Gaels Success Program
Congratulations on your admission to Iona University! We are very excited to welcome you into our tight-knit and supportive community. As part of your admission, you have been selected to participate in the Gaels Success Program.
What is the Gaels Success Program?
This program provides qualified students with a comprehensive academic and mentoring structure, at no extra charge, to help ensure success as you transition from high school to college. This initiative is limited and seats are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
What does the Gaels Success Program consist of?
Gaels Success students receive personalized scheduling working with an Academic Advisor.
In your first semester at Iona, as part of this program, you will take our Academic Skills and Strategies course and receive two hours of academic coaching per week.
The Academic Skills and Strategies course (CDS 1203 - 3 credits) consists of a small cohort of students and two peer mentors. This course will assist you in honing foundational skills for college success, provide opportunities to assess your academic interests and strengths, and creates a supportive academic environment with select faculty members in which to become familiar with college resources.
You will also participate in two hours of academic coaching per week in our Rudin Center with peer and professional tutors in both the fall and spring semesters (CDS 1201 - 1 credit).
Earn Three Free Credits
Upon successful completion of the first year (as measured by 24 credits earned, successful completion of CDS 1203 in the fall and CDS 1201 in the fall and spring, and a GPA of a 2.0 or better), students in the Gaels Success Program have the one-time opportunity to take a summer or winter intersession course at no extra charge. This is only available to Gaels Success students and is designed to recognize and reward academic achievement.
Why have I been selected to be in the Gaels Success Program?
Bolster Your Success
Iona University values the success of each of our students. Based on both incoming student assessments, Iona University student performance data and best practices in higher education, students with your credentials have a more successful transition to college and achieve more with the academic supports you will receive through this program.
Easier Transition
We also recognize that there are a lot of potential challenges in earning a college degree and want to support you from your very first semester until you graduate. Because of this, we are happy to be offering this program at no cost whereas other institutions often charge for these types of academic supports.
Opportunity to Earn Free Credits
Lastly, we hope to see you take advantage of the opportunity to earn three free credits upon successful completion of your first academic year!