2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Math preparation is an essential part of pre-degree readiness for engineering students and often incoming freshmen struggle retaining these important pre-Calculus concepts for successful completion of Calculus courses and beyond. In 2005 at the University of Z, the Math Bridge program was developed to help refresh Algebra and Trigonometry skills for incoming freshmen STEM students. After the completion of this program, students are given the opportunity to take or retake the Math Preparation Exam (MPE) to potentially start college at a higher math level than they otherwise would. Similar preparatory math programs are used across America and Canada to prepare students in engineering for the heavy math workload the degree requires. Since 2020, the University of Z has allowed test optional enrollment with no restrictions on declaring a major in the College of Engineering and an incoming freshman. In this paper, the authors examine the impact of the program by evaluating the performance related to course success and overall retention of freshmen students after completing the Math Bridge program compared to other students in the College. Of the students who participated in the Math Bridge program from 2020-2025, around 28% were able to move to a higher math class by retaking the MPE, saving tuition cost and time to graduation. The cohort of students who participated in the Math Bridge program were 13% more likely to be retained at the University.