Welcome Class of 2028!

The University is offering in-person “Springboard” courses (in fields such as Calculus, Business, Computer Science & Chemistry) to support student confidence in their first semester. All sessions include mentorship from current students and faculty as well as first-year program advisors. Incoming students can get an early start on their academic career by joining! 

Clarkson is committed to student success and putting all students on the pathway to becoming successful alumni.

Springboard Options

$100
Residential, 10 days before the semester starts
Open to all business majors, including Engineering & Management

Lexi Johnson, Instructor
Email: johnsoal@239877.com

Springboard to Business (S2B) is an exclusive opportunity for incoming first year business students to ease the transition to college life while connecting early on with faculty, staff and professional advisors - all before the fall semester has started.

S2B is designed to provide students with an introduction to business concepts that they will come into contact with during their first year. Students will be introduced to economic concepts, as well as leadership and management skills to be expanded on during the SB course sequence. Students will be provided with a basic overview of each course to expect during their first year. A portion of the course will be devoted to understanding how to be successful at Clarkson and developing young professionals. The course will teach proper communication protocols in a college setting. The course will provide students with hands-on experience in a collaborative setting.

Students will be able to move in early to the residence hall room that they will live in during their first year. When not in class, students will be able to explore the campus and local community, participate in group activities, and more. 

$100
Residential, 10 days before the semester starts
Open to all computer science majors

Alexis Maciel, Chair of Computer Science
Email: alexis@239877.com

An introduction to computer science focused primarily on computer programming and software development. It is designed for students with little or no prior background in computer programming and will help them transition into CS141. The course covers basic concepts such as variables, input and output, conditional statements, loops and data files. The C++ programming language will be used and the course will include plenty of hands-on activities.

Springboard to Computer Science is an opportunity for all incoming first year Computer Science students who have little to no background in computer science coursework.

Students will be able to move in early to the residence hall room that they will live in during their first year. When not in class, students will be able to explore the campus and local community, participate in group activities, and more. 

$100
Residential, 10 days before the semester starts
Open to all majors

Maddie Masi, PhD, Chemistry, HEOP Admissions & Academics Counselor
Email: mmasi@239877.com

Springboard to Chemistry is an introductory course with both lecture and project-based learning components. This course offers first year students an opportunity to  establish their confidence in a rigorous college environment before the semester begins. Prior background in Chemistry is not required. Chemistry is happening all around us all of the time, so let's learn about it!

Students will meet for class in the mornings, becoming familiar with content topics they will encounter in first year Chemistry at Clarkson. During class time, students will also be able to work in small groups, designing their own experiments. Students will be able to use their free time to work on their experiment as well as meet with the instructor for support. The course is designed to mimic the overall Clarkson experience, providing students with skills that will transfer to their first-year success!

The two main goals of the course are (1) to provide students with reassurance they can be successful in a challenging course and (2) to have students design and carry out their own experiment that is an application of something learned in class (with the instructor's guidance).

Students will be able to move in early to the residence hall room that they will live in during their first year. When not in class, students will be able to explore the campus and local community, participate in group activities, and more.

$650
Open to all majors

Instructor TBA
Email: math@239877.com

Students move into their academic year rooms nine (9) days early and begin the process of settling into college campus life.
The coursework runs about three (3) hours in the morning and about one (1) hour in the afternoon. We familiarize students with the books, software, and system they will use in first year calculus, while allowing them to work with instructors and graduate teaching assistants, exposing them to the college approach to learning.

While reviewing essential topics from algebra, trigonometry and geometry, students acclimate to campus before fall classes begin. It provides students an early opportunity to establish a cohort group of like minded students and build the team study skills characteristic of highly successful Clarkson students. Students can enroll in this program through Clarkson Portal. The cost of this course is $650.00.

The Student Support Services (SSS) has scholarships available to assist income-eligible students to offset this cost.

$100
Residential, 10 days before the semester starts
Open to all majors

Michael Ramsdell, Director of First Year Physics
Email: mramsdel@239877.com

Springboard to Physics prepares students for the introductory physics courses at Clarkson. Students majoring in STEM fields who would like to be confident, enthusiastic, and familiar with what to expect at the beginning of the intro physics course should think about enrolling. Think of this as "Unit 0" with the mindset that these are things we would like you to know when you start.
Topics include units, measurements, uncertainty, 1-D and 2-D motion with an emphasis on
applications of the scientific method which include theory, experiment, comparison, and
evaluation.

Students will meet for class in the mornings, becoming familiar with content topics they will encounter in first year Physics at Clarkson. During class time, students will also be able to work in small groups, design their own experiments, and compare their results to theoretical predictions. Students will be able to use their free time to work on experiments as well as meet with the instructor for support. The course is designed to mimic the overall Clarkson experience, providing students with skills that will transfer to their first-year success!

The two main goals of the course are (1) to provide students with reassurance they can be successful in a challenging course and (2) to have students design and carry out their own experiment that is an application of something learned in class.

Students will be able to move in early to the residence hall room that they will live in during their first year. When not in class, students will be able to explore the campus and local community, participate in group activities, and more.

Family Perspective

Learn about all of the summer classes and programs that can help new students get a head start at Clarkson.

Read More Here

Frequently Asked Questions

What courses are being offered and how much do they cost?

Clarkson is offering Springboard courses in Calculus, Business, Physics, Computer Science and Chemistry! Cost and details are available in the course descriptions.

What is the benefit and why should I signup?

Students will be able to move in early to the residence hall room that they will live in during their first year. When not in class, students will be able to explore the campus and local community, participate in group activities, and more.

Who is Springboard geared toward?

Springboard is for incoming freshmen who feel like they need some prep work before the fall semester begins. Clarkson is committed to student success and putting all students on the pathway to becoming successful alumni. Offering Springboard is our way of providing students the opportunity to prepare and come on campus feeling confident.

When do Springboard courses start?

Students will arrive on August 15th and classes begin the following day.

CTA Block