Bridges To Success

The mission of BTS is to close the achievement gaps among low-income and first-generation students by providing mentoring, academic and financial support and leadership development beginning the summer after high school graduation, with consideration given to underserved populations. The overall objective of the Bridges to Success Program is to ensure that every student is provided the necessary support for a successful experience at Valencia College. As part of its action plan for recruitment and retention, BTS maintains vital connections with colleges and universities throughout the country and with local churches and other civic groups in the Central Florida community who are committed to our students educational endeavors. As a result of these partnerships, students complete community service hours which provides them the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in their desired career field, and connects them with mentors who can assist them with the transition from college to the professional world.

Program Eligibility Requirements:

• Graduate of an Orange or Osceola County high school
• Have a minimum 2.75 unweighted academic GPA
• Must be a first-generation college student
• Complete all the minimum academic courses required by the state of Florida
• Qualify for Pell Grant as determined by the FAFSA
• Meet Florida residency requirements
• Qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch
• Must have completed PERT Assessment (Reading, Writing, Math)

The Summer Program is designed to provide incoming first-year students with a positive foundation for transitioning from high school to college. Bridges students receive individualized attention from Valencia College faculty and staff. These individuals are dedicated to assisting students in making a successful transitioning from high school to college. Students will develop leadership skills through community service and co-curricular activities. Students will become Bridges to Success Achievers in the Fall after completing the Bridges to Success Summer Program. Bridges Achievers Scholars receive a renewable full-tuition and book stipend that will be coordinated with Financial Aid Services to cover the full cost of attending Valencia College.

The Bridges to Success admission application opens each year in September. You may apply upon acceptance to Valencia College. You will need your Valencia ID number and all necessary documentation required for application completion. The application deadlines are on the Bridges to the Success website calendar.

No. The Bridges to Success Program recommendation form must be completed online by a school counselor, teacher, coach, or community member. You will need the email address of each recommender to provide a link to complete the form.

If you have taken the PERT in high school within the last two years, you are not required to retake it. However, you must have all three sections of the PERT (reading, writing and math) submitted to Testing and Assessment before your Bridges to Success program application is submitted. Scores are NOT automatically sent to Valencia College. We recommend you use this link to view the hours and times to schedule an appointment to take the PERT if needed: https://valenciacollege.edu/students/assessments/

If you have recently taken the PERT exam at your high school and need your scores pulled from the PERT repository, please use this link to request that your PERT scores be added to your Valencia College record:

https://valenciacollege.edu/students/assessments/requesting-scores.php#pert

Follow the instructions to complete the PERT Score Retrieval Form and any non-expired PERT scores will be added to your student account. If you need assistance regarding the PERT, reach out to Testing and Assessment whose contact information can be found in the links above.

The Bridges to Success Program application must be submitted with all items completed on the checklist. Deliver a sealed unofficial academic transcript to the BTS office before the application deadline in January or have your Valencia College coach upload your transcript to your application. The coaches are provided instructions to upload your transcript.

There is no fee to apply to the Bridges to Success Program, however, Valencia College has a$35.00 application fee. BTS applicants must first apply and be accepted to Valencia College before applying to BTS. Additionally, there may be other fees associated with Assessment services. You may contact the Valencia College Assessment Center for more information.

Yes, if you have earned 6 college AP or DE credits or less you can apply. This includes any credits earned in existing classes. Applicants who wish to participate in an accelerated academic model are encouraged to apply to the Seneff Honors Program: valenciacollege.edu/honors or contact 407-582-3835.

Yes, Your school counselor should have information about our program, BTS will hold recruitment sessions at some high schools. Please We encourage you to contact our main office at 407-582-1395 for any questions not answered in this flyer or you may visit our website at valenciacollege.edu/bts.

Yes, students accepted into the program must enroll during the summer (six weeks). Refer to the Valencia College Academic Calendar for Summer Term B start and end dates. Eligibility for the Bridges to Success Achievers Program requires successful completion of the Summer Program.

Once you have submitted a completed application before the deadline, you will be notified of a decision via Valencia College ATLAS email in March. It is important that you check your ATLAS email daily, as all correspondences from BTS and Valencia College are sent to your ATLAS email. Emails are not sent to personal accounts (i.e., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.)

Yes, students may be offered the Bridges to Success award along with Bright Futures. We encourage recipients of both to follow up with Bright Futures to ensure they meet their requirements.

Students are required to attend an in-person Bridges to Success New Student Orientation. However, students must also complete the online Valencia College Orientation.

The BTS Handbook outlines the policies and expectations of the program. Students are required to read the handbook in its entirety and sign and complete a digital Handbook Agreement confirming they have read and understand the program information and expectations. This information will help you remain successful in the program. The BTS handbook can be found on the Bridges website valenciacollege.edu/bts.

Yes, one of the requirements of the program is to complete 30 hours of community service per term (Fall and Spring) from the approved list of community locations listed on our website. Community service hours are NOT required during the summer term.

No, the hours you complete must coincide with the term you are attending Valencia College.

Students will be required to complete skillshops during the Summer Program. These skillshops are co-curricular activities that will be centered on professional and personal development for the incoming freshman cohort. The skillshop schedule will be listed on the BTS website.

BTS collaborates with the college to provide information about skillshops. These skillshops are designed to motivate students and provide practical advice about managing college life. The skillshops are free and are offered at convenient times and locations collegewide, and they are filled with information that is useful for the student. Skillshops aid in personal growth and development. Students should take full advantage of these opportunities to expand their knowledge base while working towards earning their college degree. Further information can be found on the Valencia College Website.

All BTS students are required to complete a certain number of skillshops each semester.

BTS only covers the exact cost of tuition up to 31 credits per academic year. If you receive the PELL grant you will receive a refund. The program award is paid out at the end of the semester after all Bridges requirements have been met.

• BTS covers the cost of books for the initial Summer, Fall and Spring terms.
• If a student reaches the maximum allotment, they will be responsible for covering any balance.
• Once books are charged, the charge will register in your ATLAS account.
• Students may not keep any unused funds.
• The Book Stipend can ONLY be used to purchase books, course materials, and supplies listed on the course syllabus.
• Food, clothing, and electronics (headphones, printers, speakers, cell phone accessories) are STRICTLY Prohibited. Students who violate this policy are subject to repayment of charges or moved to not-awarded status for the semester.

Any event with required attendance has an objective geared toward the continued success of the student with the program and the College.

Students are required to meet with their BTS program academic advisor in their first Summer term to outline their educational advising plan. The advisor will register the students in classes for the first Summer and Fall terms. Students are always encouraged to meet with their student success coaches to ensure they are on track with completing the courses in their Education Plan. In addition, students may be required to meet with their student success coaches more frequently on a case-by-case basis depending on the needs of the student.

The Bridges to Success Program will require you to take the following Student Life Skills (SLS) courses: SLS 1122, and SLS 1202. Students will receive college credits for these courses as part of their educational plan. Students may also be required to enroll in developmental Math and/or English and Writing courses based on their PERT scores.

The program award covers most majors and degrees except for technical certificates. Please see the Valencia College Future Student tab for additional information: valenciacollege.edu/future-students/programs.php.

Payment of the BTS funds is contingent on whether a student qualifies for financial aid. If a student fails to maintain federal requirements for financial aid, BTS cannot cover tuition, fees o books.

The Bridges to Success Program periodically sponsors college tours to universities throughout Florida. To provide adequate time for students to coordinate their schedules, information about tours will be emailed several months before the event. Students interested should contact their advisor for the details. Additionally, we encourage students to reach out to their college preferences to request information.

No, the Bridges to Success Program does not guarantee acceptance to other institutions. However, Valencia College has a DirectConnect with the University of Central Florida that provides collaborative advising to ensure a smooth transition to the university.

The Bridges to Success Program encourages students to fully engage in the college experience including, but not limited to, student activities, clubs and organizations. However, students interested in taking advantage of other awards or scholarships should check with their advisor for any applicable restrictions.

No. The location you indicate on the community service contract is for an entire academic year (fall and spring only).

TIP  Make sure you have already contacted and signed up with your location before you submit your contract. If you submit your contract before contacting your location, and you find out later that you are unable to volunteer at the site, it will create issues with you trying to change locations with the Bridges office.

No. Unless you have been mandated by a student success coach.

Yes and No. You are allowed to choose your own location as long as it is from the approved community service list available on the Bridges website.

TIP  Pick a location associated with your academic or career goals. For example, if you want to go to medical school then pick a hospital or medical center to volunteer.

Spend time looking through the list and do research about the location (i.e. Read over their website, call their offices and ask questions, etc.). Do not pick a location randomly.

No. All hours and workshops must be completed in their respective semester.

TIP  Do no attempt to complete all hours for the year in a few weeks. This will not be accepted and you will only burden yourself more.

No. The Degree Pathway Workshop (Soon to be named Transition Planning Seminar) is a required workshop for upcoming graduates. It is not counted as a workshop.

No. Valencia Volunteers often offers volunteer opportunities for campus events. These events are considered services to the college and we highly recommend and encourage students to participate. However, since they are not considered service in the community they cannot be used towards community service hours.

TIP  Use the community service list from the Bridges website. 

No. Valencia College offers many workshops not listed in the Skillshop Handbook. As long as the workshop you attend is associated with the college and teaches you something fundamental you can attend. Valencia College often sends these special workshops via e-mail and/or on the Valencia College website.

If you are interested in attending a workshop offered at another college (i.e. Rollins College, UCF, etc.), please inquire first with your Bridges advisor.

TIP  Be sure to pick Skillshops and workshops that are meaningful to you. Do not wait till the last minute to do random workshops. Be thoughtful with the workshops you choose. Ask yourself, “Does this pertain to my academic/career goals”? “Will this workshop help in reaching a short term/long term goal?”

(New Students Only). No.

No. You can attach them to your workshop form if you’d like, but you still should have the Bridges workshop form completed and signed by the presenter.

No. It is very important that you remember to have the workshop form with you because student success coaches will not be able to do this time consuming research for you.

TIP  Print 4 copies of the workshop form in the beginning of the semester and keep them in your main school folder. That way you should always have it with you no matter what.

TIP  Do not try and “re-create” the form on paper while you are sitting in the presentation. Also, do not have the presenter sign a piece of paper as an attempt to show attendance. This will not be accepted. Be prepared, plan ahead and be professional.

No. We are unable to give credit for Skillshops that you did not attend.

TIP  Plan ahead and do not wait for the last minute to attend your workshops.

Student Development releases a booklet every semester. They are available in the Student Development office, advising offices, West Campus Bridges office, and online.

All Bridges Presentations are available on the Bridges website under “Calendar”.

UCF Direct Connect workshops are available on the Valencia Website.

TIP   Plan ahead because some dates are subject to change, so make sure you have back-up Skillshops already planned in the event a Skillshop is cancelled. Also, arrive to the Skillshop early in the event the time might have changed. Coming early gives you enough time to adapt to the situation.