The Opportunity Network
The Opportunity Network is a unique six-year
career development program for motivated, high-
performing high school students looking to:
Get exposure to over 25 career tracks;
Make personal connections with influential
executives and professionals;
Apply to competitive colleges;
Build their resumes through paid internships
or special enrichment opportunities; and
Develop a lifelong network leading to high-
level positions and rewarding careers.
Program Overview
The Fellows Program begins with a mandatory
Summer Institute for incoming students (rising
juniors). Afterwards, from the beginning of junior
year to the end of senior year, students attend
weekly afterschool workshops focusing on
networking, professional skills, and career
exploration. Special activities throughout the year
include field trips, guest speakers and panels, and
The Opportunity Network’s signature Speed
Networking event. Most class sessions and activities
take place in Manhattan.
Through the summer opportunities program, juniors
and seniors participate in paid internships and
unique enrichment programs all over New York
City, the United States, and the world. Many
students are placed in internships in banking, finance,
law, medicine, technology, science research, media,
journalism, film, entertainment, arts, nonprofits,
government, museums, education, and a variety of
other fields. Other students have received full
scholarships to spend the summer on a college
campus or travel to Europe, Africa, Latin America,
and Asia.
Program Overview (continued)
The college guidance program supports students
throughout the college selection process and
includes college visits, SAT/ACT prep, and
individualized advising on admissions, financial aid,
and scholarships. In recent years, Opportunity
Network students have been accepted to a wide
range of colleges, such as Harvard, Columbia,
Brown, Cornell, Duke, Williams, Swarthmore,
Middlebury, Tufts, Wake Forest, Boston College,
Morehouse, NYU, Fordham, Syracuse, SUNY
Binghamton, and the CUNY Macaulay Honors
College.
After high school, students continue to receive four
years of in-college mentoring and programming,
including career advising and exclusive access to
summer internships and networking events.
Selection Criteria
All incoming students are currently enrolled
in tenth grade at a New York City high
school.
Students are excelling in the classroom. In
most cases, this means a GPA of 90 or above
and/or a high class ranking.
Students are pursuing their hobbies and
interests with passion and energy.
Applicants should not already have access to
the kinds of opportunities the program offers,
such as connections to professional networks
and job opportunities as well as intensive
college counseling and application assistance.
Applicants must be self-motivated to get an
early start on increasing their prospects of
attending a competitive college or university,
building a successful career, and achieving a
position of influence in the world.
2017 Important Dates
Application & Instructions Posted Online: Wednesday, January 11
Application Deadline: Tuesday, February 28
Group Interviews for Finalists: Monday, March 27-Thursday, March 30
Accepted Students Notified: Tuesday, April 11
For more information, go to http://opportunitynetwork.org/program/oppnet-fellows/how-to-apply/.
- Students should be excelling in the classroom (usually this means a 90 average or above).
- Students should have a demonstrated need for OppNet - they should not otherwise have access to the kinds of opportunities we offer (this could mean they are first in their family to go to college, students of color, and/or on free and reduced price lunch).
- Students should currently be pursuing their hobbies, interests, and talents with passion and energy and should be self-motivated to get an early start on increasing their prospects of attending a competitive college or university and building a successful career.
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