Academic Success Program

All students will take two courses. The courses you take will depend on the results of your placement assessments. If you place into a developmental math course, one of the courses you take will be developmental math.

All students are in class from 8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., Monday through Friday. The afternoon schedule varies, depending on the individual student’s schedule for tutoring, mentoring, or other activities. Students have lots of flexibility in the afternoons, and many choose to explore campus and downtown with their cohort group. The evening hours are primarily devoted to studying and preparing assignments for the next day’s classes.

When you return in the fall, you will be returning with approximately 200 friends, many of whom will be in your fall classes. You might also have a professor in the fall that you had during the summer. You will get to know the Academic Success Program team and the ways we can continue to help you. You will become well acquainted with the University’s online systems, including MyWCU and D2L. Perhaps the major advantage is you will already have completed those courses that you would otherwise take in the fall, had you not participated in the Summer Session. In all these ways, you will be ahead of all other first-year students who are starting in the fall. You may even realize other advantages.

Yes, however, students will not be excused from any aspect of the program for work. We strongly recommend students only work during the weekends and we do not recommend students work more than 20 hours per week. Work schedules absolutely may not conflict with class, tutoring, or any other required Summer Session activities. Students are always responsible for completing their assignments; working on the weekend is not an excuse for not being prepared for classes during the week ahead. Another strategy that students make use of is to negotiate with their employers to work additional hours before and after the Summer Session, thus making up for those hours they couldn’t work during the weekdays of the Summer Session. 

While your major goal during the summer should be successful academic achievement in your courses, there are also a variety of programs and activities that hopefully will appeal to a wide range of students. Students should participate in these activities as their schedules will allow, although their studies should come first. Participating in these programs is not an excuse for mediocre academic performance. One of the crucial academic survival skills we hope that every student will develop is responsible time management: schedule your time so that you can achieve both academic excellence as well as participation in recreational activities. It shouldn’t be either/or; with good time management, it can be both.

No, students will not be excused from class or any other required activities during the Summer Session for vacation or other pre-planned trips. Please make sure your summer plans are adjusted to accommodate your acceptance to the University through the ASP Summer Session. 

Yes. Students must complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA to apply for financial aid for the Summer Session.

All West Chester University first-year students have their fall class schedules created for them by their academic advisors. Your fall schedule will be finalized by mid-August.

Yes. All summer start ASP students are required to live on campus.  The summer is a great time to become comfortable with dorm living.