Program Overview
The Virtual Summer Bridge Experience is a self-paced program designed to equip incoming college freshmen with the knowledge, skills, and social capital to succeed during their first year and beyond.
Participants will access the educational content via the Mighty Networks platform on their own schedule making this program a great option for students with other commitments during the summer.
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In addition, participants will also engage with other students around the country via livestreaming sessions and virtual communities designed to increase their sense of belonging and social/professional networks.
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The program is open to all graduating high school seniors preparing to enter a U.S. college or university.
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The 2025 Program schedule will run during the month of July.
Program Design
Asynchronous Content
Participants will have access to hours of pre-recorded content on topic areas including including understanding how universities operate, building academic skills, navigating social life, and crafting a professional brand.
Career Exploration Series
The Career Exploration Series is a set of interviews with prominent professionals who represent a wide array of industries ranging from aerospace, consulting, data science, education, healthcare, law, public service, and many more.
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The goal for this series is to expose students to potential career paths prior to making a huge decision by declaring a college major.
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Program participants will gain special curated opportunities to connect with these professionals.
Virtual Community
Participants will have access to a dedicated community on the Mighty Networks platform. This community will host giveaways, scholarships, virtual events, and other resources unavailable to the general public.
Benefits of Participation
Increased Retention
Only 66% of the nearly 2.3 million freshmen enrolled full-time in US four-year colleges & universities in the Fall of 2022 re-enrolled in the Fall of 2023. This has a negative impact on the students, who often dropout with student loan debt and without the increase in earning potential associated with a college degree.
Participating in a transition program like the Virtual Summer Bridge Experience is one of the best ways to increase the likelihood that your scholar continues to excel during the first year and beyond.
Fast Start
The experience of college students varies significantly based on how they start academically. First year GPAs are strongly correlated to cumulative GPA upon graduation. Students who get off to a fast start typically enjoy benefits such as:
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Exclusive access to internships, networking opportunities research projects, study abroad programs
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Honors and recognition
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Lower cost of attendance (numerous scholarships)
The Virtual Summer Bridge Experience is one of the best ways to increase the likelihood that your scholar maximizes their first year.
Higher Lifetime Earnings
Higher GPAs often lead to opportunities at more competitive companies, leadership rotational programs, and higher starting salaries. An early investment in a student’s education can pay significant dividends over a lifetime.
As an example, based on a starting salary of $60k:
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A 5% ($3k) difference in starting salary results in a lifetime earnings difference of nearly $190k
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A 25% ($15k) difference results in nearly a $1M difference
Better Understanding of the Game
Successfully navigating college life requires a certain level of gamesmanship that is not taught in high school. Some areas that pose a particular challenge to incoming students include:
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How to map out your course sequence based on extracurricular interests
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How to deal with conflict between project team members or roommates
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How to advocate for yourself when dealing with rigid university policies
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How universities actually operate
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How to interact with instructors of different cultural backgrounds
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How to seek out campus resources
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How to effectively manage time given newfound freedom
The Virtual Summer Bridge Experience addresses these topics and many more.
Parental Engagement
Often times parents struggle to adapt to the sudden changes that occur when a child leaves for college. There is a delicate balance between being over engaged (i.e. helicopter parenting) and leaving your scholar to fend for themselves.
The Virtual Summer Bridge Experience will host a number of sessions for parents/guardians to help them form a sense of community and learn practical advice for handling this transition.
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In addition, Ace The Transition offers a free virtual community where parents can network and share tips/resources.
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Meet The Program Creator
Matthew C. Nelson is the Founder of Ace The Transition and creator of the Virtual Summer Bridge Experience. Matthew is a Doctoral Candidate in the Design Science program at the University of Michigan College of Engineering, where he also earned a B.S.E. in Industrial and Operations Engineering and a M.S. in Design Science.
As a former college dropout, Matthew is no stranger to the challenges incoming freshman will face throughout their college journey. Matthew has spent his professional career supporting students along their college journey. His previous roles include:
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Program Evaluator with the University of Michigan Center for Education Design, Evaluation, and Research
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Consultant for the University of Michigan Center for Socially Engaged Design
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Interim Executive Director of the Michigan Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation
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National Chairperson of the National Society of Black Engineers
Student Success Stories
The 2020 University of Michigan cohort of the NxtGEN STEM Scholars program (the model off which Ace The Transition is built) exhibited a 96% first-year retention rate and an overall GPA of 3.57. Here is some of the feedback from the program evaluation.
"Thank you for all the helpful advice and personal experiences that you've shared with us. This has made me feel more confident about starting college this fall. There are so many resources available to me that I would not have known about if it wasn't for all of the presentations during this program. Thank you for taking the time to make sure we are prepared to go into college!"
Aderola Owaduge
University of Michigan
"I have learned so much in regards to academic opportunities, life skills, and possible future career choices. It was unexpected, yet awesome, that I was shown a variety of options that never came to mind before. I will be sure to use the knowledge I gained from these sessions to prosper in the future. Thank you!!!"
Melanie Castaneda
University of Michigan
"Thank you everyone for the valuable advice and information! Not only do I feel totally prepared for college this fall, but I also got to meet and interact with people from different areas of Michigan and the United States. The life sciences domain has also managed to increase my interest even more in pursuing a career in the healthcare field through engaging presentations and real-life demonstrations."
Pauline Lor
Michigan State University
Program Giveaways
Equip your scholar with the tools necessary to ensure a successful transition to college. Register them today for a chance to win numerous prizes, including multiple scholarships. The first 100 paid registrants will be entered into a drawing to win a scholarship!
Program Cost
The cost to participate in the Virtual Summer Bridge Experience is $997. Ace The Transition has enabled a number of options to make the cost more affordable for families.​
Early Bird Discount
Early bird pricing ($797) will be available for the first 1000 registrants through June 1st, 2025.
Pay Over Time
The Stripe payment processing system allows parents to use Afterpay to make payments over time.
Unable to Afford the Program Cost?
Some scholarships are available for students from low-income households. Click here to send an email and include your contact information and your unique circumstance.