Impact of a short pre-freshman program on retention
Abstract
The Biology Intensive Orientation for Students (BIOS) Program at Louisiana State University was designed to increase the success of incoming freshman biology majors in the first course in their major. The program combined content lectures and examinations for BIOL 1201–Introductory Biology for Science Majors, the first course in their major, as well as learning styles assessments and informational sessions intended to provide the students with a preview of the requirements of biology, and the pace of college. BIOS participants showed increased success and retention in the biology major, and remained on track to graduate in 4 years at a significantly higher rate than students who did not participate in BIOS.
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One STEM bridge program measured retention each semester after the bridge program through students' fourth semester in college.
“one program measured retention each semester after the bridge program through students’ fourth semester in college (Wischusen and Wischusen, 2007; Wischusen et al., 2011)”
From Building Better Bridges into STEM: A Synthesis of 25 Years of Literature on STEM Summer Bridge Programs (2017) · cites this paper as Wischusen et al., 2011
Wischusen et al. (2010) considered students in the subsequent course in the fall and those on the program's waiting list as controls.
“Wischusen et al. (2010) considered students who were in the subsequent course in the fall, as well as those who remained on the program's waiting list.”
From Methodological Choices When Assessing Summer Bridge Programs in STEM Majors: A Scoping Review (2026) · cites this paper as Wischusen et al. (2010)
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Ashley, M., Cooper, K. M., Cala, J. M., & Brownell, S. E. (2017) · CBE—Life Sciences Education · doi:10.1187/cbe.17-05-0085 · Cited by 122 · see citing works
A Meta-analysis of University STEM Summer Bridge Program Effectiveness
Bradford, B. C., Beier, M. E., & Oswald, F. L. (2021) · CBE—Life Sciences Education · doi:10.1187/cbe.20-03-0046 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Methodological Choices When Assessing Summer Bridge Programs in STEM Majors: A Scoping Review
Caballero Díaz, D., Amin, A., Musa, P., & Leung, V. (2026) · Education Sciences · doi:10.3390/educsci16020220
- Authors
- Wischusen, S. M., Wischusen, E. W., & Pomarico, S. M.
- Affiliations
- Louisiana State University (US)
- Venue
- Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2011-02
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 429-441
- ISSN
- 1521-0251 (ISSN-L)
- 1541-4167
- OpenAlex
- W2093164799
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 4.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of College Student Retention Research Theory & Practice (publishedVersion)
- Civil War Book Review (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Louisiana State University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Career Development and Diversity
- Social Sciences › Education › Educational Outcomes and Influences
- Keywords
- student retention, biology majors, introductory biology course, academic advising, first-year students, college completion, LSU
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