| With the changing U.S. demographics, higher numbers of diverse, low-income, first-generation students are underprepared for the academic rigors of four-year institutions oftentimes requiring assistance, and remedial and/or developmental coursework in English and mathematics. Without intervention approaches these students are at high risk for overall academic failure.;There are a growing number of intervention approaches like summer bridge programs, remedial courses, and higher education learning communities to assist underprepared students gain higher education academic skills. Some institutions have combined several intervention strategies into one model.;This study was of an urban, diverse four-year institution's six-week summer bridge program nine-component learning community including a content course, English and math remedial coursework, and support classes like writing and study groups. It compared the one-year remediation/retention, time to degree and graduation rates of 470 first-time freshmen, primarily low-income, first-generation students who entered in 2000: 259 bridge learning community participants, and 211 non-participants with significantly better academic indicators.;Although the control group was better prepared, the bridge learning community students' remediation/retention and graduation rates were as good, or better, indicating the bridge learning community had a positive impact. After high school GPA, bridge learning community students were almost two times more likely to be retained, and two plus times more likely to graduate than the better prepared control group. Furthermore, academic components of the bridge learning community were positive indicators of remediation/retention and graduation. Finally, the bridge learning community was especially effective for sub-groups including those needing the most remediation, Latinos, and females. |
