Year-Long Learning
Communities
Rethinking the Summer Bridge
Nikolas Huot, Assistant Director for
First-Year Programs
Georgia State University
 Four-year, public research university
 Urban environment (downtown Atlanta)
 14th most diverse (racial/ethnic and economic)
 Over 32,000 students
 250 degree programs
First-Year Programs
 Freshmen Learning Communities
 Academic Coaching
 Early Alert
 First-Year Book
 Peer Mentors
 Success Academy
 Panther Excellence Program
 First-Generation Outreach
Spring Admits and Low Performance
Freshmen Spring Admits 2008-2012 (vs fall admits)
 Lower feeling of belonging at Georgia State
 Fewer HOPE recipients (≈ -20%)
 More Pell eligible students (≈ +5%)
 More first-generation students (≈ +7%)
 Lower 1 semester retention rate (≈ -18%)
 Lower 1 year retention rate (≈ -10%)
 Lower institutional GPA (≈ -0.4 points)
100%
4.00
90%
3.80
80%
3.60
70%
3.40
60%
3.20
50%
3.00
40%
2.80
GPA
Retention Rate
Spring Admits and Low Performance
1 Semester Ret %
1 Year Ret %
HS GPA
Inst GPA
30%
2.60
20%
2.40
10%
2.20
0%
2.00
Spring 08
Spring 09
Spring 10
Admit Term
Spring 11
Spring 12
From Late to Early Admits
Success Academy
Purpose
Goals
Provide a structured academic
and co-curricular experience for
first-year students whose high
school GPA and/or test scores
indicate additional academic and
personal support would be
beneficial.
Create a bridge program
experience that prepares students
for the full-time fall experience.
Connect students to key
professional staff members during
summer, fall, and spring.
Provide individualized success
plans for each student.
Success Academy
 Admissions based on Freshman Index (500 x HS GPA) + SATV + SATM
 Fully admitted students
 Extended learning community (3 semesters)
 Housing recommended, but not required
 Academic requirements for fall full-time registration
 Targeted individualized academic support
Success Academy Requirements
Summer (7 hours)
 GSU 1010 New Student Orientation (1)
 Engl 1101 English Composition I (3)
 Hist 2110 or PolS 1101 Survey of U.S. History or American Government (3)
– Individual Meeting with Academic Coach (twice during summer)
– Individual Meeting with Peer Mentor (once during summer)
– Individual Meeting with Academic Advisor (twice during summer)
– Attend Supplemental Instruction sessions weekly
– Attend 3-4 Workshops on Academic Success
– Must earn a GPA of 2.5 during summer in order to register full time in fall
Success Academy Requirements
Fall (12-13 hours)
 Engl 1102 English Composition II (3)
 Hist 2110 or PolS 1101 Survey of U.S. History or American Government (3)
 Math course from Core relevant to major (3)
 Humanities, Social Sciences, or Science Lab (3-4)
– Individual Meeting with Academic Coach (three times during semester)
– Individual Meeting with Peer Mentor (twice during semester)
– Individual Meeting with Academic Advisor (twice during semester)
– Attend Supplemental Instruction sessions weekly
– Attend 2-3 Workshops on Academic Success
Success Academy Requirements
Spring (12-13 hours)
 Choice of Humanities or Social Sciences pre-selected courses (3)
 9-10 additional hours based on recommendation of Academic Advisor
– Individual Meeting with Academic Coach (three times during semester)
– Individual Meeting with Peer Mentor (at least once during semester)
– Individual Meeting with Academic Advisor (twice during semester)
– Attend Supplemental Instruction sessions weekly
Success Academy Students
SA Summer Term
Students
HS GPA
SAT
Pell Eligible%
2012
105
3.23 (-0.11)
931 (-162)
76.2% (+22.4%)
2013
189
3.06 (-0.31)
953 (-140)
69.3% (+16.1%)
2014
317
2.95 (-0.46)
950 (-135)
66.9% (+15.7%)
Cohort
1 year Ret %
2 year Ret %
Cum. Inst GPA
2012
86.3% (+2.9%)
80% (+10.4%)
2.90 (same)
2013
85.1% (+3.1%)
2.90 (-0.12)
Success Academy and High Performance
Success Academy (vs fall admits)
 Greater feeling of belonging at Georgia State
 Fewer HOPE recipients ( -8%)
 More Pell eligible students ( +16%)
 More first-generation students ( +4%)
 Higher 1-semester retention rate ( +2%)
 Higher 1-year retention rate ( +3%)
 Similar institutional GPA
Success Academy
100%
4.00
90%
3.80
80%
3.60
70%
3.40
60%
3.20
50%
3.00
40%
2.80
30%
2.60
20%
2.40
10%
2.20
0%
2.00
Spring 08
Spring 09
Spring 10
Spring 11
Spring 12
Admit Term
Summer 12
Summer 13
Summer 14
GPA
Retention Rate
Spring to Summer Freshmen Admits
1 Semester Ret %
1 Year Ret %
HS GPA
Inst GPA
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