NCSSM Residential Campuses (the overview)

NCSSM Campuses Choice

HEY GUYS!!! It's been some time, (like a year 😖), but I'm ready to get back to blogging. You might not realize it, but campus choices are a pivotal factor in your NCSSM journey, even if they aren't directly related to your admissions process.

It's been some time since I last posted, and a lot of that has had to do with me focusing on high school admissions. I put in a lot of effort choosing where I'll spend the next 4 years (or maybe just 2 :) you never know), perhaps even a bit more than necessary. But, I'm firing back up my NCSSM brain, and I want to get back to this blog and you guys.  

For that matter, let's jump in. Oh, and to be clear, this post is gonna be on the 11th-12th grade residential programs, which means I won't be getting into the summer or the online program.

NCSSM has 2 residential campuses, in both Morganton and Durham.  NCSSM also has an online program, where students remain enrolled in their local school but also take a supplemental honors program. I'll get into that and the summer program in a separate post.

Morganton is the newer of the two residential campuses, and a key reason for its creation was that Morganton is able to serve Western Carolina. It opened 2022.

Notes:

• Morganton, is the newer facility, and students say it has better/nicer facilities
• Again, as its new, it's also pretty small
• On one hand, its a more close knit community, with current students saying how it's easier to form meaningful connections with peers and teachers
• If you want a smaller cohort of friends and, well, easier competition Morganton is for you.
• In specific, it has approximately 300 students right now.
• Others point out that it doesn't have a lot of research opportunities compared to Durham
• Reddit users were quick to point out that Morganton has this research opportunity called RSCI geared specifically to computer science that Durham lacks 
• Regarding coursework, math and computer science courses at this campus definitely one up Durham, but for other career paths there isn't really a better option between the two
• Another thing of note is that this campus is expanding RAPIDLY and students say that for EC's such as clubs, students are definitely encouraged to make their own
• Has some great robotics (FTC, ROV, FRC) EC's and classes
• Has some unique courses geared toward marine robotics, ecology, and data science
• IMPORTANT: There is some debate as to whether Morganton really has a higher acceptance rate due less amount of people applying from competitive districts, I've seen a lot of discussions by reputable alumni and current students.
• Also, as there aren't a lot of reputable colleges in the area (even though there are some great ones) research and lab opportunities may not be as powerful and effective as ones offered by the Durham campus
• A lot of outdoor options for NCSSM's signature "J-term"

Now onto Durham. This campus is lot older, dating back to 1980, but definitely is a diverse residential community its students have come to love.

Notes:

• Around 680 students right now, definitely a bigger program than Morganton
• A LOT more class options, more ways to dive deeper into robotics or CAD
• Computational chem, electrical and biomedical engineering
• Extremely diverse mathematics courses.
• A lot of opportunities for NCSSM's signature "J-term" 
• There are a lot of good colleges in your backyard
• That means better networking and research/lab opportunities
• For that matter, Redditors are clear that the Durham campus is very big on research, incorporating it heavily into classes
• Durham is VERY competitive, especially in extracurriculars like FRC or FTC, DECA or FBLA
• Because of the larger pool of students, you really need to work hard to gain recognition or leadership in those areas
• For that matter, it is the top regional school typically in club and science competitions.
• In admission, a lot of people apply to be closer to family, so acceptance rates are extreme.
• Durham may be more established as the older campus, and that means way more applicants annually than Morganton
• Facilities and housing are quite a bit older, with a few getting renovated recently.
• Extremely versatile alumni network
• Ranging from many fields, so if your in for networking, Durhams connections could help 
• Durham can just be closer to home
• Some say the school town is a lot more active and there is more stuff to do over Morganton

I hope this article was able to help you gain some insights into the overall pros and cons between these two amazing programs. I did as much research as I could from, firsthand accounts from Reddit posts or comments from current or past NCSSM students, and I hope it gave you a good idea of what this is all about. At the end of the day, you're still going to one of the most prestigious high schools nationally, and both residential programs make an excellent choice.