Governor's School

Governor's School is a 4 week summer residential program for intellectually gifted high school juniors that integrates academic disciplines, the arts, and unique courses.  It does not involve credit, tests, or grades- just learning through concerts, electives, seminars, exhibitions, field trips, dances, sports, etc.  There are two campuses- Salem College and Meredith College.   

Please review the following resources:

• 2024 Governor's School Overview

Video Recording 

• All families, parents, and other shareholders whose students are interested in applying to Governor’s School should attend an Information Meeting.   Family Overview Flyer-English               Family Overview Flyer-Spanish 

• Application Process Webpage

Student Eligibility Requirements:

• Be a North Carolina resident,

• Attend a North Carolina public or non-public school, and 

• Be enrolled in Grade 11 at the time of nomination. 

• Students applying in Spanish must have completed at least three high school Spanish courses prior to attending GS or be a fluent or native Spanish speaker.

• Meet at least one of the criteria listed below:

  • 1. Cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.25 or higher;  

    2. Cumulative weighted GPA of 3.5 or higher;  

    3. Score of 4 or higher on an NC End of Course assessment; 

    4. Score of 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement exam; 

    5. Grade of B or higher in a Career College Promise course on the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement, or a University Course; 

    6. Minimum composite score of 19 on the Pre-ACT/ACT or a minimum score of 1010 on the PSAT/SAT;

    7. Minimum score of 90th percentile on aptitude assessment (composite or subtest).

Criteria Considered:

• Scholastic Performance- grades, class rank, transcript (looking for advanced coursework- Honors, AP, IB, and college credit)

• Personal Data- school and community activities, awards and recognitions, and leadership roles in clubs and extracurriculars.

• Teacher recommendations

• Essays

• School and community activities, awards/recognitions, and leadership roles in clubs/extracurriculars

Cost:

• Tuition is $500.

• Scholarship opportunities will be available after the selections are made.

Your Complete Application Must Include:

• Student Application 

• Teacher Recommendation Form  2 teacher recommendations (no attached letters - they must use the Governor’s School recommendation form ONLY and it must be typed). The teacher must email this form to brianne1.vanlauwe@cms.k12.nc.us by November 9. The form should not be sent from the teacher to the student.

• 2 essays (general and subject-specific) completed and typed 

• Listing of activities (with any leadership roles indicated) and awards - please use a bulleted list!!

• Official copy of student transcript uploaded (this will be submitted by Ms. Van Lauwe)

Deadline to Apply:

• November 9- Completed application materials must be emailed to brianne1.vanlauwe@cms.k12.nc.us by the end of the day.  This is the deadline for the CMS portion of the selection process.  CMS will review applications and nominate students to be considered by the Governor's School program.

Tips to Help on Your Application:

• One of the recommendations MUST be from the area in which you are nominated (example: Science → AP Biology Teacher)

• Make sure you think deeply about the essay prompts and address ALL parts of the question in your response - be original! Use your voice!

• Teacher comments are important to the selection of students - so ask your teachers to be specific and personalize the recommendation. 

• Make sure that all portions of the application are typed, including the teacher recommendations.

• When listing activities, please be sure you include any leadership or prestigious roles within that activity. (examples: Captain of Debate Team, Founder of school Recycling Club, etc.)

• It is best to bullet point activities and awards when listing them. It makes for easier readability.