NJ LEEP College Bound Application

What is the NJ LEEP College Bound Program?

The College Bound Program is a free college access program serving students and families in the greater Newark area. We provide 7 years of programming (grades 6-12) to support students in developing the academic and social-emotional skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond.

Families also play a meaningful role in building our community by attending family meetings, community-wide events, and workshops throughout the year.

Students and families commit to:

  • A 5-week academic enrichment summer program starting in July.

  • 15 Saturday sessions, October-May.

  • 2 days of afterschool programming each week, October-May.

  • NJ LEEP high school graduates continue to receive support throughout their time at college or university as they experience a new chapter in life via our College Student Success Program.

Who can apply?

  • Current 5th grade students in the Greater Newark Area. 

    • Students in grades 6-11 may also apply to join our waitlist.

  • Students who are first-generation and/or low-income.

    • We define first-generation students as those whose parents did not complete a four-year college or university degree in the United States. 

    • We define low income as an income of $90,000 or below for a family of four (for each additional household member, we add $5,000 to the threshold). 

How do I apply?

Part 1: Documents and Prompt Response

Before completing the application, you will need:

  • A copy of your student’s most recent report card.

    • High school students will need to provide their most recent transcript instead of a report card

  • The first page of the parent(s)’s/guardian(s)’s most recent tax return (IRS 1040 or other).

  • A student written response to the following prompt:

    • “Why are you interested in joining NJ LEEP? What are you looking to gain from being part of the NJ LEEP community? How will this experience be important to your future goals?" 

    • Students currently in 5th-7th grade should write 2-3 paragraphs.

    • Students currently in 8th-11th grade should write 4-5 paragraphs.

Please save all documents, including the prompt response, as a Google Doc, Word Doc, PDF, or picture

Part 2: Application

Once you have all of the documents, you may complete the application and upload the documents here: https://forms.gle/qf6rQpjV1Pqba35v7. The student and at least one parent/guardian should complete the application together, as there are specific questions for both to answer.

The priority application deadline is 01/06/2025 by 11:59 PM EST. 

The final application deadline is 03/31/2025 by 11:59 PM EST.

Part 3: Teacher Recommendation

Once you have submitted the application, please send the Teacher Recommendation Form to one current math, ELA, science, or social studies teacher: https://forms.gle/ExP7FAjyoc12uuCr6.

Part 4: Interview

Once we have received all parts of your application and the Teacher Recommendation, the recruitment team will contact you via email to schedule a virtual family interview. The student and at least one parent/guardian must be in attendance. The interview will last 30-45 minutes.

We are hosting four Family Information Sessions in English, Spanish, and Portuguese before the final application deadline of March 31, 2025. We strongly encourage families to attend to learn more about our program and the application process. The in-person sessions are also a great opportunity to get to know our space. All family members are welcome to attend.

Please RSVP here.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the application process, please contact the recruitment coordinator, Ms. Silvana Romero, at recruiting@njleep.org or (973) 856-9950, or complete the Interest Form below.

Thank you for your interest in NJ LEEP. We look forward to getting to know you and your family!