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Overview

What it is

College Now is a free program designed to prepare New York City's public high school students for the next big thing—college.

How it works

In most cases, a New York City public high school teams up with one or more of the 17 City University of New York (CUNY) colleges to create a College Now partnership. The program then offers eligible students a number of ways to improve their high school performance and get a jumpstart on college.

College Now offers many activities and opportunities,

  • academic courses
  • campus-based tours and cultural events, such as theater or dance performances, and even
  • exclusive scholarship offers

For more details on how the program works, see our FAQ page.

Why it works

College is not just a continuation of high school. It pays to know what's ahead. By taking part in College Now you'll get acquainted with the demands of college life and work before you get there. And research shows that this preparation does help: students who participated in College Now tend to do better than their counterparts once they're in college!

Who's running the show?

College Now is a joint project of the City University of New York (CUNY)/Office of Academic Affairs and the New York City Department of Education. Each CUNY college administers its own College Now program; the College Now Central Office provides administrative, programming, and professional development assistance to all College Now programs throughout the University.

The City University of New York has a long and illustrious history of educating generations of New Yorkers. Founded in 1847, it is the nation's largest public urban university system, with campuses located in all five boroughs. CUNY's nationally recognized academic programs can boast of award-winning faculty and alumni in every field from art to zoology.

There's a good chance that some of your high school teachers, counselors, and administrators are already working with CUNY faculty and staff in a College Now partnership. Ultimately, you complete the College Now picture.