A major investment from New York State will bring personalized support services to thousands more SUNY students, including those at Cayuga Community College.
The SUNY ASAP and ACE programs — designed to help students stay on track, earn more credits, and complete degrees faster — are expanding to 34 campuses this fall. A total of 7,000 students will benefit in 2025, with plans to grow that number to 10,000 by 2026.
The programs provide students with academic advising, financial assistance, and other wraparound services, including help covering emergency expenses like car repairs or childcare. The goal is to eliminate common barriers that often derail college completion — especially for first-generation students juggling work, family, and coursework.
A track record of results
ASAP, which supports associate degree students, and ACE, its counterpart for four-year campuses, are built on a proven model that’s already showing success at SUNY schools.
According to SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr., students in the programs have higher credit completion rates and are more likely to stay enrolled. After just one semester, ASAP students earned 20% more credits than their peers. ACE students had a 9% higher completion rate.
“These programs combine everything we know about what helps students thrive,” King wrote in a recent message. “A human connection that guides and uplifts.”
Helping students navigate college — and life
Beyond academics, ASAP and ACE aim to build strong relationships between students and advisors who understand the real-life struggles many students face. That could be anything from financial emergencies to balancing multiple jobs.
The programs also use real-time data to monitor progress and make quick adjustments when a student is falling behind — addressing problems before they become major setbacks.
One recent study even found long-term financial benefits: ASAP graduates at community colleges in Ohio earned 14% more than non-ASAP peers eight years after finishing the program.
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