Summer Bridge Program

The tnAchieves Summer Bridge Program is a FREE, 14-day program designed to help students who have not tested into college-level courses enter college more confident, both socially and academically! Held at community colleges across the state, the tnAchieves Summer Bridge Program gives you the opportunity to gain college experience, meet professors and make new friends!

Specifically, if you scored below a 19 in reading or math and/or below an 18 in English on the ACT, the Summer Bridge Program could be right for you! In this case, your ACT scores may require you to take corequisite courses prior to earning college credits. Through the Summer Bridge Program, you will receive FREE instruction by college professors in math, reading and English. These courses will give you a feel for what college courses are like and you will experience working with college professors. On the first and last day of the program, you will have the opportunity to test into college-level courses via a placement test (ACCUPLACER). 

The deadline to register is May 10, 2024. Please note, space in each program is limited and priority will be given to TN Promise eligible students who plan to attend a Tennessee community college and require corequisite classes. If interested, we encourage you to register as soon as possible!

Program Details

How to Register: The registration process is super easy – it will take you less than 5 minutes! Simply click below to register for a program. Space is limited at each program, so please make it a priority to register as soon as possible if you are interested in participating. 

Registration is first-come, first-served! Priority will be given to TN Promise eligible students who plan to attend a Tennessee community college and require corequisite classes.

Register Here!

Registration Deadline: May 10, 2024

Program Locations: tnAchieves partners with every Tennessee community college to offer 15 programs in June! This is an in-person program, so students will be required to attend the college campus selected during registration for the full duration of the program. Please see below for program locations!

Daily Time Commitment: The program is 14 total days of instruction. The program runs from Monday, June 3, 2024 through Wednesday, June 26, 2024, Monday – Thursday from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM daily. FREE lunch is provided! Please note, there will be no class on June 19 in observation of Juneteenth.

You must be in attendance for the full duration of the program in order to participate. On the first and last day of the program, you will take the ACCUPLACER placement exam. The remaining days of the program, you will receive instruction in math, reading and English as well as take part in a daily lunch and learn covering college success topics and hearing speakers from the college and community. You must participate in all three subjects regardless of need.

Advantages of the Program: Participants report feeling more prepared academically and socially after participating in the program. The Summer Bridge Program helps boost confidence and gives students a great sense of what college is like. Last summer, 89% of students improved their scores and/or tested into college-level courses in their needed subjects. 

Eligibility

If you can answer YES to the questions below, the Summer Bridge Program is a great opportunity for you!

• Did you score below a 19 on the reading or math section of the ACT or below an 18 on the English section of the ACT?
• Do you wish to begin college feeling more prepared and confident?

Please note, any TN Promise eligible student is welcome to participate in a Summer Bridge Program; however, priority will be given to students who plan to attend a Tennessee community college and require corequisite classes.

Additionally, it is important to note that ACCUPLACER scores are not accepted at every college. Please check with your intended college prior to participating in the program to ensure scores earned in the program will be accepted at the college you are planning to attend in the fall.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it mandatory to participate in a Summer Bridge Program? The program is 100% optional for students!

Is the program free? Yes! The program is free to students. We provide all of the necessary supplies and lunch each day!

Is transportation provided? No, transportation is not provided for the program. 

What is a corequisite course? A corequisite course is a course that students must enroll in if they score below a college-level threshold on the ACT or placement test prior to college enrollment (college-level  scores: reading/math = 19, English = 18). Corequisite class credit hours will not count towards the number of hours needed for a student’s degree but the student is required to take the class and pass it to be considered college level in that subject.

What is ACCUPLACER? ACCUPLACER is a placement test used to determine if a student is testing into college-level courses. The test is not timed.

What do I need to bring to the program? We will provide students with all of the supplies needed, including a notebook, pencil, pen and a workbook. Students will be required to bring all provided supplies to class daily.

What if I test into college-level courses on the first day of the program? If you test into college-level courses on the first day of the program, you can continue to participate in the program or you can decide not to participate with no harm to your TN Promise eligibility.

Can I participate if I have above an 18 in English or above 19 in math or reading? Yes, students can still participate in the program even if their scores are college-level. However, students will still be required to participate in all subjects daily. Priority will be given to students who need the program based on ACT scores!

I took SAILS math in high school; do I still have to attend the math class daily? Yes! Every student in the program is required to participate in all three courses.

What if I did not take the ACT? You can still participate even if you haven’t taken the ACT. We will base the subjects you need off of your ACCUPLACER results on the first day of the program.

What if I am not planning to attend a TN Promise eligible institution? You can still participate in the program even if you are not attending a TN Promise eligible institution; however, first priority will be given to students that plan to attend a TN community college in the fall. It is also important to note that not all institutions accept ACCUPLACER results from the program, so it is important to check with your institution prior to participating.

What is the attendance policy? Students may miss one day or a portion of one day and continue to participate in the program. If a student must miss any time during the program, proper documentation must be provided to the tnAchieves staff member facilitating the program. Students may be excused from missing one day or part of one day of the program for the following reasons: documented illness, a death in the family or a personal emergency. If a student misses more than a day or portion of a day, they will be removed from the program. Arriving late or leaving early is considered a portion of one day.

Do I have to participate in all three subjects? Yes! Students who wish to participate in a Summer Bridge Program must attend and participate in all three courses daily, regardless of need.

I only need to take the math section. Do I still have to participate in all three subjects? Yes! Regardless of the subject(s) a student may need based on ACT scores or ACCUPLACER test results, students are required to attend all courses each day to participate.

I need learning accommodations. Can I still participate in the program? Yes, you can still participate in the program! If you need learning accommodations, please reach out to tnAchieves immediately so we are able to make arrangements for you throughout the program.

What if I want to participate in the program at one college but plan to attend another college? You can still participate in the program; however, not all colleges will accept scores from the program so it is important to contact your intended college prior to participating to ensure your scores will be accepted.

Are final scores accepted outside of community colleges? Some colleges will accept the scores from your ACCUPLACER test during the program but there are many that do not. In addition, score requirements differ by college. It is very important to contact your intended college prior to participating to ensure your scores will be accepted. 

What if I change my mind and don’t want to participate in the program after I have registered? If you no longer wish to participate after registering, please let tnAchieves know and we will remove you. You will not be penalized in any way if you no longer wish to participate, but we must know so we can make space for other students as space is limited!