I don't know what schools, if any, are at the following airfields, but here are the closest in NJ to Staten Island, aside from Linden:
Manville - Central Jersey Regional (47N)
Old Bridge (3N6)
Belmar/Farmingdale - Monmouth Executive (BLM)
Princeton (39N)
Readington - Solberg Hunterdon (N51)
Somerville - Somerset (SMQ)
Morristown Muni (MMU)
Caldwell - Essex County (CDW)
Teterboro (TEB)
Lakewood (N12)
Trenton-Robbinsville (N87)
Trenton - Mercer County (TTN)
I did my ATP at TTN with All ATP's. Other than that, I know nothing about what schools any of these airports might have.
Of all the ones I listed, TTN & TEB are farthest from Staten Island. It would take about an hour or a bit more to get from the Goethals or Outerbridge to TTN (on a good traffic day -- up to three or more hours on a bad day).
Still, better than driving through Brooklyn and Queens to anything on Long Island or upsate.
Good luck to your friend.