1. What is the difference between CUNY, SUNY and private colleges?
CUNY (City University of New York) is a publicly funded institution whose colleges are located within the five boroughs of New York City. CUNY has 21 campuses and offers hundreds of undergraduate programs that span a broad range of subject areas. Visit the CUNY website at www.CUNY.edu for more information on specific schools and programs. You can link to the individual college website from the central CUNY website.
SUNY (State University of New York) is a publicly funded institution whose colleges are mostly located on Long Island and upstate New York. There are only two colleges located within the five boroughs of New York City (FIT and Downstate Medical Center). SUNY has 64 campuses and offers a wide range of campus sizes and programs. Visit the SUNY website at www.suny.edu/student.
Private colleges are not funded by the City or State, but rather by private funding sources. There are many kinds of private colleges, and students should think about whether they want a big or small campus, preferred location, and major of interest, among other concerns.
2. What are the requirements for transferring to a CUNY senior college?
You must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 and have passed the CUNY reading, writing and math entrance exams. It is recommended that you complete your Associates degree before transferring. Certain programs and colleges have additional requirements. Please check with your college of choice and with a transfer counselor in C102 for more specific information.
3. What are the requirements for transferring to a SUNY or private college?
Requirements for transferring to a SUNY or private college vary. A student graduating with a 2.0 GPA will be eligible to transfer to many colleges; however, some colleges with selective programs may require a 2.5 GPA or higher. Students need to research the transfer admissions requirements for each college they are considering. College catalogues, websites and transfer admissions counselors at the senior college level are all good resources to start with.
4. What are the costs of attendance at CUNY, SUNY, and private colleges?
Specific costs are outlined at college websites and in their materials. Currently, the tuition for CUNY senior colleges is approximately $2000 per semester for NYS Residents and $360 per credit for out-of-state residents, including international students.
Tuition for SUNY colleges is $2175 per semester for NYS residents and $5150 per semester for out-of-state residents, including international students. However, students who live in the NYC area have to consider the additional expenses associated with room and board.
Private college tuition is typically more expensive ranging on average from $5,000 to $15,000 per semester. Despite the high tuition costs, private colleges offer financial aid and scholarship packages to make it more affordable for students.
Financial Aid programs are available at CUNY, SUNY and private colleges in order to help students meet the costs associated with college attendance. In addition, students need to explore all scholarship opportunities.
5. How do I apply to a CUNY or SUNY college?
Paper applications are no longer available for CUNY. In order to apply, go to http://www.cuny.edu and click on “Apply to CUNY.” For further guidance, please see Transfer Procedures below.
6. How do I apply to a private college?
For applications to private colleges, you must contact the college directly. All colleges will require a transcript from each institution previously attended. Transcript request forms are available in Room C-102 or A-101. Please refer to the “transfer procedures” flyer located in room C-102 for a step-by-step guide to filing applications.
7. What is the difference between transferring with an Associate’s Degree or without an Associate’s Degree?
One of the advantages of transferring with an Associate degree is that CUNY and most SUNY senior colleges will guarantee acceptance of 60 credits and possibly more. Private colleges are also likely to grant more credits to Associate Degree holders. If you do transfer before obtaining the associate degree, you are not under any transfer credit guarantee. The senior college will separately evaluate each course taken.
8. How do I find out which of my credits will transfer to other colleges.
If you’re planning to transfer to a CUNY college you can find out how each of your classes transfer by looking on the internet at www.tipps.cuny.edu. You can also come to room C-102 and check the CUNY Equivalency Guide to evaluate your courses. Students who receive their Associate degrees at Kingsborough will be guaranteed to have all 60 of their credits transferred to a 4-year CUNY college. If you’re planning to transfer to a SUNY or Private college, you can contact the admissions office at the school you want to attend and ask for an unofficial credit evaluation as part of the admissions process.
9. What are Articulation Agreements?
An Articulation Agreement is a written partnership that has been established between a 4-year college and Kingsborough that guarantees that specific courses will transfer to a particular college. It’s an assurance that if a student completes certain courses at Kingsborough with satisfactory grades, these courses will be applied toward their baccalaureate degree. For more information, click on: http://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/humanresources/index.htm).
10. What classes should I take at Kingsborough that will fulfill my core requirements at a CUNY college?
In addition to your Major requirements, all colleges require students to take “Core” (sometimes called “distribution”) classes. These are general classes that give students a broad background in the Liberal Arts and Sciences.
For CUNY colleges – if you plan to receive your A.A or A.S. Degree at Kingsborough, all 60 of your credits will transfer and meet the other college’s core requirements. However, each senior college may require one additional core class for each student.
If you will be receiving an A.A.S. degree or are planning to transfer before getting your degree your classes will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. See a counselor in Room C-102 for more information.
For SUNY and Private colleges – basic Liberal Arts courses taken at Kingsborough are most likely to fulfill core requirements at 4-year Private and SUNY colleges as well. However, you must contact each college directly for more information.
11. What colleges are best for my major?
You can find out which colleges offer your major by looking at the “Majors Index” in the Peterson’s 4-year College guide (found in your local library or room C-102). When deciding which college is best for you, take into consideration the breadth of courses offered at each university along with the student/faculty ratio of your department before making a final decision.
12. Do “D’s” transfer to another college?
A “D” grade will transfer to a CUNY college only. “D’s” usually do not transfer to Private or SUNY colleges, but that is the decision of the accepting college.
13. How long after I apply will I know whether or not I’ve been accepted?
The time frame varies from college to college. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that all supporting documents to your application have been submitted. If documents are missing, there will be a delay in processing your application.
14. Can I transfer to another college for the Spring Semester if I’m taking the winter session at Kingsborough?
The answer to this question is up to the senior college that you are considering attending. Please be aware that there is approximately a 3-week overlap between the time the Spring Semester at a Senior College begins and the Winter Module at Kingsborough ends. If you’re taking winter courses for graduation, you may want to consider other options. Please see a Kingsborough transfer counselor in room C-102 for more specific information.
15. I transferred from another college to Kingsborough. I am now transferring to a third college. Do I have to send a transcript from my first college?
Yes. Kingsborough only sends transcripts for the work done at Kingsborough. You must contact all other colleges previously attended to have them send official transcripts as well. If you are transferring to a CUNY College or have foreign transcripts, there may be some exceptions. Please see a transfer counselor in room C-102 for more information.
16. Do I have to send my high school transcripts even though I’m applying as a transfer student?
It depends. Students who are not receiving their Associate Degree must arrange to have official transcripts sent to the college(s) they are applying to. Students who have received a GED should forward a copy of their scores and diploma. Students who are receiving their Associate Degree may not have to submit their high school transcripts depending on the college they are applying to. Check with the college you are interested in for high school transcript requirements.
17. Where can I get more information about transferring to a senior college?
Come to the Transfer Office (Room C-102) or call us at (718) 368-5115 and sign up for a Transfer Out Workshop. Some transfer websites to check out:
http://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/jobsite/transfer/index.html
http://www.suny.edu/student/apply/apply.cfm - SUNY application and information
http://www.petersons.com - Peterson’s Educational Center
http://www.finaid.org - The financial aid information page
http://www.fastweb.com - A comprehensive scholarship search |