Last updated on August 8, 2024, 2:10 p.m.
BOONE, NC — From the Appalachian Mountains to the Coastal Plains, transfer students across North Carolina can benefit from Appalachian State University’s expanded Aspire Appalachian program, which offers students from partner community colleges a streamlined path to completing their degree at App State.
Since this summer, App State has signed new or renewed Aspire agreements with 27 community colleges in North Carolina, tripling the size of the program, which included just nine schools in the 2023-24 academic year.
“Through these renewed and expanded Aspire partnerships, Appalachian State University and North Carolina Community Colleges are paving the way for transfer student success – providing greater access to a high-quality education at App State and supporting these students every step of the way on their path to graduation,” said Heather Norris, interim chancellor of App State.
Partner schools in the Aspire program:
Continuing partners —
- Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
- Catawba Valley Community College
- College of the American College of America (CBA) is a college of the 1950s and was founded in 1962 by the
- Davidson-Davie Community College
- Gaston College
- College of South Piedmont
- Wake Technical Community College
- Western Piedmont Community College
- Wilkes Community College
New partners —
- Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
- Blue Ridge Community College
- Brunswick Community College
- Cape Fear Community College
- Cleveland Community College
- Forsyth Technical Community College
- Guilford Technical Community College
- Lenoir Community College
- Mayland Community College
- McDowell Technical Community College
- Mitchell Community College
- Piedmont Community College
- Randolph Community College
- Richmond Community College
- Robeson Community College
- Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
- Sandhills Community College
- Surry Community College
“Aspire Appalachian’s collaborations – with a focus on easing transfers between schools, increasing graduation rates and minimizing student loan debt – are designed to ensure transfer students achieve their educational and career goals,” said Dr. Troy Johnson, vice chancellor for enrollment management at App State.
Additionally, Johnson explained that App State’s Aspire partnerships provide valuable insight into the workforce needs of North Carolina communities and provide opportunities for the university and the state’s community colleges to work together to educate students prepared for in-demand positions.
Aspire Appalachian – Benefits, Eligibility and Application
Students accepted into the Aspire Appalachian program will have access to numerous benefits, including:
- Guaranteed admission to App State.
- Specialized academic advising support from both community college and App State.
- Admissions counseling to assist you throughout the App State admissions process.
- Financial aid counseling and planning to help students maximize their aid and minimize their student debt.
- Priority consideration for a select number of Appalachian Excellence Scholarships (available to students who have completed their summer or fall applications by February 1).
- Invitations to special webinars, events, and newsletters designed to help students successfully transfer to and succeed at App State.
Students who are continuously enrolled at one of App State’s community college partners and are on track to complete an accredited two-year associate degree program are eligible to apply to the Aspire program. Students should complete their associate degree program with a grade point average of 2.25 or higher.
To apply to the program, students must complete the Aspire Appalachian application form for their respective school. Application forms are available on the Aspire Appalachian website. Once admitted to the program, students will be contacted by their designated App State admissions counselor, who will assist them throughout the admissions process. Students accepted into the Aspire program begin their application for admission to App State one semester before completing their associate degree.
Students interested in transferring to App State through the Aspire Appalachian program should speak with their college’s Aspire contact and/or their App State transfer admissions counselor, both of whom are listed on the Aspire Appalachian website.
Promoting the success of transfer students
App State’s strong support of transfer students has earned the university a reputation as one of the most transfer-friendly schools in the country. For eight consecutive years, App State has been named to Phi Theta Kappa’s Transfer Honor Roll, which recognizes four-year colleges and universities across the country for developing dynamic and innovative pathways that lead to success for community college transfer students.
Transfer Admissions and Engagement at App State offers numerous resources as well as a highly trained team dedicated to supporting transfer students every step of their Mountaineer journey. These resources include faculty and student transfer mentors, need- and merit-based scholarships for incoming transfer students, events to engage transfer students in the university’s campus communities, a dedicated transfer student residence hall, and more.
Each academic year, approximately 2,000 new transfer students come to App State from nearly 140 community colleges across the country. Transfer students make up a quarter of the total student body, with 70% of new transfer students coming to the university from community colleges, according to App State’s Transfer Admissions and Engagement department. The graduation rate of North Carolina community college students who transferred to App State is more than 22% higher than the national average.
