C-STEP Overview
The Carolina Student Transfer Excellence Program (C-STEP) is a partnership between Craven Community College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill made possible by a grant from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. The goal of C-STEP is to identify high-achieving, low-to moderate-income students who would not otherwise attend a selective college or university; to enroll these students in the Associate in Arts/Science program at one of the partnering community colleges; to mentor these students through successful completion of an Associate degree (AA/AS); to transfer these students, as juniors, to UNC-Chapel Hill; and to support their successful completion of a baccalaureate degree. Entry into the program is competitive and is based on both demonstrated financial need and academic excellence. Statistics show that transfer students from North Carolina Community Colleges perform better, on average as juniors, than those who enter the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as freshmen.
Helpful Links and Contacts
- UNC-CH http://www.unc.edu/
- UNC-CH C-STEP – how to apply
- CCC College/University Transfer Program /academics/degrees
- CCC Web-Site CravenCC.edu
- JKC Foundation http://www.jkcf.org/
- Carolina Covenant http://www.unc.edu/carolinacovenant/
CCC C-STEP Advisor
Jessica Saxon
Orringer Hall 108B
New Bern Campus
saxonj@cravencc.edu or (252) 672-7504
Kyle Warner
New Bern Campus
warnerk@cravencc.edu or (252) 638-7296
C-STEP is not a scholarship program nor is it part of the general process routinely followed by students applying to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as college freshmen or traditional community college students applying to UNC-CH as College-University transfer students. Rather, C-STEP identifies talented low-to-moderate-income students as early as high school and facilitates their eventual admission and transfer to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as juniors, if they earn an appropriate associate’s degree at Craven Community College and complete C-STEP and UNC-CH participation and admissions requirements.
While using funds from Federal Student Financial Aid to pay for tuition and books at the community college, C-STEP students are provided exemplary advising, mentoring, and support during their transition and subsequent enrollment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
This collaborative effort will ensure that Craven Community College C-STEP students feel “firmly planted” at Carolina almost immediately after transferring there. These students will be academically prepared and fully engaged in the campus community — and both are strong indicators of student success.
Student Testimonial
C-STEP has provided me with invaluable opportunities. When I started at Craven I lacked direction and confidence in myself; I knew that I wanted to study English and I knew that I wanted to transfer, but I had no idea what the next step should be. I spent a year at Craven as a part-time student, then I came across C-STEP.
Since I was accepted into C-STEP, my academic career has changed; since then I have had direction and a plan. I was always a good student, but with the help of C-STEP I have become a great student. The friendships that I have forged thanks to C-STEP have made me more comfortable in the college setting, and the advising that I have received has given me confidence in myself.
My intended major at UNC is English and I hope to pursue a minor in Medicine, Culture, and Literature. Thanks to C-STEP I am ready to transfer, to succeed, and to fulfill my educational goals.
Hallie French, C-STEP student
Craven CC class of 2015
UNC-Chapel Hill class of 2017
An important consideration for many students interested in transferring to a four-year University is how to pay for their education. Once enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the university attempts to meet 100 percent of every admitted C-STEP student’s demonstrated financial need through grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study programs. In addition, qualified C-STEP students will be eligible to apply to be Carolina Covenant Scholars, a landmark program that enables students from low socioeconomic backgrounds to graduate with minimal debt from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The following criteria apply to C-STEP applicants:
- Current enrollment or plans to enroll as an Associate of Arts Degree (AA) or Associate of Science Degree (AS) student at Craven Community College;
- Record of strong academic performance;
- Demonstration of financial need, according to FAFSA;
- Completion of all developmental studies requirements; and
- Commitment to be a full-time student each semester.
*CCC would like to express appreciation to Durham Technical Community College for providing the original source for this content.
Application Information & Deadlines
Students who wish to apply to C-STEP at Craven Community College must complete the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s C-STEP application process; the application link is posted below.
| Key Dates | Application Deadline | Notification Date |
|---|---|---|
| Graduating high school seniors – OR – High school seniors with 30 dual enrollment credit or less – OR – Current Craven CC students with 30 credit hours or less including current semester course work | April 1 | Late April |
| Current Craven CC students with 30 credit hours or less including current semester course work | October 1 | Late October |
