To increase equitable postsecondary access and success outcomes it is critical to address the college preparedness gap. While Florida International University (FIU) continues to improve retention and graduation gaps for currently enrolled students, it became evident that the university could play a larger role in preparing high school students for…

This article examines the research literature to determine whether the provision of quality early childhood education (ECE) lowers the risk of a child developing special education needs (SEN) and mediates the intensity of support for children with an identified exceptionality. Schools play a crucial role in reducing developmental gaps assessed at…

The purpose of freshmen orientation is "bridging the gap to college" (Tinto, 1993, p. 159). All college orientation programs have three objectives: provide information, set expectations, and provide social integration (Greenfield, Keup, & Gardner, 2013; Schofield & Sackville, 2010). Research supports a positive relationship…

We examine the effects of a comprehensive college transition program (CCTP) on four psychosocial outcomes associated with postsecondary success: sense of belonging, mattering, and academic and social self-efficacy. The CCTP operates on three four-year campuses and includes a range of supports, including shared academic courses, peer mentoring, and…

The idea that test anxiety hurts performance is deeply ingrained in American culture and schools. However, researchers have found that it is actually worry about performance and anxiety--not bodily feelings of anxiety (emotionality)--that impairs performance. Drawing on this insight, anxiety reappraisal interventions encourage the view that…

Recognizing the changing demographics of students applying to college coupled with Trinity University's responsibility to help our students succeed, we have created a Summer Bridge program that focuses on first-generation, underrepresented students (FGUS). Trinity's Summer Bridge program has been a success--both in terms of student performance and…

McLennan Community College (MCC) created a developmental summer bridge program in an effort to increase students' Texas Success Initiative (TSI) exam scores and persistence in postsecondary education, decrease their developmental course sequences, and prepare students for college level coursework. In this quantitative research study, student…

Although the number of engineering students is increasing, dropout rates remain high. This problem is also present in the Faculty of Engineering Technology (FET) at KU Leuven, Belgium, which resulted in the need for an in-depth analysis of the academic achievement of the bridging students there. This study examines the contribution of a range of…

A summer bridge program was developed in an engineering program to advance the preparation of incoming freshmen students, particularly with respect to their math course placement. The program was intended to raise the initial math course placement of students who otherwise would begin their engineering studies in courses below Calculus I. One…

Purpose: As noted by Powell (2018), speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are an integral part of the overarching curriculum for all students in schools, and this holds true for adolescents who require transition planning. The purpose of this tutorial is to focus on transition planning for secondary school students with a language-based learning…

While the transition from middle school to high school symbolized the coming of age, it is a time in a young person's life that can create feelings of isolation, disconnect, and an immeasurable sense of loneliness (DeJong & Locker, 2006). The organizational structure found in most public high schools presented problems for many ninth graders…

Using data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2), we examined risk and protective factors associated with post-secondary outcomes among youth with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Results indicate that, compared to their male peers, females with EBD demonstrated higher levels of social and behavioral skills and higher…

Given the challenging transition from secondary school into higher education, this quasi-experimental study measured the effects of a pre-academic programme (i.e. before starting at university) on student-faculty interactions, student-peer interactions, sense of belonging, and first-year academic performance. Fifty-eight first-year students…

As individuals with disabilities attend postsecondary education in greater numbers, mentoring programs are being implemented more frequently. The research objective of our exploratory study was to examine outcomes for students with disabilities participating in a Student to Student Mentoring Program using a mixed methods approach. Mentors followed…

This study was done to examine the transition of deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) and hearing students from the first cycle (Grade 4) to the second cycle (Grade 5) of primary education in Ethiopia. Academic achievement and self-concept were measured longitudinally with 103 DHH and hearing students. Participants were selected from three different…