How to improve the success of summer program students

Adapting from high school to tertiary education is a thrilling season of life, but also a challenging one for many students. To prepare incoming students for long-term academic success, many institutions offer summer programs, equipping high school graduates to manage the growing workloads and rigorous academic standards that come with this transition. If your institution is looking to launch or revitalize your summer program, this guide will help you support the success of your incoming students.

The benefits of summer programs for incoming freshmen

Higher ed summer programs contribute to student success in several ways, including:

Addressing summer learning loss: During the summer months, when learning is on pause, many students experience learning loss — the summer slide. Previously mastered concepts become foggy, often manifesting in a dip in scores at the beginning of the following year. The step up to higher education is challenging enough without the disadvantage of learning loss during the summer. Summer programs have a valuable role in maintaining a strong foundation for freshman learning.
Preparing students for college success: Summer programs give students a chance to consolidate foundational concepts, dive deeper into subjects they aim to study as freshmen, and learn what to expect from higher education and the campus environment. By participating in these programs, students improve their study skills, build confidence, and reduce anxiety about their next academic steps.
Supporting student retention and completion: Joining a summer program helps students connect with mentors, peers, and support networks, which all contribute to their motivation and perseverance throughout their higher education journeys. Summer students will also be better oriented to the resources your institution offers, should they encounter obstacles and need additional support along the way.

5 keys to a successful summer program

The results your incoming students see from participating in your summer program depend on how you design and implement it. Any effective summer program needs five essential ingredients.

1. Setting clear goals and objectives

Start by conducting a needs assessment, based on high school transcripts and first-year student performance data, to identify gaps in your freshmen’s academic and social preparedness. Then, you can frame your program objectives around addressing these gaps.

These objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant to your institutional goals, and time-bound. For example, a goal for your summer program could be to improve the cohort’s average score on a freshman-level algebra test by 15 percent by the end of the six-week program, through instruction targeted to prepare them for math-intensive programs.

2. Designing an engaging and relevant curriculum

An effective summer program engages students in a captivating learning experience that aligns with the higher ed program they’re about to begin. Prioritizing student engagement in your program can help participants retain learned information and approach their first days as freshmen with enthusiasm. Ways to maximize student engagement in your program include:

Tying lessons to real-world scenarios and future workplace applications.
Incorporating simulations, debates, and case studies along with traditional lectures.
Targeting soft skills like critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration in your lesson planning.
Leveraging educational technologies like gamified learning apps and extended reality experiences.

3. Providing high-quality instruction and support

Recruit instructors with subject matter expertise and strong teaching skills, especially for first-year students. You could also assign peer mentors or upperclassmen to help guide students through preparations for their freshman year. Academic resources like writing centers, tutoring services, and library workshops can equip students to thrive in your summer program. Look for opportunities to enhance your sessions with innovative teaching techniques and educational technologies.

4. Creating a supportive and inclusive environment

Cultivating a sense of community and belonging helps students feel safe investing themselves in your program and encourages perseverance through the academic years ahead. One way to promote belonging from the beginning is to start the program with icebreaker activities like human bingo or “two truths and a lie.” You could also create a platform, like a social media group, for participants to stay connected after the program concludes.

Inclusion and belonging go hand in hand, so ensure your program uses accessible learning systems and recruits a diverse body of students. Connecting with a diverse peer group during your summer program is a great way for incoming freshmen to encounter fresh perspectives and embrace your institution’s diversity.

5. Incorporating assessment and feedback

Relevant assessments and constructive feedback are essential to seeing whether your program is on track and helping students succeed. Assessments can range from multiple-choice quizzes and short writing assignments to group projects and college-level tests, but feedback should always be timely, actionable, and encouraging.

Best practices for enhancing summer program outcomes

If you already have a summer program with clear goals, an engaging curriculum, effective teaching, and a supportive environment, you can improve its outcomes by implementing best practices like:

Early outreach: Use high school transcripts and placement test data to target applicants with academic gaps, and encourage them to participate in your summer program.
Personalized advising: Offer students individualized guidance throughout the program, tailoring instruction to their needs and helping them envision the pathway to achieving their academic goals.
Community engagement: Invite family and community members to information sessions where you explain the program, its benefits, and how to create a supportive home environment to help students flourish.
Local partnerships: Expose students to internships, job shadowing, and presentations by local employers, where they gain real-world insights about their intended field of study and its industry applications.

Evaluating your summer program

As you work on your summer program, it’s vital to monitor the results so you know whether to revisit the program design or implementation plan. Evaluating a summer program’s effectiveness involves:

Tracking student outcomes: Track student results for assessments within your program from one cohort to the next. You can also monitor how program participants compare against nonparticipants with similar backgrounds in their grades and graduation rates down the line.
Collecting program impact data: Use surveys and interviews to understand how students experienced the program and how it impacted their readiness for higher education.
Documenting results: Gather, analyze, and visualize your outcomes and impact data so you can report it to stakeholders and gather insights to drive future improvement.

Improve summer program success with Watermark

Investing in a summer program can contribute to student success at your higher education institution. To maximize your program’s potential, you need data-driven insights. That’s why you should enhance your summer program with Watermark’s Educational Impact Suite (EIS).

This purpose-built higher education software toolkit can help you:

Streamline student support and create personalized learning pathways with Student Success & Engagement.
Visualize and improve your program’s curriculum with Curriculum Strategy.
Optimize assessment quality and efficiency with Assessment Projects.
Track feedback on your program’s impact in real time with Course Evaluations & Surveys.