SAVE THE DATE FOR CAMP COLLEGE 2027:
July 21-23, 2027 at SUNY Geneseo
Applications for campers and mentors will open in January and close in April.
Save the Date Flyer
What is Camp College?
Camp College is a free, overnight program for rising juniors and seniors that brings the residential college experience to life and equips students with the confidence and resources to navigate the college admissions process.
During their three days on the SUNY Geneseo campus, campers live in a residence hall, eat in the dining hall, meet new friends from across New York State, and get a real taste of life as a college student. Through interactive workshops, small-group mentorship meetings, student life activities, and our college fair, campers have the opportunity to forge new skills, reflect on their goals for the future, and get all of their questions answered by counseling professionals and college representatives from institutions across the state.
For more than 25 years, Camp College has worked to demystify the college experience and the admissions process, and it is offered at no cost to students and families.
What Campers Experience:
Mentorship. Every camper is part of a mentor group led by college admissions professionals and school counselors who volunteer their time. Mentors answer honest questions about applying, paying for college, and what campus life is really like, and many campers say these conversations were the highlight of their time at Camp.
Workshops. Campers build their own schedule through a course registration simulation modeled on how college students choose classes. Every camper completes core workshops in building a college list and writing the college essay, plus a financial aid series. Then, they choose two electives on topics such as athletic recruitment, building an extracurriculars list, and time management. Workshops are designed and led by our mentors, and all materials are shared with campers afterward so they can keep using them throughout the application process.
Student Life. Between sessions, campers have time to relax, explore campus, and connect with peers. Evenings include choice-time activities like karaoke, games, and ice cream, and many campers leave with new friendships and a clearer picture of themselves as college students.
Our Impact:
At Camp College, we don’t just tell students that college is within reach. We help them feel it. After the 2026 program, we asked campers how prepared they felt for three of the biggest parts of applying to college, both before and after camp. Here’s what they told us.
| Before Camp | After Camp |
Understanding Financial Aid | About 5 in 10 felt prepared | 9 in 10 felt prepared (93%) |
Writing the College Essay | About 5 in 10 felt prepared | 9 in 10 felt prepared (93%) |
Building a College List | 7 in 10 felt prepared | ~9 in 10 felt prepared (88%) |
The change shows up in how confident students felt, too. The share of campers who felt very prepared for financial aid rose from 5% to 40%. For the college essay, it rose from 5% to 37%. Two out of three campers felt more prepared for both financial aid and the essay after camp than when they arrived.
In 2026, Camp College welcomed 52 campers and 23 mentors to SUNY Geneseo. That’s up from 19 campers the year before, a 174% increase. Campers came from across New York State, from the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens to the Capital Region, Western New York, Westchester, and the Southern Tier. Our mentors designed and led 23 workshops, giving every camper the chance to build their own schedule and pursue the topics that mattered most to them.
Connect with Us:
Whether you’re a student, a family member, or a colleague, we’d love to connect! Reach out to our co-chairs with questions about the program, information about joining our committee, or to explore how you or your institution can support Camp College.
Camp College Co-Chairs:
Devin Hott & Tiarah Vergara | camp.college@nysacac.org
Thank you to our sponsors
