After registering for the Summer Bridge and submitting your Activities and Events Waiver, visit your myWCU portal to access a complete list of items that need to be completed. Some of these include:
If you plan on having a car on campus over the summer, you should also contact Parking Services to register your vehicle.
Additionally, make sure you apply for both years of FAFSA - your freshman academic year AND the year prior!
Health Insurance:
All students are required to have health insurance through a private plan or the University
Student Health Unsurance plan. Students must enroll in or waive the Student Health
Insurance Plan online. Students will be automatically enrolled and charged for health insurance unless they
opt out. Student can opt out through the Health Services website. The option to opt out begins in May.
Supplemental Course Materials, Supplies, and Texts:
There may be additional supplmental textbooks or other materials required that are
not covered by your tuition and fees, but this does not usually exceed $100.
Spending Money:
Students may want to have some spending money for meals out, activities, etc. WCU
will offer many optional activities on weekends and evenings that may involve being
away from campus. Some activities will be free and others will be offered at a reduced
rate through university partners. During some activities, you may need to pay for
your meals and/or admission to the event.
Parking Registration:
Summer parking registration will be available for an additional fee. Students must
provide proof of insurance and vehicle registration. Contact Parking Services for more information.
Students in the Summer Bridge Programs are eligible to apply for federal financial aid to cover the cost of the program. If you are interested in financial aid for the Summer, you must complete the FAFSA for the year PRIOR to your freshman academic year. You may apply for summer FAFSA using this link. Questions about financial aid should be addressed to the WCU Office of Financial Aid.
Outside of attending class, students may participate in athletics, attend movies and concerts, and get involved with campus leadership opportunities. In previous years, activities have included rock climbing, hiking, whitewater rafting, tubing, canoeing, regional/cultural tours, picnics, and trips to other cities to explore. Students are encouraged to be actively engaged and make suggestions for special trips and excusions!
Yes, all students are required to bring a computer this summer in order to complete classwork. Students should bring a laptop computer that meets WCU's computer requirements. Check out the Computer Guidelines page to learn about minimum requirements for computers and assistance on purchasing.
Yes! Students who plan to bring a vehicle for the summer will need to call Parking Services to register their vehicle for the summer.
Summer parking registration is not the same as the fall, and registration for a fall parking permit does not guarantee a student can park in the summer.
Due to the rigorous nature of the courses and a summer schedule that allows your to earn 7-8 credit hours in only 5 weeks, students are discouraged from having a job during the Summer Bridge Programs. It is important that students use their time to focus on academic performance, and many students will be required to participate in out-of-class activities.
Students are encouraged to seek employment during the regular school year!
Students should plan to bring only essential items for the time they will be on campus, as space is limited. Additionally, students will be expected to move their items out of their summer residence after the 5 weeks, so we suggest packing light. Suggested items include:
Optional items that you could coorindate with your roommate before your arrival include:
Due to space restrictions and the use of residence halls during the summer leading up to fall, students may be unable to move their items into their fall room. Details on this will be made available before the program concludes, but students should be prepared to move their items back home just in case.
Note: not all Summer Bridge participants are in ASP. Students are notified upon admission about their admission pathway and are informed when they arrive for the Summer Bridge Program as well.
Many students often wonder why participation in ASP is required as a condition of their acceptance to WCU for the fall semester. It can be somewhat of a shock to read your admission letter and see that you are being asked to attend the Summer Bridge Programs.
Western Carolina University is very concerned with how well entering students begin their WCU experience because beginning has so much to do with whether you will finish (graduate) and how well you will finish. Because admission to WCU is competitive, because WCU uses past performance and standardized test scores to make comparisons among applicants, and because many academic programs at WCU have competitive admission requirements, some applicants may present credentials that point toward potential success at WCU but may contain one or more warning flags, as compared with students who have been offered standard admission. Some applicants present solid courses and grades, but standardized test scores may not be as competitive. Other applicants may have started slowly in high school but then turned things around, or they may have weak subjects that damage their cumulative GPAs while their standardized test scores compare favorably. Each year, a select group of applicants are offered the opportunity to participate in the Academic Success Program (ASP). This first-year program begins with the Summer Bridge Programs and continues into the fall and spring terms to help ensure first-year success. Admission is competitive and space is limited for this opportunity.
To receive individual feedback concerning your specific situation, please contact your admission counselor in the Office of Admission at 828.227.7317.
It is required that you must earn a grade of at least C (no U's) in each of your summer courses and have a GPA of 2.3 or higher to continue your enrollment at WCU in the fall. Students who don't meet the minimum requirement are suspended from applying for readmission until the following fall term of original application.
In rare cases, you may be able to opt out of ASP if your grades and/or SAT scores improve. However, each student is strongly encouraged to participate in the program. If you feel that your admission for the fall should be reconsidered, you must contact the admissions office at 828.227.7317. Changes in your admission term do not take place automatically.
In addition to the summer programs and activities, ASP students are also supported and monitored throughout their first year of enrollment.
ASP students will also be enrolled in USI 131: Thriving in College in the fall. The purpose of the course is to provide you with enhanced support throughout the Fall semester. It is meant to assist with your continuing transition to college and will help to motivate you in successfully completing your college education as well as developing leadership and other skills.
Additionally, ASP students are also assigned to a Peer Mentor. The mentors are upperclassmen who have become successful students. Mentors serve as a role model and a supportive peer educator for the ASP students and assist them by providing information and guidance throughout their first year.
Throughout their first year, ASP students’ academic progress is monitored through the use of a progress reporting system. Each semester, the faculty for each student are notified that the students are participating in the program and are asked for feedback throughout the semester. The faculty are asked to give information detailing the student’s grades, participation, and attendance in addition to other comments about their progress in each course. This information is shared with the student’s advisor so that follow up can be made with the students and appropriate interventions can occur.