Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE)
A post-secondary support program that aims to promote bachelor's degree attainment in college students through comprehensive advisement and career development provided by dedicated advisors.
Program Outcomes
- Post Secondary Education
Program Type
- Academic Services
- Mentoring - Tutoring
- School - Individual Strategies
- Skills Training
Program Setting
- School
Continuum of Intervention
- Universal Prevention
Age
- Adult
- Early Adulthood (19-24)
Gender
- Both
Race/Ethnicity
- All
Endorsements
Blueprints: Promising
Social Programs that Work:Top Tier
Program Information Contact
Christine Brongniart
University Executive Director, CUNY ASAP|ACE
Christine.Brongniart@cuny.edu
Constance Barnes-Watson
Director, ASAP|ACE National Replication Collaborative
Constance.Barnes-Watson@cuny.edu
Website: http://www1.cuny.edu/sites/asap/
For ACE replication:
Email: CUNYASAPReplication@cuny.edu
Website: https://www1.cuny.edu/sites/asap/replication/
Program Developer/Owner
The City University of New York (CUNY)
Brief Description of the Program
Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE) is a post-secondary, college-based support program designed to promote on-time bachelor's degree completion. The program uses the same comprehensive student support model and program components as Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) but is adapted for the baccalaureate level. Specifically, the ACE model includes services and supports in the areas of early engagement and community building, academic momentum, advisement and career development, academic support, and financial supports. The program continues for the four years typically needed for an undergraduate degree and is implemented by dedicated advisors with relatively small caseloads (maximum of 150 students per advisor).
The City University of New York's (CUNY) Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE) model is a comprehensive program designed to promote on-time bachelor's degree completion for both first time freshman and associate degree holding transfer students. Building on the proven success of CUNY's Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP), ACE adapts the same holistic student support model for bachelor's degree students, providing targeted services in early engagement and community building, academic momentum, advisement and career development, academic support, and financial resources - ensuring students stay on track to graduate.
ACE recruits students to join in the fall and spring, with participants joining as first-time freshmen or transfer students with an associate degree at the junior level. Before their first semester, students meet individually with their ACE advisor to establish a relationship, review degree requirements, and plan their course schedule. They also attend an ACE orientation to familiarize themselves with program resources and expectations. Throughout their time in ACE, students engage in workshops, events, and community-building activities designed to support academic progress, career development, and overall success. Additionally, ACE students receive robust financial support designed to reduce cost barriers and encourage retention. Eligible students may receive tuition and fee gap scholarships to cover any remaining balance after applying their financial aid (Pell/TAP) as well as tuition for intersession course taking. ACE provides funding for textbooks and course materials, as well as an unlimited-ride OMNY card for New York City subways and buses. These supports help students remain engaged and focus on academics without financial strain.
The program reinforces steady academic momentum by setting clear expectations for enrollment. Students commit to attempting at least 15 credits each semester and enrolling in summer or winter sessions if needed to earn 30 credits each academic year. Throughout the program, students receive comprehensive advisement from dedicated ACE advisors with relatively small caseloads (maximum of 150 students per advisor). Clear expectations are set for regular engagement, with students required to meet individually with their advisors as well as attend other program activities as determined by their individual support level category. The program leverages data and technology tools to track student participation and ensure consistent follow-up.
Career development is integrated into advising sessions, with career-related topics addressed through individual meetings, seminars, and direct engagement with an ACE career specialist. Advisors and career specialists support students to:
- Document experiential learning activities;
- Reflect on their goals and post-graduate aspirations;
- Understand how academic performance impacts career opportunities; and
- Identify valuable professional connections and resources for career growth.
Additional career development activities include completing a career interest inventory, attending career fairs, participating in mock interviews, crafting and refining resumes and cover letters, gaining internship experience, and attending networking mixers to build communication and professional networking skills.
Outcomes
Primary Evidence Base for Certification
Study 1
Zhu et al. (2023) and Scuello and Strumbos (2024) found at posttest that participants in the intervention group, relative to those in the control group, had a significantly higher likelihood of:
- Graduating with a bachelor's degree within four and five years
Brief Evaluation Methodology
Primary Evidence Base for Certification
The one study Blueprints has reviewed (Study 1) meets Blueprints evidentiary standards (specificity, evaluation quality, impact, dissemination readiness). The study was done by the developer.
Study 1
Zhu et al. (2023) and Scuello and Strumbos (2024) conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare a sample of 570 college students assigned to one of two conditions upon entrance to City University of New York: Accelerate, Complete, Engage or a school-as-usual control group. Bachelor's degree completion was assessed four and five years after baseline using transcript data and student records.
Study 1
Zhu, J., Scuello, M., & Strumbos, D. (2023). Evaluation of Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE) at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice: Year 4 interim study report. Metis Associates.
Scuello, M., & Strumbos, D. (2024). Evaluation of Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE) at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice: Final report. Metis Associates.
Risk Factors
School: Low school commitment and attachment
Protective Factors
School: Opportunities for prosocial involvement in education
*
Risk/Protective Factor was significantly impacted by the program
Gender Specific Findings
- Male
- Female
Race/Ethnicity Specific Findings
- Hispanic or Latino
Subgroup Analysis Details
Subgroup differences in program effects by race, ethnicity, or gender (coded in binary terms as male/female) or program effects for a sample of a specific racial, ethnic, or gender group:
Study 1 showed significant within-group program benefits for females (Zhu et al., 2023) and males (Scuello & Strumbos, 2024). Also, Study 1 (Scuello & Strumbos, 2024) showed significant within-group program benefits for Hispanics and economically disadvantaged students (i.e., eligible for a Pell Grant).
Sample demographics including race, ethnicity, and gender for Blueprints-certified studies:
The sample for Study 1 was 70.0% female, and most students (71.8%) were eligible for Pell Grants. Nearly half (48.3%) identified as Hispanic or Latino/a, 14.2% as White, 10.2% as Black, and 9.7% as Asian or Pacific Islander. An additional 17.7% identified as more than one or other race/ethnicity. About one-fifth of students (20.9%) were born outside of the United States, and over two-thirds (69.1%) reported that their parents were born in another country.
The CUNY ASAP|ACE Central Office houses a national replication team who partner with institutions committed to increasing graduation rates by replicating the model with a high level of fidelity. The successful outcomes from the earliest replication efforts in Ohio, supported by this team, have led to an enhanced replication structure that includes highly customized technical assistance, as described below, and access to a dynamic network of professionals affiliated with ASAP|ACE replication programs, known as the ASAP National Replication Collaborative.
As potential partners engage with market expansion activities and consider scaled replication projects, technical assistance typically begins at the district/state/systems level with the deployment of proprietary tools to determine partner "readiness" and "capacity" to successfully launch and sustain replication programs.
Once a new replication partnership has been officiated, the ASAP National Replication Team provides paced technical assistance, moving through phases of development and engagement through synchronous and asynchronous sessions. Partners are provided with a rich collection of training modules housed and deployed through a learning management system. As replication partners welcome their first cohort of students, they move into a more individualized phase of technical assistance support. The team engages college leadership more frequently for individualized discussions to navigate each campus' particular implementation nuances, challenges, as well as review campus-level performance data to promote a data-rooted culture. The annual deployment of the ASAP Fidelity to Model Assessment (FTMA) is a key tool within this phase of work, supportive to multiple facets of the technical assistance operation including monitoring of model fidelity, documentation of adaptations, and a content scoping tool for continuous technical assistance support.
The formal technical assistance that the team provides draws on the operational expertise of ASAP|ACE staff and includes structured guidance and troubleshooting support in all areas of program development and implementation, including college-wide program integration and oversight, staffing, marketing, recruitment, student financial supports, the ASAP advisement model, academic pathways, and using data for program management. The ASAP National Replication team also offers guidance designing a comprehensive evaluation approach and a robust data management system to help replication partners use data for program management.
As partners stand up their programs they engage as members of the ASAP|ACE National Replication Collaborative, a peer learning network that contributes to initial technical assistance activities for new replication partners and engages regularly through relevant affinity groups. Those groups connect on a range of topics: holistic supports and advisement, program management, executive leadership, policy and advocacy, research and evaluation, and data management efforts. Members of the ASAP|ACE National Replication Collaborative not only have access to a network of institutions committed to increasing graduation rates through implementation of the model, they also receive peer-to-peer support to refine, expand, scale, and sustain the model in their unique context.
For more information, please visit the CUNY ASAP replication webpage.
Source: Washington State Institute for Public Policy
All benefit-cost ratios are the most recent estimates published by The Washington State Institute for Public Policy for Blueprint programs implemented in Washington State. These ratios are based on a) meta-analysis estimates of effect size and b) monetized benefits and calculated costs for programs as delivered in the State of Washington. Caution is recommended in applying these estimates of the benefit-cost ratio to any other state or local area. They are provided as an illustration of the benefit-cost ratio found in one specific state. When feasible, local costs and monetized benefits should be used to calculate expected local benefit-cost ratios. The formula for this calculation can be found on the WSIPP website.
No information is available
No information is available
Program Developer/Owner
The City University of New York (CUNY)New York, NY United States
Program Outcomes
- Post Secondary Education
Program Specifics
Program Type
- Academic Services
- Mentoring - Tutoring
- School - Individual Strategies
- Skills Training
Program Setting
- School
Continuum of Intervention
- Universal Prevention
Program Goals
A post-secondary support program that aims to promote bachelor's degree attainment in college students through comprehensive advisement and career development provided by dedicated advisors.
Population Demographics
The program targets incoming college students.
Target Population
Age
- Adult
- Early Adulthood (19-24)
Gender
- Both
Gender Specific Findings
- Male
- Female
Race/Ethnicity
- All
Race/Ethnicity Specific Findings
- Hispanic or Latino
Subgroup Analysis Details
Subgroup differences in program effects by race, ethnicity, or gender (coded in binary terms as male/female) or program effects for a sample of a specific racial, ethnic, or gender group:
Study 1 showed significant within-group program benefits for females (Zhu et al., 2023) and males (Scuello & Strumbos, 2024). Also, Study 1 (Scuello & Strumbos, 2024) showed significant within-group program benefits for Hispanics and economically disadvantaged students (i.e., eligible for a Pell Grant).
Sample demographics including race, ethnicity, and gender for Blueprints-certified studies:
The sample for Study 1 was 70.0% female, and most students (71.8%) were eligible for Pell Grants. Nearly half (48.3%) identified as Hispanic or Latino/a, 14.2% as White, 10.2% as Black, and 9.7% as Asian or Pacific Islander. An additional 17.7% identified as more than one or other race/ethnicity. About one-fifth of students (20.9%) were born outside of the United States, and over two-thirds (69.1%) reported that their parents were born in another country.
Other Risk and Protective Factors
Full-time enrollment, financial barriers to education
Risk/Protective Factor Domain
- Individual
- School
Risk/Protective Factors
Risk Factors
School: Low school commitment and attachment
Protective Factors
School: Opportunities for prosocial involvement in education
*Risk/Protective Factor was significantly impacted by the program
Brief Description of the Program
Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE) is a post-secondary, college-based support program designed to promote on-time bachelor's degree completion. The program uses the same comprehensive student support model and program components as Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) but is adapted for the baccalaureate level. Specifically, the ACE model includes services and supports in the areas of early engagement and community building, academic momentum, advisement and career development, academic support, and financial supports. The program continues for the four years typically needed for an undergraduate degree and is implemented by dedicated advisors with relatively small caseloads (maximum of 150 students per advisor).
Description of the Program
The City University of New York's (CUNY) Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE) model is a comprehensive program designed to promote on-time bachelor's degree completion for both first time freshman and associate degree holding transfer students. Building on the proven success of CUNY's Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP), ACE adapts the same holistic student support model for bachelor's degree students, providing targeted services in early engagement and community building, academic momentum, advisement and career development, academic support, and financial resources - ensuring students stay on track to graduate.
ACE recruits students to join in the fall and spring, with participants joining as first-time freshmen or transfer students with an associate degree at the junior level. Before their first semester, students meet individually with their ACE advisor to establish a relationship, review degree requirements, and plan their course schedule. They also attend an ACE orientation to familiarize themselves with program resources and expectations. Throughout their time in ACE, students engage in workshops, events, and community-building activities designed to support academic progress, career development, and overall success. Additionally, ACE students receive robust financial support designed to reduce cost barriers and encourage retention. Eligible students may receive tuition and fee gap scholarships to cover any remaining balance after applying their financial aid (Pell/TAP) as well as tuition for intersession course taking. ACE provides funding for textbooks and course materials, as well as an unlimited-ride OMNY card for New York City subways and buses. These supports help students remain engaged and focus on academics without financial strain.
The program reinforces steady academic momentum by setting clear expectations for enrollment. Students commit to attempting at least 15 credits each semester and enrolling in summer or winter sessions if needed to earn 30 credits each academic year. Throughout the program, students receive comprehensive advisement from dedicated ACE advisors with relatively small caseloads (maximum of 150 students per advisor). Clear expectations are set for regular engagement, with students required to meet individually with their advisors as well as attend other program activities as determined by their individual support level category. The program leverages data and technology tools to track student participation and ensure consistent follow-up.
Career development is integrated into advising sessions, with career-related topics addressed through individual meetings, seminars, and direct engagement with an ACE career specialist. Advisors and career specialists support students to:
- Document experiential learning activities;
- Reflect on their goals and post-graduate aspirations;
- Understand how academic performance impacts career opportunities; and
- Identify valuable professional connections and resources for career growth.
Additional career development activities include completing a career interest inventory, attending career fairs, participating in mock interviews, crafting and refining resumes and cover letters, gaining internship experience, and attending networking mixers to build communication and professional networking skills.
Theoretical Rationale
Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE) relies on research into the various components that help and hinder student success in college.
Theoretical Orientation
- Skill Oriented
- Normative Education
Brief Evaluation Methodology
Primary Evidence Base for Certification
The one study Blueprints has reviewed (Study 1) meets Blueprints evidentiary standards (specificity, evaluation quality, impact, dissemination readiness). The study was done by the developer.
Study 1
Zhu et al. (2023) and Scuello and Strumbos (2024) conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare a sample of 570 college students assigned to one of two conditions upon entrance to City University of New York: Accelerate, Complete, Engage or a school-as-usual control group. Bachelor's degree completion was assessed four and five years after baseline using transcript data and student records.
Outcomes (Brief, over all studies)
Primary Evidence Base for Certification
Study 1
Zhu et al. (2023) and Scuello and Strumbos (2024) found at posttest that participants in the intervention group, relative to those in the control group, had a significantly higher likelihood of graduating with a bachelor's degree within four and five years.
Outcomes
Primary Evidence Base for Certification
Study 1
Zhu et al. (2023) and Scuello and Strumbos (2024) found at posttest that participants in the intervention group, relative to those in the control group, had a significantly higher likelihood of:
- Graduating with a bachelor's degree within four and five years
Effect Size
Study 1 (Zhu et al., 2023; Scuello & Strumbos, 2024) reported Cox indices (i.e., the equivalent of Cohen's d for logistic regression) of .304-.307 for the graduation outcome.
Generalizability
One study meets Blueprints standards for high-quality methods with strong evidence of program impact (i.e., "certified" by Blueprints): Study 1 (Zhu et al., 2023; Scuello & Strumbos, 2024). The sample consisted largely of female and economically disadvantaged studies eligible for Pell Grants. Study 1 took place at John Jay College of the City University of New York and compared the intervention group to a school-as-usual control group.
Notes
Benefit-Cost Analysis:
ACE has been the subject of a benefit-cost study led by Dr. Judith Scott-Clayton and a research team from the Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University. In December 2024, Dr. Scott-Clayton's study reported these key findings:
- The net social benefits are nearly $43,000 per CUNY ACE participant, as primarily driven by greater earnings of participants over their lifetime.
- Intergenerational benefits for children of ACE participants, who grow up in higher-earning families, nearly triples the main estimate, to over $125,000 net social benefits per participant.
- These results may be larger or smaller depending upon whether ACE's impact on graduation after five years persists indefinitely, or whether the control group eventually catches up-but net social benefits are strongly positive in all scenarios.
Scott-Clayton, J., Garfinkel, I., Ananat, E., Collyer, S., Hartley, R. P., Koutavas, A., Wang, B., & Wimer, C. (2024). The net benefits of raising bachelor's degree completion through CUNY's ACE Program. New York, NY: Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University.
Endorsements
Blueprints: Promising
Social Programs that Work:Top Tier
Program Information Contact
Christine Brongniart
University Executive Director, CUNY ASAP|ACE
Christine.Brongniart@cuny.edu
Constance Barnes-Watson
Director, ASAP|ACE National Replication Collaborative
Constance.Barnes-Watson@cuny.edu
Website: http://www1.cuny.edu/sites/asap/
For ACE replication:
Email: CUNYASAPReplication@cuny.edu
Website: https://www1.cuny.edu/sites/asap/replication/
References
Study 1
Certified
Zhu, J., Scuello, M., & Strumbos, D. (2023). Evaluation of Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE) at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice: Year 4 interim study report. Metis Associates.
Certified
Scuello, M., & Strumbos, D. (2024). Evaluation of Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE) at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice: Final report. Metis Associates.
Study 1
Study 1 (Zhu et al., 2023; Scuello & Strumbos, 2024) conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare a sample of 570 college students assigned to one of two conditions upon entrance to City University of New York: Accelerate, Complete, Engage or a school-as-usual control group. Bachelor's degree completion was assessed four and five years after baseline using transcript data and student records.
Study 1 (Zhu et al., 2023; Scuello & Strumbos, 2024) found at posttest that participants in the intervention group, relative to those in the control group, had a significantly higher likelihood of:
- Graduating with a bachelor's degree within four and five years
Evaluation Methodology
Design:
Recruitment: Recruitment for the study included email blasts, text messages, phone calls, wide circulation of brochures and postcards, and presentations by program staff at John Jay College open house events. To be eligible for the study, participants had to: (1) be an incoming freshman at City University of New York (CUNY); (2) agree to enroll in 15 credits each semester; (3) be fully skills proficient based on CUNY Assessment Test scores; (4) complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the New York Tuition Assistance Program applications; (5) be a New York City resident and/or eligible for in-state tuition; (6) agree to adhere to program requirements, including participation in advisement, academic support, and career development; (7) plan to major in one of the program-approved majors; and (8) have not already applied for or joined another John Jay special program. A total of 570 students met eligibility criteria and enrolled in the study.
Assignment: Participants were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 285) and school-as-usual control (n = 285) conditions using a software program.
Assessments/Attrition: Degree completion was assessed four and five years after baseline using transcript data and student records. Initial and analysis Ns match in all tables, indicating no attrition.
Sample:
The sample was 70.0% female, and most students (71.8%) were eligible for Pell grants. Nearly half (48.3%) identified as Hispanic or Latino/a, 14.2% as White, 10.2% as Black, and 9.7% as Asian or Pacific Islander. An additional 17.7% identified as more than one or other race/ethnicity, a category that included 49 students who selected "Hispanic or Latino/a" along with a race. It also included those who identified as "Guyanese/Guyanese-American (6 students), "Middle Eastern" (5 students), and "West Indian", "Caribbean/Indo-Caribbean", "Trinidadian", "Jewish", "American Indian", and "Sikh" (all <5 students). About one fifth of students (20.9%) were born outside of the United States and over two thirds (69.1%) reported that their parents were born in another country. Students were 18 years old on average at the start of the study, and 38.1% had a job or internship at the time. Half of participants (50.4%) were first-generation college students, and most (75.5%) planned to live with a parent while in college.
Measures:
Outcome data came from two sources. First, the City University of New York Institutional Research Database provided information on students' course enrollment and grades, credits attempted and earned, and degree progress. Second, National Student Clearinghouse data allowed for students who transferred to other colleges to also be tracked and included in analyses. The primary outcome measures were the four-year and five-year graduation rates. The measures assumed that the absence of graduation data in the data sources meant that students had not yet obtained a degree.
Analysis:
Analyses used logistic regression models that included condition as a predictor, "other important predictors with p-values less than 0.20", and any of the following baseline characteristics having standardized group mean differences larger than 0.05: age, sex, race/ethnicity, borough of residence, SAT total score, credits at the beginning of fall 2018, Pell grant eligibility, dependency status for financial aid purposes, highest level of parental education, parents' adjusted income, degree goal, career goal, current job/internship status, having siblings attending college, country of birth, language(s) spoken at home, and parental involvement in education.
Missing Data Methodology: Missing covariate data were handled using the dummy variable adjustment method. There was no missing outcome data under the assumption that absence of four-year graduation data meant that the student had not yet earned a degree.
Intent-to-Treat: All available data were used in analyses.
Outcomes
Implementation Fidelity:
Formal implementation data were not collected, though as explained by the authors, "administrative and internal program data were reviewed to provide insight into how closely the program was implemented as intended" (p. 4). For example, descriptive data showed that program participants enrolled at higher rates than control group students (i.e., the difference in enrollment rates was five percentage points in the first spring and increased to seven and 11 percentage points in the second and third academic years, respectively). The advising component also appears to have been implemented with fidelity, as over 85% of students who remained in the program met one-on-one with their advisor at least four times per semester.
Baseline Equivalence:
Zhu et al. (2023) stated, "Baseline equivalence analysis confirmed that the two groups were equivalent across all key variables at the start of the study" (p. 4). Footnote 15 defines equivalence as p-values > .05 and standardized mean differences < .25. Scuello and Strumbos (2024) presented tests in Appendix B. Of 20 tests, none showed a significant difference between conditions.
Differential Attrition:
No attrition.
Posttest:
Zhu et al. (2023) reported a statistically significant intervention effect on the four-year graduate outcome, with program participants showing a higher likelihood of graduating with a bachelor's degree within four years than those in the control group (the Cox index, or the standardized mean difference obtained from the logistic regression odds ratio, equaled 0.304).
Scuello and Strumbos (2024) reported a statistically significant positive impact of the intervention on the likelihood of graduating with a bachelor's degree by the end of five years (Cox index = 0.307)
Exploratory subgroup analyses in Zhu et al. (2023) indicated that program impacts on four-year graduation were significant for female students but not for male students, though the authors noted that "the impact estimates were similar for female and male students, suggesting that the program did not have differential effects by sex" (p. 10). Hispanic or Latino/a students in the intervention group also had significantly higher four-year graduation rates than those in the control group. Although not statistically significant, intervention group students who identified as more than one or other race/ethnicity had lower four-year graduation rates compared to their control group counterparts. Program impacts for other racial subgroups did not reach significance, likely due to the "small sample size of the Asian or Pacific Islander, White, and Black students in the study sample" (p. 10). Finally, program effects on four-year graduation were significant for Pell-eligible and non-Pell-eligible students alike, though the estimate was much larger for students who were not eligible, suggesting potential differential impacts by socioeconomic status.
Exploratory subgroup analyses in Scuello and Strumbos (2024, Appendix C) examined the effect of the program within subsamples defined by gender, race, ethnicity, and economic disadvantages (i.e., eligibility for a Pell Grant). The results showed significant intervention effects for three of nine subsamples: males, Hispanics, and those eligible for a Pell Grant. The authors noted that the small sample size in the exploratory analysis reduced the power of the tests and that the Cox index of .25 or larger found for seven of the nine subsamples indicated substantively important effects.
Long-Term:
Not examined.