The Educational Opportunity Fund

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Caldwell College Educational Opportunity Fund program (EOF), provides access to higher education for those who come from backgrounds of economic and educational disadvantage. EOF assists low-income New Jersey residents who are capable and motivated but lack adequate preparation for college study. The EOF program provides supplemental financial aid to help cover college costs, and provides supportive services, such as developmental courses, tutoring, counseling, and a professional staff, to assist in making the path to a college degree a qualitative educational experience.

THE EOF PRE-FRESHMAN SUMMER PROGRAM

All EOF program full-time incoming freshmen must attend, and successfully complete, a mandatory five week residential summer program, before they can attend classes in the fall semester. The summer program is designed to strengthen students’ preparation for college-level work, by assisting in the further development of basic skills in reading, writing, word processing, and study techniques. Students are also required to reside in one of the campus dormitories, from Sunday through Thursday, in order to become further acclimated to the expectations and demands of college life. Individual strengths and areas in need of improvement are evaluated, and then discussed with students, in order to enhance their potential for success in the fall, and their college career.

ELIGIBILITY

While forty-one of New Jersey's community colleges and public and private four-year colleges and universities participate in the EOF Program, the actual number of available spaces at each college or university is limited. To participate in an EOF program, students must be New Jersey residents and must apply to a New Jersey college or university and file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Because EOF is a campus-based program, each campus is responsible for student recruitment, selection, program services, and its own specific criteria for EOF admission and program participation. New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program grants are, therefore, generally available to students from families with a background of poverty, whose annual income falls within the income scale established by the State of New Jersey, and who do not demonstrate sufficient academic preparation to gain regular admission to the institution of their choice. Grants are available for both undergraduate and graduate studies. Please visit the official state website for the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund (click here) for further details.

Students interested in applying to the Caldwell College EOF program should contact the EOF Office at (973) 618-3245, or by the above form, for specific admissions requirements and information.