CUNY Language Immersion Program CLIP Diana Berkowitz, Director

CLIP is for entering freshmen who have already been admitted to any CUNY college and who need to raise their academic English language proficiency before attending college. CLIP is also for students who have not been successful in their college ESL courses. The goal is to get students at least to the level of Basic Skills courses so that they can begin to take some College courses (with no or few prerequisites). CLIP score ranges: CAT-W ACT

ESL students can study English full time (25 hours a week) up to one year (or 900 hours) before enrolling in formal college courses. Students may not take additional college courses while they are attending CLIP. Through a sustained content-based approach, students learn academic English +: Reading Writing Listening Speech Study skills Note-taking skills Research skills Computer skills Test-taking skills Critical thinking skills College knowledge

Extra Benefits: Students do not use up their Financial Aid. CLIP is low-cost—just minimal tuition fees. Automatic entry or re-entry into college. Students re-take Freshmen Skills Placement Tests in Reading and Writing upon completion of CLIP.

Outcomes: 96% of our students who complete CLIP return to College, with the overwhelming majority of this number returning to QCC. Most place into BE 205 and 225, but a good number also place into 226. A small percentage also place out of remediation altogether. After enrolling in College classes, CLIP students tend to have better performance in gateway courses, higher retention rates, higher GPA’s and attempted number of credits than comparable ESL students who have not had the opportunity to study in the program.

CUNY Start Diana Berkowitz, Director

CUNY Start is for entering freshmen who are native speakers of English have already been admitted to QCC need to increase their proficiency in academic reading, writing and math before starting credit classes. The goal is to reduce the time students need to spend in college remedial classes to just one semester. CUNY Start score ranges: CAT-W ACT Low 30’s and below M2

CUNY Start Pedagogical Approach: Heavy use of scaffolding and de-scaffolding Very student-centered, discovery approach Students are made responsible for their own learning Advisement component and team approach Seminar

Extra Benefits: Students do not use up their Financial Aid. CUNY Start is low-cost—just minimal tuition fees. Automatic entry or re-entry into college. Students re-take Freshmen Skills Placement Tests in Reading, Writing and Math upon completion of CUNY Start (two Phases).

Outcomes: Data through Fall 2013 Pass Rates After One Semester of Remediation CUNY StartComparison Group Reading: 60%34% Writing55%17% Math69%13% CUNY Start students have higher retention rates, they attempt and earn a greater number of credits and have only a slightly lower GPA than the comparison group.