College is Within Reach for Every Senior Graduating from North Carolina Public Schools

NC College Connect is changing the trajectory of North Carolina public school students' lives. Beginning today, every North Carolina public school senior on track to graduate with a diploma will receive direct admission to one or more of the more than 90 North Carolina colleges and universities participating in NC College Connect. That is 105,036 seniors, every one of them, with at least one college seat already waiting in fall 2027.

Sixty-four percent of those seniors, 67,607 students, are also admitted today to at least 30 four-year colleges and universities, in addition to their local community college, with no application, essay, test score or recommendation letter required. Students with the strongest academic records will open a letter listing as many as 41 schools where they already have a seat. The remaining 36 percent, 37,429 students, are directly admitted to their local community college, a clear signal that college is within reach for every graduate.

Last year, in the program's second year, 62 percent of seniors were eligible, and more than 70,000 received offers. This year, every senior on track to graduate is eligible, and more than 95 percent of all current 12th graders in North Carolina public schools are receiving an offer.

"Our strategic plan requires that each student be prepared for their next phase in life when they graduate from high school, and NC College Connect is a powerful way of showing them they have accomplished that goal," North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice "Mo" Green said. "Because the University of North Carolina System, the North Carolina Community College System, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities and our public schools built this together, a student in Robeson County and a student in Wake County get the same promise: finish high school strong, and your seat in college is waiting."

How it works

NC College Connect, now in its third year, directly admits North Carolina public high school seniors to participating colleges and universities based on their academic record at the start of senior year. Every senior on track to graduate is admitted to their local community college, regardless of grade point average. Seniors who begin their senior year with a weighted grade point average of at least 2.8 and are enrolled in a fourth-level math course receive offers from participating UNC System universities and independent colleges as well. The higher a student's GPA, the more offers they receive.

Participating institutions include 11 UNC System universities, all 58 North Carolina community colleges and 29 North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. A full list is below.

Next steps for families

1. Check the offer online. Starting today, seniors can log in to their College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) student account at NCCollegeConnect.org to see where they have been admitted.
2. Watch the mail. An official NC College Connect letter will arrive in the coming weeks with the same information.
3. Talk with a school counselor or advisor. Counselors and advisors can help students research opportunities, compare offers, understand next steps and plan for financial aid.
4. Accept an offer or apply early. Students review their offers and submit a short form indicating their interest. Those who accept an offer during College Application Week, Oct. 19-25, avoid most application fees, and fee waivers are available for most other applications.
5. Complete the FAFSA. Filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step toward financial aid at any college.
6. Decide where to enroll and complete enrollment. Weigh academic programs, campus location and environment, family and individual needs, and financial aid packages.

What students and partners are saying

Paige Gonzalez, a UNC Asheville sophomore from High Point, wasn't sure higher education would be possible for her.

"I wasn't aware of all the colleges I could go to or all of the colleges that were in my state," Gonzalez said. "I got a letter in the mail one day from NC Connect, and it had a list of in-state schools I had never thought to explore before. I researched all the schools on this list and found I really liked what UNCA offered."

North Carolina Central University first-year student Symphanee Fife, a criminal justice major from Jacksonville, went through the program last year. "My experience with NC College Connect was like a breath of fresh air, to be honest," Fife said. "It was a lot easier than what I was trying to do beforehand, and it just kind of cut through all the extra processes. When I found out NCCU was an option for me through College Connect, I was excited."

"We've been proud to champion this simplified, more direct way of doing college admissions," said UNC System President Peter Hans. "Students who have done the work and shown that they're ready for college should get a clear invitation, not a complicated series of hurdles. Complexity limits access, and access is our mission."

"Ask a North Carolinian what a community college credential did for them, and you'll hear about a career. NC College Connect makes that path easier to find. This year, it's open to all students. Less time lost to paperwork, more time in the classroom, and a straighter line to a job that pays," said Dr. Monty Sullivan, Acting President of the North Carolina Community College System.

"One of the positive aspects of NC College Connect is that thousands of students have learned about colleges and universities across our state that they may not have known previously," said NCICU President Dr. A. Hope Williams. “This program gives North Carolina students a clearer view and simple pathway to all that our independent colleges and universities offer – from small liberal arts campuses to research institutions – so more students can find not just a college, but the right college for their future."  

NC College Connect is a statewide partnership with the UNC System, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, GEAR UP North Carolina, the North Carolina Community College System, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority and the Office of the Governor.

For more information, visit NCCollegeConnect.org.

Paying for college

North Carolina has financial aid available for many students. The Next NC Scholarship fully covers tuition and fees at any community college for most North Carolinians from households earning $80,000 or less, and covers more than half, if not all, of tuition and fees at any UNC System institution. Residents who enroll at Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, UNC Pembroke or Western Carolina University pay only $500 per semester in tuition through NC Promise. Students attending independent, nonprofit colleges may be eligible for the NC Need-Based Scholarship.

Participating institutions

UNC System: Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Central University, University of North Carolina Asheville, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of North Carolina Pembroke, Western Carolina University, Winston-Salem State University

North Carolina Community College System: All 58 North Carolina community colleges. Students are directly admitted to their local community college and will receive next steps from that college.

North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities: Barton College, Belmont Abbey College*, Bennett College*, Brevard College, Campbell University, Catawba College, Chowan University, Gardner-Webb University*, Greensboro College, Guilford College*, Johnson C. Smith University*, Lees-McRae College, Lenoir-Rhyne University*, Livingstone College, Louisburg College, Mars Hill University*, Meredith College*, Methodist University, Mid-Atlantic Christian University, Montreat College, North Carolina Wesleyan University, Pfeiffer University, Queens University of Charlotte, Salem College*, Shaw University, University of Mount Olive, Warren Wilson College, William Peace University, Wingate University*

*These institutions have additional requirements for direct admission, noted in each institution's NC College Connect form.

About the NC Department of Public Instruction

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) is charged with implementing the state's public school laws for pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade public schools at the direction of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Board of Education. The agency provides leadership and service to the state's 115 school districts, 200+ charter schools, North Carolina's Virtual Public School and three residential schools for students with hearing and visual impairments. 

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