the outside of the dennis learning center

SpringForward Program Manager Amanda Donahue said the program builds up study skills and knowledge of campus resources for first-year students who need to improve their academic standing with Ohio State, setting them up for future success.
Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor

Ohio State is offering first-year students who struggled in the fall semester an opportunity to improve their academic standing through SpringForward’s three-step program. 

SpringForward Program Manager Amanda Donahue said the three parts consist of coursework through the Dennis Learning Center in the spring semester, participation in an enrichment program in the summer semester and continued academic support in a student’s second year. SpringForward started operating in 2017.

After participating in the program, a student’s GPA typically increases by about seven-tenths of a point on a four-point scale by the beginning of their second year at Ohio State, Donahue said. Students interested in SpringForward should email [email protected] for more information or request for their adviser to enroll them in ESEPSY 2059 by March 5, the beginning of Ohio State’s second session. Applications for SpringForward 2021 are open until March 28. 

Donahue said students should first enroll in ESEPSY 2059 through the Dennis Learning Center, an eight-week course teaching “self-regulated” learning by improving time management, study methods and other skills for the world of higher education. 

“It’s a great course because it’s designed to work in tandem with the other courses they are taking,” Donahue said. “This course holds you accountable and maybe teaches you some skills you didn’t have to use before.”

The second SpringForward course is required during the eight-week enrichment program in the summer semester, so students can continue to get a “solid footing” at Ohio State and acquaint themselves with campus resources, Donahue said. 

Varsha Prabu, a second-year in psychology, said the summer program helped her analyze her degree and career goals. She said she realized biochemistry was not the right fit for her and switched her major. 

“I realized I shouldn’t put myself through more than I needed to and I should be passionate about what I’m learning in college,” Prabu said. 

Prabu, a SpringForward ambassador, said she raised her GPA from a 2.5 to a 3.4 by the end of the six-credit-hour summer enrichment program in 2020.

Prabu said the SpringForward course appealed to her because the small class sizes allowed her to connect with her classmates, which she missed after taking STEM courses with large lectures. 

Prabu also said she liked the emphasis on scientific and psychological reasonings for certain study habits in the class, such as the cognitive benefits of long-term repetition with flashcards and learning that she cleaned her room as a way to procrastinate on her assignments.

“It really forced me to look at the emotions behind it,” Prabu said. “I was looking for that instant gratification of having a clean room in order to avoid dealing with the negative emotions of having to do schoolwork.”

The SpringForward enrichment program also provides a scholarship to cover the cost of up to six credit hours of in-state tuition and a $100 textbook stipend, Donahue said. Donahue said if the program were to be offered in person in 2021, it would also cover the cost of in-state room and board in the summer semester. Out-of-state students are expected to cover the difference for tuition. 

In addition to financial savings from the summer scholarship and textbook stipend, Donahue said building up their GPAs allowed students to remain qualified for necessary financial aid and scholarships. 

The final step of the program occurs in the fall, when SpringForward offers ongoing support to students in the form of an additional academic adviser and socializing opportunities within the program, Donahue said. 

Prabu said she attended virtual social events with the program, such as yoga and cooking classes, and she was able to build relationships with other students in the same situation as her. 

“You get what you put into it,” Prabu said. “And if you put in a lot, you’re going to come out with friends.”