What is EOP?

The Educational Opportunity Program, or EOP, is a counseling and academic support program designed to help low-income and first generation college students succeed in college. (A student is first generation if neither parent went to college.) EOPs are state programs, and they're typically only for in-state residents of public colleges.

The purpose of these programs is to help students who face additional obstacles in higher education succeed academically and graduate. There are EOPs in a number of states, but it's not available in every state or at every college. Look at a school's website or contact its admissions office to see if it has an EOP.

Most campuses that offer EOP provide a summer program for EOP students to help them transition to college and prepare for college life. The students get to live on campus and strengthen their academic skills before college ever starts.

During the academic year, EOP offers counseling, mentorship, and academic advising for enrolled students to help them succeed academically. Furthermore, EOP offers students career advice and preparation for graduate studies. Also, some programs provide financial assistance, including offering grants and waiving or deferring certain fees.

Each EOP is a little bit different in terms of the services and opportunities it offers its students, but they all share the same goal: to help traditionally underserved students earn a college degree.

How Is EOP Eligibility Determined?

Eligibility does vary by campus, but it's typically based on income requirements, meaning that your family's income must be below a certain amount for you to qualify for the program. Each state's income threshold is slightly different.

The income criteria is a bit different for EOPs at SUNY schools. Check this page for the income requirements, which are broken down by family size. At SUNY schools, EOP is also designed for students who don't meet the normal admission requirements but show academic promise.

For most EOPs, only in-state residents and US citizens or permanent residents are eligible for EOP. Like we mentioned earlier, you'll need to check with your school's EOP office to see if you qualify.

Why Should You Join EOP?

If you apply to a school that has an EOP and you're eligible, I highly recommend trying to join the program. Not only can you receive financial benefits, but the transitional summer program and advising can help jumpstart your success in college...and beyond!

Many EOP students come from under-resourced schools and don't enter college as prepared as their more affluent peers. Furthermore, because these students may not have parents or family members who are knowledgeable about college, they're not able to get the same guidance as other students unless they participate in programs like EOP. EOPs give capable students who might not have the same resources or social privileges the support they need to be successful in college.

Also, low-income, first generation college students can feel isolated on college campuses and have a hard time relating to their fellow students who come from more privileged backgrounds. An EOP can help you find a community of students with backgrounds similar to yours, and you can receive counseling and mentorship to help you deal with the struggles that can come from being a low-income or first generation college student.

What Is The Difference with EOP and HEOP?

The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) is for state-contract, public colleges while the Higher Educational Opportunity Program (HEOP) is for endowed, or private, colleges and universities in New York State.