High school students who’ve been impacted by superstorm Sandy may get help applying to college through a new program launched by the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

The Association’s New York and New Jersey affiliates have organized Operation Apps: Taking College by Storm, aimed at helping high school seniors affected by Hurricane Sandy complete their college applications and enroll in college next fall.

On December 15 and 16, six colleges in New York and New Jersey, including Brookdale‘s Northern Monmouth Higher Education Center location in Hazlet, will set up help centers where students can meet with college admission experts to review college applications and essays, refine college lists, and discuss their financial aid options.

Computer labs also will be open for students who need an Internet connection to submit online applications.

The volunteer experts are members of the New York Association for College Admission Counseling and the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling.

Help centers will be hosted at the following campuses:

December 15 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Adelphi University (Garden City, NY)
Berkeley College (Paramus campus, NJ)
Brookdale Community College (Northern Monmouth Higher Education Center, Hazlet, NJ)
Richard Stockton College of New Jersey (Galloway, NJ)

December 16 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Wagner College (Staten Island, NY)

“The college application process, which typically consumes the fall and winter months for many high school students, was made much more arduous and uncertain when Hurricane Sandy battered the Tri-State region,” said Joyce Smith, chief executive officer of NACAC.

“Many students were displaced, while some lost everything and suffered terrible personal losses. For many, applying to college went from being a priority to an afterthought,” Smith said. “Our hope is that the counseling and support offered by Operation Apps will help at least some of those students not to defer their dreams of attending college next year.”

Registration for the free workshops is encouraged but walk-ins are welcome. Students may sign up online. Students also are encouraged to bring any relevant college application documents.

For more information about the New Jersey workshops, contact Sarah Graham, director of college counseling at Princeton Day School, at 609-924-6700, ext. 1705, or email operationappNJ@gmail.com