Quite a few incoming students are not well prepared for college, and a concept that goes back to the 1970s, the “summer bridge” program, works for many, getting them ready for all that is to come.

In today’s Martin Center article, Professor Michael Behrent argues that these programs serve a good purpose.

He writes:

Summer bridge programs, which can be found with a wide range of variations on many American campuses, are also found in the University of North Carolina System. UNC-Chapel Hill has a summer bridge program that focuses on preparing students for college by having them take courses on campus over a six-week period in June and July. The program also provides students with peer mentors and emphasizes community-building.

What do these programs entail? Behrent continues, “Summer programs are valuable in the first place because they encourage work and reward students with college credit. They are not just institutional virtue signaling. In the UNC-Chapel Hill program, all students take English Composition and a seminar on “college thriving” and must choose one other course between College Algebra, Foundations of Chemistry, and General Psychology. They are also required to attend supervised study hours Monday through Thursday of each week.”

Read the whole thing.