News Summary
North Carolina high school seniors will benefit from a simplified college admissions process starting in the 2025-26 school year. Over 70,000 seniors can apply to 32 universities and all 58 community colleges with fewer barriers, thanks to initiatives from The University of North Carolina System. Programs like NC College Connect and Direct Admission aim to enhance access to higher education and reduce application complexities. In-state students at select universities will enjoy significantly lower tuition rates, making college more accessible.
Exciting News for North Carolina High School Seniors!
Hey there, folks! If you have a high school senior or remember those thrilling days of senior year, there’s some fantastic news coming out of North Carolina. Starting from the 2025-26 school year, public high school seniors will have a much easier time getting into college thanks to some super helpful changes in the admission processes.
Making College More Accessible
The University of North Carolina System, along with the North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities, is rolling out a new and simplified application process for eligible students. This means those who have a weighted GPA of 2.8 or higher can apply with much less hassle to 32 colleges and universities and all 58 community colleges across the state.
Who Will Benefit?
It’s estimated that around 70,000 seniors will take advantage of these new initiatives. This is a big deal because many students face challenges when it comes to the intricate college application maze. By simplifying the process, the aim is to remove those barriers and make sure more students have the opportunity to continue their education.
What’s on Offer?
One of the key programs introduced is the NC College Connect. This program facilitates admissions into six state universities and community colleges, making it a breeze for students to secure their spots. The universities participating in this exciting initiative are:
- Elizabeth City State University
- Fayetteville State University
- UNC-Asheville
- UNC-Greensboro
- UNC-Pembroke
- Winston-Salem State University
Oh, and here’s a sweet deal: through the NC Promise Tuition Program, in-state students at Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State, and UNC-Pembroke only pay $500 in tuition per semester!
How to Get Started?
For students eager to take part in the NC College Connect program, keep an eye on your mailboxes! Eligible students will receive notification letters in October. To get started with the application, students can simply visit the College Foundation of North Carolina’s portal at NCCollegeConnect.org. A tip: It’s a good idea to submit applications during College Application Week, which runs from October 21-27, as this allows students to avoid application fees.
Exciting Direct Admission Program!
But wait, there’s more good news! The North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities are launching a Direct Admission program for 26 participating schools. This means students won’t have to deal with a bunch of complicated steps and forms. Instead, they can complete their applications smoothly at www.ncicu.org. Here’s a quick list of some of the schools involved:
- Barton College
- Belmont Abbey College
- Bennett College
- 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
- Montreat College
- North Carolina Wesleyan University
- Pfeiffer University
- Shaw University
- St. Andrews University
- Saint Augustine’s University
- University of Mount Olive
- Warren Wilson College
- William Peace University
- Wingate University
Promoting Higher Education
While no notification letters will be sent out for the Direct Admission program to keep things simple, the North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities is reaching out to district superintendents and high school principals for support in promoting this program. This collective effort aims to enhance access to higher education for students in North Carolina.
With these uplifting changes, it’s a great time to be a high school senior in the Tar Heel state. Let’s help every student create their own path to success!
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Additional Resources
- AVL Today: UNC Asheville Pre-College Programs
- Wikipedia: University of North Carolina
- GVL Today: UNC Asheville Summer Programs
- Google Search: North Carolina Higher Education
- Chronicle of Higher Education: UNC Asheville Selects New Chancellor
- NC Newsline: UNC System President Maintaining Tuition
- Google News: UNC Asheville
Author: STAFF HERE ASHEVILLE WRITER
The ASHEVILLE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREAsheville.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Asheville, Buncombe County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Asheville Bread Festival, LEAF Festival, and mountain sports tournaments at Biltmore Estate. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau, plus leading businesses in hospitality and brewing that power the local economy such as the Biltmore Estate and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. As part of the broader HERE network, including HERECharlotte.com, HEREGreensboro.com, HERERaleigh.com, and HEREOBX.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into North Carolina's dynamic landscape.
