Is Duke test optional for the class of 2023?

It’s back to school season, and very soon, it’ll be admissions season. High school students are starting to gather their application materials for the colleges in our area.

We looked at application deadlines, admissions information and acceptance rates for UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State University, Duke University and NC Central University, and share our findings here.

Note: The application fee at Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State costs $85, and NC Central’s costs $50. You can contact the school directly to see if you can get that waived.

Here’s what you should know about admissions at each college:

UNC-Chapel Hill: What to know about admissions

First-year applicants must have a minimum GPA or standardized test score to be considered for admission.

• But UNC-CH waived the SAT or ACT requirement for fall 2023 or 2024 first-year applicants.

• Students who earn at least a 2.5 weighted high school grade point average — or a minimum test score of a 19 on the ACT or 1010 on the SAT — are eligible for review by any of the UNC System schools, including Chapel Hill.

• UNC-CH allows Advanced Placement exam scores to fulfill general education requirements, depending on the subject. Some SAT II scores, along with a few other standardized exams, can be transferred for UNC credit hours.

The UNC System has a strict ratio for first-year accepted students.

• A UNC System policy mandates that no more than 18% of out-of-state first-year undergraduate students may enroll on UNC campuses.

• Fall 2021’s acceptance rate was 19.2% — 42.2% for North Carolina applicants, and 10.5% for out-of-state applicants.

Race is factored into admission decisions.

• A 2021 affirmative action case at UNC-CH ruled that the university can continue using race as a factor when considering applicants.

• “We seek qualities including intellect, talent, curiosity, and creativity; leadership, kindness, and courage; as well as honesty, perseverance, perspective, and diversity,” UNC-CH says on its admission website. “We also consider race or ethnicity as one of these many factors, if a student chooses to share it on a standard Common Application or Coalition for College Application.”

Dates to know:

• Oct. 15: Deadline for first-year Early Action applicants to apply. Decisions are released Jan. 31.

• Jan. 15: Deadline for first-year Regular Decision applicants to apply. Decisions are released March 31.

• Feb. 15: Deadline for transfer students to apply. Decisions are released April 15.

(Source: admissions.unc.edu/apply/decisions)

Check out UNC-CH’s FAQ page for more admissions information: admissions.unc.edu/faqs

Kimberly Cataudella (she/her) is a service journalism reporter for The News & Observer.