IVCC to host program for new college students

Enrollment is underway for an Illinois Valley Community College program that delivers a short burst of college knowledge to new or returning students before fall classes start.

The Get Set college readiness program begins July 29. The course is open to newly minted high school grads or adults turning or returning to college, and it’s free to participants.

Students practice test-taking, note-taking and time management strategies; make sense of textbooks, class formats and the college environment; and learn how to develop good habits and harness diverse learning styles to succeed academically and socially. Students also log in and practice campus technology platforms such as Brightspace teaching/learning hub and ECampus textbook hub before most of their peers.

The weeklong Get Set fall session runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 29 to Aug. 2. In-person attendance is required at all five class sessions.

The class will meet Friday, Aug. 2, but the college is not in session that day. For information and signup forms, visit ivcc.edu/readysetgo.

Coordinator Tina Hardy said the program helps students feel ready and confident to start the semester at a time when they might find college socially and academically overwhelming. Some students don’t realize that expectations are different in college.

For perhaps the first time in their lives, students are expected to be independent learners, manage their time and complete tasks. Technology and support networks are different, Hardy said, and students must seek out new resources.

In all, 57 students from throughout the district have participated since the program began. Once the classroom portion ends, students are assigned to mentors who guide and encourage them for the rest of the semester.

Some of those mentors are Get Set graduates. Creating relationships and connections is key to boosting students’ confidence and encouraging involvement on campus, Hardy said.

For information about the program, email Hardy at tina_hardy@ivcc.edu.