College Access Programs

Post-Secondary Resources

A compiled list of both “College Access Programs for Students” and “Postsecondary Pathways Resources.”

This page will be updated regularly, but make sure to check each organization’s website to ensure the most up-to-date information.

Questions? Email Bentley Gordon, College Connection Program Manager, at bgordon@freshair.org.

College Access Programs for Students

BRONX 

CitySquash: (For 9-12th grade students) 

  • Open to all boroughs. Office located at 602 East 187th Street, Suite 204, Bronx, NY 10458
  • CitySquash assists talented young people in reaching their academic, athletic and personal goals. Squash players will receive tutoring and mentoring, and develop their character. Members will take part in community service, high school placement, college preparation and career awareness programs.  

Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (For 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students)  

  • Open to Bronx residents. Operating remotely at this time. 
  • Students enrolled in the CDP will have access to College Access and Success workshops, college trips, college and career events, individual college advising, SAT preparation, youth internships and teen program offerings.  

New Settlement  (For 10th and 11th grade students)  

  • Open to Bronx residents. Operating remotely at this time.
  • The Summer Bridge Support program takes place the summer before student’s begin college. Offerings include: a six-week SAT preparation class, college trips and workshops, assistance with enrollment and transferring, one provision of basic college supplies and Last Dollar Grants (which provide emergency funds to college students). 

BROOKLYN 

Bottom Line (For 10th and 11th grade students)  

  • Open to all boroughs. Office located at 44 Court St., Suite 300, Brooklyn, NY  11201
  • Through a personalized one-on-one approach, this program helps students create a balanced college list, and in writing and revising their college essays. Bottom Line also offers support in the application and financial aid processes, as well as in determining the affordability of schools and finding scholarships for which students may qualify.

CAMBA (For 9-12th grade students)  

  • Open to Brooklyn residents. Located at 1720 Church Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11226
  • This program helps prepare high school freshmen from Flatbush and East Flatbush for college by providing social services and resources. Students visit college campuses alongside parent coaches and participate in hands-on activities.

KIPP Through College + College Access for All: College Match Partnership  (For 10th, 11th and 12th grade students) 

  • Open to all boroughs. Located at 1501 Broadway Ave, Suite 1000, New York, NY 10036
  • Counselors assist students in selecting the appropriate college and career, advisors assist in understanding social and financial difficulties and students are prepared for lives that are economically self-sufficient and full of choices. When guiding students and families through the college decision-making process, KIPP employs the College Match Framework.

YWCA (For 9-12th grade students)  

  • Open to female students of color. Community space located at 30 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217.
  • Provides a year-round program aimed at improving educational quality and economic empowerment. High school students receive guidance and services for admission to college, often with full financial assistance. Participants receive assistance with general homework needs and standardized tests. Opportunities available for paid internships and individual attention.

MANHATTAN  

College Access: Research & Action (For 9-12th grade students)  

  • Open to all boroughs. Office located at 365 5th Ave., New York, NY 10016
  • In the “Peer Leadership” program, college students provide one-on-one mentoring and group counseling to high school students to help them matriculate into higher education. Students are also assisted with the financial aid and enrollment processes.

The Opportunity Network (For 10th, 11th and 12th grade students)  

  • Open to all boroughs. Operating remotely at this time.
  • Students take part in college preparatory activities and workshops where they will set goals, learn how companies operate and discover professional paths. Students practice interviews and learn about diversity, equity and inclusion through engaging trainings.  

Options Center-Goddard Riverside (For 11th and 12th grade student)  

  • Open to all boroughs. Center located at 352 West 110th Street, New York, NY 10025
  • Through individualized guidance, this program focuses on student’s plans for college and other post-secondary options. Workshops and trips to different colleges are available to participants. Assistance with financial aid and fee waivers are offered as well.

Police Athletic League (For 11th and 12th grade students)  

  • Open to all boroughs. Located at 34 ½ East 12th Street, New York, NY 10003
  • The program is designed to help students overcome barriers to college access. Participants gain career preparation through self-selected internships, and youth are provided with academic support, college awareness, job skills, and life skills seminars to help towards higher education and meaningful careers.

QUEENS 

Common Point Queens (For 11th and 12th grade students)   

  • Open to Queens residents. Multiple locations throughout Queens.
  • CPQ helps high school students write game-changing essays and determine which college is their best fit. The organization also assists students in understanding the financial aid application process and in finding scholarships.   

Queens Community House  (For 9-12th grade students)  

  • Open to Queens residents. Multiple locations throughout Queens.
  • QHC assists older students who have not completed a conventional high school route to instead complete their high school diplomas and go on to college and find jobs. Participants are introduced to Transfer Schools and Young Adult Borough Centers. Counseling and internships are available.

Sunnyside Community Services (9-12th grade students)   

  • Open to Queens residents. Located at 43-31 39th Street Sunnyside, NY 11104.
  • Students are offered SAT prep classes, college admissions and financial aid workshops, college essay writing workshops, college application classes, field trips to local colleges, and individual advisement sessions.

Urban Upbound  

  • Open to all boroughs. Multiple locations throughout Queens – including 13-11 40th Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101
  • Students receive assistance in preparing for the SAT exam. They will receive one-on-one counseling to help them transition from high school to college. Assistance in securing financial aid and alumni events are offered, and participants have the opportunity to become an Urban Upbound Scholar mentors.

STATEN ISLAND 

30,000 Degrees (9-12th grade students)  

  • Open to Staten Island residents. Operating remotely at this time.
  • Students receive access to campuses and facilities and engage in employment-based programs. Students gain technical knowledge of how to finance and navigate college admissions and develop a college-going identity.

College Now- College of Staten Island (9-12th graders)  

  • Open to Staten Island residents. Office located at 2800 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314
  • High school students improve their academic performance through the introduction of high-quality instruction. Students have the opportunity to enroll in college-credit course on the 204-acre CSI campus.  

New Settlement (For 10th and 11th grade students)  

  • Open to all boroughs. Operating remotely at this time.
  • The Summer Bridge Support program takes place the summer before students begin college. A six-week SAT preparation class, as well as college trips and workshops are available. Assistance with enrollment and transferring is provided. Students are given one provision of basic college supplies. Last Dollar Grants provide emergency funds to college students.

United Activities- Learn & Earn Program (For 9-12th graders)   

  • Open to all boroughs. Located at 85 Saint Joseph’s Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10302
  • Provides career and education guidance to eligible students. College exploration and summer employment opportunities help students develop their skills. Students receive assistance with resume and cover letter writing, interview and SAT prep, financial literacy, the college application process, and public speaking skills. Service-learning projects and leadership development activities are offered.

Postsecondary Pathways Resources

Acces-VR  

  • Open to all boroughs. Operating remotely and in-person based on appointment (effective August 2, 2021). 
  • Via preparation, schooling, recovery, and career growth, ACCES-VR helps people with disabilities find and keep jobs, as well as promoting independent living.  

Brooklyn Networks  

  • Open to all boroughs. Located at 621 Degraw Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 
  • Brooklyn Networks is a free six-week training program that assists low-income New Yorkers in gaining employment in the low-voltage cabling industry. Graduates obtain their industry recognized BICSI credential and work in fields like voice and data cabling, security system installation, broadcast cabling, and A/V system installation.

Brooklyn Woods   

  • Open to all boroughs. Located at 621 Degraw Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 
  • Brooklyn Woods trains New Yorkers to operate woodworking equipment (such as saws, milling and sanding machines), understand architectural drawings and blueprints and more over the course of a seven-week training cycle.   

City Year  

  • Open to all boroughs. Operating remotely at this time. 
  • City Year acts as a student success mentor to assist students in developing, growing and succeeding in under-resourced schools while building leadership skills for their communities and careers.  

Comprehensive Youth Development  

  • Open to all boroughs. Several locations throughout the city. 
  • CYD collaborates with NYC public high schools to help young adults ages 14 – 24 prepare for a promising future for themselves and their families. Enrolled students gain the opportunity to graduate from high school and make educated choices about higher education and employment as a result of this relationship.  

CUNY Continuing & Professional Education  

  • Open to all boroughs. Several locations throughout the city. 
  • This program enables participants to increase their earning potential by earning valuable credentials and upgrading their skills. Courses are offered during the day, evenings and weekends to be accessible and convenient.  

Grace Institute  

  • Open to all boroughs. Operating remotely at this time.  
  • Grace Institute provides job-skills training, therapy, placement services and ongoing learning opportunities to low-income women in the New York region, enabling them to achieve economic self-sufficiency and upward mobility.  

Individual Training Vouchers  

  • Open to all boroughs. 
  • These grants support training requirement tools to enhance the learning experience. Tuition, enrollment fees, assessment fees and books for on-demand workshops are subject to individual training grants (ITG).  

 Job Corps  

  • Open to all boroughs. Bronx location: 369 E 149th St., Bronx, NY 10453 and Brooklyn location: 585 Dekalb Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205
  • This is a free education and training program which combines the talents and educational possibilities of young, qualified people in order to build meaningful careers.                  

Know Before You Enroll  

  • Open to all boroughs. Located at 459 Broadway, New York, NY 10013 
  • This tool allows you can pick the colleges you want to attend, and they will do a background check on that college to make sure financial and academic factors align. 

Made in New York  

  • Open to all boroughs. Located at 621 Degraw Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 
  • Provides training and placement for unemployed and low-income New York City residents into entry-level jobs in film and television production. 

 NPower Technology Service Corps  

  • Open to all boroughs. Locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn 
  • NPower opens doors to economic opportunities for military veterans and young people from underserved neighborhoods in launching technology-oriented careers. Their vision is to promote a diverse workforce regardless of ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic background.  

NYS & US Dept of Labor Apprenticeships Sponsor List  

  • Open to all boroughs. 
  • An official training relationship between an employer and an employee is known as a registered apprenticeship. For an agreed upon amount of time, an apprenticeship will incorporate on-the-job preparation with classroom instruction. This results in professionals that are self-sufficient and experienced. The worker or apprentice learns a trade during this period.  

Per Scholas  

  • Open to all boroughs. Locations in Brooklyn and the Bronx 
  • At Per Scholas, a thriving workforce begins with fair access to education. This organization envisions a technology workforce as diverse as the consumers it serves by offering skills training and access to employer networks to individuals who are otherwise excluded from tech careers.  

Public Allies  

  • Open to all boroughs. Located at 50 Broadway #2400, New York, NY 10004 
  • Public Allies is a national movement that promotes social justice and equity through the commitment and activation of leadership for all young people. Their goal is to assist and train individuals to help them land their dream jobs, and provide a way for them to excel in their careers.  

Redhook on the Road/New York Drives  

  • Open to all boroughs. Located at 621 Degraw Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 
  • This program assists unemployed New Yorkers with a Class D license who want to start a new career as a commercial driver through four weeks of training and behind the wheel and land students with jobs within their networks of employers.  

Streetwise Partners  

  • Open to all boroughs. Located at 222 Broadway, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10038.
  • StreetWise Partners uses mentorship to increase job opportunities for adults from underserved communities in New York, while teaching valuable skills and promoting collaboration in the workforce. 

Student Conservation Association  

  • Open to all boroughs. 
  • SCA’s goal is to engage young people in hands-on service to the land in order to develop the next generation of environmental leaders and promote lifelong stewardship of the environment and communities. A great opportunity for students that wants to preserve nature and a way to gain valuable insight in the career field.  

Workaway  

  • Open to all boroughs. 
  • A great opportunity for students that wants to travel abroad and get a feel of different culture. It is also for those who want to give back to the communities and places they visit. Open to helping hosts and using the experience to learn and immerse in the local culture.  

Workforce 1  

  • Open to all boroughs. 
  • Workforce1 assists New Yorkers in preparing for and connecting to jobs in all five boroughs and sectors of the economy, including Vaccine for All Corps jobs. Through their virtual program, participants can: identify jobs that are a fit for their experience and skills, prepare participants for interviews and provides access to free trainings.  

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms  

  • Open to all boroughs. 
  • Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is a global movement that connects visitors (WWOOFers) with organic farmers in order to promote cultural and educational exchange and to build a global community aware of ecological farming and environmental sustainability. This program teaches participants about agriculture and how to use those skills in the real world.  

Year Up  

  • Open to all boroughs. Multiple locations in Manhattan.  
  • This organization helps participants build resumes, access job trainings and paid internships, and provides on-going support even after graduating. Participants ask companies what skills they are looking for, and are then trained across those skills to help them get hired upon graduation.

YouthBuild  

  • Open to all boroughs. 
  • YouthBuild advocates for today’s opportunity youth who want to better their lives and communities but do not yet have the experience, expertise, or tools to do so. YouthBuild provides resources and guidance needed to excel in today’s work force 
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