Coppin State’s Plan to Boost Its Graduation Rate

Coppin State University, the historically black educational institution in Baltimore, has one of the lowest graduation rates in the nation. The latest four-year average shows that only 19 percent of all incoming freshmen graduate within six years.

But the university is now taking steps to improve its retention and graduation rates. All traditional college students judged to need remedial work will now be required to participate in a six-week bridge program in the summer before they enroll at Coppin State. The Summer Academic Success Academy aims to prepare incoming freshmen for the rigors of a college-level curriculum. About 350 incoming freshmen will participate in the program, which begins next month.