The Bridge Program

The Bridge Program by Rivet School offers recent high school graduates a highly supportive college and career experience. Designed in partnership with Oakland Unified School District and Da Vinci Schools, this program is tailored to help students succeed in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles regions.
application deadline: 01/26/2025

Why choose Bridge?

Supportive Community

Receive in-person guidance from your College Coach and peers during weekly cohort meetings. Los Angeles students meet on Da Vinci’s campus, while San Francisco Bay Area students gather at OakStop’s co-working space. Both locations feature private areas reserved exclusively for Rivet School, providing a focused environment for academic work.

Los Angeles, CA

Oakland, CA

Accelerated Learning

Move as quickly as you can (or slow down when you need to) through our university partner’s project-based curriculum.

Affordable Tuition

Our year-round, all-in tuition is $7,000 – that’s 30% less than local public universities. You can tap into financial aid or our other tuition support programs to cover most of your tuition and graduate with little-to-no debt. Da Vinci continuing seniors will pay no tuition for the entirety of the program and can earn their BA for free.

Career-aligned Opportunities

Gain access to a career coach and participate in career-boosting activities, including a hands-on, paid externship program with Braven.

Transfer-friendly Degrees

99% of students continue working toward their bachelor’s degree with Rivet School after completing their associate degree. You can also transfer from Rivet School’s AA program into a wide range of BA majors—such as psychology, computer science, and marketing—offered through completion programs like SNHU.edu, Colorado State University Global, Arizona State University, and UMass Global.

While we also support students interested in transferring to other institutions, such as CSU campuses or private universities, transferability cannot be guaranteed.

I really enjoy the "at-your-own-pace" nature of the program, which makes even challenging projects manageable. I feel motivated by my coach and cohort to make progress each week.
- Rivet School Bridge Student, Fall 2020

Degree Programs

All academic programs at Rivet School enable you to earn a self-paced, affordable, and career-focused bachelor’s degree. Launch your career in Business Management, Communications, Healthcare Management, and more.

Program Structure

1. Learn more & apply

Visit our website, talk to our admissions team, review the FAQs, and – when you’re ready – start an application.

2. Meet your cohort

Form a supportive community of like-minded peers. They’ll help you earn your degree, and will become part of your network post-graduation.

3. Show up

Join weekly cohort sessions with your College Coach and dedicate 8-10 hours per week to degree projects.

4. Learn & grow

Master projects at your own pace using our project-based curriculum. Rivet School students earn their bachelor’s degree 2 - 3 years faster than peers at traditional universities.

I really enjoy the "at-your-own-pace" nature of the program, which makes even challenging projects manageable. I feel motivated by my coach and cohort to make progress each week.
- Rivet School Bridge Student, Fall 2020

2024/2025 Application Deadlines

Application Opens

October 1st, 2024

Early Application Deadline

January 26th, 2025

Early Acceptance

March 2025

Orientation and Programming Begin

Summer 2025

What Our Riveters Say

I really like how supportive and flexible the Bridge program is. As someone who works part time, I find myself taking advantage of my evenings and days off to work on projects. Everyone gets to move at their own pace and set their own goals. That's the beauty of this program.
- Victor (Bridge Student, Oakland)
Bridge is different from a traditional school experience – it’s more supportive and focused on your growth. I work 1:1 with my coach to find the right balance so I stay motivated and positive.
- Angelica (Bridge Student, Los Angeles)
Rivet School's Bridge Program was the best choice for me—offering the flexibility, affordability, and hands-on learning I was looking for. With a self-paced approach and a coach who genuinely cares about your success, it’s a supportive environment that helps you thrive without the pressure of traditional college.
- Vanessa (Bridge Student, Oakland)
The Bridge program fits anyone who wants a flexible college experience and needs to manage work hours while in school. Because this program is so tightly knit, you have easier access to resources compared to big institutions.
- Justin R. (Bridge Student, Los Angeles)
Students can explore who they are as learners on their own terms. No tests, no grades – our students set their own goals, and it’s our job to support their achievement. Students also learn real-life skills that they can apply to their future careers, so their journey becomes about more than just learning content.
- Shelly (Associate Director of Bridge)
Through our partnership with Da Vinci, Rivet School offers an amazing opportunity to earn your degree through an affordable, flexible, and community-based program. As a college coach, I have seen how our Da Vinci fellows easily transition into a hybrid, project-based college program. It’s such a joy to see all the ways our students grow both academically and socially through the support of their coach and cohortmates.
- Patty (College Coach, Bridge Los Angeles)
Our students meet in person two times a week where we work alongside one another in a focused environment, build community as a group, and learn real-world applicable skills. My role is to help our Bridge Oakland students reach their academic goals.
- Keilyn (College Coach, Bridge Oakland)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What will a typical week look like for a student?

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Are Rivet School’s degree programs accredited?

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Yes. We only partner with regionally accredited, nonprofit universities. (Regional accreditation is the highest form of accreditation, and credits earned through regionally accredited programs are the most likely to transfer.)

What makes Bridge different from Rivet School’s other programs?

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Rivet School was built to primarily serve working adult students and most of our students are between 25 - 35 years old. Bridge is a more structured, cohort-based version of our core program that we built for younger students. This program includes extra support and tailored opportunities for social connection and career exploration.

How does the Bridge application process work?

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Students will work with their college counselor and the Rivet School Admissions team to submit their application. There are 3 sections to the application: General Information, Financial Planning, and Short Answer Questions. The application takes 15-20 mins to complete. There is no GPA requirement, SAT requirement, or personal statement section. Once a student submits, they will receive an email from our Admissions team on the next steps. Students should expect to hear a decision within 2-3 weeks of the application deadline.

What degrees does Rivet School offer?

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Rivet School partners with Southern New Hampshire University, a regionally accredited nonprofit university to offer an AA in General Studies and three BA degrees in Business, Communications, and Healthcare Management

Within each of these degrees, students can choose specific concentrations such as: Logistics & Operations, Public Administration, Management, Global Perspectives, and more. These degrees provide a broad base of generalizable skills that support students to enter into a variety of careers.

Is Rivet School a nonprofit? Why is this important?

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We believe that college programs should be 100% focused on doing what’s best for students. We also recognize the troubling legacy of for-profit higher education in this country.

For these reasons (and others), Rivet School is a non-profit educational program with one mission: To help you earn a job-relevant degree as efficiently as possible.

Who can I reach out to with additional questions?

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For additional questions, please connect directly with Shelly at shelly@rivetschool.org or with our admissions team at bridge@rivetschool.org

JOIN THE BRIDGE PROGRAM

Ready to get started?

Request an application to secure your spot in our next cohort.

Request information

Tell us a bit about yourself so we can help you get started.

WOOHOO! YOU TOOK THE FIRST STEP.

You should receive an email from us containing a link to your application.
If you don't receive an email in the next 10 minutes, or you have questions, email us at admissions@rivetschool.org, or call (or) text us at (510) 727-5484.
We look forward to getting to know you!
- The Rivet School Team
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If you continue to have difficulties, just email us at info@rivetschool.org, or call (or) text us at (510) 369-1255.