Suffolk County Community College and the State University of New York at Old Westbury have signed a new joint admission agreement, allowing students who complete their studies at Suffolk guaranteed admission into an array of programs at SUNY Old Westbury.
As part of the agreement, Suffolk students who graduate from over 30 programs with an Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Science (A.S.) or Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree and, in some degree areas, a minimum grade point average will be guaranteed acceptance to SUNY Old Westbury. Students graduating from Suffolk will have their lower-level general education/core requirements waived if they transfer to SUNY Old Westbury.
The joint admissions program is open to all first-year students who enroll at Suffolk, students who transfer to Suffolk with fewer than 24 completed credits and enrolled Suffolk students who have completed less than 24 credits at the institution.
For the transfer students, a maximum of 66 credits will be applied toward the completion of the relevant SUNY Old Westbury Bachelor’s degree programs.
“This new Joint Admissions Program provides students with a seamless route to earn a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Old Westbury — without wasting time or money taking credits that don’t transfer,” said SUNY Old Westbury President Timothy E. Sams. “We are excited to announce this new agreement as it extends the longstanding, successful partnership between our institutions.”
SUNY Suffolk students committing to SUNY Old Westbury will be able to maximize course offerings and ensure a smooth transfer process. Through the agreement, which is the first formal update between the colleges in over 20 years, Suffolk graduates have 24 majors and programs to choose from at SUNY Old Westbury.
“Our renewed partnership with SUNY Old Westbury allows seamless transfer opportunities for Suffolk County Community College students as they pursue their degrees,” said College President Dr. Edward Bonahue. “Smoothing the transfer process is critical for degree completion, so students don’t have to spend time and money on coursework they’ve already completed.”
With approximately 25,000 students, Suffolk County Community College is the largest community college in the SUNY (State University of New York) system. It has three campuses — in Selden, Brentwood and Riverhead — and offers over 100 degree and certificate options.
Dr. Duncan Quarless, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at SUNY Old Westbury, said: “SUNY Old Westbury is committed to working with our community college partners to break down traditional barriers to education and ensure students have a clear path to success. This pathway is the result of great cooperation and collaboration between faculty and deans of our respective institutions and will serve well both the needs of our institutions and, more importantly, those of our students.”
