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Summer Bridge Experience

36 days to a new way of learning!

Are you a bright and talented college student with a learning disability, ADHD, or autism? Do you study and work hard—but your grades do not show it? Do you find yourself falling further and further behind? This summer study with other bright and talented students who learn differently—students from a variety of colleges and universities around the country, as well as current Landmark College students, who will share their experiences and learning strategies as fellow classmates in credit courses.

Program Dates:
Sunday, July 7 – Saturday, August 10, 2024*
*Classes are held on Friday and residence halls will close at noon on Saturday the 12th.

 

Costs:
$8,500, plus $150 refundable damage deposit. (Cost includes double occupancy residence hall room, meals, and activities.)
Optional: 1-credit physical education courses are offered at an additional cost.

 

What You Gain From a Summer at Landmark College:

Our years of experience with students who learn differently have shown that focusing, even for a short time, on how you learn can make a significant difference in your success in school.

We expect you to:

  • Gain a better understanding of your learning differences and learning style
  • Learn how to advocate for your learning needs
  • Build learning strategies in academic areas
  • Develop a variety of study skills to implement in academic settings
  • Be introduced to assistive and educational technologies that support learning
  • Connect with professors, advisors, and classmates in ways the build a community of support and learning
  • Identify the tools and strategies you will take with you that will help you to become more strategic in your approach to college

Landmark college emphasizes the importance of wellness as part of our holistic approach to education. The Summer Bridge Program is an opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of the concept and to begin to practice it as a part of their experience here. It is a concept that they will encounter in the classroom and in events and activities during the program. Students are encouraged to take a 1 credit physical education course, attend lectures on topics related to wellness, and engage in wellness activities which in past summer semesters have included walking, hiking, biking, yoga, and mindfulness meditation.

Students who struggle with social anxiety and have difficulty making friends have the option of participating in social support activities, including social pragmatic workshops and student affairs events. Resident assistants are available as peer mentors to provide information about activities and to help students feel connected to the Landmark College community.

Faculty Support:

In addition to your classes, you’ll also participate in:

  • Regular weekly advising with one of LC’s professional advisors. Sessions may include such topics as self-reflection and self-advocacy, goal planning and setting, strategies for academic success, and identifying next steps for the future
  • Access to the College’s Center for Academic Support, a real hub in the learning process at LC. Staffed by professional staff and faculty, the Drake offers support in reading, writing, study skills, and coursework
  • Students can get additional academic support during regularly scheduled faculty office hours
  • Opportunities with experienced librarians and educational technology staff

Summer in Putney, Vermont:

The Summer Bridge Experience is offered on Landmark College’s rural campus in picturesque southern Vermont. The town of Putney is located just nine miles from historic Brattleboro, named one of the “Top 10 Small Art Towns in America.”

Financial Aid:

Financial aid is available and awarded upon acceptance. Financial aid applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis—please apply early.

Bridge Semester:

Landmark College also offers a fall or spring Bridge Experience for visiting college students. Spending a semester at Landmark College gives students a boost to their learning strategies, skills, and self-knowledge, acting as a bridge to success when they return to their home college or transfer to another institution.

Track A—Developmental Track

Students electing Track A will take the required, Narrowing the Gap course and a writing class (described below). Students also have the option to take a single credit physical education elective.

REQUIRED COURSE:
Narrowing the Gap—Becoming A More Strategic College Student
Managing academic demands in college can be challenging. Students benefit from understanding both theoretical and practical approaches to what supports academic success. This course is designed to promote self-advocacy by building on students’ individual and personal academic experiences and identifying specific areas for further academic development or accommodation. Through a variety of readings on topics such as identity development, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and neurodiversity, students will develop their self-awareness and self-advocacy through practical application and understanding of the law and disability rights.

Developmental writing course:
Structure, Style, and Strategies—Demystifying Academic Writing
This course is designed for students who struggle to understand and respond to the demands of academic writing. It focuses on helping students to develop effective writing strategies, distinguish between types of secondary sources and practice effectively integrating source material into drafts. Through discussions and individual conferencing, students will develop an understanding of their own gifts and challenges as learners. Students gain confidence by applying newly learned strategies through reading, writing, and interaction with peers and hands-on activities.

Track B—Combined Developmental and Credit Track

Students in Track B will take the required noncredit Narrowing the Gap class and their choice of a single credit elective course from the options below.

REQUIRED COURSE for all summer bridge experience students:
Narrowing the Gap—Becoming A More Strategic College Student
Managing academic demands in college can be challenging. Students benefit from understanding both theoretical and practical approaches to what supports academic success. This course is designed to promote self-advocacy by building on students’ individual and personal academic experiences and identifying specific areas for further academic development or accommodation. Through a variety of readings on topics such as identity development, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and neurodiversity, students will develop their self-awareness and self-advocacy through practical application and understanding of the law and disability rights.

RECOMMENDED for students looking for a credit level writing course:
WRT 1009 Special Topics: From Distraction to Production: Writing on demand and with purpose
Many strong writers struggle to begin writing, sustain writing, and complete writing. In this course, students will learn about composition theory and rhetoric, written output disorder, ADHD, and executive functioning as a framework for understanding their own writing profiles. An emphasis will be placed on the management of written output and the relationship between the ways we manage writing demands and how we learn. Students should expect to execute all stages of the writing process, intentionally identifying areas of strength and areas to improve. Every student will produce at least two essays that have been through the revision process.

Eligibility: Students must submit a syllabus and a writing sample from a college level writing course or comparable writing intensive course taken in the last academic year. Eligibility for the course will be reviewed by the Director of the Summer Bridge Experience program and the Chair of the Core Education department.

*This course fulfills an elective requirement and can be applied to any Landmark College graduation plan. Students who are looking to transfer these credits back to their home institutions should consult with their registrar.

Credit Elective Course Options and Descriptions—See Tab for Summer II options
All colleges don’t accept all transfer credits. Students intending to transfer credits back to their home institution are encouraged to identify the most suitable course with their home institution. Prerequisites may apply and your choice may be subject to approval. We strive to provide you with the courses you choose. However, enrollment is limited to 15 students per class to ensure a highly personalized learning experience. For this reason, classes are assigned on a first come, first-served basis, based on date of deposit.

Basic Daily Schedule, Monday through Friday

Classes meet each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
Wednesdays are Meeting Days (1:1 with advisors, or time at Drake Center foc Academic Support)

9 – 11:30 a.m.
In Class Session: Narrowing the Gap, OR Writing Course, OR Credit Elective

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Lunch/Free Time (coursework, office hours, advisor meetings, etc.)

1:30 – 4 p.m.
In Class Session: Narrowing the Gap, OR Writing Course, OR Credit Elective

5 – 6:30 p.m.
Dinner/Free Time (coursework, office hours, advisor meetings, etc.)

Optional PE courses meet 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Social Pragmatic Workshops will be offered the week of July 15 and July 22.  See "Social Pragmatic Support" for details.
 

We will collaborate with the Landmark College Success Center in San Mateo, California to deliver instruction, activities, and programming to help support students who would benefit from social pragmatic support. In addition, there will be social coaching opportunities, as well as parent meetings to supplement what the students will be learning. This support is open to all students.

Session Schedule: 

Week One:

  • Monday, July 15: PEERS Session 1: Workshop - 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. 
     
  • Tuesday, July 16:  On-line Activity - 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. 
     
  • Wednesday, July 17: PEERS Session 2: Workshop - 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. 
     
  • Thusday, July 18:  On-line  and Off - Campus Activities - 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.                                                                                        Parent Sessions 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. ET - On-line  
     
  • Friday, July 19: Individual Social Coaching 

Week Two:

  • Monday, July 22: PEERS Session 3: Workshop - 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. 
     
  • Tuesday, July 23: On-line Activity - 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. 
     
  • Wednesday, July 24: PEERS Session 4: Workshop - 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
     
  • Thusday, July 25:  On-line  and Off - Campus Activities - 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. 

                              Parent Sessions 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. ET - On-line

  • Friday, July 26: Individual Social Coaching 
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