Inside Look: IDEA's Pre-College Institute

INSIDE LOOK: IDEA’S PRE-COLLEGE INSTITUTE IDEA ALUMNI KNOWLEDGE. DRIVE. PRESTIGE.

Tin Nguyen knew he had to go to college. Everyone from his parents to his campus was banking on him getting into a great school and starting the next chapter of his life. But Nguyen says going to college is never easy, especially not for a first-generation college student.

GOING TO COLLEGE CAN BE AN INTIMIDATING TIME for students wondering when to apply, how to choose classes, and what it will be like living in a strange city away from home for the first time.   IDEA Public Schools’ sole mission is to get every scholar to and through college. To accomplish this, we blend rigorous academics with educational experiences like college field lessons at some of the best universities in the United States. After scholars graduate, however, IDEA still works to provide every opportunity to send each scholar to college with the resources and support they need to succeed. One such method is through IDEA’s Pre-College Institute (PCI). House Bill 3 aims to recognize and reward schools that prepare students effectively for college, career, and the military. Through House Bill 3, the state will distribute large funding bonuses to districts that have more students deemed college-ready by state exams who subsequently go on to enroll in college the fall after they graduate.

Pre-college programs, like IDEA's Pre-College Institute, play a critical role in ensuring students are ready for the transition to and through college. Now, when our alumni start their first year of college, they are embarking on a journey that not only benefits their own lives, but the lives of current IDEA students who will benefit from the new College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) bonus funding. Modeled after a summer camp, PCI was founded to provide college-bound graduates like Nguyen the chance to bond and make friends with students from across the district who will also be attending college in the same campus or city. Students from around the district gather for teambuilding activities during the day, networking events with recent alumni, and sessions aimed at helping them identify their strengths.

In recent years, studies have shown that friendship networks can help new college students in several ways including offering emotional support for students living away from home and holding each other accountable academically. Many college students claim that friends become like a surrogate family who often engage in meaningful conversations or simply motivate each other to be successful.

“The experience is different for every individual, but one thing that remains is that Pre-College Institute really helps make the transition to college easier,” says Tin Nguyen, a 2019 graduate of IDEA San Benito who is now a student at the University of Texas at Austin. “Your connections and friend groups can carry you through college. I know that I would feel a lot more lost when it comes to college if it weren’t for programs like college field lessons and Pre-College Institute.”

“PCI was designed as a bridge program for students transitioning into college,” says Sari Wilson, Sr. Managing Director of Alumni Affairs. “We know that a strong start in the freshman year ultimately helps set students up for success throughout their four years.” IDEA’s PCI aims to connect IDEA graduates from all over the district, so they have a social support network of other alumni already in place when they step foot on campus. Last year, Ruffalo Noel Levitz, a higher education consulting company, found in their 2018 College Success Inventory that students highlighted needing help with finding friends on campus as the number one support desired.

“PCI was a lot of fun,” says Harrison Vickmark, an IDEA Quest 2018 alumnus and current sophomore at Austin College in Sherman, Texas. “In addition to hearing from staff about college, you get to participate in several team-building activities that force you to work together while having fun.” “Family is a big part of many students’ lives, especially in the Rio Grande Valley,” says Vickmark. “PCI is a really valuable way to make connections for students who are leaving their families for the first time and going to school away from home.”

Alyssa Rangel, a first-generation college student at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, is a 2018 graduate of IDEA Frontier and says programs like PCI can really make a difference for students who don’t know what to expect when it comes to going to college.

“Grouping us together by our schools made going to college easier because I knew a few people would be there on campus with me,” says Alyssa Rangel, a student at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. “College can be difficult, especially as a first-generation college student, and it helps to know that you’re not alone. You have your friends on campus and the support of IDEA, and they all want you to succeed.”

Rangel says she knew she wanted to attend a smaller college after touring several universities through IDEA’s annual campus field visits. Rangel says smaller class sizes and the ability to make personal connections are important to her.

IDEA’s College Success Team has received exceptional reviews on the program from participants and hope to continue to expand the program each year. In fact, Wilson believes it lends a sense of community and confidence to students as they enter college.

“We have heard stories throughout this matriculation period about students connecting with potential roommates, finding rides to and from campus, forming study groups, and finding friends in classes,” she says. “Some students said they were able to find their classes early, meet up with university personnel, and ask for alumni advice. This really helps students to feel more confident in college from day one.” ♦ Clockwise: IDEA Quest alumni Harrison Vickmark says PCI is a great way to help students transition to college. Right: At PCI, students are grouped by college and challenged with team-building activities. 