New pilot program provides North Carolina high school students with a 2.8 GPA or higher with simplified pathway to community colleges
North Carolina students with a weighted 2.8 GPA or higher will have a simplified application process for select colleges and universities
RALEIGH, NC – A new simplified admissions program, NC College Connect, will enable qualifying high school students to bypass the traditional application process to participating colleges – including all 58 community colleges across the state.
NC College Connect helps remove barriers to students applying to participating UNC System institutions and all 58 institutions within the North Carolina Community College System. The program will increase enrollment and help the state meet growing workforce demands.
“NC College Connect will make post-secondary education more accessible for many students in North Carolina who may not have previously considered attending college,” said Dr. Jeff Cox, President of the North Carolina Community College System. “At a time when the state needs to move quickly to meet growing workforce needs and close the educational attainment gap, this new program will make higher education within reach for thousands of students.”
Colleges participating in the NC College Connect pilot program include:
- North Carolina Community College System (all 58 colleges)
- Elizabeth City State University
- Fayetteville State University
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- University of North Carolina at Asheville
- University of North Carolina at Pembroke
- Winston-Salem State University
“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,” said UNC System President Peter Hans. “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.”
All North Carolina students entering their senior year with a weighted GPA of 2.8 and above qualify for the pilot program.
“It’s well known that one of the major barriers to students pursuing college is the application process,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt. “NC College Connect removes this hurdle, offering a streamlined and simplified way for our state’s future workforce to pursue their degree.”
Students will be notified of their offer to apply to participating colleges through a mailed offer letter that includes a QR code directing them to more information on CFNC.org. There, they will be prompted to log in to their CFNC.org account and claim their spot at their select colleges.
