Special Opportunities for High School Students

Amaze Yourself…

SUNY Ulster accepts students in a number of special programs that offer full tuition scholarships, provide high school students with an opportunity to take college courses, and present intellectual challenge or develop college readiness skills. 

The College Scholars Program provides full-tuition scholarships to graduating students from Ulster County high schools, or to graduating high school students who are residents of Ulster County who rank in the top 10% of their graduating class.

The College Scholars award is combined with all other financial aid awards and any additional Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc. scholarships to guarantee full tuition. The scholarship is good for two consecutive semesters of full-time study and does not cover fees or books. After completing a full academic year at SUNY Ulster and maintaining a 3.3 cumulative average, student may be eligible for second-year College Scholars funding at SUNY Ulster. 
Eligible applicants must

  • Be accepted into full-time study at SUNY Ulster.
  • Graduate from an Ulster County high school or be a resident of Ulster County and graduate in the same year of application to SUNY Ulster and attend no other college or university. 
  • Receive a NYS Regents Diploma. 
  • Apply for Federal and State financial aid and provide all award certificates to SUNY Ulster's Financial Aid Office. 

For consideration, applicants must apply via the Ulster Community College Foundation’s , online scholarship application. Applicants must also submit complete our College Scholars Program Endorsement Form application.Forms must be certified by the applicant's guidance counselor and submitted to SUNY Ulster’s Admissions Office (after mid-term grades and before the July 31 deadline).

Our Collegian Program enables accomplished high school students to enroll in college classes taught during the day – at their own high school by selected high school faculty – and earn college credit for those classes.

While specific classes vary from high school to high school, classes have included College English, American History, Computer Art, Psychology, Accounting, Criminal Justice, Math, General Biology, Spanish, and Computer Applications for Business. 

Plus, Collegian students receive

  • Significantly reduced tuition while taking the Collegian course;
  • A SUNY Ulster ID to use Library services and attend campus special events, and
  • A SUNY Ulster transcript listing the course completed and grade earned, which can be applied toward a degree from SUNY Ulster or transferred to a four-year college or university.

Participating Schools include:

BOCES Career & Technical School, Ellenville High School, Highland High School, Hudson Valley Pathways P-Tech, Kingston High School, Marlboro High School, The Mount Academy, New Visions Classes BOCES, Onteora High School, New Paltz High School, Rondout Valley High School, Saugerties High School, Wallkill High School, Woodstock Day School.

Learn more and register.

If you are a highly motivated high school or home-schooled student—and you are ready to experience college early—this program is perfect for you! You’ll create a college transcript that can be used towards your studies at SUNY Ulster or other colleges and universities. You can even take honors coursework, if you qualify.

Who is eligible to apply?

  • HS seniors who wish to complete remaining HS graduation requirements at SUNY Ulster.
  • HS students interested in completing some coursework at SUNY Ulster.
  • Home-schooled students with SUNY Ulster coursework built into an approved Individual Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) within the school district they reside.
  • Others may qualify and will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

To help you get started please see our Early College Program Info Sheet highlighting important criteria about the Program, which will help you to determine if you are a potential candidate.

Students in the Early College Program have the option to take courses during our Summer Session I & II, as well as, our Fall and Spring semesters. Placement in SUNY Ulster coursework is based on the entering assessment exam results which are based on pre/co-requisite requirements, as highlighted in our course descriptions. Access our Early College Program Application & Enrollment Plan.

Candidates for the program are required to take our Entering Student Assessment Exam. There is no charge to take this exam and testing is done right on our Stone Ridge Campus. So if you are planning to pursue this opportunity for one of our upcoming semesters, we strongly encourage you to contact our Admissions Office.

Join the highly motivated students in Honors Studies at SUNY Ulster, who 

  • enjoy the exhilaration of intellectual challenge as part of a learning community of professors and students.

  • transfer to a wide variety of major colleges and universities that have enthusiastically endorsed the high academic standards and integrity of the program. 

  • realize unequaled economic savings in their first two years of college study through SUNY Ulster's low tuition rates and high levels of scholarship support. 

  • attend specially structured Honors classes that are kept small to encourage maximum interchange between students and professors. 

Honors classes feature

  • small class size, providing a seminar environment. 

  • emphasis on writing, discussion, and student presentations. 

  • readings of original sources and research articles, where possible, rather than textbooks. 

  • enrichment activities outside of class, including field trips, speakers, and cultural and social events. 

Honors Studies are open to students in all programs who meet the criteria for admission. Students who successfully complete 18 credits of Honors-level courses, fulfill the requirements of their academic programs and earn an overall GPA of 3.3 receive the Honors designation at graduation.

 

Criteria for Admission

Applicants will be subject to qualitative admission standards.

Students will be permitted to enroll in ENG 171Honors English I, or ENG ENG 172Honors English II, only by the permission of the Honors Program Director.  Students will be advised to consider enrolling in additional Honors classes if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

Incoming Freshmen

  • The student is a College Scholar, having graduated in the top 10 percent of the high school class, and is eligible for ENG 171 Honors English I*.

or

  • The student has a high school average of 90 or higher, is eligible for ENG 171*, and the results of all placement tests indicate that the student is eligible to take college-level course work in all subject areas.

or

  • The student has an earned G.E.D., is eligible for ENG 171*, and the results of all placement tests indicate that the student is eligible to take college-level course work in all subject areas. Additionally, there is some evidence, such as a high standardized test score, to suggest that the student shows academic promise.

or

  • The student has been home schooled, is eligible for ENG 171*, and the results of all placement tests indicate that the student is eligible to take college-level course work in all subjects. Additionally, there is some evidence, such as a high standardized test score, to suggest that the student shows academic promise.

 

Early College Students

The advisor for Early College students may recommend Honors courses if a student has a high school average of 90 or higher, is eligible for ENG 171 Honors English I, and the results of all placement tests indicate that the student is eligible to take college-level course work in all subject areas. Enrollment in Honors courses is only by the permission of the Honors Program Director.

Continuing and Transfer Students   

A continuing and transfer student may be admitted to participate in Honors courses if the student has a distinguished academic record, with a G.P.A of 3.5 earned in college-level course work, and a grade of B+ or better in ENG 101 or its equivalent. Enrollment in Honors courses is only by permission of the Honors Program Director.    

* Based on the English placement essay and by permission of the Honors Director. 

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