Unified Science Bridge Program

College Survival Skills

Many students entering college find it very different from high school, and it sometimes takes them several semesters to figure out how to be successful in college. For students who wanted to increase their potential to do well in college, Brooklyn College offered a select number of students interested in mathematics and the sciences a chance to participate in the Unified Science Bridge (USB) program, a free six-week summer “college survival” program that offered many benefits. The program ended after summer 2015.

USB students took a free three-credit college mathematics course focusing on problem solving and applications of mathematics to the sciences. They also learned how to negotiate the Brooklyn College campus and the offices and resources that support college success. Team-building experiences created a familiar cohort of students before USB students started classes in September, so they entered college already having friends and supporters. The program focused on how to think about career choices in the sciences and how to plan college work so students have the maximum chance to be successful in graduate or professional careers or jobs in the sciences after graduation.

Students who participated in USB in the past gave it high marks for giving them a great start in college; see what they had to say here (video).

Features of USB

• SCALE-UP Pre-calculus—This is a dynamic student-centered, free, three-credit class emphasizing collaborative problem-solving, often worthwhile as a strong math foundation even for students who have had high school-level calculus.
• Math-Science Link—Designed especially for science-oriented students, MS-Link helps students learn how to apply relevant mathematics concepts to actual science problems.
• Orientation and Team Building—Get to know the Brooklyn College campus so you know the “who, what, where, when, and why” of navigating your way as a college student. The “Accessing Brooklyn College” activities employ real-life case studies that develop strategies to help students learn how to resolve common college-level problems.
• Career Exploration Project—Student are often not aware of the very wide range of lucrative and interesting careers open to students who are interested in science. The Career Exploration Project broadens students’ perspectives about the many options open to students who study mathematics and science.
• Field trips—Trips around the city aimed at exploring science in action.
• Free lunch!