UNC Asheville Launches Two Access Initiatives for a Simplified Admission Process

UNC Asheville joins Common App's direct admissions program and the UNC System's NC College Connect initiative to increase students' access to postsecondary opportunities.

Earlier this week, UNC Asheville launched new partnerships with two application access initiatives to support high school students from North Carolina and across the country in achieving their college dreams.

Common App Direct Admissions Program

Common App's direct admissions program will provide first generation and low- and middle-income students who are college-interested with proactive admissions offers directly in the application. Common App's direct admissions program also includes outreach and resources to families and to counselors who have students receiving a direct admissions offer.

Common App has piloted a direct admissions program since 2021, offering admission to students who created a Common App account and provided enough academic information but had not yet completed all of their open applications. The organization launched its full-scale program last year, offering over 400,000 first-generation and low-income students direct admissions from 71 colleges and universities. Results showed that 3 out of 4 students who added a school to their college list upon receiving a direct admission offer applied to that school.

Students who qualify for direct admission to UNC Asheville are notified through their Common App profile. UNC Asheville will waive any additional material requirements and the application fee for these students.

"We are excited for UNC Asheville to join our direct admissions program, where even more students will now know that they are worthy and wanted on a college campus," said Jenny Rickard, president and CEO of Common App. "Overall, direct admissions is about changing the narrative of a college education from one of scarcity to one of opportunity."

NC College Connect

The University of North Carolina System introduced NC College Connect, a simplified college application process for North Carolina public high school students in their senior year. The new program will enable qualifying students to bypass the traditional application process with UNC Asheville and five other UNC schools.

North Carolina public high school students who close their junior year with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above will qualify for the pilot program. Qualifying students must maintain a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above throughout their senior year, in addition to meeting the state's graduation requirements as set by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and UNC System minimum requirements.

Qualifying high school seniors will receive an official letter by mail this October with an offer to participate in the program for the 2025-26 academic year. After scanning the letter's QR code or accessing NCCollegeConnect.org, qualifying students will log in to the program portal on CFNC.organd see a complete list of their matched colleges. Students are encouraged to submit their simplified applications during College Application Week, October 21-27, 2024, to avoid most application fees.

"It's well known that one of the major barriers to students pursuing college is the application process," said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt. "NC College Connect removes this hurdle, offering a streamlined and simplified way for our state's future workforce to pursue their degree."

UNC Asheville's Commitment to Access

"We believe all students should have access to an extraordinary and supportive liberal arts and sciences education," said Marcio Moreno, associate vice chancellor of admission and financial aid. "Common App's direct admissions program and the UNC System's NC College Connect remove doubt around admissibility, ensuring students know that a UNC Asheville education, which is affordable and prioritizes hands-on learning opportunities, is available to them."

Joining both programs is a timely reminder that UNC Asheville is committed to access. Last year, the University launched Access Asheville, a financial aid program guaranteeing full tuition and fees coverage through government and institutional grants and scholarships for North Carolina residents with household incomes of $80,000 or less.

"This is another significant step UNC Asheville has taken to reduce barriers toward attaining an exceptional bachelor's degree," Moreno said. "We're showing students that they're wanted on our campus."

About UNC Asheville

The University of North Carolina Asheville's national reputation for empowering human potential is rooted in its unique student-centric, relationship-rich mission. UNC Asheville thrives on close-knit connections among students and their faculty and staff mentors. The University's 3,000 students are innovative, ethical, creative, and resilient leaders who seek to understand complex global challenges and find creative, sustainable solutions that benefit our communities and the world. Around 65 percent of UNC Asheville students conduct applied research alongside faculty experts. UNC Asheville consistently ranks as a national top 10 Public Liberal Arts and Sciences University by U.S. News & World Report and on its list of Most Innovative Schools. The University also regularly earns multiple national top 20 rankings in The Princeton Review's "The Best 390 Colleges," including Best Quality of Life, Best Health Services, and on the Review's Green Colleges list. The Fiske Guide to Colleges recently named UNC Asheville a "Best Buy," one of only ten public universities in the nation to earn this distinction.For more information about UNC Asheville, and to schedule a visit or apply, visit unca.edu.

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