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Ask an Expert - Frequently Asked Questions
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College Fair
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| What are the main differences between
2-year and 4-year institutions? |
Four-Year Institutions: Most 4-year
institutions have more rigorous admissions requirements than a
2-year institution. Four- year colleges set a minimum standard for
both the GPA and the standardized test scores that must be achieved
by the student to gain admission. Four- year institutions generally
have pre-requisites (courses you are required to take in advance of
admission).
Two-year Institutions: Admission is generally easier to 2-year
institutions, generally there are no set standard minimums admission
requirements, except high school graduation or GED diploma. Some
colleges may require proof of citizenship, residency and proof of
English proficiency. Technical programs are offered that prepare you
for immediate entry into the job market. In addition, many of these
colleges offer general education programs that are equivalent of the
first two years of a bachelor's degree program. If you are unsure
about the major you wish to study, this is a good place to start. |
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| How do I choose a college? |
When selecting the college or university
you are going to attend, there are a number of things to consider.
If you know your major, you need to make sure that major is offered.
You also need to consider what you want from the college you attend,
the size of the campus, the number of students, clubs, fraternities,
sororities, and location are all things that you may want to
consider. Some of the questions you should consider prior to
selecting a college or university are:
- What are your academic and professional ambitions?
- If you know what your ambitions are and what your major
will be, does the campus offer courses in that area?
- Do you prefer attending a small campus versus a larger
one?
- Do you prefer a campus in a big city, or one that is in a
rural community?
- If you are into a particular sport or sports, does the
campus offer it?
You can use the Matching
Assistant and the Comparative
View in the College Fair section to help you with your selection.
You should also visit the campus if possible. |
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| What is student life? |
| Every campus, whether a commuter or a
community school, has an active student life. How soon and how much
student life you have will depend, in large part, on your efforts
and willingness to seek it out. On-campus and off- campus
activities, lectures, clubs, fraternities, sororities, athletics,
recreational activities, performing arts, visual arts, cultural and
historical community sites are all components of student life. There
are wide ranges of on-campus and off-campus activities to appeal to
almost every student. |
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| Do I have to live on campus to have an
active student life? |
| You can participate in all campus events
and organizations whether you are living on campus or living off
campus. You determine the extent of your activities and involvement
in student life. |
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| If I am going to live on-campus, what
should I bring with me? |
- Bring clothes and shoes appropriate to the weather
conditions of your campus's location. If you are moving far from
home but know you are visiting "home" for the holidays, bring only
what you need for the fall and winter seasons.
- Don't forget any prescription medicines that you take
regularly.
- If you wear contacts or glasses bring a spare copy of your
eye lens prescription and a spare of either your contacts and/or
glasses.
- Find out the size of linens you will need before you leave
and then buy or bring two sets including a comforter, an extra
blanket, and a pillow.
- Contact your residence hall to find out what they provide
and this will help you decide what else to bring.
- Bringing school and desk supplies to get you through your
first week of school is recommended.
- Personal items and toiletries.
- A shower caddy with drainage holes, flip-flops for the
shower and two extra large towels, two bath towels, two hand towels
and four washcloths.
- A warm robe and slippers.
- A portable dictionary and thesaurus.
- A book of stamps and a pre-paid phone card.
- Emergency Contact Information.
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| I am what is known as a
"non-traditional student," meaning, I am older. Is there a place for
me in campus "student-life?" |
| The short answer is "yes." Both
on and off campus activities are open, available and appropriate to
any age depending on interest and taste. Participation in
recreational activities, lectures, the arts - both visual and
performing - and specialized clubs all help to create your student
life. |
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Online Applications
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| All
Students
International Students
Transfer Students
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| How do I apply? |
| The Online Applications
module allows you to apply online to the North Carolina campus or
campuses of your choice. You may also contact the colleges directly
to request an application. In addition, the applications for many of
the state's colleges are available through their websites. |
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| When do I apply? |
| Application deadlines differ from school
to school. Some colleges set particular deadlines for regular and
for early decisions, while others follow a "rolling" admission
format, admitting qualified students at any time they apply. You
should visit the website or call or write the admissions office at
each college you are considering to determine the ideal times to
apply, as well as to learn of any application deadlines. |
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| What if I miss the initial filing
period? |
| You should contact the admissions office
of the institution to determine if there is a possibility of late
acceptance, or if there is a later deadline for which you may apply. |
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| How much does it cost to apply? |
| Application fees vary from campus to
campus. The application fee charge is printed on each application.
Occasionally a student will obtain an old form indicating an
incorrect application fee. In such instances, the college will
typically return the application and request a resubmission with the
appropriate fee. If you have a form and are uncertain which year it
is for, you might want to check the college's website to determine
the latest application fee. |
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| What if I can't afford the application
fee? |
| In cases of financial hardship, many
campuses allow a limited number of application fee waivers. Since
fee waiver policies and availability vary from college to college,
you should check with the admissions office of the campus or
campuses you are considering to determine fee waiver availability
and procedures. Also, your school counselor should have a list of
colleges that accept fee waivers, and he or she can advise you of
the procedures to follow for waiver consideration. |
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| In addition to the application, what
other documents will I need to provide? |
| Typically, a high school transcript is
required (and most colleges will require a final transcript when you
graduate, showing your date of graduation). Other documentation,
such as SAT or ACT scores, essays and letters of recommendation may
also be required. Check the application to determine what additional
information is needed to complete an application. |
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| When will the campus contact me after
I've filed my application? |
| How soon you will hear about your
application varies from campus to campus. In all cases, within a few
weeks of filing your application, the campus will notify you that
your application has been received and is being processed. If the
campus was unable to process your application, you will be notified
as soon as possible with details of other information that is needed
for an admission decision to be made. |
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| When will I know if I am admitted? |
| Each campus has its own time line for
notifying students of admission. Some campuses begin notifying
applicants of an admission decision soon after the receipt of an
application. Other campuses hold their decisions and notify students
at the same time. It is not uncommon for there to be a several month
period before admission decisions are sent. |
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| How can I improve my chances for
admission? |
| The key to improving your chances for
admission is under your control. Working hard, earning good grades
and taking the right classes will improve your chances for
admission. Taking either an SAT or ACT test on a timely basis for
those campuses requiring standardized test scores is also helpful.
Remember that you must meet the minimum admissions requirements for
the public universities, and that some public universities and
certain majors may require the completion of courses beyond those
minimums. The course requirements for the private colleges will vary
from campus to campus - you should check with the admissions offices
of the private colleges you are considering to determine which
courses are required. |
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| Do I have to notify a campus that I
will be attending? |
| Some campuses require you to inform them
of your plans to attend and in some cases confirm your plans with an
enrollment confirmation deposit. Other campuses do not require an
"intent to register". Be sure to check carefully your admission
letter to see if an intent is required, with or without a fee, and
be sure to observe the deadline dates specified. If the campus of
your choice does not require an intent to register, it is still
important to observe any conditions it may specify in its admissions
packet. |
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| How do I get more information from the
campus? |
| Campuses are eager to provide you with
more information about their campus. You can use this site to link
to the campus website to obtain more information. You can also use My
CFNC Mail or your own email account to contact the campuses you are
interested in for more information. Campuses also appreciate letters
asking for more information. Best of all, if you can, be sure to
visit the campuses you are interested in for a campus tour. |
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| Can I earn college credit while still
attending high school? |
| Yes, most campuses will allow you credit
towards your degree. You can earn college credit through the
completion of an AP examination or by earning certain scores on
International Baccalaureate examinations. You can also take college
courses while in high school and, if they do not apply to your high
school degree, they may be counted towards your college degree. The
amount of credit that can be earned, the minimum scores required to
earn credit, and the policies and procedures for earning credit vary
widely from college to college. You should contact the admissions
offices at the colleges to which you are applying, talk with your
counselor, or call the Pathways of North Carolina phone line to
learn more about your options for college credit for work you
complete while still in high school. |
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| What are the basic freshman admission
requirements? |
For the UNC system campuses, for the class
of 1990 and beyond, the following courses will be required for
admission, in addition to an institution's own specific
requirements:
- In English, four course units emphasizing grammar,
composition, and literature;
- In mathematics, three course units including algebra I,
algebra II, and geometry, or a higher level mathematics course for
which algebra II is a prerequisite;
- In science, three course units including -- at least one
unit in a life or biological science (for example, biology) -- at
least one unit in a physical science (for example, physical
science, chemistry, physics), and -- at least one laboratory
course; and
- In social studies, two course units including one unit in
U.S. history, but an applicant who does not have the unit in U.S.
history may be admitted on the condition that at least three
semester hours in that subject will be passed by the end of the
sophomore year.
- In addition, it is recommended that prospective students
complete at least two course units in one foreign language, and
take one foreign language course unit and one mathematics course
unit in the twelfth grade.
Beginning the fall of 2004 students will be required to earn two
units of a language other than English. Beginning the fall semester
of 2006 students will be required to earn a fourth unit in
mathematics (NC School of Arts will be excluded from the fourth unit
of mathematics requirement).
"Course units" as defined in these requirements may include those
high school level courses taken and passed by an applicant after
graduating from high school, as well as those taken while enrolled
as a high school student. For some transfer students and students
who graduated from high school prior to 1990, special considerations
have been made.
The community colleges typically require a high school diploma for
the technical programs. Other requirements may apply for students
considering college transfer programs; you should contact the
community college admissions office (or a counselor, or call the
number) to determine the requirements.
Each private college sets its own admission standards. You should
contact the admissions office of the private college of your choice.
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| How can I find out about financial aid? |
| Visit the Paying for College tab for
extensive information on financial aid. Try the Financial Aid Search, our
search engine designed specifically for North Carolinians, and check
out our information about various scholarships, grants, and loan programs. Once you learn
about all the options for financial aid, we think you'll agree that
college is affordable! |
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| How do international students apply for
admission to a campus in North Carolina? |
| Since each campus may have different
admission requirements, international students must contact the
campus to which they wish to apply for application procedures. These
procedures typically include submitting an international student
application form or a standard application indicating international
student status (depending on the college), an application fee, proof
of financial support, proof of English proficiency (e.g., TOEFL exam
scores), official transcripts and diplomas/certificates sent
directly from institutions the student attended to the North
Carolina college campus in sealed envelopes (accompanied by exact
literal English translations, when needed), and possibly additional
application forms for the department to which the student is
applying to, letters of recommendation, portfolios, auditions, and
possibly other standardized tests, but it is important to contact
the admissions office directly to determine the exact documentation
requirements. |
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| When should international applicants
turn in applications for admission and other required documents? |
| International applicants should check with
each campus for application deadlines. Applicants should apply at
the beginning of the application cycle to allow ample time for
processing. |
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| When can an international applicant
expect to know his/her admission decision? |
| An international applicant may know
his/her admission decision usually within a few weeks after all the
required documents have been received at the appropriate office on a
North Carolina campus. The biggest cause for delay in processing an
application is missing documentation; so be certain you check with
the college to determine exactly what items are required; then be
sure to request them and provide them in a timely manner. It is
important to have official documents mailed directly to the
appropriate campus office or significant delays may result. |
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| How much should an international
student expect to pay to attend college in North Carolina for one
year? |
| The costs of attendance varies
significantly from campus to campus. International students
(non-U.S. citizens; non-permanent residents, that is, students who
do not possess a "Green Card") will generally be considered out of
state students at the public institutions, and will generally be
assessed out of state tuition charges. In addition, many colleges
will require a statement of financial support or documentation that
a specified sum of money is on deposit at a U.S. banking
institution. An international student should check with the campus
he/she plans to attend for more specific information on costs. |
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| Are international students eligible for
financial loans or scholarships? |
| International students are not eligible
for financial loans. Scholarships may or may not be available at the
campuses in North Carolina. Interested students should contact their
major departments and the admissions and financial aid officers for
information on the availability of scholarships and application
deadlines. |
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| When can I transfer? |
| Different schools have different policies
in this regard. Some require a minimum number of completed transfer
hours; others do not. In some instances, it may be necessary to
complete certain coursework due to coursework that was not completed
during high school. Admissions officers at the colleges can advise
you in this regard. |
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| How can I determine if my credits will
transfer? |
| If you are enrolled at a community college
or a private two year college in North Carolina, you should review
the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA), which guarantees
that certain specified courses will transfer to any state university
to which you are accepted, or to any of the 14 private four year
colleges (those colleges are Barber-Scotia, Barton, Belmont-Abbey,
Bennett, Brevard, Campbell, Catawba, Chowan, Johnson C. Smith,
Livingstone, Mars Hill, Mt. Olive, Pfeiffer, Queens, St. Andrews,
Wingate) which have agreed to accept students through the provisions
and under the conditions of the CAA. This agreement can be viewed at
www.ga.unc.edu/student_info/caa/index.html. |
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| What courses should I take before I
transfer? |
If you plan to transfer from a two year
college in North Carolina to a four year college, it is generally
best to take courses that lead to a college transfer degree. Within
the college transfer programs, there are about two dozen pre-major
articulation agreements which are designed to parallel the courses
taken by students in similar majors during their first two years at
a four year college.
If you are transferring from one four year college to another, or
from a four year college to a two year college, you should contact
the admissions office at the receiving institution to determine
which courses you should complete prior to transfer.
Merely meeting minimum standards does not guarantee admission to any
college, and you should check with the schools you are considering
to determine your admissibility.
Students who are considering transfer to a UNC system campus who did
not meet the MAR requirements in high school can complete a college
transfer (A.A. or A.S.) degree at a community college, or can
complete certain other course requirements at a two year or private
four year college to gain admissibility. For details, you should
contact the UNC system school you are considering. |
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