About Smart Transfer

Schenectady Smart Transfer Early College High School is a grant-funded program which allows high school students to pursue and obtain associate’s degrees while earning their high school diplomas. Students then automatically transfer to a 4-year institution to complete their bachelor’s degrees. Funded by New York State Education Department, Smart Transfer is a partnership between SUNY Schenectady, University at Albany, SUNY Delhi and Schenectady High School. Students apply and are accepted in 8th grade, undergoing a multi-stage application process and then participating in a rigorous 6-week summer program at SUNY Schenectady. Smart Transfer is modeled after existing Early College High Schools in the country, but is new for the Schenectady community and in the Capital Region. Two cohorts of students were accepted in Spring, 2018, and will graduate from both SUNY Schenectady and Schenectady High School in 2021 and 2022. Every year a cohort of 32 students are admitted to the program. Smart Transfer students will spend their first two years of high school full-time at SHS and their junior and senior years primarily at SUNY Schenectady.

Programs of Study

• Computer Science
  SUNY Schenectady curriculum worksheet

• Business Administration
  SUNY Schenectady curriculum worksheet

• Mathematics and Science
  SUNY Schenectady curriculum worksheet

• Liberal Arts
  SUNY Schenectady curriculum worksheet

  • Communications Concentration

  • English Concentration

  • History Concentration

  • Psychology Concentration
    

Smart Transfer Admissions
Criteria for Admission

Smart Transfer is a challenging program that requires great dedication on the part of its students and their families. Expectations for students to be successful in this program are as follow:

• Complete 60 credit hours of college-level courses

• Participate in MANDATORY 6-week summer college courses

• Participate in all Smart Transfer programming during the school year, including, but not limited to:

• MANDATORY orientation

• Student/parent/guardian meetings

• Weekly after school sessions

• Monthly social/educational/recreational activities

• Community Service/Volunteering

• Meetings with SUNY Schenectady advisors

• Attend courses on the campus of SUNY Schenectady during their junior and senior years

How to Apply

For consideration, students must complete and/or submit the following:

• Application

• Admissions essay

• Recommendations

• Parental consent

• Family interview