College Now
College Now is a collaborative program of the City University of New York (CUNY) and the New York City Department of Education. Its primary goals are to improve the academic achievement of high school students and to ensure that graduating students are ready to do college level work. College Now offers tutoring, arts, campus tours, and academic advisement to students at over 200 partner high schools and 17 CUNY campuses.
The City College of New York (CCNY) initiated its College Now program in the Spring of 1999 by offering college preparatory courses to approximately 100 students. In Fall, 2000, the program began to offer college credit courses; it has since served over 6,000 students. The program at The City College of New York offers courses that bridge high school to college, preparation courses at its 30 partner high schools, and free college courses on the CCNY campus to qualified high school students. Courses are generally offered in the following areas: Art, Biology, Economics, English, Math, Philosophy, Psychology, and Sociology.
In order to take a college course, a student must have a minimum cumulative major average of 80 and a standardized test score in English and, where necessary, Math, as reflected below:
- a minimum of 75 on the English Language Arts Regents Examination OR
- a minimum score of 480 on the SAT verbal OR
- a minimum score of 48 on the PSAT verbal AND, for math and engineering,
- an appropriate score on the CUNY Mathematics Skills Assessment Test.
Students who do not meet the test score requirement may take a Preparation for College English course for which they may receive high school credit. This course is designed to prepare participating students for the rigors of college level coursework.
The College Now office at CCNY serves as the program nexus for the individual high school principals, high school guidance counselors, College Now liaisons, students, parents, and the City College faculty and tutors. College Now at CCNY ensures that students are academically challenged by providing rigorous coursework taught by highly regarded and astute faculty.