Schools like Bridgton typically serve as a one year transitional period between high school and beginning college. Most of them aren't a joke academically like some people tend to believe. Most kids who go to them earn college credits while there. In addition, tuition can be extremely high. Athletes go to them for various reasons, including to gain more college exposure, to develop physically, to raise their academic profile (test scores) to qualify, or even because a school they intend to attend doesn't have an available scholarship.