Overview
All participants in the Summer Bridge program will enroll in one of UChicago Summer Session’s undergraduate-level courses. Tuition, fees and textbooks are paid for by the University of Chicago’s Office of Civic Engagement, and the program is managed by the College’s Summer Session Office.
The application deadline is May 15, 2020.
Courses
For Summer 2020, Bridge students can choose a course from one of the following UChicago Summer Session pre-college programs:
- Summer College: these courses are from the regular undergraduate curriculum and are the equivalent of 10 weeks condensed down to 3-5 weeks.
- Summer Language Institute: courses condense language learning from an entire 30-week academic year into 8 weeks.
- Immersion Program: courses are only open to pre-college students and dive deep into a specific subject; they are the equivalent of one undergraduate-level course in 3 weeks
- Pathways Program: courses are only open to pre-college students and explore various facets of an area of study; they are the equivalent of one undergraduate-level course in 3 weeks
All Summer Session 2020 courses are being offered remotely; you can view the courses at the pages linked above for details about the various programs, including links to the individual course listings. On your application, you will be asked to provide three possible course choices (these can be from any of the programs listed above). Final decisions on course placement will be made by the Summer Session office after meeting with students for interviews. You should be taking the most advanced courses possible (typically, honors, AP, or IB courses) at your high school in the subject you wish to study (or something similar to it, if your school does not offer courses in that particular subject), with a minimum grade of B. Pay close attention to the prerequisites for each class, if any are mentioned in the course description. If you wish to take a course beyond the introductory level in the Summer Language Institute, you must take a placement test. You will be receiving college credit for the course you take through College Bridge, therefore the course cannot count toward your high school graduation requirements.
Eligibility/Selection Process
Rising juniors or seniors in CPS high schools with an unweighted GPA of 3.6 or higher and a school attendance rate of 95% or higher are eligible to apply for Summer Bridge. Students are chosen based on a combination of factors, including the course prerequisites, along with the student’s essays, graded writing or project sample, and a video interview with College Bridge. Please review the Overview for Pre-College Applicants on the How to Apply page to begin your application.
Requirements Once Admitted
Calendar
Summer Session courses are the equivalent of a full 10-week course, but are condensed to 3-5 weeks, except Summer Language Institute courses, which are the equivalent of three 10-week classes condensed to 8 weeks. Given the intense nature of Summer Session courses, you will be expected to focus solely on your course while you are participating in Summer Bridge. To be successful in these courses, you cannot be simultaneously enrolled in another program, and outside commitments should be kept to a minimum. The Bridge advisor will discuss your summer availability and its impact on course choice with you at your interview.
Orientation
In the weeks before Summer Session begins, program staff will facilitate online orientations for students and parents. All participants will receive more information via email once details are finalized. Students will also check in regularly with Sarah Lopez, the College Bridge advisor and Summer Session’s Assistant Director of Academic Affairs.