Initiated in the Spring of 1975, the Higher Education Opportunity Program at Nyack College was administered by the Office of Academic Development (today the Division of Academic Support Services). The program has established a record of success at the institution and is regarded as an integral part of the college. About 60 percent of the students in the program complete their degrees within five years.

Through the years, HEOP students have held many campus leadership positions. They have served as student government officers, class presidents, club presidents, resident assistants, and baccalaureate speakers. They have been named to the Dean's List, have received awards and scholarships for academic achievement, have earned faculty citations for community service, have been inducted into honor societies, and have graduated with honors. Every year HEOP students travel to such countries as England, Israel, Korea, Japan, Kenya, and the Philippines.

HEOP students at Nyack receive full financial aid packages. Aid usually takes the form of HEOP awards, from Nyack College scholarships and grants, Pell Grants, SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant), and TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) awards. Minimal loans (less than $6,500 through four years of study), student summer savings, and college work study supplement the student's financial aid package.