A recently launched program allowing eligible high school seniors in North Carolina to apply to in-state private colleges and universities more easily is already paying dividends for Saint Augustine’s University (SAU). As of the beginning of October, SAU has 109 students who have chosen to confirm their conditional acceptance to the university as a result of the program.

Known as the Direct Admission Program, North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities (NCICU) launched the groundbreaking initiative last month. The program has 36 campuses, and twenty-seven of them participate.

The program simplifies the college application process for North Carolina high school seniors with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or higher. In just five minutes, students can complete their application at www.ncicu.org without worrying about application fees.

SAU Interim President Dr. Marcus H. Burgess is pleased with the results of SAU’s participation in the innovative approach to college application so far.

“Our participation in the NCICU Direct Admission Program, with 109 students confirming their conditional acceptance, showcases our resilience and dedication to providing quality education and reaffirms our tireless commitment to our students and stakeholders during this pivotal time,” Dr. Burgess said. “Despite our challenges, we focus on nurturing a vibrant academic community and ensuring every student has the resources and support needed to succeed. We are excited about the opportunities this program presents, and we are confident in our path forward, fortified by our enduring commitment to academic excellence and student success.”  

NCICU President Dr. A. Hope Williams hopes to see the program continue to expand. “We recognize 70,000 students could benefit from this direct admission opportunity, and we are committed to ensuring they receive this vital information,” Dr. Williams said. ‘We believe having more acceptances to college will help students find their “right fit” and will also contribute to meeting the state’s myFutureNC educational attainment goal.”

The direct admission landing page can be found here: https://ncicu.org/direct-admission/

NCICU has asked North Carolina district superintendents and high school principals to urge educators and community leaders to champion this exciting initiative. NCICU also distributed Counselor’s Handbooks to over 1,000 North Carolina school counselors, which includes information about the Direct Admission Program this year. 

The following institutions are participating in the program:

Barton College
Belmont Abbey College
Bennett College ✤ ✛
Catawba College
Chowan University
Gardner-Webb University
Greensboro College
Guilford College
Johnson C. Smith University ✛
Lees-McRae College
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Livingstone College
Louisburg College ♦︎
Mars Hill University

Meredith College ✤
Methodist University
Montreat College
North Carolina Wesleyan University
Pfeiffer University
Saint Augustine’s University ✛
Salem College ✤
Shaw University ✛
St. Andrews University
University of Mount Olive
Warren Wilson College
William Peace University
Wingate University

✤ Admission Limited to Women

✛ Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) welcome applicants of all races/ethnicities

♦︎ 2-year College