INSIDE A RESOURCE GUIDE - ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE, COMPONENTS, AND MANAGEMENT - The City University ...

Page created by Hugh Gonzales
 
CONTINUE READING
INSIDE A RESOURCE GUIDE - ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE, COMPONENTS, AND MANAGEMENT - The City University ...
INSIDE
A RESOURCE GUIDE
ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE,
COMPONENTS, AND
MANAGEMENT
FALL 2020
INSIDE A RESOURCE GUIDE - ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE, COMPONENTS, AND MANAGEMENT - The City University ...
The City University of New York
Office of Academic Affairs
November 2020

Original Guide prepared in 2015 by Daniela Boykin and Amy Prince
with support from Complete College America.
Design by: Carrie Chatterson Studio
Photography by: Shannon Taggart

Copyright© 2020 by Office of Academic Affairs,
The City University of New York.
All rights reserved.

ASAP® is a registered trademark of The City University of New York.
INSIDE A RESOURCE GUIDE - ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE, COMPONENTS, AND MANAGEMENT - The City University ...
INSIDE
A RESOURCE GUIDE
ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE,
COMPONENTS, AND
MANAGEMENT
FALL 2020
INSIDE A RESOURCE GUIDE - ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE, COMPONENTS, AND MANAGEMENT - The City University ...
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
     Thank you to Complete College America for their support in developing this resource guide in 2015. Thanks
     also to the following individuals in the City University of New York (CUNY) Office of Academic Affairs (OAA)
     who helped draft the original guide: Daniela Boykin, Kara Heffernan, Zineta Kolenovic, Donna Linderman,
     Amy Prince, Diana Strumbos, and Daniel Voloch. The revision of the guide in 2020 was possible because of
     the efforts of the following members of CUNY OAA: Christine Brongniart, Clara Chen, Mary Hiebert, Zineta
     Kolenovic, Lesley Leppert, Donna Linderman, Francis Mosquito, Amy Prince, Shaun Rasmussen, Richard
     Suarez, Diana Strumbos, Alex Tavares, Theresa Williams, and Ryan Yeung.

     Special thanks to the dedicated CUNY ASAP directors, advisors, career specialists, and other program staff
     at all of CUNY ASAP’s partner colleges: Borough of Manhattan Community College, Bronx Community
     College, College of Staten Island, Hostos Community College, Kingsborough Community College, LaGuardia
     Community College, Medgar Evers College, New York City College of Technology, and Queensborough
     Community College. They are responsible for making ASAP such a success year in and year out.

     We are especially grateful to our ASAP students and graduates, who are the heart of this program, and whose
     voices make this guide come alive.

     FROM THE MAYOR’S OFFICE FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
     (NYC OPPORTUNITY)
     When NYC Opportunity (formerly the New York City Center for Economic Opportunity) first invested in CUNY
     ASAP in 2007, it was funding a program that had a sound and comprehensive model, strong University and
     campus leadership, and a data-driven approach. These were qualities that NYC Opportunity believed would
     make ASAP successful and help more low-income New Yorkers earn a valuable college degree and improve
     their future economic prospects. ASAP is one of New York City’s most successful programs to date — with its
     impressive graduation rates, broad expansion at CUNY, and impact on the local and national dialogue on
     improving college completion rates.

     As ASAP’s national visibility has grown, NYC Opportunity has been delighted to see widespread interest in the
     program from colleges across the country. This resource guide was developed by CUNY with them in mind.
     The CUNY team has distilled the core components of the ASAP model, and provided comprehensive guidance
     for colleges and others interested in learning more about ASAP’s fundamental framework.

     Everyone at NYC Opportunity hopes that you find the guide useful, and for those colleges that are considering
     an ASAP replication, we hope that your program becomes as wildly successful as CUNY ASAP has proven to be.

ii                                                                                                        INSIDE ASAP
INSIDE A RESOURCE GUIDE - ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE, COMPONENTS, AND MANAGEMENT - The City University ...
PREFACE
In 2007, the City University of New York (CUNY) set out to rethink how we could dramatically improve our community
college graduation rates. With a pilot of 1,132 students across all of CUNY’s (then) six community colleges, Accelerated
Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) was born. It was an ambitious undertaking that set out to demonstrate that
with the right mix of supports and resources, our students could earn their associate degrees in a timely manner.
The program set a goal of graduating 50% of its participants within three years — twice the rate at which similar
CUNY community college students were graduating at that time. ASAP has not only met, but consistently exceeded
that ambitious goal. Across ten cohorts, ASAP has an average three-year graduation rate of 53% vs. 25% for a
historically matched comparison group. Additionally, analysis of the first five cohorts shows that all subgroups of
students benefit from the program, and that ASAP narrows existing graduation gaps for black and Hispanic males
(Strumbos & Kolenovic, 2016).

Based on these types of dramatic program impacts, documented through rigorous evaluation, ASAP has been
expanded to serve additional students both in and out of CUNY. Thanks to generous support from the City and
State of New York, ASAP has scaled to now serve 25,000 students per academic year across nine CUNY partner
colleges. ASAP has been adapted to the baccalaureate space at two CUNY senior colleges as Accelerate, Complete
and Engage (ACE). The ASAP model has also been replicated in five states to date: Ohio, California, New York State
(Westchester County), Tennessee, and West Virginia. Most recently, affirming the program as a national model,
Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation
selected ASAP as the 2020 recipient of its Innovations in American Government Award.

The program’s success is the result of many dedicated and talented individuals. First, tremendous thanks to our
college leadership, who have made ASAP a priority at their institutions. We also thank the dedicated college
program staff and CUNY Office of Academic Affairs ASAP team who have been unwavering in their commitment
to implementing a top-quality program. We are also grateful to our funders, specifically the City of New York,
through the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity), the State of New York, as well as ASAP’s
early philanthropic funders, including Robin Hood, the Helmsley Charitable Trust, and the Stella and Charles
Guttman Foundation. Finally, we want to recognize the most important members of the ASAP family: our talented
and tenacious students. It is a privilege to support them in their educational journeys and to see them succeed
in such impressive ways. CUNY is a better place because of each and every one of them.

We are pleased to share this resource guide with policy makers, higher education practitioners, and other
interested constituents across the country. It is our sincere hope that this guide provides organizational and
operational program detail and lessons learned from ASAP to inform your own efforts to improve the completion
rates of your students.

José Luis Cruz
Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost
City University of New York

INSIDE ASAP                                                                                                                iii
INSIDE A RESOURCE GUIDE - ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE, COMPONENTS, AND MANAGEMENT - The City University ...
TABLE OF CONTENTS

About this Resource Guide................................... 1

ASAP Beginnings and the
Theory Behind the Action.................................... 3

Chapter 1: Program Structure............................. 6

     Enrollment Targets and Eligibility.................. 7
     Financial Resources...................................... 9
     ASAP College Staffing................................. 10
     College Integration...................................... 11
     ASAP Central Office/College Partnership..... 12
     Program Costs............................................ 14

Chapter 2: Program Components
and Implementation.......................................... 16

     Provide Structured Pathways to
     Support Academic Momentum................... 17
     Recruit and Engage Students Early.............. 19
     Provide Comprehensive and
     Personalized Advisement............................ 23
     Connect to Timely and
     Relevant Supports...................................... 26

Chapter 3: Evaluation and Data Use for Program
Management and Continuous Improvement...... 30

     ASAP Evaluation and
     Program Management................................ 31
     Student Benchmarks.................................. 31
      Data Collection and Management............... 31
      Internal Evaluation/
      Quasi-Experimental Analysis....................... 32
     External Evaluation..................................... 33

Interested in Replicating CUNY ASAP?............. 34

References........................................................ 41
INSIDE A RESOURCE GUIDE - ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE, COMPONENTS, AND MANAGEMENT - The City University ...
ABOUT THIS RESOURCE GUIDE
The City University of New York (CUNY) Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) has informed the
national discussion on how to improve community college outcomes by consistently demonstrating three-year
graduation rates that are more than double those of similar students. The program has been rigorously evaluated
by internal and external researchers, and increasingly hailed as a model of evidence-based practice. This success
has led community colleges across the country to replicate the program, and has led higher education leaders
and faculty, policy makers, and public and private funders to express interest in learning more about ASAP.

This resource guide was developed with these audiences in mind, to provide an overview of the ASAP model
and structure. Chapters are organized into three main areas: program structure, program components and
implementation, and evaluation and program management. The guide concludes with a section for those
interested in learning more about ASAP replication efforts. This section describes the assistance that the CUNY
ASAP team provides to partner colleges committed to increasing graduation rates by replicating the ASAP model
with a high level of fidelity. This section also details the successful outcomes from the earliest replication efforts
in Ohio, maps the growth of the CUNY ASAP National Replication Collaborative, and articulates important
considerations for building the foundations of a successful replication.

INSIDE ASAP                                                                                                              1
INSIDE A RESOURCE GUIDE - ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE, COMPONENTS, AND MANAGEMENT - The City University ...
INSIDE A RESOURCE GUIDE - ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE, COMPONENTS, AND MANAGEMENT - The City University ...
ASAP BEGINNINGS AND THE
THEORY BEHIND THE ACTION
Community college enrollments have                                                                             comprehensive program to support students
                                                                                                               from the moment they apply through graduation.
increased dramatically in recent decades;                                                                      Key program components include:
44% of undergraduates in the 2017-
                                                                                                               • Required full-time study (at least 12 credits
2018 academic year were enrolled at                                                                                per semester) in select majors;3
community colleges (Community College
                                                                                                               • An individualized schedule so that students can
Research Center, 2020). Despite their
                                                                                                                   meet their family, work, and other responsibilities;
increasing popularity, community colleges
                                                                                                               • Opportunities for students to register for blocked
continue to struggle with retention,
                                                                                                                   courses, or courses with fellow ASAP students;
persistence, and degree completion.
As policy makers, public and private                                                                           • Full-time ASAP staff dedicated to comprehensive,
                                                                                                                   personalized advisement and career development
funders, researchers, and the general                                                                              services;
public shift their focus from access
                                                                                                               • Financial resources including an ASAP tuition
to graduation, community colleges                                                                                  and fee gap scholarship, textbook assistance,
must develop new ways of supporting                                                                                MetroCards (to cover transportation costs), and
students through degree completion.                                                                                tuition for winter and summer course-taking; and

                                                                                                               • Special programs for ASAP students, including
                                                                                                                   tutoring, targeted workshops, and leadership
ASAP Beginnings
                                                                                                                   opportunities.
In 2007, with the support of NYC Opportunity
(formerly the New York City Center for Economic                                                                When the first cohort demonstrated a 30% two-year
Opportunity), the City University of New York (CUNY)                                                           graduation rate, versus 12% for a comparison
launched Accelerated Study in Associate Programs                                                               group, ASAP broadened its eligibility criteria to
(ASAP) in order to significantly increase the timely                                                           include students with some developmental needs.4
completion rates of community college students.                                                                In 2011, after four years of consistently strong
The program committed itself to more than doubling                                                             graduation rates for students with and without
the three-year graduation rate of similar students at                                                          developmental needs, the New York City Office of
CUNY’s six community colleges.1 In 2007, only 24% of                                                           the Mayor made ASAP funding a permanent CUNY
fully skills-proficient and 13% of all CUNY community                                                          allocation and former CUNY Chancellor Matthew
college students graduated within three years. ASAP                                                            Goldstein announced a three-year expansion plan.
pledged to realize a graduation rate of at least 50%                                                           As of fall 2019, ASAP has enrolled 25,000 students
within the same time period.                                                                                   per academic year, representing almost 32% of all
                                                                                                               first-time, full-time degree-seeking community
ASAP began with 1,132 fully skills-proficient                                                                  college students. The majority of students in
students.2 To help students move quickly towards                                                               ASAP (on average 80%) have some developmental
degree completion, the CUNY Office of Academic                                                                 support needs.
Affairs and partner colleges developed a

1
    ASAP began at Borough of Manhattan, Bronx, Hostos, Kingsborough, LaGuardia, and Queensborough Community Colleges.
2
    Twenty-eight percent of fall 2007 ASAP students had some developmental needs when recruited; these needs were addressed during the summer prior to fall enrollment.
3
    ASAP supports most majors.
4
    ASAP now accepts students with up to two developmental support needs.

INSIDE ASAP                                                                                                                                                               3
INSIDE A RESOURCE GUIDE - ON PROGRAM STRUCTURE, COMPONENTS, AND MANAGEMENT - The City University ...
CUNY evaluation of ASAP demonstrates an average                     1. Academic Momentum
          cross-cohort three-year graduation rate of 53.4%                    Numerous researchers have identified academic
          vs. 24.6% for similar cross-cohort comparison                       momentum and credit accumulation during a
          group students. As ASAP has expanded to serve                       student’s first year in college as key predictors of
          a larger percentage of CUNY students, the program                   degree attainment (Adelman, 1999, 2006; Attewell,
          has contributed to an overall increase in the CUNY                  Heil, & Reisel, 2011; Calcagno, Crosta, Bailey, &
          three-year associate system graduation rate from                    Jenkins, 2007; Goldrick-Rab, 2007; Swanson,
          12% for the fall 2007 cohort to 24.2% for the fall                  2008). ASAP works to ensure academic momentum
          2016 cohort. By 2022, ASAP expansion is projected                   in the following ways:
          to help increase the CUNY three-year associate
          system graduation rate to 36%.                                      • Full-time study in approved majors;

          Rigorous external evaluation has also validated the                 • Individualized course schedules to help students
          impact of the program and its cost effectiveness.                     manage competing demands;
          In the final report of a five-year experimental design
          study, MDRC noted ASAP’s effects as “the largest                    • Immediate and continuous enrollment in any
          MDRC has found in any of its evaluations of                           required developmental supports;
          community college reforms” (Scrivener, Weiss,
                                                                              • Winter and summer course-taking opportunities;
          Ratledge, Rudd, Sommo, & Fresques, 2015, p. ES-11).
          Education economists Henry Levin and Emma Garcia                    • Required advisement, career development
          (2012, 2013) found that ASAP demonstrates                             services, and, if needed, tutoring; and
          significant cost effectiveness as well as cost
          benefits to participating students and taxpayers.5                  • Removal of key financial obstacles, such as
                                                                                textbook, transportation, and tuition costs, which
                                                                                can become stumbling blocks to degree
                                                                                momentum.
Graduating ASAP students report that the program
benefits most important to their success were the                             2. Integration and Belonging

financial resources and the services provided by their                        ASAP’s cohort model and intensive supports are
                                                                              built, in part, on Vincent Tinto’s theory of integration
ASAP advisors. Ninety-five percent of students responding                     and student persistence (Tinto, 1994; and Tinto
to a program survey indicated that it would have been                         & Pusser, 2006). Tinto argues that a student’s sense
difficult to graduate within three years without the                          of connection to a college is critical to ensuring
                                                                              continuous enrollment and degree attainment.
support of ASAP.
                                                                              On commuter campuses, it can be very difficult
– ASAP Student Exit Survey, Spring 2019                                       for students to create relationships with their peers,
                                                                              faculty, and staff. It is especially important to
                                                                              develop a sense of connection early in a student’s
                                                                              college career. As Bloom and Sommo (2005)
          ASAP Theory of Action                                               explain in their analysis of the impacts of learning
          As cited by Kolenovic, Linderman, and Karp (2013),                  communities, “…many experts believe that students’
          ASAP’s core components rest on three interrelated                   academic and social experiences during their first
          beliefs: 1) the importance of academic momentum;                    semester of college often determine whether they
          2) the essential need for students to feel integrated               will persist in school over the long term. According
          into college life and culture; and 3) the value of                  to this theory, students who develop strong initial
          timely and relevant support (p. 274). Coupled with                  connections — with other students, with faculty and
          the importance of regular and sophisticated data                    staff, and with the material they are studying — are
          analysis for program evaluation and management,                     far more likely to continue and succeed” (p. 45).
          the ASAP theory of action allows for student-cen-
          tered continuous improvement.

          5
              ASAP evaluation reports are available at : www.cuny.edu/ASAP.

4                                                                                                                           INSIDE ASAP
ASAP develops an intentional community of support        Program Structure and Use of
and promotes students’ sense of belonging in the
                                                         Data for Continuous Evaluation
following ways:
                                                         and Improvement
• Early engagement strategies including                  Hallmarks of ASAP include a well-defined program
  advisement meetings, workshops, and an                 structure and rigorous evaluation. Since inception,
  ASAP Institute for incoming students;                  ASAP has employed specific enrollment targets,
                                                         clearly defined program policies and priorities,
• Blocked courses the first year, whereby
                                                         minimum thresholds for academic benchmarks,
  students enroll in courses with fellow ASAP
                                                         and strategies to ensure ASAP integration at the
  students;
                                                         campus level.
• Study groups and tutoring (required for students
                                                         Priorities and policies are established by the ASAP
  in developmental or corequisite supports);
                                                         Central Office and re-visited each year with feedback
• Comprehensive and personalized advisement; and         from partner colleges to support program efficacy.
                                                         The use of both qualitative and quantitative data
• Special opportunities, such as the ASAP Peer           tools, such as ASAP’s live and interactive web-based
  Mentor and Ambassador programs, which allow            database, enables staff to monitor benchmarks in
  ASAP students to develop presentation and              real time, keep close track of outcomes and
  leadership skills.                                     program quality, and make data-driven adjustments
                                                         to polices and services.
3. Timely and Relevant Support Services
                                                         ASAP’s commitment to continuous improvement
As cited by Karp (2011), access to timely and relevant
                                                         is supported by regular communication between
support services is a crucial component of college
                                                         the ASAP Central Office and partner colleges,
success, especially for “academically vulnerable”
                                                         including meetings and information sharing, as
students (p.1). ASAP’s model is based on the belief
                                                         well as professional development opportunities.
that making student support services proactive,
ongoing, and multi-faceted helps to create a
coherent college experience that leads to stronger
student outcomes.

ASAP provides comprehensive and streamlined
supports including:

• A dedicated adviser who guides students from
  acceptance through graduation;

• A career specialist (CS) who provides individual
  employment expertise, a wide range of group
  career readiness services, and connections to
  industry-related events;

• Optional tutoring for all students and required
  tutoring for students identified as struggling or
  with developmental support needs; and

• Facilitated access to other campus services.

INSIDE ASAP                                                                                                      5
CHAPTER 1

PROGRAM
STRUCTURE
“ If I weren’t an ASAP student, I don’t know where I’d be. I was able to get to school, work, home, and more
  with my MetroCard. I didn’t have to worry about books, and I had an academic advisor that I call my friend
  now that I have graduated.”
– Trevor Pascal, Kingsborough Community College, class of 2019

          Enrollment Targets and Eligibility
          ASAP’s initial enrollment of 1,132 students in 2007 was intended to be large enough to demonstrate impact across
          all six of CUNY’s existing community colleges. As a result of the program’s success, in 2011 ASAP committed to an
          aggressive three-year growth model, which would increase the number of students served to 4,000 by fall 2014.
          Thanks to generous support from the City of New York, ASAP underwent a second major expansion from 2015-2019.
          The goal of this expansion was to serve 25,000 associate-degree students at nine CUNY colleges by the 2018-19
          academic year. In addition, as part of this expansion, ASAP began to serve more Science, Technology, Engineering,
          and Mathematics (STEM) majors, and embarked on a campus-wide expansion at Bronx Community College to
          serve most incoming first-time, full-time freshmen.

                                                                                                                                                               25,623
                                                                                                                                                  25,477
                        ASAP Enrollment by Academic Year                                                                                21,514
                        AY 2007-2008 to AY 2019-2020
                                                                                                                               15,473

                                                                                                                          16
                                                                                                                       8,0
                                                                                                                  52
                                                                                         04            05    4 ,3
                              32                   85          50           86    2, 2          3, 2
                        1,1          909     1,1        1, 2         1, 2

                        2007/08    2008/09   2009/10    2010/11     2011/12      2012/13      2013/14       2014/15    2015/16     2016/17   2017/18 2018/19      2019/20
                                                                                                                                                                  (Premlim)

          Each year, ASAP sets specific recruitment targets and each partner college commits to admitting students who
          meet the criteria described below. ASAP consistently monitors enrollment targets, attrition, and graduation of
          continuing students and publicly reports on enrollments throughout the year. ASAP budget allocations are tied
          to meeting annual enrollment targets.

          ASAP Eligibility Criteria 2020–21. Students must:
          • Have applied and been accepted to a CUNY college that offers ASAP.

          • Be eligible for New York City resident tuition (at the community colleges) or New York State resident tuition
            (at all other colleges).

          • Agree to enroll in a full-time associate degree program in an ASAP-approved major.

          • Be proficient in math and/or English OR require no more than two developmental supports.
            — Students with deep developmental need are encouraged to join CUNY Start or Math Start, pre-matriculation
              programs which help students eliminate or reduce developmental course needs. CUNY Start and Math Start
              provide a pathway into ASAP, and the programs partner to ensure that eligible students transition smoothly.

          • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the New York State Tuition Assistance
            Program (TAP) application.
            — Students under the New York State Dream Act may be eligible to receive aid from New York State.

          • If a continuing or transfer student, have no more than 15 college credits at the point of application and entry,
            and a minimum GPA of 2.0.

          INSIDE ASAP                                                                                                                                                         7
Profile of ASAP Students: Fall 2007 to Fall 2019 Cohorts1

        Total Enrollment2                                                                          N                                          59,120

        Gender

        Male                                                                                       %                                             43.1

        Female                                                                                     %                                             56.9

        Ethnicity

        American Indian/Native Alaskan                                                             %                                              0.4

        Asian/Pacific Islander                                                                     %                                             12.2

        Black                                                                                      %                                             32.6

        Hispanic                                                                                   %                                             44.1

        White                                                                                      %                                             10.7

        Age Group

        18 or younger                                                                              %                                             47.3

        19                                                                                         %                                             16.0

        20 to 22                                                                                   %                                             18.2

        23 to 29                                                                                   %                                             11.8

        30 or older                                                                                %                                              6.7

        Mean Age                                                                               Mean                                              20.6

        Admission Type

        First-time Freshman                                                                        %                                             66.8

        Transfer Students                                                                          %                                              8.3

        Continuing Students                                                                        %                                             24.9

        Developmental Students 3

        Initial Remedial Need4                                                                     %                                             74.2

        At Time of Entry into ASAP                                                                 %                                             42.3

        College Admissions Average5                                                            mean                                              75.1

        GED Recipients                                                                             %                                              6.2

        Pell or TAP Receipt6                                                                       %                                             86.4
    1
      	Includes ASAP students admitted in fall 2007 through fall 2019. Medgar Evers College joined in fall 2014 and NYC College of Technology and College of Staten Island joined in fall 2015.
    2
        Data for the fall 2019 cohort not yet reflected in the profile. Also, excludes a small percentage of students from other cohorts whose data were not available.
    3
        Students who required developmental coursework. Developmental need data comes from CUNY’s Administrative Data Warehouse. Includes students from cohort 1 who were required
        to address all developmental needs prior to entering ASAP. Data for cohorts 11 and 12 are not yet available and therefore excluded from the average.
    4
        Initial remediation need is based on first CUNY Skills Assessment test taken and/or test exemption.
    5
        Data is not available for all students; Data is missing for most transfer students and students who applied as direct admits to the college.
    6
        Students who received either a Federal Pell Grant and/or a New York State Tuition Assistance Program Grant. Based on a preliminary data source.

8                                                                                                                                                                                                  INSIDE ASAP
“ Our students come to us determined to succeed and create better opportunities for their futures and families.
  Despite access to financial aid, they still face financial challenges that can derail their dream of a college education.
  The financial supports that ASAP provides bridge the financial gap, eliminate the need to add a job, and provide
  the freedom to focus on learning.”
– Carey A. Manifold, Ed.D., Director, ASAP, Kingsborough Community College

          Financial Resources
          Research has shown that part-time enrollment and excessive work hours significantly increase the risk that
          students will drop out before completing a degree. Community college students from families with the lowest
          incomes have thousands of dollars in unmet need each year, when considering the full cost of college attendance
          (Orozco & Cauthen, 2009; Nichols, Anthony, & Schak, 2019). According to the Community College Research
          Center (2020), approximately 80% of community college students work, and over 60% enroll in college part time.

          ASAP provides a number of financial supports to help ensure that students are able to enroll full time each semester
          and devote sufficient time to their studies.

          Tuition and Fee Gap Scholarship
          ASAP students who receive need-based financial aid, and have a gap between their award amount and tuition and
          fees, have the remaining balance covered. Because the majority of ASAP students are eligible for a federal
          Pell grant, most students receive enough federal and state aid to cover their tuition and fees.

          Textbook Assistance
          Students receive an average of $600 in textbook assistance every year. ASAP works with each
          campus bookstore to set up an account that allows students to purchase books and materials
          for required courses while they are enrolled in the program. To keep textbook costs down,
          ASAP encourages students to rent or purchase used books when available. Students
          can also return books at the end of each semester and use any buy-back credits
          toward future textbook needs.

          MetroCards
          ASAP students are eligible to receive an unlimited Metropolitan Transit Authority
          (MTA) MetroCard that can be used for all of their public transportation needs.
          In the initial years of ASAP, students received a monthly MetroCard; now, ASAP
          students receive a semester-based MetroCard. According to student surveys, of
          all the benefits and services that ASAP provides, the MetroCard is one of the most
          important. To receive a MetroCard, students must meet all program requirements,
          including attending regular advisement sessions.

          Summer/Winter Tuition
          Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in winter and summer sessions in order
          to retake failed courses, complete remaining developmental supports, or accelerate
          credit accumulation. ASAP funds winter and summer course-taking for eligible students
          whose financial aid does not cover the cost of enrollment. ASAP winter and summer
          course-taking is consistently high. In recent years, approximately 45% of ASAP students
          attempted at least one intersession course during their first two years in the program.

          INSIDE ASAP                                                                                                            9
“ Having the CUNY ASAP family behind me, guiding me to where I can go next, means the world to me.”
– Lorie Agosto, Bronx Community College, class of 2019

          ASAP College Staffing                                      ASAP Career Specialists

          ASAP requires a fully dedicated college staff to           The career specialist is the main point of contact
          deliver its high-touch support and comprehensive           and provides expertise at each ASAP partner
          programming. ASAP college staff are employees              college for career-related content. Led by the career
          of their respective colleges and typically work            specialist and using an integrated approach, ASAP
          under the Vice President for Academic Affairs.7            staff offer career-related materials and activities to
                                                                     help students learn how their chosen major aligns
          Each ASAP college team includes, at a minimum,             with career and professional goals. Throughout the
          a director, enough advisors to support a caseload of       program, students have opportunities to develop
          up to 150 students per advisor, a career specialist,       career skills that align with current National
          as well as data and administrative support. Key ASAP       Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
          college staff positions are described below.               core competencies, in an effort to ensure that they
                                                                     graduate with skills and abilities that employers
          ASAP Directors                                             are looking for.
          ASAP directors are responsible for implementing
          the program at their college. Directors manage             Additional ASAP Staff Positions
          effective delivery of all ASAP services, use data          As ASAP expanded to serve 25,000 students across
          to evaluate the program, cultivate and maintain            nine CUNY campuses, new staff positions were created
          relationships with all college units, ensure               to ensure that the program could continue to provide
          enrollment of new ASAP students, and communicate           individualized support to increasing numbers of
          program priorities to ASAP staff. Directors also           students. When ASAP partner college programs grew
          work closely with college leadership and the               to over 700 students each, associate directors were
          ASAP Central Office to maintain program quality.           hired to supervise the work of the ASAP advisement
                                                                     team, oversee recruitment, coordinate retention and
          ASAP Advisors                                              engagement initiatives, and assist the director in
          The close relationship between ASAP advisors               key administrative areas such as reporting and
          and their students is the heart and soul of ASAP.          collaboration with other college units. Other full-time
          Students work with the same advisor from entry             positions added at ASAP partner colleges include:
          through graduation, with many students remaining           recruitment specialists, who collaborate with the
          in touch with their advisors after they leave the          admissions office, promote ASAP in the local
          program. Each advisor works with a caseload of up          community, and guide students through the enrollment
          to 150 students. Advisors review student progress,         process; financial aid specialists, who liaise with
          track student use of academic support services,            the financial aid office, help students complete aid
          conduct outreach to faculty and other college staff,       applications, and support the administration of the
          refer students to campus resources, and support            ASAP tuition and fee gap scholarship; and engagement
          the recruitment of new students. While ASAP                specialists, who host student events, lead special
          advisors are not expected to be trained counselors         initiatives, or provide additional support to vulnerable
          or social workers, they must have the background           student populations.
          and skills necessary to build rapport and trust with
          students. This bond ensures that students feel
          comfortable discussing both academic and personal
          challenges. ASAP actively recruits candidates
          with strong youth development, advisement,
          and school counseling experience.
                                                                 7
                                                                     For more information on ASAP staff and careers with ASAP, visit www.cuny.edu/asap.

10                                                                                                                                              INSIDE ASAP
“ When I came to college, I felt completely lost. I was not ready at all. I believe if I were not an ASAP student,
  my grades would have severely reflected my hardships. If it weren’t for ASAP, I wouldn’t have had the immense
  support to study something that is my passion and things that interest me.”
– Gina Rodriguez, Bronx Community College, class of 2017

“ While ASAP has its own unique identity and model on campus, we work in concert with our campus partners to
  provide students with the best possible support and learning environment. The success of our students, as well as
  ASAP, cannot be achieved in isolation — it takes an entire campus, a coordinated system, and true collaborative spirit.”
– Ivan-Scott Lee, Ed.D., Director, ASAP, College of Staten Island

          College Integration
          ASAP relies on the strong support of college leadership, specifically presidents and chief academic officers, to
          ensure successful integration at the campus level. Critical decisions and support include: selection of a highly
          capable ASAP director and hiring of fully dedicated staff; identification of appropriate work space for program
          success, taking into account the highly personalized and intensive nature of ASAP services; and facilitating
          collaboration between ASAP, academic departments and other key college units.

          Working with Academic Departments
          Although ASAP is not directly involved with curriculum or instruction, academic departments
          are essential partners in ASAP student success. ASAP directors work closely with academic
          departments to:

          • Reserve sections for first-year ASAP blocked courses, so that ASAP students can
             take courses together;

          • Identify faculty for ASAP blocked courses; and

          • Ensure there are faculty feedback mechanisms and strategies for engaging with
             faculty to support student success.

          Effective faculty feedback loops provide ASAP staff with early indicators of students’
          class attendance, participation, and performance — all of which inform academic
          and career advisement. The timeliness of faculty feedback is crucial, so that ASAP
          advisors are aware of students’ challenges as early as possible and can support them
          accordingly. Each ASAP director develops a system to make it easy for faculty
          teaching blocked courses to provide regular feedback on student performance.
          This system may include online, email, phone, and in-person options to ensure that
          faculty have multiple ways to communicate with ASAP advisors.

          ASAP advisors also coach students to help them become more comfortable reaching
          out to faculty. Regular communication among advisors, faculty, and students helps ASAP
          staff understand, and support their students to address, common academic challenges.

          INSIDE ASAP                                                                                                        11
“ With the guidance of my brilliant CUNY ASAP advisor, amazing career specialist, and spectacular ASAP staff, I was
  able to tap into my hidden potential. Realizing that I can push myself past set limits, achieve success in and outside
  of campus, and light a path for other students to follow. ASAP accelerates more than just the college experience!”
– Mark Pollock, College of Staten Island, B.S., class of 2019

          Working with Non-Academic Departments
          The ASAP director also cultivates relationships with non-academic departments that are critical to the program’s
          success. The admissions, testing, financial aid, and information technology offices play important roles in
          supporting recruitment and determining students’ eligibility. The registrar and bursar help to coordinate early
          course registration and ensure that students receive appropriate ASAP tuition and fee gap scholarships and
          their MetroCards. Learning centers are key for ensuring that students have access to quality academic support
          services, and the textbook vendor helps to coordinate students’ textbook needs each semester.

          ASAP Central Office/College Partnership
          ASAP’s management structure is an essential part of the program’s success. This structure includes collaboration
          between the ASAP Central Office and a set of partner colleges. A clear division of roles and responsibilities, and
             regular communication among all stakeholders, has allowed the program to operate at a high level of efficiency.

                         ASAP staff at partner colleges are responsible for implementing the program at their campuses.
                            This includes program recruitment and enrollment, coordinating provision of financial benefits,
                                providing all program services to students, tracking student data to monitor engagement and
                                    progress towards graduation, and building relationships with campus colleagues to
                                       ensure that ASAP is fully integrated into the college.

                                          The ASAP Central Office is responsible for overall program administration,
                                           program-wide evaluation and data management, fiscal oversight and reporting,
                                             cultivation of external partnerships and funding, management of common
                                              resource needs (e.g., MetroCards, textbooks, and promotional materials),
                                               and citywide outreach for program awareness.

                                                  The ASAP Central Office team is overseen by a CUNY Associate Vice
                                                  Chancellor for Academic Affairs, led by the ASAP Executive Director, and
                                                   includes staff who focus on the following areas: program management
                                                   and staff development, fiscal administration, external engagement, data
                                                   systems, research and evaluation, foster care initiatives, STEM initiatives,
                                                   and replication.

                                                    The ASAP Central Office communicates regularly with partner
                                                    colleges to discuss program priorities and policies and to support
                                                   ASAP implementation at the campus level. The ASAP Central Office and
                                                  partner colleges communicate using a variety of methods, including
                                                 monthly administrative emails with key deliverables and important program
                                               information, monthly directors’ meetings, regular gatherings and professional
                                             development sessions for advisors and career specialists, and an annual policy
                                           memo outlining essential ASAP policies and program priorities. Communication
                                         across the colleges is encouraged through resources such as a listserv and a shared
                                      drive, so that expertise and best practices can be shared.

12                                                                                                                    INSIDE ASAP
SPOTLIGHT:
PROFESSIONAL AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT

As part of the strategic, programmatic and policy support that the Central Office provides
to all campus sites, the ASAP program management team offers a variety of professional
development opportunities to partner college staff. One of these is a standardized
onboarding series for advisors, developed during a wave of expansion that brought
dozens of new advisors into the program during a short period of time. It became
necessary to design a foundational training that gave all new advisors the information,
knowledge, and program background to begin their work on campuses. The training
series includes: a comprehensive overview of the ASAP program elements, services,
and benefits; an introduction to the advisement model, with practice determining
students’ support level groups using case studies; a discussion of the building blocks
of effective advising sessions; time management best practices; equity in advisement,
and more. This training series continues to evolve, including the development of online
modules and training webinars.

In addition to this training for new advisors, the team conducts regular needs assessments
with ASAP directors, associate directors, advisors, career specialists, and other staff to
ascertain their interests around specific topics and skills. The team uses this information
to develop workshops, working groups, presentations, and projects that reflect staff’s
needs and desires. Some of these trainings are led by Central Office staff. In other
cases, industry experts are brought in to facilitate sessions.

Sample professional development offerings have included:

• The integration of career and academic advisement
• Diversity, equity, and anti-racism in advisement
• Counseling skills
• Stress management and avoiding burnout
• Working with special populations
• Facilitation and workshop curriculum development
• Best practices in supervision
• Conflict resolution and having difficult conversations

The Central Office also works with ASAP campus staff to develop and lead workshops
for their peers, and supports them, when possible, in designing conference presentations,
writing pieces for publication, and pursuing other professional development as it relates
to their work with ASAP.

INSIDE ASAP                                                                                   13
“ For both taxpayer and students, the benefits far exceed the investment costs.”
– Henry M. Levin and Emma Garcia in “Benefit-Cost Analysis of Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) of the
  City University of New York (CUNY),” 2013.

          Program Costs                                             On ASAP cost benefits to students and the
                                                                    taxpayer, Levin and Garcia (2013) find:
          Due to the comprehensive nature of the program
          model, ASAP has greater overall costs than the            “From the comparison of benefits over a lifetime we
          traditional community college pathway. The annual         can conclude that, for both taxpayer and students,
          ASAP cost per student (above usual CUNY full-time         the benefits far exceed the investment costs. For
          equivalent, or FTE, allocations) has declined with        each dollar of investment in ASAP by taxpayers, the
          expansion and is, as of 2020, approximately $3,440        return was between three and four dollars. For each
          per student. The ASAP budget covers all program           dollar of investment by students, the return was
          personnel (including fringe benefits) and other than      much more, even when including student foregone
          personnel services (OTPS) costs required to run           earnings as the major component of student costs.
          the program. Approximately 37% of the budget is           Using available data on which public constituencies
          allocated for personnel, 59% for student financial        receive the benefits — federal, New York State, and
          resources (including MetroCards, textbook assistance,     New York City governments — we believe that all
          and tuition and fee gap scholarships), and remaining      constituencies receive benefits that exceed their
          funds cover additional program-related costs.             cost contributions to the investment” (p. 9).

          In 2012, leading education economist Henry Levin
          at the Center for Benefit-Cost Studies in Education
          (CBCSE) at Teachers College, Columbia University,
          conducted a comprehensive cost-benefit study of
          ASAP. Dr. Levin and his coauthor, Dr. Emma Garcia,
          concluded that despite higher costs, ASAP is a wise
          upfront investment when considering the cost per
          graduate and lifetime benefits to students and
          taxpayers, rather than solely the short-term cost
          of supporting enrolled students.
                                                                     Please visit the CUNY ASAP
          On the cost effectiveness of ASAP, Levin and
          Garcia (2012) state:
                                                                     replication webpage for
          “Without question ASAP has shown that it provides          additional information
          an investment that not only raises the number of
          completed associate degrees, but also reduces              regarding program costs.
          the cost per degree, on average, because its
          proportionately added effectiveness in degree
          production exceeds the added costs. If CUNY
          plans to expand the number of students who
          graduate within three years through an ASAP
          expansion, the added cost of ASAP services is
          more than compensated for by a higher production
          of degrees. The larger investment will result in a
          lower cost per degree and large aggregated savings
          of degree production for CUNY community
          colleges” (p. 21).

14                                                                                                            INSIDE ASAP
CHAPTER 2

PROGRAM
COMPONENTS AND
IMPLEMENTATION
“ I’m gradually gravitating towards my dream, and ASAP made it happen.”
– Obed Gyedu Larbi, Bronx Community College, class of 2019

          Provide Structured Pathways to
          Support Academic Momentum
          ASAP students are required to study full time in an approved major that can be completed within three years.
          (Most majors are supported; see the ASAP college websites for a list of current ASAP majors.) Students work with
          their advisors to create their class schedules and often take several blocked courses, or courses with other ASAP
          students, in their first year. Students are required to address any developmental support needs as early as possible,
          and are encouraged to enroll during winter and summer sessions in order to build academic momentum.

          Approved Majors and Academic Maps
          ASAP offers a broad range of degree options that have common general education requirements, allow students
          to take blocked courses in their first year, and can be completed within four to six semesters. Students may
          change majors as long as they can complete their degree within three years.

          Advisors work in consultation with academic departments to map out each approved major over four to six
          semesters, including developmental supports (if any), general education requirements, and degree
          courses. Advisors then work with students during initial intake meetings and at the start of each
          semester to create course schedules that will keep students on track for graduation.

          Blocked Courses and Individualized Course Scheduling
          ASAP offers the opportunity for first-year students to take blocked courses when possible.
          Blocked courses allow ASAP students to take courses together and to develop close and
          supportive relationships with peers and faculty. Every semester ASAP directors work
          with department chairs to reserve regularly scheduled course sections, or in some
          cases a number of seats within a section, for ASAP students.

          Making use of early registration, ASAP students also work with their advisors
          to register for an individualized class schedule that allows them to balance
          school, work, and family obligations.

          Immediate and Continuous Enrollment in Developmental Supports
          ASAP students are required to immediately and continuously enroll in any required
          developmental supports. Each ASAP program determines appropriate developmental
          supports for their students based on offerings at their college, including co-requisite
          courses. The goal of these supports is to help students reach skills proficiency in
          English and math within their first year.

          Winter and Summer Courses
          Winter and summer sessions are used to ensure that students stay on track for timely
          graduation. As mentioned in chapter one, ASAP covers tuition and fees, and also provides
          MetroCards and textbook assistance based on funding availability.

          INSIDE ASAP                                                                                                             17
“ Some students come for the MetroCard, but they stay for the advisors.
  They really want you to succeed.”
– Adonis Diaz, Hostos Community College, class of 2017

                      SPOTLIGHT:
                      SUPPORTING STEM STUDENTS

                      ASAP’s expansion to serve more CUNY students has included a focus on Science,
                      Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) majors, with the goal to enroll,
                      retain and graduate more STEM students. Although demand for a skilled workforce
                      to fill STEM-related jobs has increased, the number of students entering and staying
                      in STEM majors at institutions of higher education has not risen to meet this demand.1

                      In order to support more ASAP students to enter and successfully complete degrees
                      in STEM majors, the program has developed a four-pronged approach: 1) expand and
                      strengthen the STEM pipeline into ASAP, and upon graduation from ASAP, into STEM
                      bachelor degree programs; 2) expand and leverage existing tutoring and academic
                      support services for STEM; 3) increase engagement of STEM faculty/departments
                      and provide opportunities for students to engage with faculty outside of class; and
                      4) connect students with opportunities that will provide them with the knowledge
                      and skills to become competitive members of the global marketplace.

                      A recent brief from the ASAP research and evaluation team (Kolenovic & Strumbos,
                      2020), which focused on a cohort of ASAP STEM students entering in fall 2015,
                      outlined the following findings:

                      •   ASAP had significant and positive effects on STEM students’ early academic
                          outcomes, including retention, credit accumulation, and GPA.

                      •   ASAP had a significant effect on STEM students’ re-enrollment in STEM majors
                          through the fourth semester.

                      •   ASAP had a significant effect on STEM students’ first-year enrollment and pass
                          rate in math gateway courses.

                      •   ASAP had a large and significant effect on STEM students’ two and three-year
                          graduation rate, as well as a significant effect on graduating with a STEM degree.2

          1
              Data show that between 2000 and 2010, STEM-related jobs in the US have increased at three times the rate of non-STEM jobs (Langdon, McKittrick, Beede, Khan, & Doms, 2011). However, not enough students
              are entering and staying in STEM majors. Carnevale et al. (2011) report that 75% of high school students with strong math skills will not enter a STEM major, and of those who do, 50% will leave their STEM major.

          2
              See the full brief, ASAP Students in STEM Majors: Results from the Fall 2015 Cohort, on the evaluation page of the CUNY ASAP website.

18                                                                                                                                                                                                               INSIDE ASAP
Recruit and Engage Students Early                        and current ASAP students. From Facebook to
                                                         Instagram, Twitter, and other emerging platforms,
ASAP recruits students through citywide outreach
                                                         social media meets students where they are and
led by the ASAP Central Office and through
                                                         allows the program to share information and build
campus-based recruitment efforts. Because ASAP
                                                         relationships.
is a post-admission option, the goal is to ensure
that students are identified in sufficient time to       The ASAP website, embedded in the general
take advantage of early engagement activities.           CUNY website, links to ASAP college webpages
                                                         and offers a comprehensive set of resources and
All students who meet ASAP eligibility and wish
                                                         information for students and general audiences.
to join the program are invited to start the
enrollment and onboarding process at their             • Strategic Relationships
college of attendance. Upon completing this              In addition to engaging city agencies, high schools,
process, students are involved in a range of             high school equivalency (HSE) programs, and
structured activities to help them adjust to college     CBOs, ASAP works in close coordination with
life and understand ASAP expectations. Starting          several university programs, including CUNY
with a comprehensive intake process, ASAP staff          Start and Math Start, which prepare students
identify the strengths and challenges of new             for college-level coursework and to meet CUNY’s
students and use this information to connect             proficiency milestones. CUNY Start and Math
students to campus-based resources.                      Start provide a pathway into ASAP, and staff
                                                         from all programs work together to ensure
Early engagement builds community, promotes
                                                         students transition smoothly.
campus integration, and helps students gain
academic momentum. Blocked courses, group                Although ASAP has established a strong reputation
advisement, and other program components                 with multiple stakeholders across New York City,
continue to promote community building through           a robust, multi-faceted recruitment strategy is
students’ first year.                                    essential to meet enrollment targets. Building an
                                                         effective network of college access counselors
Citywide Outreach                                        and advisors ensures that students have the
Led by the ASAP Central Office, citywide outreach        support they need to complete all enrollment
serves to increase program visibility among              steps as early as possible.
prospective students, caregivers, high school and
community-based organization (CBO) counselors,
and city agencies. ASAP provides several
opportunities for stakeholders to learn about
the benefits of ASAP and its enrollment process.

• Outreach Strategies and Workshops
  Outreach strategies include an ongoing and
  broad distribution of promotional resources,         “ Since the early connection is extremely important for
  including monthly e-newsletters, and targeted
                                                         student success, all of our recruitment experiences
  text messaging to counselors, prospective
  students, and city agency partners. ASAP also          have been designed with that in mind, from the
  offers counselor networking events to provide          information session and registration through the
  updates on eligibility benefits, enrollment steps,     summer engagement series ... We design this process
  and university systems. ASAP resources include
  brochures and videos to help counselors engage         to be comprehensive, easy to navigate, and fun.”
  students in conversations about college and          – Alexandra Pyak, Executive Director, ASAP, Queensborough
  post-secondary planning.                               Community College
  ASAP’s Central Office digital engagement efforts
  are critical components of the program’s robust
  citywide outreach activities. Social media is used
  to recruit, engage, and connect prospective

INSIDE ASAP                                                                                                      19
Campus-Based Recruitment
     EARN YOUR COLLEGE DEGREE!
                                                                                                                                                                           ASAP campus-based recruitment efforts are
                                                               CUNY ASAP provides students
                                                               with dedicated advisors,                                                                                    multi-faceted and typically begin the semester
      WE’VE GOT     AND YOUR       AND YOUR                    textbooks, free unlimited
     YOUR BACK.      BOOKS.       METROCARD.                   MetroCards and more.                                                                                        before students enroll, with each college developing
                                                                                                                                                                           a comprehensive plan that identifies strategies to
                                                                                                                                                                           target both new (first-time freshmen and transfer)
                                      THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
                                                                                                           Learn how you can join: cuny.edu /asap
                                                                                                              cunyasap        cunyasap

                                                                                                                                                                           and continuing students. ASAP staff works with
                                                                                                                                                                           critical college units such as admissions, testing,
                                                                                                                                                                           financial aid, and information technology to obtain
                                                                                                                                                                           lists of eligible students. Each college offers
                                                                                               WE’VE GOT                    AND YOUR                  AND YOUR
 cuny.edu/asap                  cunyasap                                cunyasap               YOUR BACK.                    BOOKS.                  METROCARD.            on-campus recruitment activities for prospective
                                                                                                                                                                           students, such as open houses, information sessions,
                                                                                                                                                                           and campus tours. ASAP is also present at any
                                                                                                                                                                           regularly scheduled new student orientation.

                                                                                                                                                                           • Identifying Eligible Students
                                                                                                                                                                             Through collaboration with information technology
                                                                                                                                                                             and other noted departments, ASAP staff at

        STAY ON TRACK.                                                                                                                                                       partner colleges obtain lists of eligible students
                                                                                                                                                                             for targeted recruitment via email, mail, phone
        GRADUATE ON TIME.                                                                                                                                                    calls, and text messages. After an initial review
                                                                                                                                                                             of proficiency, admissions, and financial aid
                                                                                                                                                                             data, staff invites eligible students to begin the
                                                                                                                                                                             enrollment process. Prospective students can
          WE’VE GOT             AND YOUR AND YOUR
         YOUR BACK.              BOOKS. METROCARD.                                                                                                                           also arrange to meet individually with an ASAP
         CUNY ASAP provides students with                                                                                                                                    staff member as needed.
         dedicated advisors, textbooks,
         free unlimited MetroCards and more.                                                                                                                               • Use of Promotional Materials and Website
         Learn how you can join: cuny.edu /asap                                                                                                                              ASAP promotional materials are placed in
             cunyasap           cunyasap
                                                                                                                                                                             high-traffic campus areas and are distributed
                                                                             THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
                                                                                                                                                                             to potential students through targeted mailings
                                                                                                                                                                             and email. Each ASAP college office also has
                                                                                                                                                                             a local webpage with essential ASAP eligibility
                                                                                                                                                                             and enrollment information.

                                                                                                                                                                           • ASAP Student Ambassadors
                                                                                                                                                                             ASAP capitalizes on the strength of peer messaging
                                                                                                                                                                             by utilizing student ambassadors as a critical
                                                                                                                           WHAT IS ASAP?                                     component of campus-based recruiting. The Student
     GO FURTHER                                                                                                        Since 2007, Accelerated Study in                      Ambassador Program provides opportunities for
     FASTER                                                                                                         Associate Programs (ASAP) has been
                                                                                                                     transforming the college experience                     students to explore and build leadership skills as
     AT CSI
                                                                                                                    of CUNY students, helping thousands
                                                                                                                      to graduate in three years or less.*                   members of their college’s ASAP recruitment team.
                                                                                                                    Think of our team as trusted guides
                                                                                                                   who support you from the moment you                       Student Ambassadors participate in a series of
                                                                                                                    join to ensure that you stay on track
                                                                                                                          until you earn your degree                         workshops to prepare them for recruitment
                                                                                                                          AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
     WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?                                                                                                                                                  activities, such as leading information sessions,
     As an ASAP student, you will receive a variety of support to help you succeed:                                                                                          staffing tables at recruitment events, and sharing
     • A dedicated ASAP advisor                                                           • A free unlimited MetroCard or campus parking decal
     • Career development and academic support services                                   • Assistance to reduce (or eliminate) the cost of textbooks                        their own ASAP stories with prospective students.
     • Early registration options                                                         • A tuition gap waiver (for students in receipt of financial aid)
       and consolidated schedules
                                                                                          * Students who join ASAP at College of Staten Island will have the opportunity
     • Classes with fellow ASAP students                                                    to earn both an associate and bachelor’s degree within four years.

ASAP promotional materials. Student stories and videos
are available at the CUNY ASAP YouTube channel.

20                                                                                                                                                                                                                     INSIDE ASAP
GO FURTHER
              FASTER WITH ASAP
              DID YOU KNOW?
              Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) removes the financial, academic,
              and personal obstacles to earning a degree.
              Since 2007, ASAP has helped thousands of CUNY students to stay on track and graduate as quickly as possible.

                                                                   A free unlimited                            Textbook assistance to               A tuition gap waiver           A dedicated ASAP
                                                                   MetroCard                                   reduce (or eliminate)                (for students in receipt       advisor to guide your
              BENEFITS:                                                                                        the cost of textbooks                of financial aid)              progress from entry
                                                                                                                                                                                   to graduation*

                                                                   Special registration                        Enhanced career                      Opportunities to take
                                                                   options that help                           development and                      classes with fellow
                                                                   you get the classes                         academic support                     ASAP students to
                                                                   you need that also                          services                             foster community
                                                                   fit your schedule                                                                and build your
                                                                                                                                                    network

              Is there a catch?
              There is no catch! In exchange for all of ASAP’s resources, you will need to:
              • Re-apply for financial aid each year (FAFSA and TAP),                                                              • Enroll immediately and continuously in any
                and accept any federal and state grant aid awarded                                                                   developmental supports
                (Pell, SEOG, TAP)                                                                                                  • Meet regularly with your advisor, career
              • Enroll full time each semester and maintain good                                                                     specialist, and tutors, and attend any required
                academic standing                                                                                                    enrichment activities

              * Students connected to Foster Care may be eligible for additional benefits. Speak with your ASAP Advisor to learn more.

              You may be eligible for ASAP if you answer
              YES to the following questions:
              • Have you applied and been accepted to a CUNY college                                                                             Check out programs like CUNY Start and MATH
                that offers ASAP?                                                                                                                Start to eliminate or reduce remedial needs.
              • Are you a New York City resident and/or eligible fo
                in-state tuition?
              • Do you agree to enter into a full-time associate degree
                program in an ASAP-approved major?
              • Are you proficient in Math and/or English or require
                no more than two developmental supports?
              • If you are a continuing or transfer student,
                do you have no more than 15 college credits
                and a minimum GPA of 2.0?

                                                                  STEPS TO JOIN ASAP...

                            STEP 1                                                        STEP 2                                                STEP 3                                STEP 4*
              Apply to a CUNY college                                        Complete the FAFSA                                            Accept your offer of                      If you have not
                 that offers ASAP.                                              (www.fafsa.gov)                                           admission to the CUNY                  already heard from the
                                                                             and TAP application                                           college at which you                 ASAP office at the CUNY
                                                                             (www.hesc.ny.gov),                                          applied and complete all                college you will attend,
                          www.cuny.edu/                                     and accept any federal                                       admissions requirements.              reach out to them to learn
                           admissions
                                                                          and state grant aid awarded                                                                           more about attending an
                                                                              (Pell, SEOG, TAP).                                                                                  ASAP Information or
                                                                                                                                                                                   Orientation session.

              * Visit your college’s ASAP website to learn about any college-specific requirements.

                                                                                       THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

                    cunyasap                        cunyasap                                                                                                                    www.cuny.edu/asap

INSIDE ASAP                                                                                                                                                                                                 21
You can also read