myCanvas / myCourses 
Featured photo: A high school student takes a tuition-free welding course at Rosman High School in Transylvania County thanks to the Career and College Promise (CCP) program at Blue Ridge Community College. (Photo by: Rich Keen.)
By: Benjamin Rickert, Marketing & Communications Dept.
For many families of high school students, the cost of college is a growing concern.
A recent survey highlighted by Inside Higher Ed found that parents and guardians rank financial issues as their top three worries when planning for higher education. Navigating tuition, financial aid, and debt while making the “right” decisions about education can add significant stress long before a student even begins college.
Fortunately, at Blue Ridge Community College and community colleges across North Carolina, one program is helping ease those concerns while giving students a head start on their future. This same program is also a high-value workforce development tool for young learners, providing cost-effective training and job-ready skills for many of the career fields our communities depend on.
Career and College Promise (CCP) is a statewide dual-enrollment program that has allowed eligible North Carolina high school students to earn college credit tuition-free since 2012. Through CCP, high school students can take college courses that count toward both high school graduation requirements and future college credentials, and tuition is covered by the state.
CCP is designed to serve a wide range of students, including those planning to transfer to a four-year university, those preparing to enter the workforce immediately after high school, and those seeking to experience college life and academics before leaving home. These course credits can function much like Advanced Placement courses when they are transferred to universities across the state and region. They also allow students to explore technical career options, accelerate their college education, and save thousands of dollars in future college costs–all before graduating from high school.
“Career and College Promise opens the door for high school students to take real college courses tuition-free while discovering what college is truly like,” explained Dr. Connie Wolfe, Blue Ridge’s executive vice president and chief programs officer. “It’s an opportunity to explore academic and career interests early, build confidence, and reduce the overall cost of a college degree.”
Proven Results, Without Tuition Debt
In 2025, the North Carolina Community College System reported that 85,982 students participated in Career and College Promise statewide during the most recent academic year, underscoring the program’s broad reach in expanding college access and strengthening workforce readiness. Collectively, these students earned 4,124 workforce-relevant credentials, representing a 24% increase over the previous year.
At the local level, Career and College Promise continues to demonstrate measurable results for high school students served by Blue Ridge Community College in Henderson and Transylvania Counties. During the 2024–2025 academic year, more than 113 students earned college credentials alongside their high school diplomas, ranging from associate degrees to career and technical certificates. In addition, more than 900 high school students enrolled in tuition-free courses at Blue Ridge during the Fall 2025 semester alone.
Beyond credential attainment, CCP participation is also linked to strong postsecondary outcomes. Across the state, students in the program are significantly more likely to successfully enroll in four-year universities, with approximately two-thirds of Blue Ridge CCP students attending a university within two years of their community college experience.
Three Types of Guided Tracks
Locally, Blue Ridge Community College offers three primary cash-saving Career and College Promise pathways, allowing families to choose the option that best aligns with their student’s goals.
At Blue Ridge, Marcus Roberson serves as coordinator for Career and College Promise as well as a career coach for students at Hendersonville and West Henderson High Schools.
“I always enjoy speaking with students about their ideas and goals for their future and what life might look like after high school,” he said. “Thanks to the variety of pathways within the CCP program–whether a student plans to attend a university or enter the workforce–it is a very rare occasion where a student I meet would not be well served by taking courses related to their college or career goals.”
College Transfer Pathways
Students planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree can enroll in transferable college courses while still in high school. These courses follow North Carolina’s Comprehensive Articulation Agreement, ensuring credits transfer to public universities and many independent colleges when students earn a “C” or higher.
CCP college transfer courses carry the same weighted credit as Advanced Placement (AP) classes. Students may choose from several College Transfer pathways and, in many cases, can complete up to two years of college coursework, even earning an associate degree, by the time they finish high school. This often reduces a four-year degree to just three years and results in significant savings at a university.
Last year alone, 52 graduating high school seniors earned a full associate degree from Blue Ridge while completing high school.
“CCP students are earning college credit and building an official transcript they can take with them wherever they go, which makes the experience both meaningful and rigorous,” added Dr. Wolfe. “With pathways connected to nearly every program we offer, there is a clear route for any high school student who is ready to take that next step.”
In addition to Blue Ridge’s robust menu of transfer programs and agreements with regional universities, all University of North Carolina institutions accept degrees and credits earned in North Carolina’s community colleges.
Career and Technical Education Pathways
For students eager to move directly into the workforce after high school, Career & College Promise pathways lead to certificates or diplomas in high-demand fields while providing hands-on training for real-world careers. These Career and Technical Education pathways are aligned with existing high school Career Clusters.
Programs in areas like advanced manufacturing, automotive, civil engineering technology, electronics, mechatronics, welding, horticulture technology, information technology, and accounting prepare Western North Carolina students with high-tech, job-ready skills for high-paying careers. Students who begin as juniors can earn industry-recognized certificates before high school graduation and continue seamlessly toward a diploma or associate degree.
Early College through the Innovative High School
The third local CCP pathway is offered through the Innovative High School’s Early College program, located on Blue Ridge Community College’s Henderson County Campus. Through a strong partnership with Henderson County Public Schools, students attend high school on the college campus and take Blue Ridge classes alongside their high school coursework.
Early College students typically spend four to five years in the program and may graduate with a high school diploma and up to two years of transferable college credit or an associate degree—all tuition-free. This program is especially impactful for first-generation college students as it provides a supportive, college-centered environment from day one.
Exploring Brighter Futures
While tuition-free classes are a major benefit, Career and College Promise offers much more than cost savings. Taking college courses early allows students to explore subjects and careers before committing to a major at a four-year institution, reducing the risk and expense of changing paths later.
Students can also take courses not typically available in a high school, such as American Sign Language, machining, engineering, cosmetology, criminal justice, economics, and public speaking. These opportunities are open to students in public, private, and homeschool learning settings.
Blue Ridge also provides counseling through dedicated career coaches assigned to each Henderson and Transylvania County high school to help students make informed decisions about their futures.
For the military bound, CCP coursework can also support advancement to a higher pay grade in military service, depending on branch requirements.
Taking the Next Step
Rising eleventh and twelfth graders interested in Career and College Promise are encouraged to express their interest as soon as possible while planning for the upcoming school year. Students and families can contact their school counselor, schedule an appointment with a Blue Ridge Career Coach, or request further information at www.blueridge.edu/ccp.
For many students, Career and College Promise isn’t just an early start on college—it’s a smarter, more affordable path to a successful future.