To Expand Opportunities For College-Bound
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced the availability of funding for college tours to provide low-income students from across the state an opportunity to experience college first-hand and increase their interest in continuing their education beyond high school.
“Under the College Access Challenge Grant program, we are giving low-income high school students and their families the opportunity to explore colleges firsthand,” Cuomo said. “The public and private partnerships we have forged in the last several years with this program have been invaluable in helping New York’s students grow their education beyond high school and getting them actively engaged in the college process. These grants are an important investment in our children, allowing disadvantaged students to visit campuses and realize that a bright academic future is within their reach.”
A visit to a college campus can significantly influence a student’s motivation to continue their education beyond high school. While going on a college tours is a “rite of passage” for many high school students, the expense is often beyond the reach for low-income students and their families.
The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), which administers New York’s College Access Challenge Grant (CACG) program, is dedicating $500,000 in CACG funds to support sub-grants of up to $45,000 for organizations that provide college tours to low-income students.
The tours are to be provided by schools, not-for-profit agencies, and community-based organizations that work directly with at-risk populations and populations that are traditionally underserved.
More than 700 low-income students participated in tours under the $250,000 summer College Tour Initiative offered through organizations such as the Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk, Inc. and the Grand St. Settlement in New York City.
Detailed information about the College Access Challenge Grant Program, including application information for the College Tour Initiative, recipients of CACG subgrant awards and their projects, is available at HESC.ny.gov/CACG.
