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September 10, 2025Open Access

Evaluating the Impact of an Online Summer Bridge Program on Academic Performance in Engineering Students during COVID-19

DDDaniela C. DiazMcMaster University VLVincent LeungMcMaster University

Key Points

Participating in the EMBER program improved students' GPAs in Fall 2020 significantly, enhancing their academic performance.
EMBER participants maintained higher GPAs in subsequent fall and winter terms over the following two years.
Using propensity score matching, each EMBER student was matched with a non-participant to ensure balanced comparisons.
These findings underscore the critical role of summer bridge programs in helping students transition successfully to postsecondary education.

Abstract

Although Summer Bridge Programs (SBP) have the potential to impact students’ experiences, little research evaluates their overall impact on students’ academic performance. This research studies the short- and long-term effects of a fully online SBP, EMBER, on students’ academic performance, measured by the overall Grade Point Average (GPA). Using propensity score matching (PSM), we matched each student in the EMBER group (N = 417) with a non-participant (N = 417) based on sex, age, high school average, and residency status (visa or domestic). Linear regression analysis shows that participating in EMBER significantly improved students' GPAs in Fall 2020. In the long term, the trend shows that EMBER participants have maintained higher GPAs in subsequent fall and winter terms over the following two years. These findings highlight the importance of SBPs in supporting students through the transition to postsecondary studies and addressing their diverse needs.

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