College 101

There are many different pathways to pursuing higher education. 

Associate's degrees are typically earned from 2 year long programs offered at community colleges. You can earn an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science in many different subjects. Community colleges also offer diploma and certificate programs that can range in length from 6 months to 2 years. 

Bachelor's degrees are typically earned from 4 year long programs offered at public and private universities and colleges. There are lots of different Bachelor's degrees, including Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, and more. 

Match and Fit are great ways to start thinking about building your college list.

Match: How does your academic performance, extracurricular involvement, test scores*, and academic interest match with a university/college?

Fit: How does your personal lifestyle fit with the college culture?

*UNC system schools are test optional if you have at least a 2.8 GPA- see "Applying to College- ACT/SAT" for more information

“This service enables a student to use one residency determination when applying to multiple North Carolina public colleges and universities and to demonstrate residency for state aid programs consideration at all (public and private) North Carolina colleges and universities.” -ncresidency.org 

It is important to complete the RDS process to see if you qualify for in-state tuition at public NC institutions and to establish eligibility for state grant determination.

RDS is a great first step to take in navigating applying for higher education in North Carolina. Click here to learn more about RDS and to find resources related to RDS.

Applying to college can seem daunting, but you can find helpful information on this page to simplify the process! You can find important dates/deadlines, information about CFNC and Common App, tips for writing essays and gathering letter of recommendation, and information about standardized tests.

College Application Week is taking place from October 20th-26th. Select colleges in North Carolina will waive their application fees during this week. You must apply through CFNC to have the fees waived.

NC College Connect is a direct admission opportunity for high school seniors attending public high schools in North Carolina. It is a simpler and faster way to get admitted to schools in North Carolina. If you are a senior with at least a 2.8 weighted GPA, and you meet the NC College Connect requirements, you are automatically admitted to select North Carolina colleges and universities.

Students must claim their spots by January 2nd if they want to participate in NC College Connect.

Paying for college can seem scary, but there are many options available to students to help make college more affordable. Grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships are some forms of financial aid available to students. These can come from the government, educational institutions, and/or private organizations.

FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is an application students can fill out before each academic year to apply for federal financial aid. The FAFSA is a tool that many colleges use to help create their financial aid packages for its students.

CSS Profile: Another tool used by some universities as part of their financial aid process (in NC, UNC Chapel Hill, Duke University, Elon University, Davidson College, Wake Forest University).

Scholarships: Students can apply for scholarships to help make college more affordable. Scholarships can range in value, from a small dollar amount to a full tuition scholarship. Many scholarships require students to submit a separate application.

Check out information about public colleges/universities in North Carolina (and some popular out-of-state colleges)! There are sixteen 4-year UNC system schools. This page has information about distance, tuition cost, average GPA, average test scores, application deadlines, application fees, participation in College Application Week, where to find their applications, number of students, number of clubs, and athletics information.