NC Countdown to College

An Erwin High School student poses during the 2019 event.

By Tim Reaves
BCS Communications Department

This year, high school seniors will have twice as long to apply to dozens of North Carolina colleges without application fees.

The annual College Application Week has been extended to two weeks, from Oct. 19-30 to give students extra time to work with their counselors and families. More than 40 North Carolina colleges and universities are waiving application fees if students apply during this two-week period using the College Foundation of North Carolina’s (CFNC) application process. It’s part of NC Countdown to College, a month-long initiative to increase the number of students who pursue post-secondary education.

BCS school counselors help students and their families identify college and career pathways, apply to schools, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Residency Determination System (RDS) forms, apply for scholarships, and more. Using the Naviance platform, students can explore a postsecondary path that is a best-fit for the student based on education and career goals, learning style, and personal preferences regarding where and how they would like to continue their education. This exploration starts in eighth-grade and continues all the way through the end of high school.

"We encourage them to start much earlier than senior year," said said BCS Naviance coordinator Suzanne Gavenus. "If they’re thinking with the end goal in mind, they’ll make better choices of classes and be more intentional with their planning. And we’re here to help them at every step along the way. I always hear people say 'wow, we didn’t have this when I was in high school.' There’s a lot more support for families. We look at things differently, including first-generation college students and parents who went to college a long time ago. We’re making sure we give them what they need to support their students."

Countdown to College events will be scheduled and promoted by individual high schools. For more information, please reach out to your school’s counseling department.

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Buncombe County Schools