Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)

Eligibility Requirements

Students applying to HEOP at Five Towns College must be:

• A resident of New York State for one year.
• A high school graduate or a GED recipient.
• Economically disadvantaged as defined by New York State guidelines and verified by appropriate documentation.
• Educationally disadvantaged, which includes, but is not limited to, the following factors: predicting a student’s probability of academic success, non-admissibility to the college’s normal admissions standards, and/or to the college at the matriculated status in a degree program.
• A transfer student from an approved New York State Opportunity Program.
• Motivated and demonstrate potential to be successful in post-secondary studies.
• Be able to demonstrate their potential and ability to succeed at Five Towns College.

All HEOP candidates must apply to the college through the general admissions process even if they were introduced to the HEOP by members of the HEOP team. There is no separate admissions application for HEOP. Candidates who want to be considered for HEOP should be sure to request financial aid assistance on their general admissions application. The HEOP team reviews all potential candidate applications to ensure compliance with New York State guidelines. Financial Aid must be completed and filed with all supporting documentation for consideration. Transfer students must provide verification of their participation in another opportunity program.

The HEOP team interviews all students who meet the academic and economic guidelines. College Readiness exams are scheduled alongside the interview. The number of students admitted into this program is limited, so students are strongly encouraged to apply and complete all the steps in the admissions process as early as possible for the upcoming year.

All potential HEOP students are required to participate in an intensive summer bridge experience in preparation for their first academic year. This is a required four-week residential summer experience that introduces students to the College’s creative environment and academic rigor. In addition to coursework that focuses on written and oral communication and critical reasoning and mathematics, the Bridge experience provides opportunities for enrichment, camaraderie and civic engagement through workshops, seminars and planned excursions that include art, collective community collaboration and team building.

Students transition into the fall semester as full-time college students with 3 credits earned upon their successful completion of the program. Program team members emphasize the importance and necessity of study skills, personal development, and career planning throughout the student’s academic career, but more intensely during the first two years of attendance.

Further, students are provided with an academic-support profile and are notified by the HEOP team of their academic standing and any area in which they will require support or personal attention. The HEOP team then discusses the profile with students to increase their readiness for the fall semester and offers practical tools and tips for them to be successful.

Proper documentation of all financial information is required to determine the eligibility and availability of aid for each student. The Financial Aid Office creates a reasonable budget using a variety of resources to cover the student’s academic expenses. Contact [email protected] for more info.