Attendance at Jumpstart, the summer bridge program, is required for all entering first-year students in a college setting who are not yet college ready in reading, writing, or math. Students who enroll in the program must also complete the required course(s) in order to enroll in coursework in the fall (or any long) semester. If a student cannot attend the summer bridge program or cannot complete it, s/he can appeal if s/he shows good cause and supporting documentation. Appeals will be considered only for circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as those listed below:

-Graduation from high school after the start date for the summer bridge program.
-Active duty service as a member of the Texas National Guard or the armed forces of the United States during the period of the summer bridge program.
-A severe illness or other debilitating condition that affects the student’s ability to attend the course.
-Other circumstances beyond the student’s control.

Examples of supportive documentation that may be submitted with an appeal include, but may not be limited to, the following:
-Letters from a professional health care professional on official letterhead stating that the scholar’s medical or psychological condition prohibits successful completion of JumpStart
-Military documents
-Obituaries, funeral programs or death certificates
-A letter from a university official

Appeals will be reviewed on a case by case basis by the JumpStart Review Team that is comprised of staff members from various UTRGV offices. Please email your appeal to jumpstart@utrgv.edu.