Frequently Asked Questions

The program is completely free of charge Students do not pay any tuition, textbook, material/fees, etc.

The following breakdown shows the financial advantage of taking one College Now 3-credit course.

NOTE: The per credit hour cost of $210.00 is based on Community College fees for non-matriculated students. Therefore, the savings for students will be somewhat greater if they matriculate at a Community College and substantially greater if they transfer their credits to colleges and universities that have considerably higher tuition fees.

* based on CUNY fees for non-degree, part time students

The program offers 3-credit introductory college courses in behavioral & social sciences, business, communications, humanities, political science, science, statistics and more. It also offers a 2-credit course in college planning and career decision-making. Each College Now course is a typical introductory freshman-level college course with respect to content, textbooks, assignments, tests, grading and teaching methodology. Students who need to strengthen basic skills prior to entering college can take non-credit preparatory courses in writing/reading and mathematics. Please see our "Courses" link under About College Now for more information.

Attendance is taken daily in all College Now classes and plays a role in the instructor's determination of the student's final grade.

At the end of each semester, students will receive a letter grade evaluating their academic ability in each course for which they are registered.

Each student will have to answer that question for himself/herself. The courses are typical freshman-level college offerings. Therefore, they are challenging and representative of college-level studies.

College Now teachers are required to give a 2-hour final exam. They may also choose to give quizzes, announced or not, and a mid-term exam and assign papers, reports, projects and oral presentations.

A. For new participants in the program - a College Now counselor will explain which course or courses are most appropriate for them after the counselor has examined their high school transcripts.
B. For continuing students - a College Now counselor will visit continuing students in their College Now classrooms and help them register for the upcoming semester.

The classes meet before or after the regular high school day. Students will be told what their school's schedule is during the recruitment and counseling sessions. Check with your College Now Representative for further information.

The courses are taught by carefully selected high school faculty members whose credentials demonstrate that they are qualified to teach at the college level. All College Now instructors come to the program with extensive coursework and teaching experience in the appropriate subject area. To maintain and improve their skills, they attend workshops conducted by Kingsborough Community College faculty members. College Now instructors are hired as adjunct instructors at CUNY's Kingsborough campus. Like College Now students, the instructors participate in the program before or after their regularly scheduled school day.

The quickest and easiest way is to purchase their transcript online at a cost of $9.00 for non-CUNY colleges and $2.00 for CUNY colleges - (link to online transcript purchase)

Or the student must obtain a Kingsborough Community College "Request for Transcript Form." Students can request this form by selecting the link: http://www.kingsborough.edu/registration/TranscriptRequestweb.pdf to print out the form. The completed form should be forwarded to the Bursar at Kingsborough. There is no fee for a transcript going to a CUNY school. A money order in the amount of $7.00 is needed if the transcript is to be sent to a non-CUNY college.

Most students successfully transfer the credits they earn. Alumni have used their credits as electives or as equivalent credits at city, state, public and private colleges throughout the nation. Of all the colleges and universities in the United States, very few have denied students credit for their College Now coursework.

On occasion, students in specialized programs, such as nursing and pharmacy, may find that they are unable to transfer credits due to the prescribed nature of their curriculum. Those few students who are unable to transfer their credits are advised that College Now credits have "shelf life." This means that they have the potential to be used at another college or may be applied on jobs that base salary increments on college credit accumulation. Students who are denied credits at any school are advised to check with the appropriate department chairperson to determine if they can sit for a competency examination in the subject area, which, if passed, will generate credits. Students are also advised to contact College Now at Kingsborough for assistance.

By taking the program's free-of-charge college preparatory courses in english/reading and/or math, they get a head start on improving college-entry reading, writing and math skills while still in high school so they do not have to spend valuable time and money later doing college remedial work.

None of the service academies accepts College Now credits. However, the appearance of these credits on a student's application will be looked on favorably by the admissions personnel.

Each high school determines if it will give credit for College Now coursework. Contact your College Now Representative to find out about the policy followed in your school.

Like College Now, the Advanced Placement (AP) program offers interested students the opportunity to complete college-level coursework while in high school. The main difference is that College Now courses conclude with a two-hour in-class final exam developed by the instructor and students successfully completing any one of College Now's credit courses earn college credit in the form of an official college transcript. These credits can be forwarded to the college of their choice upon graduation, or at a later date. Additionally, College Now is totally free of charge with respect to tuition, books and examinations.

Unless the program is required at a particular high school, students are not obligated to re-enroll in the program. However, most students generally participate for two or three semesters.

The answer to this question will depend on the individual college. Students are advised to review the requirements of their degree of study to determine if there is a strong similarity between the College Now course description and the school's introductory sequence. If it exists, the student is generally awarded equivalent credit. Many students, however, receive elective credits or can apply the credit to a general core requirement under Pathways.

Each high school participating in the program has its own policy. However, most do assign a letter or numerical grade, with numerical grades included in the high school average. Contact your College Now Representative to find out about the policy followed in your school.

No, but it is strongly advised that students who do not have a Social Security number get one while in the program as they will be required to produce a Social Security card, after high school graduation, when they enroll in college.

Rob Pero Certificate of Achievement Award At the end of each academic year, the College Now program presents an award to the graduating senior at each high school who best exemplifies the College Now ideal. The award is not based solely on grades. Additional criteria for selection include: two semesters of participation in College Now, significant academic growth and development as a result of this experience and significant change in attitude about enrolling in college. A 1-page essay must be submitted by the student. Lastly, recipients will receive recognition at their school's senior awards night.

College Now Summer Programs Students interested in taking challenging courses during the summer have the opportunity to study specific subjects such as science, math, music, broadcasting, journalism, theater arts and maritime technology. They are eligible to participate in College Now courses offered at any branch of the City University of New York (CUNY), most for high school or college credit. Go to the CUNY College Now website at www.collegenow.cuny.edu or the CUNY link on the CN website, www.collegenowlive.com for more information.

Model New York City Council Each fall, students interested in politics and leadership can compete for one of 60 spots in a unique five-weekend program that offers them the opportunity to meet City Council members and learn how the Council operates and passes bills. Students study, debate and vote on a legislative issue affecting NYC residents. For more information, visit http://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/CollegeNow/NYCCouncil.html

Myself Third Scholarship Graduating students who plan to attend a CUNY college and have demonstrated significant community involvement and academic achievement can compete for one of twelve $5000 scholarships awarded each year. Myself Third promotes the ideals of character, leadership and service, honoring college-bound students who engage in ongoing social action and volunteerism. Students must have completed at least 50 hours of volunteer and civic service in their community and/or schools.

The SAB was created to give students a voice in the operations of the College Now program. Each participating high school selects 2 representatives who serve for one year as liaisons between their fellow College Now students and the program's Directors. The names of this year's SAB members and articles written by previous members are available on the College Now Web site.