NCCC, SUNY Plattsburgh announce new dual admissions initiative

April 25, 2024

SARANAC LAKE – A new dual admissions partnership will pave the way for students to earn an associate degree from North Country Community College and a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Plattsburgh.

The Gateway 2 Plattsburgh program was formally approved today by NCCC President Joe Keegan and SUNY Plattsburgh President Alexander Enyedi, Ph.D. during a signing ceremony at North Country’s Saranac Lake campus.

Increasing seamless-transfer pathways, including dual-admission opportunities for students, has been a priority of SUNY Chancellor John King. National studies have shown 80 percent of first-year community college students plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree, but only 16 percent complete one.

Gateway 2 Plattsburgh is designed to address that challenge head-on by providing students with the access, support and guidance to make the transfer process between the two institutions both seamless and successful.

Students who apply to the Gateway program will be formally admitted to North Country and provisionally admitted to SUNY Plattsburgh through a single application. These students will have the opportunity to work with advisors from both institutions, benefit from specialized orientation events, and work with transfer specialists who will help guide them to SUNY Plattsburgh.

Once they complete their associate degree at North Country, Gateway 2 Plattsburgh students will seamlessly enroll at SUNY Plattsburgh and continue their studies in select bachelor’s degree programs. Counseling, Psychology, Education and Nursing are among some of the programs students will be able to pursue through this dual enrollment initiative, which will begin in the Fall 2024 semester.

“Our thanks to President Enyedi and his team at SUNY Plattsburgh for their commitment to North Country students by establishing this program and strengthening the transfer path from North Country to SUNY Plattsburgh,” said North Country Community College President Joe Keegan. “SUNY Plattsburgh has long been a transfer destination for North Country students, and the Gateway 2 Plattsburgh improves upon those efforts to the benefit of students and their families. The streamlining of the admissions process, the additional transfer advisement, and the specialized orientation events will help ease that transition and help more North Country graduates also become SUNY Plattsburgh graduates.”

“This agreement represents a significant step forward in our commitment to provide accessible and seamless educational pathways for students in Franklin, Essex and Clinton counties - and beyond,” said SUNY Plattsburgh President Alexander Enyedi. “Through our collaborative efforts, we are not just removing barriers; we are dismantling them entirely. Gateway 2 Plattsburgh opens doors for students to complete a four-year degree without having to leave their local community, thereby enhancing access to a 4-year degree. This partnership is all about empowering students to pursue their dreams without geographical constraints, fostering a culture of academic excellence right here near home.”

For more information on the Gateway 2 Plattsburgh program, visit www.nccc.edu/gateway.