Transitioning from high school to college can be challenging for many students. Oregon’s Portland State University (PSU) implemented a program that helps incoming students prepare for academic demands, social situations and other facets of campus life to jumpstart their higher education experience.
The pandemic only made the situation worse. A Fall 2000 College Pulse survey revealed that 58 percent of students felt either very unprepared or somewhat unprepared for College due to Covid-19 shutting down schools the previous spring. Students struggled – and continue to struggle – with many aspects of college life, as well as with rigorous academic requirements. Many students have a difficult time adjusting to a fixed schedule and strict deadlines, for instance.
But universities in Oregon have joined together to implement a program to help close the gap in preparedness. The Strong Start initiative was created by Oregon’s public universities in 2021 to help close the preparation gap for students who had experienced disruptions in high school or community college due to the pandemic.
Strong Smart funds Summer Bridge programs to bridge the transition from high school to college, and aims provide students with the academic and social resources they need to hit the ground running when they begin their post-secondary education. The program allows each university to develop its own model while aiming to reach the program’s overarching goal of drawing students to higher education, acclimating students to the university environment, increasing retention and bolstering student success. All programs needed to provide intensive academic supports in math and writing and incorporate success strategies and skill development that could include campus resources, academic advising, time management and more.
The state says that students who took part in the Strong Start program in 2021 boosted their GPAs and stayed in school at higher rates than first-year students who did not participate. Statewide, retention in the program was 95.5 percent to 100 percent.
In August, 2021, Portland State University (PSU) launched its Summer Bridge Program, a free, four-week, two-course program that the school holds right before the fall semester. Students earn up to five credits when they successfully complete the program.
Program components include coursework, campus activities, peer mentoring, first-year support from an academic advisor throughout the school year and free on-campus housing for the duration of the program for up to 300 students. PSU also grants participants priority access to pre-orientation and registration for the fall term, as well as a special orientation. First-year students admitted to the fall term with a 2.99 cumulative high school GPA or lower are required to participate, but the program is open to all students.
Each student takes a three-credit academic skills college success course and either a math or writing course, and works with academic advisors to identify and pursue academic goals and learn about the various campus resources like the library. On Fridays, every evening and on weekends, students participate in social events like scavenger hunts, art projects and field games, to boost social interaction.
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Portland State University Strives to Increase Student Engagement