college credit, and providing peer advisors and mentors, faculty, and staff as support system before and during the official school year.
