NC College Connect is Here!

The NC College Connect program offers North Carolina public high school students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 and above the opportunity for a simplified application process at select UNC System universities and their local North Carolina community college.

Here you'll find resources to help spread the word about this new program with students and families - and to understand the students’ simplified application process in case your students need help.

Resources to Share With Students & Families

We recommend reviewing the Toolkit Guide to learn more about the assets provided, including recommendations for use.

• Full Toolkit (.zip file): All toolkit assets in one easily downloadable .zip file.
• Toolkit Guide: An overview of materials to help your institution or organization promote NC College Connect and recommendations for use.
• Print-Ready Flyer: You can share this directly with students and parents as take-home materials or at school events.
• PowerPoint Explainer: Include these slides in your next presentation to students or parents to give them an overview of NC College Connect.
• Messaging & FAQ: Keep these message points and frequently asked questions handy for when you're talking about NC College Connect to your communities, networks, parents, or to students.
• Social Media Graphics & Example Posts: Use these graphics and suggested language to share NC College Connect on social media.
• Email Newsletter Language (Student-Facing) & Email Newsletter Language (General): Language to use in any internal or external newsletters to spread the word about NC College Connect.

Frequently Asked Questions

These FAQs are also included in the Messaging & FAQ asset in the toolkit for easy reference.

How were the NC College Connect colleges and universities determined?

• Colleges and universities participating in NC College Connect program voluntarily agreed to be a part of the pilot program based on their existing admissions criteria. Moving forward, additional colleges and universities may be included in the NC College Connect program.

Will the cohort of students include every public high school senior in North Carolina with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above?

• Yes. A student’s qualification for NC College Connect is determined based on their weighted GPA at the close of their junior year. Qualifying students must maintain a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above throughout their senior year, in addition to completing the State’s graduation requirements, and UNC System minimum requirements. This program cohort includes all students graduating from a public high school, which includes charter school students.

Will students who do not meet the weighted 2.8 GPA threshold their junior year, but do meet it their senior year, be considered for the program?

• No. A student’s qualification for NC College Connect is determined based on their weighted GPA at the close of their junior year.
• Students who are not eligible for the NC College Connect program should visit CFNC.org to learn more about higher education options available and for additional support in planning, applying, and paying for college.

How were these qualifying students determined?

• The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) collected transcripts of public high school juniors with a weighted GPA of 2.8 and above in June 2024, after the 2023-2024 academic year. These students qualify for the NC College Connect pilot program.

How is a student’s community college match determined? What if a student wants to attend a different community college?

• A student’s matched NC community college is determined by the district or local education agency (LEA) where they attend. For school districts bordering two community colleges, students will be matched to the community college that enrolls over 60% of that county’s population.
• The application portal will not have the capability to match a student to more than one NC community college, even though all NC community colleges are participating.
• Students are encouraged to apply to as many NC community colleges in the state that interest them. NC community college applications are always free, and students are automatically admitted through the traditional application process.

Do students have to claim their spot at just one institution, or can they accept multiple spots before committing to attend one institution?

• Students can complete an easy, simplified application on the NC College Connect portal for each participating college or university they are interested in.
• Students can complete as many simplified applications as they’d like. This step does not guarantee enrollment – students are simply completing the first step of the process and informing the colleges and universities that they’re interested in attending. The benefit of claiming their spot through NC College Connect is a much shorter application process.

Are the official enrollment deadlines the same for each college or university? Do the enrollment deadlines for NC College Connect align with the regular enrollment dates for each college or university?

• Colleges and universities often have different enrollment deadlines. The deadlines for NC College Connect applications are no different than the traditional deadlines for each college or university. Students who apply via the NC College Connect program will need to confirm the enrollment dates of their college or university of choice and enroll by that date.

What about qualifying students who are concerned about the cost of attending college?

• Students are encouraged to visit CFNC.org to explore additional avenues to pay for college, including completing the FAFSA to determine what federal, state, and college-based financial aid they qualify for.
• Some students may be eligible for The Next NC Scholarship, a program that helps most North Carolinians from households making $80,000 or less pursue higher education by fully covering tuition and fees at any community college or more than half, if not all, of tuition and fees to attend any public university in the state. Students can complete the FAFSA to apply.
• Students should also discuss their options with the financial aid office at the college or university of their choice to inform their college decisions.

Do qualifying students get simplified admission to some of the participating colleges and universities and not others?

• No. Within NC College Connect, qualified students will be offered a simplified application to all colleges and universities participating in the NC College Connect program, including their local community college.

When is this program being implemented?

• Students qualified for the NC College Connect pilot program will receive an official letter in the mail for the 2025-2026 academic year in October 2024.

If a student did not qualify but is still interested in applying to college, what is the best way to guide them?

• There are multiple opportunities for students to pursue higher education even if they do not qualify for a simplified application through NC College Connect.
• Students who are not eligible for the NC College Connect program should visit CFNC.org to learn more about higher education options available and for additional support in planning, applying, and paying for college.

Will counselors be notified of which high school seniors at their high school will be receiving a letter?

• Yes. High schools will be given a list of eligible students that counselors can reference to support students whose offer letters may have been lost in the mail or misplaced.

Why should students consider NC College Connect instead of the traditional college application process?

• Students eligible for the NC College Connect program are matched to the colleges and universities participating in the program and offered a simplified application, bypassing the traditional application process.

Does this program eliminate students from scholarship opportunities?

• No. Qualifying for the NC College Connect program does not impact any financial aid opportunities.

Learn How Your Students Can Claim Their Spot!

1. Eligible students will receive an official letter in the mail in early October and a postcard reminder later in the year.
   
   1. Letter
      
   2. Postcard
      
      
      
2. Students should scan the QR code on their letter or postcard to visit NCCollegeConnect.org, where they can access the application portal starting September 30, 2024. 
   
   On NCCollegeConnect.org, qualifying students will be directed to log into the NC College Connect portal using their existing CFNC.org account information, or they will be prompted to create a new account.
   
3. After login in, students will see a complete list of institutions where they can claim their spot by completing a simplified application for each college or university.
   
   1. Student landing page
      
   2. Simplified application example
      
4. If a student who doesn’t qualify for the NC College Connect program attempts to log in to the portal, they will be notified and encouraged to apply to colleges and universities via CFNC’s traditional application hub.
   
5. Once the student claims their spot with at least one participating institution, the institution will contact them with more information about next steps.