IVCC’s Get Set Program prepares students for college success

Illinois Valley Community College’s transition program, Get Set, a college-readiness program, offers critical college skills like taking notes, prepping for tests and managing time and tasks.

According to a news release, more than 70 students have graduated from the program in the four years since it began. Seats still are available for the 2025 class, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 28 to Aug. 1. Information and an application form are available through ivcc.edu/readysetgo/.

Get Set students become familiar with the campus environment, learn how to locate resources and support or interpret textbooks and schedule formats and develop diverse learning strategies, according to the release. Program graduates also use campus technology platforms before most of their peers do.

Tina Hardy, who coordinates the program, said in a news release that building confidence and connection before school starts helps students on day one of classes. They have practiced technology skills, they know who their helpers are, and they know a few strategies for attacking school tasks.

Kara Staley, who graduated from the program in 2023, said in a news release that she absorbed the time-management and test-taking strategies.

“There were guest speakers who presented some of the note-taking apps they used, and now I use them,” she said.

Staley, of Hennepin, said in a news release that the program helped her feel more prepared and provided her with valuable ways to stay organized.

Hardy said time management and organization are not subjects taught in school, so students sometimes need explicit instruction in how to think about their time, how to visualize it and then how to create routines that support using time effectively. That is what Get Set tries to do.

“We know many of the common barriers students might have as they approach college. We try to be proactive and build skills so students do not have to work on all the readiness while they are trying to learn the course content,” Hardy said.

Adults entering or returning to college, as well as students transitioning from high school, can benefit.

“Adult students often have lots of facets of life they are trying to manage, with school being just one component. Some people have not been in school for a while and may not have accounted for how much time and effort learning, or re-learning, can take,” Hardy said.

Beyond technique, students can make connections on campus and with peers. After the course is over, Get Set students are paired with staff mentors for their first semester.

“Connection matters. I have seen how the connections that start in Get Set lead to leadership roles in college, new friendships, and collaborations between staff and students. That connection can be life-changing,” Hardy said.

Get Set is free. In-person attendance is expected. Snacks and some school supplies are provided and students receive a binder filled with resources and access to online content.