ABOUT NC REACH
Visit this page for the latest information on NC Reach programs, offerings and guidelines. We also invite you to check out the Media Center page to learn about our Virtual Mentoring and Care Package programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
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About NC Reach
NC Reach is a state funded scholarship offered for up to 4 years, including fall, spring, and summer school terms. The program funds up to the school’s full cost of attendance after other public funds and scholarships have been applied. NC Reach provides comprehensive student support, including Virtual Mentors, Care Packages, and internships.
to top2. Who is eligible for NC Reach?
North Carolina students are eligible for NC Reach if :
• They are legal residents of North Carolina eligible for in-state tuition rates.
• They were adopted from North Carolina DSS foster care after age 12 or aged out of NC foster care at age 18 (must have been in NC DSS foster care on 18th birthday.).
• They are enrolled in one of the 74 North Carolina Public colleges, universities, or community colleges.
• They have not yet reached age 26. Student remain eligible until their 26th birthday.
3. Which colleges and universities can students attend in the NC Reach Program?
Any of the 74 North Carolina public colleges, universities, or community colleges is an eligible educational institution for the NC Reach program. Students should go to the NC Reach website at www.NCReach.org and click on “choose college here” to find a complete guide to North Carolina State Universities and Community Colleges.
4. How do eligible students apply for NC Reach?
Eligible students may go online at www.NCReach.org and click on “apply here” for applications and forms. Complete directions are provided at the site.
5. How can I obtain additional information about NC Reach?
For additional information, call the NC Reach Coordinator at 800-585-6112, email the program atncreach@orphan.org or visit the website at www.NCReach.org .
About NC Reach Forms
1. What are the NC Reach Forms?
The following NC Reach forms are provided at www.NCReach.org and need to be completed in order to participate in the program:
• NC Reach Application Checklist
• NC Reach Financial Aid Release Form
• NC Reach Cashier Statement
• NC Reach Participation Agreement
2. How often must the forms be submitted?
NC Reach Application Checklist: This form must be completed annually, at the beginning of the school year to be funded. This is for your records only and does not need to be sent in to the program.
NC Reach Participation Agreement: This form must be completed at the beginning of the school year to be funded.
NC Reach Cashier Statement: This form must be completed by the school each academic term (semester, quarter) in order to receive funding.
NC Reach Financial Aid Release Form: This form must be completed by the school each academic term (semester, quarter) in order to receive funding.
3. How are NC Reach applications and forms processed?
After the student completes the online portion of the application and their college or university completes the financial aid release form and cashier statement, it takes approximately 14 business days for an NC Reach grant to be processed.
NC DHHS confirms the student’s eligibility to receive an NC Reach grant. If additional information is needed a coordinator will contact the student via telephone and email – it is critical that the contact information in the application is always current.
NC Reach works with the college’s the financial aid office to determine how much grant funding the student receives each semester. NC Reach funds eliminate the need for student loans.
4. How can a student check his/her application status?
Students may log in at www.statevoucher.org to check on their status.
5. How does a student notify NC Reach that his/her contact information has changed?
Whenever students’ contact information changes, they must update their information by logging into their NC Reach accounts and entering the new contact information in their records.
About the FAFSA and NC Reach
1. What is FAFSA and why is it important to NC Reach students?
NC Reach students need to complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) every year. The FAFSA tells students which federal and state grants they are eligible for, as well as whether they are eligible for work-study. Completing the FAFSA ensures that each student receives the maximum funding possible. NC Reach students need to complete a FAFSA because the amount of funding they can receive from NC Reach is computed based on the amount of other grants and awards the student is receiving.
2. Where can students find out more information about FAFSA?
For further information and to complete a FAFSA, visit www.fafsa.ed.gov.
About Transcripts
1. Why does NC Reach need official transcripts?
To remain eligible for NC Reach, students must show proof that they are advancing towards their educational degree or certification. Transcripts demonstrate educational progress as represented by the Grade Point Average (GPA) and the number of credits earned.
2. When does NC Reach need official transcripts?
NC Reach must receive an official transcript for each funded student at the end of every term for which the student received funding. The transcript must include the final grades for that term and must be mailed directly from their school’s registrar. No faxed copies of transcripts, unofficial copies, or emailed copies will be accepted. All transcripts must be official. NC Reach funding for the next term will not be disbursed until the transcript has been received.
About NC Reach and Funding
1. How much funding will an NC Reach student be awarded?
NC Reach awards vary for the cost of attendance at the student’s school AFTER all other financial aid has been applied to the student’s account. Other financial aid includes: Pell Grants, Federal Work Study funds, State grants, ETV funds, and scholarships. The difference between the official cost of attendance and other financial aid awards equals the amount that NC Reach may award. NC Reach payments cannot exceed the published cost of attendance.
2. How does NC Reach issue funds?
After verifying the amount of funds which may be provided on behalf of a student, NC Reach notifies the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority which will electronically disburse the funds to the student’s financial aid office at their postsecondary institution. The school will first deduct any outstanding balance on the student’s account for eligible school expenses from the NC Reach funds. The school will issue any remaining funds directly to the student. In some cases, there may be more than one NC Reach disbursement check per semester. Because refund schedules vary from school to school, students should check with the cashier’s office to learn their school’s reimbursement schedule and policies.
3. How can NC Reach funds be used?
The student’s NC Reach reimbursement may be used to pay for the following:
• Tuition, Books, Fees, School Supplies
• On-campus housing and meal plan
• Assistance with rent for off-campus housing and associated living expenses
• Transportation to and from school (not to include the purchase of a vehicle)
• Child care
Cost of Attendance
1. What is Cost of Attendance (COA)?
Cost of attendance is the estimated total cost of completing a full year as a full-time student. It is prorated for part-time students. The published cost of attendance establishes the limits for qualified financial aid available to the student for the school year. NC Reach will fund you up to the full cost of attendance as determined by your school after all other financial aid (e.g., Pell Grants, ETV funds, scholarships, etc.) has been posted to your account. NC Reach eliminates the need for student loans.
2. How is the Cost of Attendance Determined?
The cost of attendance is determined and published annually by each educational institution, both online on the school’s website and in the school catalog. COA typically includes:
• Tuition and fees payable to the institution
• Books and supplies
• Room and board, either for an on-campus dorm or for off-campus housing
• Personal living expenses, transportation, etc.
• Child care expenses if the student has a child or dependent.
3. How does the COA affect how much money can be provided for off-campus housing?
NC Reach funds, when added to all other financial aid, cannot exceed the COA. This means that students need to find off-campus housing situations that are affordable within the limits of the COA unless they are planning to have a roommate or to work to supplement their NC Reach funding. NC Reach cannot pay students more for housing than is permitted with the COA established by their school.
Off-Campus Housing
1. How does a student budget for off-campus housing?
After obtaining the COA for their school from their school’s website, catalog, or financial aid office, students need to take a look at the cost breakdown per semester (NC Reach will fund students one term at a time). If an NC recipient will be a part-time student, he/she needs to find the COA for part-time students. To estimate the amount of money available for housing, students may complete the following:
Steps:
a. Semester COA as published by the school: $_________
b. Add the cost of Tuition and Fees, Meal Plan
if applicable), Books & Supplies : $__________
c. Subtract the expenses above from the COA and enter the total here $__________
d. The amount of money in line 3 can be used for the student’s housing and living expenses.
The total amount of the student’s financial aid, including NC Reach funds, cannot be an amount greater than the dollar amount of the COA determined by the school.
2. How does a student plan for his/her housing budget?
Compute off-campus housing costs as follow: Multiply the cost of a month’s rent by the number of months in the academic term. Subtract the total rent from the amount in line #3 above. The remaining dollar amount is the money the student will have available to pay for living expenses, including food, transportation, and bills. If there is not enough remaining to completely cover living expenses, the NC Reach recipient should consider finding less expensive housing, getting a roommate to share expenses, or getting a job.
3. What things should a student remember when living off-campus?
• The lease is between the student and his/her landlord. It is ultimately THE STUDENT’S responsibility to pay the rent. Each student should work on a budget and make sure he/she can afford the apartment he/she leases.
• Students may be responsible for paying for utilities such as water/sewer, gas, electricity, cable, etc. There are usually hefty deposits required for utilities to be hooked up or transferred to the student’s name. NC Reach recipients need to plan accordingly.
• Students need to plan ahead for furnishings if they get an unfurnished apartment.
• NC Reach recipients need to remember to figure food costs into their budgets as well.
• Another thing to remember is transportation costs. Off-campus students need a way to get to school. Students may want to consider apartments within walking or biking distance from school to cut down on cost of transportation.
Maintaining Eligibility for NC Reach
1. What academic requirements does NC Reach have?
Students must demonstrate that they are making satisfactory progress toward achieving their educational goals. This is demonstrated by maintaining passing grades and taking the coursework necessary to fulfill their program requirements. NC Reach student must remain enrolled at least half-time (at least 6 credit hours) in order to continue to be eligible for funding.
2. Why does NC Reach need official transcripts and when do they need to be submitted?
To demonstrate that they are advancing towards their educational degree or certification, students must submit an official transcript at the conclusion of each funded term to remain eligible for continued funding. Transcripts must be mailed to:
NC Reach Program
c/o OFA
21351 Gentry Drive, Suite 130
Sterling, VA 20166
3. What exactly is “Satisfactory Progress?”
Satisfactory progress means that a student is:
• in good standing with his/her educational institution,
• maintaining an overall passing grade point average (GPA), and
• earning the required credits as a full or part-time student that will lead to a degree, diploma or certificate in your chosen field of study.
Anything less than a GPA of 2.0 (on a 4 point scale) for an academic term (semester or quarter) is not a passing average and can lead to being classified as a student who is not in good standing with his/her postsecondary institution.
4. What happens if a student is not making satisfactory progress in his/her studies?
The first time a student receives less than a 2.0 GPA or its equivalent during a school term, the ETV or NC Reach Coordinator will enroll the student in the Academic Success Program. This is done even if the student’s overall or cumulative GPA is a 2.0 or higher. If students persist in making unsatisfactory grades, they will lose their eligibility to receive not only NC Reach funding, but they may also lose Pell Grant and ETV eligibility as well. NC Reach students will be suspended from the program for a minimum of one year if they fail to bring up their GPA’s.
Withdrawing from Classes or School
1. What happens if a student withdraws from classes or drops out of school?
NC Reach funds are based upon college attendance and the number of credits a student is taking. If students withdraw from any class or classes, they MUST inform their NC Reach Coordinator immediately as their funds may need to be adjusted. If a student drops out of school and returns in a subsequent term, the student’s eligibility and funding status are determined on a case-by-case basis.
Academic Success Program (ASP)
1. What is the Academic Success Program?
ASP will help develop the study habits and student skills needed for NC REACH program participants to achieve good grades. This program will also help students identify local resources available to them so that they can address their other problems as well.
2. What causes a student to be enrolled in ASP?
The NC Reach Coordinator will enroll students in the ASP when a review of their official transcripts reveals that their grades are below an acceptable level (2.0 or equivalent).
3. What does ASP do for students?
NC REACH students assigned to the ASP are expected to:
• Improve their GPA’s to a 2.0 or better at the end of the academic term
• Understand the process for successful course completion
• Make use of the student support services that are available locally
• Increase their confidence in their ability to achieve academically,
• Continue their satisfactory academic performance in subsequent academic terms as a result of the student skills they have developed, and
• Persist in their postsecondary educations and complete their degree requirements.
Responsibilities and Benefits of being an NC Reach Student
1. What are the responsibilities of an NC Reach student?
The NC Reach Student Participation Agreement lists the student’s responsibilities as a recipient of the scholarship. Students should keep a copy of that agreement after they submit their signed copy to NC Reach. Per the agreement, students must:
• demonstrate that they are making progress toward their educational goal.
• stay in touch with NC Reach by email or phone, at least twice a month.
• check and read their email at least once week.
• send in new NC Reach forms each semester/quarter in order to receive NC Reach funds.
• ask their school to mail their official transcripts to NC Reach at the end of each semester/quarter funded by NC Reach.
• update their application every time their personal information changes.
2. What are the benefits of an NC Reach recipient?
NC Reach students receive the following benefits:
• They receive enough funds to cover the Cost of Attendance at their schools without having to take out student loans.
• They receive a vMentor to assist and encourage their progress in school.
• They receive three Care Packages during each school year.
• They participate in the Academic Success Program if they are having difficulty with their studies.
• They are eligible to participate in InternAmerica.
• They have access to NC Reach coordinators by phone, email, or face-to-face meetings as needed.
vMentor Program
1. What is the vMentor Program and how does it work?
The vMentor Program matches volunteer mentors with NC Reach students using a state-of-the-art internet portal. vMentors serve as role models for young people, helping them to stay focused on academic success and offering guidance for landing their first jobs. Check out a brief video on the vMentor Program.
2. Why are mentors provided to NC Reach students?
It is a known fact that students with mentors are three times more likely to successfully complete their degrees or certificates than students without mentors.
Care Packages
1. What is the Care Package Program?
The Care Package Program delivers a powerful message of caring to youth striving to succeed in college or vocational school. Each year, staff and volunteers pack boxes with items donated by the business community. These packages are generously shipped by FedEx as a gesture to its commitment to America’s foster youth.Check out a brief video on the Care Package Program.
2. How often are Care Packages sent to NC Reach recipients?
Care Packages are sent to students three times during the school year. Students need to be sure that their personal contact information is up to date in their NC Reach records in order to be sure to receive their Care Packages. If students in good standing do not receive their care packages, it is because they have not updated their contact information.
InternAmerica
InternAmerica connects young people with internships in government, businesses and corporations, and non-profit organizations. Check out this video on the InternAmerica program.
2. How can InternAmerica help NC Reach students?
By placing students in internships, InternAmerica gives students work experience that will enhance their resumes and opens doors in today’s competitive workplace for future employment upon graduation.
3. How can NC Reach students take advantage of InternAmerica opportunities?
NC Reach students will be notified when and how to apply for NC Reach internships. Students may also work with their school’s Career Center to identify internship programs on their own, if they wish.
Computers
1. Can NC Reach funds be used to purchase a computer for school use?
NC Reach funds can be used to purchase a computer for school use.
2. How does a student use NC Reach funds to buy a computer?
If students indicate in the budget section of their NC Reach applications that they need a computer, the will receive an email from NC Reach explaining how to select a computer package. Student may only obtain a computer package after all NC Reach forms have been received. Computers are mailed to students at a secure address only; they will not be shipped to post office box addresses.
Orphan Foundation of America
1. What is the Orphan Foundation of America (OFA) and how is it related to NC Reach?
OFA is a national non-profit organization that has been helping college-age foster youth successfully attend and graduate from postsecondary programs since 1981. In addition to awarding scholarships, administering nine state ETV Programs, and providing virtual mentoring and internship programs, OFA oversees NC Reach for eligible North Carolina adoptees and foster youth. www.orphan.org