NC College Connect August Updates

North Carolina Public Schools sent this bulletin at 08/13/2026 04:05 PM EDT

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August 2026

NC College Connect is Here for Every Senior!

Happy New School Year!

We hope you are ready for an exciting school year! We're looking forward to another year full of strong partnerships. As you prepare for the year ahead, we are pleased to share NC College Connect updates and resources.

Welcome Back! In this NC College Connect Update, we highlight:

New Resources
Key Dates
Upcoming Events to Learn More
What Is NC College Connect?
Who is Eligible?
Questions?

New Resources

The NC College Connect Toolkit includes ready-to-use and practical information to help students navigate the NC College Connect process.

Here’s everything you need to start the year! We encourage you to explore these resources and use them as helpful tools throughout the year.

Toolkit Resources:

FAQs for School Personnel - this is for YOU!
NC College Connect Walk Through Video: NC College Connect Walkthrough
Data Pull Guidance: NC College Connect Data Pull and Scheduling Guidance
User Guide
Social Post Copy
One Pager
Social Graphics
Explainer Slides
Student Flyer
Email Language (Student)
Email Language (General)

NC College Connect Toolkit

Key Dates:

September 9: NC-SIS/Infinite Campus Data Pull

September 15: CFNC Portal Opens October 19 - 25: College Application Week

January 8: Application (Form) deadline

Upcoming Events to Learn More:

Please share the following dates, times and links below for relevant upcoming events. These events are planned to ensure that everyone receives the necessary information needed to guide students.

September NC College Connect Connection Events:

What is NC College Connect?

The NC College Connect program offers all North Carolina public high school seniors a simplified pathway to higher education. This program allows students to bypass the traditional application process -- including essays, test scores, and recommendation letters.

Next month, graduating seniors will receive direct admission to select colleges and universities participating in the NC College Connect Program. Each student's tailored list of admitted institutions is based on their weighted GPA at the close of their junior year, as well as being on track to graduate, having completed a fourth-level math course, and meeting program requirements. And the higher your GPA, the more schools to which you’ll be directly admitted!

Who is Eligible?

This year, ALL seniors on track to graduate will be eligible -- yes, EVERYONE! All students in membership who begin their senior year in a North Carolina public high school are eligible for the NC College Connect program.

Students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above who meet NC College Connect requirements will be eligible for direct admission at a select list of participating colleges and universities.

If a student doesn’t meet the 2.8 GPA threshold, they will receive direct admission to their local community college. 

Questions:

We are here to support YOU! Contact us if you have additional questions. Below you will find contact information for the CFNC Resource Center. Your students and families can contact the CFNC Resource Center, where they can receive general assistance through online chat, phone, email and even text! Feel free to utilize the contact information for District Leaders and Lead School Counselors as well as our High School Counselors/Staff.

CFNC Resource Center:

Mon-Thu 8am-6pm

Fri 8am-5pm

866.866.CFNC (2362) Option 1

336.814.2138 (text messages only)

questions@cfncresources.org

https://nccc-cfnc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us#faqs

District Leaders & Lead School Counselors:

nccollegeconnect@dpi.nc.gov

High School Counselors/Staff:

cfnc@northcarolina.edu

Stay Connected With Us

Office of Advanced Learning & Gifted Education (OALGE)

Sneha Shah Coltrane, Senior Director Academic Policy and Advanced Learning

Rodney Allen, Program Coordinator, NC Governor’s School, AP

Crissy Brown, State Consultant (AIG, CCP, Honors)

Beth Cross, Assistant Director (AIG, AP/IB/CIE)

Stephanie Cyrus, State Consultant (AIG, CDM)

Isaac Lake, State Consultant (CCP, CIHS)

Emily Satterfield, Asst. Program Coordinator, NCGS

Erica Shoulders-Royster, Career and College Ready Specialist


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