Go further, faster at Fredonia and ACE will pave the way!
Fredonia's Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) Program is designed to put you on track to earning a bachelor's degree within two years (transfers) or four years (freshman) by limiting many of the financial, academic, and personal obstacles students face. ACE helps by securing the classes you need, reducing textbook costs, and encouraging you to stay the course when things get challenging. The key benefits of the ACE program include:
- Personalized advising from your first semester through graduation
- Specialized career development preparation
- Cost of Attendance Award (up to $550/year) after financial aid applied
- Textbook assistance (up to $150/semester - $330/year)
- Monthly funds deposited on FredCard ($50/month - up to $440/year)
- Priority course registration
- Opportunities to take classes with other ACE students
- Winter/Summer course scholarships
- Access to a wide range of workshops and activities to support academic & personal growth
Eligibility Requirements for ACE
In order to qualify for the ACE program for Fall 2024, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be an incoming TRANSFER student with an earned associate degree or 60 accepted transfer credits; OR
- Be an incoming FRESHMAN bringing in less than 18 dual credit hours from their high school
- Have at least a 2.0 GPA
- Meet Fredonia’s undergraduate Admissions requirements APPLY NOW
- Be eligible for in-state tuition
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application. Be eligible for a PELL grant as part of their financial package
- ACE students cannot participate in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), 3-1-3 Early Admit, or majors that require an audition or portfolio review to be accepted.
- Enrolled full-time
Student Expectations and Responsibilities
As an ACE student we will expect you to do the following on your pathway to a degree:
- Attend monthly one-on-one meetings with your ACE academic advisor (unless otherwise agreed on by your ACE Advisor);
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application each year, and accept any federal and state grant aid awarded;
- Commit to graduating within four years (freshmen) or two years (transfer) and adhere to course schedules and degree maps approved by your advisors;
- Maintain full-time status by enrolling in at least 15 credits per semester;
- Enroll in summer or winter courses if 30 credits are not earned by the end of each academic year;
- Attend ACE workshops or activities of your choice across each semester as directed by your ACE Advisor;
- Attend career development opportunities each academic year;
- Respond promptly to all communications sent out by ACE staff.
This program is an official replication of the City University of New York's (CUNY) Accelerated Study in Academic Programs (ASAP), a nationally recognized initiative proven to double graduation rates by providing comprehensive financial, academic, and personal support. In the Spring of 2024, ACE/ASAP programming was rolled out at 25 SUNY campuses, including Fredonia, thanks to investment from the SUNY Transformation Fund included in Governor Hochul's enacted state budget.
In a recent 5-year randomized control study at John Jay College, it was found that ACE has a statistically significant impact on both four-year graduation rates and five-year graduation rates: The final report presents results showing that ACE students were estimated to graduate within five years at 68.8%, 11.7 percentage points higher than the control group rate of 57.1%.
Contact Us to Learn More About Your Eligibility
The Fredonia Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) Program is part of the SUNY replication of the City University of New York (CUNY) Accelerate, Complete, and Engage (ACE) program.