NCSSM opens applications for Class of 2028

For the third time in four years, the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) took home the gold in national public school rankings conducted by Niche.com, an education review site.

Director of Admissions Mattie Gaddy-Parks said, “We are so honored to be recognized for the second consecutive year as the No. 1 best public high school in America and the No. 1 best public high school in North Carolina for the sixth year running. This achievement only adds to the energy and excitement of our application season.”

Applications are now open for Class of 2028 students to participate in that success.

NCSSM invites rising juniors to apply for the two-year residential program. There is no application fee at the school, and no cost for tuition, meals, room and board, or textbooks. Jan. 5 is the deadline.

Morganton campus Director of Communications Emily Cunard explained the process, “[Students] can rank where they prefer — if they prefer to be in Durham, Morganton, or on the online program … It is laid out where those students will go based on their priority picks.”

NCSSM functions as a dual-campus institution, with one campus in Durham and one in Morganton next to the North Carolina School for the Deaf. Applicants select their preferred campus and, upon acceptance, are distributed according to availability, meaning they may not get to attend their top pick if slots fill up quickly.

Gaddy-Parks said, “The average number of applications varies from year to year based on student interest. However, it is not uncommon for our office to receive over 2,500 applications in one season for approximately 490 bed spaces across both campuses, 250 spots in the online program, and 160 spots in the Summer Ventures program.”

Cunard explained, “If they, for instance, had Morganton as their No. 1 and were assigned to Durham, and they chose that that was not going to be feasible for them, they could choose to not accept the enrollment offer.”

Application acceptance for incoming juniors is limited to 150 in Morganton, with 75 spots for girls, 75 for boys. The Durham campus follows a similar split for its 340 spots. The application process is highly competitive, with only a small percentage being invited to attend the school.

Furthermore, while online-enrolled students will not physically attend or graduate from NCSSM, they are recognized as alumni upon graduation from their home schools, allowing them to attend and participate in special events.

“They graduate from their home schools,” Cunard said, “And are recognized at the end of the academic year at NCSSM for all of their work that they’ve done with the online program.”

Finishing a high school diploma in the residential program at NCSSM comes with other perks, including guaranteed acceptance to the University of North Carolina (UNC) higher education system. Some previous classes also received that degree tuition-free, but it isn’t currently guaranteed for applying students.

Cunard described the ideal candidate for NCSSM: “We love a student that is dedicated in all areas of their life … We have students that are not only stellar scholars and dedicated scholars in the sciences and humanities, but also dedicated thespians, musicians, and athletes.”

Students have other academic opportunities at NCSSM without committing to the two-year residential program.

Through the Summer Ventures program, rising juniors and seniors can participate in four-week STEM-based courses, residing on a UNC campus and gaining access to resources that aren’t available in the average high school. The application period closes Jan. 5.

“Students who have been accepted to NCSSM are not eligible for this program,” Cunard said. “It’s another way for us to provide some resources and an opportunity to students outside of our residential and online programs.”

From an anatomy course where students studied a digital cadaver to lab access to scientifically advanced experiments, past Summer Ventures students tested the waters in academic fields during their time on campus.

“Oftentimes, in November or December, students and their families aren’t thinking, ‘Oh, what are we going to do next summer?’ But come Jan. 5, that opportunity is no longer going to be available.”

Students can apply at cfnc.org. For more information about the application process and academic tests required to enroll, please visit ncssm.edu/admissions/apply. Application portals for other elementary, middle, and high school summer 2026 programs will open Dec. 6, though fees may vary.