Across the country, college enrollments are trending downward among first-time, first-generation college students from low-income households and underrepresented backgrounds as the pandemic continues to deepen inequities in our country. SUNY is stepping up to make sure everyone has a fair shot at college this year—no one should have to choose between surviving a pandemic and applying to college.

Building upon its SUNY For All initiative — which aims to broaden access to the country’s largest system of public higher education for learners at every stage of life — Chancellor Jim Malatras recently launched the Big Dreams, Small Step campaign to provide assistance to high school students who are at risk of being left behind this year — and who stand to benefit the most from a college degree.

Even before the pandemic hit, students from low-income households or those from underrepresented groups had anywhere from only a 10-25 percent chance of earning a degree. We know that a college degree has the ability to change the trajectory of one’s life and improve career success—Big Dreams, Small Step will help make that a reality with additional support, resources, and guidance to help students navigate the admissions process this year.

Support options include:

• Designated Application Weeks featuring individual appointments and personal support on the SUNY application (including assistance on how to apply to SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Program)
• Application fee waivers for eligible students, potentially adding up to $350 in savings when applying to multiple schools
• SUNY’s ‘personalized support service’ expansion to help applicants complete an application fee waiver and secure the endorsement of their high school counselor remotely
• Enhanced ‘College Advisor of the Day’ programming, where high school students can book a focused, one-on-one conversation about SUNY’s offerings and the application process
• Immediate, easy-to-follow guidance on applying to SUNY and where to get help

Ready to get started? Take the first step at suny.edu/start.