Area colleges celebrate free college applications, student support
Published 12:00 am Thursday, October 19, 2023
RCCC News Service
SALISBURY — It’s college application season, and Catawba College, Livingstone College and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College are joining the College Foundation of North Carolina (CNFC) for College Application Week (Oct. 16-20).
During the week, participating colleges across the state promote higher education access for all by waiving application fees and helping students with enrollment-related tasks.
Students may apply to Catawba and Livingstone for free during College Application Week. Admission to Rowan-Cabarrus is always free, but the community college’s staff is available to assist students in exploring careers and completing enrollment, residency, transfer and financial aid requirements.
“Education is the best investment anyone can make in their future, and students here in Rowan-County are fortunate to have a choice of three excellent institutions at which to pursue higher education and career paths right here at home,” said Greg Edds, chair of the Rowan County Board of Commissioners and a founding member of the Rowan Education Collaborative.
The Rowan Education Collaborative, a community initiative to increase local educational attainment and job opportunities, includes Rowan County Commissioners, the Rowan Economic Development Commission, Rowan-Salisbury Schools, Catawba College, Livingstone College and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. The Collaborative supports local programs including internships and job shadowing, college classes for high school students and articulation agreements between local educational institutions.
For example, the “Learn Local, Grow Local” articulation agreement between Catawba College and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College enables Rowan-Cabarrus graduates to transfer as juniors into more than 50 different programs at Catawba. Intended to support students who want to earn their four-year college degree locally, the program not only offers guarantee of transfer, but provides students with advising and additional support.
The “Streamline to Success” matriculation agreement between Livingstone College and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College offers Rowan-Cabarrus graduates who are pursuing careers as teachers guaranteed admission and financial support at Livingstone. Along with free transfer application and admission to Livingstone, students receive guaranteed financial support based on their grade point average.
During College Application Week, high school students are encouraged to consult with teachers and counselors for college planning resources and assistance. The October campaign enables students across the state to make progress toward achieving their educating and career goals, eliminating the cost of college applications as a barrier to enrollment for high school seniors.