NORTH CAROLINA — The University of North Carolina System unveiled Thursday its new pilot program, NC College Connect, to simplify college application processes for North Carolina public high school students in their senior year.
The new program will enable qualifying students to bypass the traditional application process into participating UNC System schools and North Carolina community colleges.
North Carolina public high school students who close their junior year with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above will qualify for the pilot program. Qualifying students must maintain a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above throughout their senior year, in addition to meeting the state’s graduation requirements as set by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and UNC System minimum requirements.
“We believe that college should be accessible to those who are ready to pursue their passions at one of North Carolina’s exceptional public universities or community colleges,” UNC System President Peter Hans said in a press release. “The NC College Connect program opens pathways for more North Carolinians, delivering on our promise to provide quality, affordable higher education to the people of our state.”
Colleges participating in the NC College Connect pilot program include:
- Elizabeth City State University
- Fayetteville State University
- University of North Carolina Asheville
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- University of North Carolina at Pembroke
- Winston-Salem State University
- North Carolina Community College System (all 58 colleges)
Qualifying high school seniors will receive an official letter by mail this October with an offer to participate in the program for the 2025-26 academic year. After scanning the letter’s QR code or accessing NCCollegeConnect.org, qualifying students will log in to the program portal on CFNC.org and see a complete list of their matched colleges. Students are encouraged to submit their simplified applications during College Application Week, October 21-27, 2024, to avoid most application fees.
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