Still time to sign up for IVCC's Get Set college readiness program

Kyle Nehring entered a new world when he started classes at Illinois Valley Community College last fall, but IVCC’s bridge-to-college transition program Get Set showed him how to cope with college-level challenges.

The college-readiness program offers critical college skills like taking notes, prepping for tests, and managing time and tasks, but Nehring and other graduates also walked away with confidence, knowing they could navigate their new academic and social environment.

More than 70 students have graduated from the program in the four years since it began. Seats are still available for the 2025 class which takes place July 28 to August 1, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – just before Fall classes begin. Information and an application form are available through ivcc.edu/readysetgo/.

Get Set students become familiar with the campus environment, learn how to locate resources and support or interpret textbooks and schedule formats, and develop diverse learning strategies. Program graduates also delight in logging in and using campus technology platforms before most of their peers do.

Building confidence and connection before school starts “really helps students on Day One of classes. They have practiced technology skills, they know who their helpers are, and they know a few strategies for attacking school tasks,” said Tina Hardy, who coordinates the program.

“I was not sure how things worked in college. I just knew it was different from high school,” Nehring remembers. “Get Set showed me all the resources the College had and how to be effective using certain important skills.” He was able to boost his note-taking skills, which helped a lot in class. Now, the Ottawa native looks forward to starting his sophomore year.

Kara Staley, who graduated from the program in 2023, absorbed the time-management and test-taking strategies. “There were guest speakers who presented some of the note-taking apps they used, and now I use them!”

Staley, who is from Hennepin, said Get Set helped her feel more prepared and provided her with valuable ways to stay organized.

Remembering one exercise, Nehring said: “We plotted how much time we had in a week. It showed me that I just barely had enough time to devote to college, but it was great because I knew then how hard I would have to work in my classes.”

Hardy said time management and organization are not subjects taught in school, so “students sometimes need explicit instruction in how to think about their time, how to visualize it and then how to create routines that support using time effectively. That is what Get Set tries to do.”

College structure can be a striking change from high school, Hardy said. “We know many of the common barriers students might have as they approach college. We try to be proactive and build skills so students do not have to work on all the readiness while they are trying to learn course content.”

Adults entering or returning to college as well as students transitioning from high school can benefit. “Adult students often have lots of facets of life they are trying to manage, with school being just one component. Some people have not been in school for a while and may not have accounted for how much time and effort learning, or re-learning, can take,” Hardy said.

Beyond technique, students forge connections on campus and with peers. After the course is over, Get Set students are paired with staff mentors for their first semester.

“Connection matters. I have seen how the connections that start in Get Set lead to leadership roles in college, new friendships, and collaborations between staff and students. That connection can be life changing!” Hardy said.

Staley said her mentor was available to assist her through any struggles and helped her find resources. Nehring said meeting with his mentor kept him on track in his classes. “I loved talking with my mentor!” he added.

Ashley Carls is Hardy's co-collaborator and co-instructor. The Ottawa Township High School special education teacher “knows the issues that students face as they move from one education system to another and has built curriculum and events at her school that help students,” Hardy said.

Get Set is free. In-person attendance is expected. Snacks and some school supplies are provided, and students receive a binder filled with resources and access to online content.