Lakes Region Community College Launches Gateway to College

This summer, Lakes Region Community College (LRCC) is adding a new one-week residency program to prepare high school students for college through engaging in academic, social and college success focused activities.

The no-cost high school to college bridge program, Gateway to College, will run from July 18 to July 22 and will assist with academic preparedness and college readiness as a way to help students connect, grow, thrive and build confidence to reach their academic goals in college.

“We see a lot of students struggle with their transition from high school to college and we want to ‘bridge’ the gap to help them prepare for success,” said Laura LeMien, associate vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at LRCC. “We will be working with high school guidance counselors from across New Hampshire to help us identify those students who would best benefit from this pilot program, which we are planning to expand upon in the future.”

The Gateway to College program is designed to prepare high school students for the transition to college. Mornings are spent in the classroom where LRCC faculty will work with students to enhance their academic preparedness with a focus on English and math readiness. This will include taking the ALEKS Mathematics Placement Assessment at no cost, a requirement prior to enrolling in classes. Afternoons will focus on the knowledge and skills needed to successfully transition from high school to college and include extracurricular activities on and off campus. Upon starting the fall semester, the cohort will be grouped together for core classes creating a peer support group to boost academic skills and build confidence.

"Helping students make a smooth transition to college is critically important," explains Huot Technical Center Director David Warrender. "This goes beyond providing students an academic foundation to really helping students and families navigate the systems and processes of a post-secondary institution. Strengthening and clarifying the process for students to move from a school like the Huot to LRCC should lead to higher student achievement and future career success."

Participants will be selected based on math and English placement scores. Students who successfully complete the program will receive credit for College Essentials, LRCC’s one-credit first year experience course, as well as $500 scholarship for their first semester. The 15-student cohort will stay on-campus in the fully furnished Apple Ridge student apartments.