Jumpstart Entering College

When I was accepted into the Rappahannock Scholars program in the school year of 2013-2014, I began to think differently and transitioned into a mature young adult. Before entering the program, I had considered the academic qualifications to get into college to be the most important. This program, and the advisor, taught me that colleges look for more than just academic interests. They are also interested in work experiences, leadership opportunities, club memberships, and honors and awards.

Attending Edmonds Community College for the last two years of my high school career was liberating. The Running Start program enabled me to take control over my education and I was eager to jump headfirst into the college environment. At the college I was able to learn at a quicker pace, relying less on others and more on my own abilities. My academic success became entirely dependent on my eagerness to learn and willingness to work hard. As a full-time Running Start student, I was able to hand-select courses that both challenged me and pertained to my academic interests. Unlike my high school, the community college offered a variety of course subjects, enabling me to cast a wider net into the academic pool.

By participating in the Summer Bridge program I hope I will learn to smoothly transition from high school to college. I have learned from the summer Upward Bound program in high school that although we are still doing rigorous work, the summer program works best to become prepared for the upcoming school year in a fun way. I am a dedicated team player and like to get along with everyone in the program which positively affects the TRIO community. I am very excited to gain new friendships through the teambuilding activities at Audubon Center and the rest of TRIO SSS sessions. TRIO has already proved to be very helpful in my academic career. I am a first generation college student and Upward Bound helped me to apply to college and learn how to

Transitioning from middle school to high school was a big step for me. Ever since I started middle school I already felt ready for high school. I felt like middle school was too soft to students. Century High School gives me a sense of relief of having a challenge. I don’t know why but I always have an ambition to obtain a

Many colleges try to find the most suitable way for assisting freshmen students with a successful transition into college; these often involve inclusive orientation programs, and miscellaneous college club interest meetings. Pre-College programs are also helpful for incoming students to get a glimpse of what's to come. Summer enrichment programs are extremely beneficial. These programs help students with the evolution of college life and the triumphs lying ahead. Every incoming freshman looks forward to the day they are giving complete freedom, free rein from the chains of their parents rules. Participating in these summer enrichment programs will get you accustomed to becoming more independent, getting the real experience of living on campus and learning how to balance maintaining your school work and social life. College is a very diverse environment with the opportunity of meeting thousands of different individuals with different point of views from various places across the

Outside of Columbia's classroom exists the profound appealing and a debilitating asset of the college: New York City. This enticing city can lead to a divided sense of community and a feeling of aloofness among freshmen that is frequently reported by students who write reviews regarding Columbia. The impact that I aspire to have is on this discrepancy of inclusion. Coming from a close-knit community the importance of connections has always been intrinsic and I find community support is integral to achieving success. This aspect is the area in which I could have the most profound impact and consequently where I would choose to initiate a difference. No one should experience college alone and events to unify students would undoubtedly be welcomed

Many minority students who attend predominately white institutions find it difficult to succeed at a predominately white institution because of feeling unwelcomed, unsupported and a hostile environment. However, diverse undergraduate populations have many resources that are strategically in place to support them through their academic career. There are orientation programs such as ‘Jump Start’ that helps students get acclimated to the campus, learn to utilize its resources and become comfortable navigating the system. Jump Start accomplishes this by inviting first-generation multicultural students to campus a few weeks early for an intensive week of programs, activities and residential living that prepares them to be better prepared by the start of the semester. If a student needs additional support throughout the semester, they are given the option to participate in student support services programs or utilize the writing and

class and exposing you to different types of teachers. However it is completely different from high school in the sense of preparing you for life after school. High school made me think about what I want to do for a career and how I can get there by having me choose from the many different electives. One of the graduation requirements is to find what job interests you most and figure out more about the career and if it would be a good job for you. Before high school I had never really thought of what I would do when I grow up, but now it is impossible not to consider what careers that you want to pursue because it matters what classes you take now.

Excellent program! Hats off to David Trillizio, great face to the organization. The program eased transition for my son and me. The program increases chance of a successful freshman year.

A clean slate, independence, myriad of critical decisions, and a shower of responsibility are what college has to offer you. In “Your First Year of College: 25 Strategies and Tips to Help You Survive and Thrive Your Freshman Year and Beyond,” Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D. describes some crucial tips to help a freshman succeed in college. He explains “The first few weeks on campus are extremely critical for all new students”(Hansen). It is a crucial to go to all orientations to get to know the campus and professors. The author explains it is also good to get to know the people in each class or even in the dorms, if you chose to live in them, in case you miss a class and need help or the assignment. Most freshmen must also learn to cope with feeling

College Credit Plus would afford me an opportunity that is almost inconceivable. Being allowed to work towards your goals and future at this juncture will be instrumental in my future success. After learning about this program, I reconsidered my future plans and realized that not pursuing higher education would be choosing to ignore my potential. Transitioning from high school to college is a challenge for most students, however with this program, The Academy will introduce me to the college life in a manner where I won’t get distracted during my Freshman year of college and put my education in jeopardy. Although this program will require change and effort in order to get the most out of my experience with College Credit Plus and to become an asset to The Ohio State University, it will be well worth it to reach greatness.

If a student fails two college courses, they will be put on academic probation, and if they fail three times they will be dismissed from the program altogether. Running Start has many positive reasons to join. Students receive a discounted college education, and there is a possibility that a student could join this program and then graduate early. Junior Mariah Valles, who attends Green River Community College, is one of the students that is graduating early because of the Running Start program. Valles is paying for extra credits at the college in order to graduate early. However, there are a few issues with the Running Start program. According to Junior Brian Flores, who attends Highline Community College, college classes are challenging yet rewarding. Students involved in this program must be able to keep up with the college workload. Colleges do not provide Running Start students with more flexibility than regular students. Running Start may not be the right program for everyone, but if a student is bored in AP and honors classes, then this program may be the

1. STEP’s College-Prep Program seems to be a great opportunity to gain valuable information about colleges and universities including how to be accepted. I am ready to apply for the scholarships available through the STEP Program and what to expect when preparing to enroll in some of the best schools. Overall within this program I am wishing to be successful in my education which I know is important for my future. I am hoping to accomplish great things in life looking forward to attending a good quality university. Overall I want my education to be superior and earn at least a bachelor’s degree. Becoming more independent would be of much hope knowing that soon in life I will be responsible of much more than myself. Therefore, I wish to receive the guidance for these valuable opportunities to achieve my expectations for my education by joining this priceless advantageous program.

My phone rings. “I got into Vassar!” my brother exclaims. “Vassar?” I respond. That was three years ago. Fortunately for me, I now know about Vassar College and I have seen first-hand how Vassar promotes growth by intertwining a diverse student body with dedicated professors. During my first visit in late October of 2015, I stayed with my brother in his dorm for a weekend. While I formally met the campus through a student-led tour, I found that I truly got to know it after I ate cafeteria pizza for the third meal in a row, and studied in the library for six hours straight (I aced the test when I got home). Acclimated to campus life in seventy-two short hours, I knew that college life - Vassar College life - was for me. While I will be majoring in film with a minor in Arabic language and culture, Vassar’s open curriculum allows me to take courses in different topics I am interested in (and trust me, there’s a lot).

Programs should be realistic about their goals because the argument is made that significant progress in academic support is difficult to achieve in only a few months (Kezar, 2000). Studies show that students in retention programs perform better than those who are not met with the same opportunity (Kezar, 2000). The Sumer-Bridge-University of California at Berkley provides proof to the success of these programs as it has demonstrated that bridge students there have a higher two-year retention rate than their counterparts despite having lower SAT scores than those who have not participated in the program (Ohland & Crockett, 2002). It is cautioned that these programs, while providing a jump start for success, should be met with ongoing support that surpasses the five to six weeks of summer preparation (Bradley, 2012). Some colleges have found implementation of a mandatory freshman orientation class for all incoming students beneficial, following participation in summer activities (Bradley, 2012).