User:Eng101-801/Bridge program

Lead
A bridge program is a partnership in Canada between two post-secondary institutions that allows students to transfer college credits from one institution to another. A bridge program student typically holds a two-year college degree and wants to obtain a four-year or graduate degree.

This differs from Bridging Programs offered by Ontario colleges for non-Canadian students.

Most bridge programs can be categorized into three types of agreements:


 * Bilateral: An agreement outlined between two institutions and two specific programs of similar content. Students are permitted to use some of their initial credits toward the completion of another program at the partner institution. Example: Seneca/York Joint Degrees
 * Multilateral: An agreement between one institution and several institutions that offer related programs of interest. The completion of one program will directly lead to a specific degree program. Example: The completion of any Ontario Public College Recreation and Leisure Services Diploma and entrance to Brock University’s Bachelor of Recreation and Leisure Studies
 * Concurrent: A collaborative agreement between two institutions, whereby students will work toward two sets of qualifications (such as a diploma and a degree) at the same time, and on the same campus. Example: University of Guelph-Humber.

The term bridge program also refers to a pipeline program for incoming students to an institution of higher education in the US.

Article body
a.     Lead

i.     The term bridge program also refers to a lifestyle acclimation program for incoming students to an institution of higher education in the US. Such a program prepares rising college freshman for the academic and social environments that await them once their first semester of college has begun. A college bridge program usually takes place for about 3-4 weeks in the summer before the fall semester of university’s calendar. During this time, summer college bridge program participants are invited to live on the campus and study on the campus. Students who chose to enroll in a summer college bridge program also receive organic opportunities to meet their peers before the academic year begins, as well meet other administrators and university faculty who can facilitate a smooth transition from high school to college. Many colleges and universities also offer college bridge programs specifically for BIPOC (black, indigenous person of color), first-generation college students, and any other historically marginalized or underrepresented groups in higher education in order to close the gap in postsecondary education in those demographics.

b.     Inception

i.     Originally, the idea of a summer bridge program was conceived to increase college attendance retention in “ethnic/racial minority, low-income, first-generation, or other student populations deemed at risk of dropping out of college.” (1) Students from those demographics were invited to their college campuses sometime in the summer before the academic years officially began; then, they would take a set of standardized, non-credit bearing courses that covered general subject areas (humanities, sciences, possibly even the arts) and were designed to resemble actual, college-level, credit-bearing courses. Students involved in these programs were also given access to peer mentoring from volunteered upperclassmen. Parents also were involved in this program framework, as they were given learning materials on the organization of a college or university and how different departments, divisions, and offices supported students and their development on campus (2). The cost of the bridge programs vary from school to school, but generally, there may be a tuition or campuses services fee associated with a college summer bridge program. Some institutions charge students and families who wish to participate in these types of programs a reduced cost from that of their fall semester’s bill (4), and others may waive the cost completely based off of a student’s financial background or simply because of the nature of the program (5).

c.     Application

i.     Two examples of paid for and non-paid for college summer bridge programs can be found at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). IUP is a public university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). It is located in western Pennsylvania. IUP offers two brief summer bridge type programs.

1.     The first is called Creating College Success (CSP). This program is open to any incoming student to this institution, however, it does note that its resources are limited, and so it is offered on a first-come first serve sign up basis. IUP also advertises the same structure of a college summer bridge program as dictated by previously mentioned guidelines. (4) The only outlying factor is that this program is only one week long. However, the costs and fees associated with participation are not at all equivalent to a regular semester’s bill; in fact, when compared, the cost of the Creating College Success Program is menial compared to a typical 15-credit student course load. Furthermore, the courses that IUP gives students who participate in this program count towards their free-elective degree requirement.

2.     The second college bridge style program that IUP offers is called the Crimson Scholars Circle (CSC). This upcoming academic year, 2022-2023, will be the second year of the program’s installment. This program is specifically catered towards students of color, and even offers pathways to network with members of the institution’s Black Alumni Committee. There is no cost associated with participation in CSC; in fact, students engagement is actually incentivized in this model, as Scholars receive a $1000 scholarship. Similar to CSP, students also receive a credit-bearing course which will give them skills that they can use to succeed in college.