The dual enrollment programs offered by the City University of New York (CUNY) have proven to be the best college readiness resource for underserved students in New York City.
CUNY’s College Now program provides free dual enrollment for public high school students between the eleventh and twelfth grades, allowing them to take college-level courses for credit at any CUNY school and other colleges. By eliminating financial barriers, the program has contributed to higher college enrollment, improved grades, and increased graduation rates. In the 2023-2024 academic year, 28,268 students participated in College Now.
The College Now program partners with 535 public high schools across the city. On average, participating seniors graduate high school with 4.9 college credits, with 89% of students earning a passing grade. Those who pass these courses receive either general education or major-specific credits, helping them progress toward college graduation and eliminating the need to retake equivalent courses.
Through the College Now program, students can earn up to 15 credits—equivalent to five college courses—before graduating high school. As a result, high school seniors who enroll in a CUNY college will be considered Upper Freshmen. However, for these credits to count toward a degree at non-CUNY institutions, students need approval from the respective college. While priority is given to students from high schools partnered with CUNY, others may apply directly by contacting a College Now campus program. High school students enrolled in early college programs are only eligible for College Now courses offered during the summer.
College Now courses are available in many formats, including in-person at public high schools or colleges and online. Schedules are designed to avoid conflicts with student’s regular school hours. Courses are offered during both the school year and summer term. During the school year, classes meet once or twice a week, while summer sessions include half-day or full-day programs running Monday through Thursday.
The Bard High School Early College white paper states that “earning college credits will motivate and effectively serve disadvantaged and academically at-risk students, thereby increasing their interest in, access to and success in postsecondary education.”
Two students from the past year’s cohort shared their experiences with The Knight News. Nicole Luna, a freshman at Queens College, said, ‘‘College Now was a great experience for me. I slowly got a bit of college experience taking two college courses during my senior year. I feel like I really learned from them and what college courses would be like. It was a great and eye-opening learning experience.”
Aroobia Shafi, a freshman at Lehman College, said, “My experience taking early college classes was great even though it meant staying till 5 or 6 after school but it was definitely worth it. In the beginning, I would feel exhausted, but I later learned how helpful this was. I gained free college credits, which I didn’t even have to pay for, and later these credits were transferred to my college. Some of the classes I took were pre requisites so I am glad I fulfilled it way before joining CUNY officially.’’
Last year, CUNY partnered with ACS to offer justice-involved youth the opportunity to enroll in College Now courses at no cost. Approved by the CUNY Board of Trustees, the partnership establishes a three-year contract through the fiscal year 2027. This eliminates the financial burden of tuition, estimated at around $114,000 for students. The Board of Trustees agenda highlights that this initiative ‘‘strengthens CUNY’s commitment to underserved students by providing structured academic pathways.’’
CUNY remains committed to expanding access to higher education for underserved students in the city through programs like College Now.
