UNC Asheville and Blue Ridge Community College Create Promise Program for Direct-Entry for Transfer Students

Blue Ridge Community College graduates now will have a direct admission option to North Carolina’s public liberal arts and sciences university with the Transfer Promise Program at UNC Asheville.

Blue Ridge President Laura Leatherwood and UNC Asheville Chancellor Nancy J. Cable signed a memorandum of understanding on November 5, 2019, bringing the neighboring higher education institutions into a collaborative and creative partnership focused on student pathways to success.

“UNC Asheville’s academic partnership with Blue Ridge Community College reinforces our commitment to help students transition to four-year university work seamlessly,” said UNC Asheville Chancellor Nancy J. Cable. “Our Transfer Promise Program is the latest initiative designed to provide students with a convenient and affordable path to continue their university education at UNC Asheville.”

Building on the North Carolina Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA), the Program will allow currently enrolled Blue Ridge Community College students a direct-entry pathway to UNC Asheville available upon graduation from Blue Ridge Community College. There is no fee to participate.

The Program affords Blue Ridge students access to information about academic programs, faculty, and staff at UNC Asheville who will facilitate their transition to a bachelor’s degree program.

“Our students here at Blue Ridge are incredibly hard-working, and we’ll do anything we can to help make their transition to a four-year university like UNC Asheville easy and smooth,” stated Blue Ridge President Laura Leatherwood.

Blue Ridge Community College is consistently among the top three institutions for transfer students seeking the original liberal arts and sciences education offered at UNC Asheville, which includes unique programs such as the mechatronics engineering program, offered jointly with NC State. Both Blue Ridge and UNC Asheville offer mechatronics as part of their curriculum, and transfer students can also choose from more than 30 majors and minors at UNC Asheville.

Students who wish to participate in the Program must satisfy the following conditions:

• Be a currently enrolled student at Blue Ridge in a degree-seeking capacity;
• Submit UNC Asheville application for admission and disciplinary forms by UNC Asheville deadlines;
• Submit application fee or waiver and fulfill all commitment actions steps;
• Be in good standing at Blue Ridge and other institutions attended;
• Demonstrate good citizenship and conduct;
• Earn and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 at Blue Ridge and a minimum GPA of 2.20 in their most recent term; and
• Earn an Associate degree from Blue Ridge in a college transfer program or in an applied program for which an articulation agreement exists.
• Enroll at UNC Asheville within one academic year (within the next two regular terms (fall/ spring semesters) of completion of the Associate degree).

UNC Asheville also has established a Bulldog Trailblazer Promise Program with Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. Both Promise Programs guarantee admission to UNC Asheville for those who complete the AA or AS degree at either school, provided all eligibility requirements above are met. The Programs prioritize the ability to get admission, financial aid, and registration services communicated early in the transition process, which sets students up for maximum success at both institutions.

For more information, visit https://www.unca.edu/admission/apply/partnerships/.