.XL – The Summer Bridge &.XL – The Summer Bridge &First-Year Experience First-Year Experience ProgramProgram

Lynn WrightLynn WrightPasadena City CollegePasadena City CollegePasadena, CaliforniaPasadena, California

“I did not like high school and I did really bad in high school. And I did not think I would ever graduate and go to college. So right now, I think off it like this is where I can start my life. And then I can go on and do the things I want to and continue on to become a successful person.”

.XL3 student

The .XL MissionThe .XL Mission

The .XL program is designed to The .XL program is designed to help first-generation and help first-generation and

traditionally underrepresented traditionally underrepresented students make a smooth and students make a smooth and

successful transition from high successful transition from high school to college in a nurturing, school to college in a nurturing,

collaborative environment.collaborative environment.

Target PopulationTarget Population

PCCPCC

Summer Bridge: High school graduates take a block of courses in the summer. First-Year Experience: They remain as a cohort for the remainder of their first year.

MathSI

MathSI

Summer

Math, Engl,

Counseling

Fall

Math & EnglishMath & English

Spring

High School Graduates

High School Graduates

Summer Bridge and Summer Bridge and The First-Year The First-Year ExperienceExperience

Program DirectorProgram Director RecruiterRecruiter .XL Student .XL Student

AmbassadorsAmbassadors FacultyFaculty

-- 2 math, 2 English-- 2 math, 2 English CounselorCounselor 2 Instructional Aides2 Instructional Aides

.XL Staff

TimelineTimeline

Spring 2006 Secure instructors, Secure instructors, classes, days and hours, classes, days and hours, and roomsand rooms

February – JuneFebruary – June 2007

Recruitment at local high Recruitment at local high schoolsschools

May & June 2007May & June 2007 Placement testsPlacement tests

JuneJune 2007 Creation of two cohortsCreation of two cohorts

July 2007, July 2007, 2 weeks 2 weeks before Summer Bridgebefore Summer Bridge

OrientationOrientation

OrientationOrientation

RegistrationRegistration

Textbook & parking Textbook & parking

permit purchasepermit purchase

Student IDsStudent IDs

Parent and student Parent and student

contractscontracts

Financial Aid Financial Aid

advisementadvisement

Summer Bridge DataSummer Bridge Data

PrealgebraPrealgebra RetentioRetentionn

SuccesSuccesss

PersistencPersistencee(Summer to (Summer to Fall)Fall)

.XL5 (Summer 2006).XL5 (Summer 2006) 100%100% 74%74% 95%95%

.XL4 (Summer 2005).XL4 (Summer 2005) 100%100% 76%76% 93%93%

.XL3 (Summer 2004).XL3 (Summer 2004) 92%92% 68%68% 93%93%

Matched Comparison Matched Comparison GroupGroup (Age, ethnicity, course)(Age, ethnicity, course)

80%80% 53%53% 68%68%

.XL Cohorts 3, 4, & 5.XL Cohorts 3, 4, & 5

Fall Math DataFall Math Data

Fall to Spring PersistenceFall to Spring Persistence– .XL 2-5: 88%.XL 2-5: 88%– PCC: 69%PCC: 69%– Hispanic: 67%Hispanic: 67%

Success – No significant differenceSuccess – No significant difference

An Important FindingAn Important Finding

Students Students engaged in an engaged in an intense and intense and sustained sustained intervention have intervention have a greater chance a greater chance of staying in of staying in school and school and succeeding than succeeding than those who do not.those who do not.

Success (A, B, or C) at Next Level: Beginning Algebra

Start Level - Math 402 (Prealgebra)

10%22% 25%

8%19% 22%

40%48%43%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

1 (.XL 4) 2 (.XL 3) 3 (.XL 2)

Years Out from Starting DateP

erce

nt

Su

cces

sfu

l

PCC Hispanic .XL

Unexpected but Unexpected but Welcomed OutcomesWelcomed Outcomes

The Scholarship of Teaching and The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Learning – Faculty Inquiry Faculty Inquiry – Development of SLOsDevelopment of SLOs– Research and ExperimentationResearch and Experimentation– CollegialityCollegiality

Collaboration with other first-year Collaboration with other first-year experience program directors at PCCexperience program directors at PCC

New linked courses and programsNew linked courses and programs

.XL Variations.XL Variations

Reading JamReading Jam

Math JamMath Jam

.XL Now.XL Now

.XL Health .XL Health SciencesSciences

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

1.1. Is it wise to shelter Is it wise to shelter young, under-young, under-prepared students?prepared students?

2.2. Is the program worth Is the program worth the cost/student?the cost/student?

3.3. Can the college scale Can the college scale up, offer the same up, offer the same experience to more experience to more students, maintain students, maintain the same standards the same standards and level of intimacy, and level of intimacy, and have the same and have the same impact?impact?

A Math Instructor and A Math Instructor and Her StudentsHer Students

““Prealgebra is not so much about teaching math as it is Prealgebra is not so much about teaching math as it is about about

teaching students that they can do math.”teaching students that they can do math.”