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Reconsidering Program Design: Integrating Summer Bridge Elements into a Fall-Start Model

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Title: Reconsidering Program Design: Integrating Summer Bridge Elements into a Fall-Start Model
Language: English
Authors: Marie Bunner
Source: Practitioner to Practitioner. 2026 15(1):14-16.
Availability: National Organization for Student Success. P.O. Box 963, Northport, AL 35476. Tel: 205-331-5997; e-mail: practitioner@thenoss.org; Web site: https://thenoss.org/Practitioner-to-Practitioner
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 3
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Summer Programs, Transitional Programs, Program Design, College Admission, College Freshmen, Academic Achievement, Program Effectiveness
Geographic Terms: Pennsylvania
Abstract: The Academic Success Program (ASP) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a special admissions program with a legacy of supporting students' transition to college through a summer bridge experience, the first year, and beyond. For the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years, the program piloted a new model, offering the opportunity for students to select a summer-start or a fall-start term. Central to this change was the question of whether the summer session functioned as a barrier to admission for some students and whether similar benefits could be achieved through alternative program design. Findings show the summer-start model provides a stronger academic foundation, and students tend to perform better initially. Fall-start students begin with lower grade point averages (GPAs), and while they show improvement in the second fall, they never reach the summer cohort GPA levels.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1499760
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1499760
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  Data: Reconsidering Program Design: Integrating Summer Bridge Elements into a Fall-Start Model
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  Data: National Organization for Student Success. P.O. Box 963, Northport, AL 35476. Tel: 205-331-5997; e-mail: practitioner@thenoss.org; Web site: https://thenoss.org/Practitioner-to-Practitioner
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Summer+Programs%22">Summer Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Transitional+Programs%22">Transitional Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Design%22">Program Design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Admission%22">College Admission</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Freshmen%22">College Freshmen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pennsylvania%22">Pennsylvania</searchLink>
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  Data: The Academic Success Program (ASP) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a special admissions program with a legacy of supporting students' transition to college through a summer bridge experience, the first year, and beyond. For the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years, the program piloted a new model, offering the opportunity for students to select a summer-start or a fall-start term. Central to this change was the question of whether the summer session functioned as a barrier to admission for some students and whether similar benefits could be achieved through alternative program design. Findings show the summer-start model provides a stronger academic foundation, and students tend to perform better initially. Fall-start students begin with lower grade point averages (GPAs), and while they show improvement in the second fall, they never reach the summer cohort GPA levels.
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      – Text: English
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        StartPage: 14
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      – SubjectFull: Summer Programs
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      – SubjectFull: Transitional Programs
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      – SubjectFull: Program Design
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      – SubjectFull: College Admission
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      – SubjectFull: College Freshmen
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      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
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      – SubjectFull: Pennsylvania
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      – TitleFull: Reconsidering Program Design: Integrating Summer Bridge Elements into a Fall-Start Model
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