High school seniors in New York City have begun receiving “welcome” letters from the City University of New York (CUNY), an initiative supported by Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. This effort is aimed at encouraging students to apply to CUNY, continuing a program initiated by her predecessor.
Encouragement and Support for Students
During a recent visit to Brooklyn Technical High School, Aviles-Ramos provided reassurance to students regarding their options at CUNY, emphasizing that strong academic performance would guarantee their acceptance. The letters distributed to the seniors contained critical details about the admissions process, highlighting that while four-year colleges at CUNY have selective criteria, two-year programs offer guaranteed admission to all graduates from city public high schools.
Brooklyn Technical High School and Its Impact
Brooklyn Technical High School serves a substantial student population of approximately 6,000 and has traditionally been a significant source of CUNY graduates, contributing around 400 students last year. This letter campaign builds on an initiative started in the previous year by former CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez and former schools Chancellor David Banks, who left office amid various investigations involving the city administration.
Response to Enrollment Decrease
The strategy to boost CUNY applications comes in response to a decrease in enrollment linked to the pandemic. To facilitate this, CUNY is waiving application fees for students from city public schools between October 21 and November 15. Preliminary data suggests that enrollment numbers may see an increase of 2-3% this fall compared to the previous year, indicating a continuation of growth for the CUNY system.
Resurgence in College Enrollment
Additionally, reports indicate a resurgence in college enrollment among New York City public school graduates, with approximately 73% of 2022 high school graduates enrolling in higher education within six months, marking a recovery from earlier declines.
Chancellor Aviles-Ramos’ Personal Narrative
During her visit, Chancellor Aviles-Ramos shared her own experiences, discussing the challenges she faced in her college journey and the support she received at City College, providing students with a personal narrative aimed at inspiring them to overcome their own academic hurdles. One senior noted that the chancellor’s story was particularly motivating, especially her emphasis on resilience in facing challenges.
(Source: Chalkbeat)
