Bridging the gap: Experience with the Qatar summer college preview program

The transition from high school to college is a challenge for many. The academic, social, and pedagogical expectations among high schools and colleges in different cultures can make this transition even more challenging. How does one bridge the gap from being college eligible to college ready? As part of the answer to this question and to familiarize local high school students with its expectations and majors, Carnegie Mellon University initiated a summer college preview program (SCPP) in Doha, Qatar. This paper discusses our experience with this novel K12 outreach program. We discuss its goals, structure, outcomes, student feedback, and lessons learned.