2 and 4-Year Colleges

Best Match, Best Fit

The concept "best match, best fit" is useful for students when building a well-rounded college list. Your list should include: safe schools, target schools, and reach schools. Typically, it is recommended that students apply to 1-2 schools in each category.

The colleges you choose to apply to should match your academic abilities and interests, but also fit your lifestyle and needs. Here are some things to consider:

Grades/GPA: How does my GPA fit in with the average GPA range of the college?
Location: How far am I willing to be from home? Do I want a school in an urban or rural setting?
Size: Do I want to attend a big school with many different opportunities? A small school with smaller class sizes and a tighter-knit community? Or something in between?
Major/Career: Does this school have majors that I am interested in pursuing and opportunities outside of class to explore my interests?
Identity: Are there parts of my identity that are very important to me? Which colleges have resources for people like me?

Safe Schools

A safety school is a school where your chances of admission are very high.

Target Schools

A target school is a school where the GPA and test score averages are right in line with your stats.

Reach Schools

A reach school is a school that is highly competitive and has a low acceptance rate.

College for North Carolina

College for North Carolina (CFNC) is a great resource to help you navigate the college-going process! Their College Search tool makes it easy to explore 2 and 4-year colleges and universities across North Carolina, providing key information about tuition costs, application deadlines, and more to help you build your college list.

How to Apply

Typically, you can apply to schools through the Common App or CFNC. You can always check on a school's website to see how they prefer you to apply - some schools may have you submit an application directly through their website.

Common App

The Common App streamlines the college application process by providing a single, online platform for students to apply to multiple colleges and universities. Instead of filling out separate applications for each institution, students can enter certain information once, including demographic information, essays, and extracurricular activities, and then share it with their participating schools.

College for North Carolina

CFNC offers a single Application Hub where students can manage multiple applications to North Carolina colleges and universities. Students can track their progress through other admission tasks. Students can also easily send official high school transcripts to participating NC colleges and universities for free. CFNC organizes College Application Week in October, during which many NC institutions waive application fees for students applying through the CFNC platform.

University/College Website

Some schools are not on the Common App or CFNC, so students will have to apply directly through the institution's website.

What Do I Need to Apply?

In addition to information about yourself, your family, and your extracurriculars/interests, most applications require at least one of the following:

Transcript(s): Official high school transcript and transcript from your community college (if applicable)
SAT or ACT Score*: For many North Carolina public universities, you are not required to submit test scores. HOWEVER, if you have a weighted GPA below 2.8, then you are required to submit test scores (SAT or ACT).
Essay(s): When applying to schools through the Common App, there's one main essay that most students have to write, known as the personal statement essay. Some colleges may also ask for additional, shorter essays, known as supplemental essays. You can reuse your essays since some prompts may be similar, but others will be school-specific.
Letter(s) of Recommendation: These can be from teachers, coaches, employers, etc. Just make sure whoever you ask knows you very well and can speak to what you will bring to a college campus!
Application Fee: The amount varies based on the college. Fee waivers are available! Also, during College Application Week (Oct. 20-26, 2025), many NC colleges waive their fees!

When Should I Apply?

Every college will have different application deadlines, so check their websites and take note of these! The earliest application deadline is around mid-October, and some colleges have deadlines extending into the spring. You can start submitting applications as soon as they are available, which is typically early August. Do not wait until the last minute to start your applications - especially when it comes to writing your essays, as these are often very time-consuming!

Types of Deadlines:

Early Decision: This application deadline is binding, meaning if you're accepted, you legally must attend that school. Only use this deadline if you are 100% committed to the school.
Early Action: This application deadline is non-binding. You can apply early, usually by sometime in October or November, and get a decision sooner. These deadlines are also normally tied to the college's scholarships, so it's better to apply early!
Regular Decision: This is the standard deadline, typically in January or February, and gives you more time to prepare your application. You will receive your admissions decision later in the spring.
Rolling Admission: This means colleges review applications as they receive them, so there's no fixed deadline. However, applying early increases your chances, and you'll usually get a decision faster.

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