Admissions

College fairs can quickly feel like rapid-fire free-for-alls, which in some of the best-case scenarios, can make you feel a tad overwhelmed. To help cure some of your frustration, we asked four Lees-McRae admission counselors to share their college fair advice so you can go into the next college fair feeling prepared.

It’s no secret that the process of exiting high school and entering the world of college is equal parts scary and liberating. This is a new beginning, and perhaps in a vastly different location than at home with your family.

In an increase from last year’s No. 23 spot, Lees-McRae College landed at No. 19 as best regional college in the South in addition to a spot on the “Best Value School” list in the newest evaluation released by U.S. News & World Report.

Thanks to technology, most college applications are now completed online, which is especially convenient when you have several dozen more things to worry about when considering college.

Open House: A day entirely dedicated to fun campus tours, exciting information fairs and sessions. No matter where your interests may be, chances are the Open House has a session especially for you.

Hello first time college students! The most exciting day of your academic career is almost here—the day you get to purchase necessities for your dorm room. For most students, this is the first time you will establish a “home away from home” and you need to make sure you will be comfortable all year long.

Lees-McRae President Barry M. Buxton announced that he will retire in May 2018 and that a search for his replacement has begun. Buxton has served as the president of Lees-McRae since June 1, 2010 and is the 15th president in the 116-year-history of the institution.

Defined for its “upward trajectory,” Lees-McRae College was named a College of Distinction within the prestigious North Carolina cohort.

The summer break after high school graduation means that incoming college freshmen are attending what some have called “is this real life” land that is known as college orientation. While half are completely pumped about the freedom that the impending event brings, the other half are freaking out.

Warm sunshine. Cool breezes. Fresh, mountain air. Ah, summer in the mountains! We love all of our seasons, but there’s just something magical about summer in Banner Elk.

The Lees-McRae College Department of Athletics announced Friday that it will add men's and women's swimming and diving programs for the 2018-19 academic year.

Dressed from head-to-toe in black satin regalia and anxiously awaiting with excitement, 334 students simmer in their seats, anticipating their designated time to approach the stage and receive their degree.

For many seniors, the end of a college career marks the start of a new chapter in life. Whether it is students from the May School of Nursing and Health Sciences, to the School of Arts, Humanities and Education, each corner of Lees-McRae has produced shining examples of what a degree from this college can do for you.

So you want to transfer, but what does “transferring” really even mean? Director of Admission Candace Silver shares her tips for making the switch.

May 1 is National Decision Day and because of this, you may be feeling extra pressure to make your final decision.

The college’s motto, “In the Mountains, Of the Mountains, For the Mountains,” is more than a way of thinking– it’s a way of action.

Two incoming fall 2017 students, Thomas Clement of Columbia, South Carolina, and Amanda Lubkemann, of Boone, North Carolina, were named beneficiaries of the celebrated, full-tuition Elizabeth McRae Scholarship.

Lees-McRae will now go head-to-head against Tennessee-based school, Maryville College, after defeating Brevard College by nearly 900 votes in the Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine’s Top Adventure College competition.

After winning the first bracket of the Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine Top Adventure College contest against Georgia-based Berry College by almost 1,000 votes, Lees-McRae is now in the second round against North Carolina-based Brevard College.

2017 marks Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine’s fifth “Top Adventure College” tournament and Lees-McRae is in the running.

Vice President of Enrollment Management Erin Healey appeared on WJHL Daytime Tri-Cities’ “Daytime Discovers” on Friday, March 3 to share her tips for a successful college visit.

Of the 25 schools featured in the ‘Most Pet-Friendly Colleges Report’, Lees-McRae landed in the fifth spot. The ranking, completed by LendEDU, a New Jersey-based student loan marketplace and reviewer, reported that the college offers, “some of the best pet guidelines and living situation for animal lovers across the country.”

Miles of single track, dual slalom and downhill courses only minutes from campus were just a few of the reasons why Lees-McRae received a top spot on Singletracks.com’s list of best colleges for mountain bikers.

Nine-hundred miles off the East Coast of Australia and 600 miles south of Fiji, are the islands that comprise the fascinating country of New Zealand. Known largely for its biodiversity, it makes sense as to why students from the wildlife rehabilitation program made the 8,500-mile journey for the third year.

Today, the League of American Bicyclists recognized Lees-McRae with a Silver Bicycle Friendly University (BFUSM) award, joining more than 150 visionary colleges and universities from across the country.

On Saturday, November 5, 13 honors students traveled to the Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville, North Carolina.

BackgroundChecks.org released its annual "Safest Colleges in North Carolina" report for 2016 in early October—landing Lees-McRae 27 on the list.

In a recent ranking study released by Affordable Colleges Online—a resource for online learning and college affordability information—Lees-McRae online programs ranked among the top in North Carolina for the years 2016 through 2017.

Starting in the fall 2017 semester, five incoming Lees-McRae students will be chosen to receive a $500 scholarship for their participation in eSports. An abbreviation for “electronic sports”, the genre includes any and all games played mostly on a computer, but for the incoming freshman class, the scholarships will be for League of Legends or Hearthstone.

The May School of Nursing and Health Sciences held its first mock disaster simulation Wednesday, October 12. The simulation took place in the rear parking lot of the May School of Nursing and Health Sciences building. Both nursing and emergency medical services and management students were made aware of the situation only moments before being asked to spring into action.

The campus of Lees-McRae is both a mixture of the new and old. Boulders stacked atop of one another like mosaic tiles in a church window are juxtaposed by sleek white floors and trendy furniture.

Lees-McRae College was named the No. 23 best regional college in the South, in a new evaluation released by U.S. News & World Report. Defined by the news site, regional colleges focus on the undergraduate experience and offer a broad range of programs in the liberal arts and professional fields such as nursing, education and business.

Lees-McRae College is pleased to announce the appointment of Erin Healey as Vice President of Enrollment Management. Healey most recently served as Senior Associate Director of Admissions at Ross University School of Medicine and School of Veterinary Medicine.

As the 2016-2017 academic year quickly approaches, Lees-McRae Provost Dr. Todd Lidh spoke with WLTX of Columbia, SC about the college freshman experience. His advice included to make connections with peers, prepare for the semester using class syllabi, be financially smart, take a walk around campus and finally, stay in touch with family.

Lees-McRae College and the Honors Program are proud to announce three new scholarship recipients for the entering class of fall 2016. The Shelton Scholarship, the highest honor awarded every four years and covers one student’s full tuition plus room and board, has been awarded to Quinn Reeves of Tyler, Texas. Christine Turk of Cooper City, FL and Isaiah Addair of Rural Retreat, VA have been awarded the prestigious full-tuition Elizabeth McRae Scholarship.

Join Lees-McRae College in celebrating spring’s return to the mountains. During the 6th annual Appalachian Heritage Week, April 7-15, the College will highlight beloved American novelist Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, who spent a creative autumn in one of the College’s cottages. Other unique aspects of mountain heritage will enlighten and entertain students and community members. Lees-McRae invites everyone to participate in the activities sponsored by the Stephenson Center for Appalachia.

The Lees-McRae College performing arts program is excited to announce the renovation of the program’s dance studio. The renovations were completed in March and made possible by generous donors Dana and Vicki McKittrick and support from Lees-McRae Summer Theatre.

Dr. Barry Buxton, president of Lees-McRae College, spoke with Charlotte Today and discussed myths about college costs. He discussed the difference between sticker price and actual price, the significance of having a college degree in the job market and the importance of growth during a student's college experience.

The May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center was recently featured on WDBJ7 out of Roanoke, Virginia. Director Nina Fischesser spoke about the types of animals the Center takes in and the wildlife rehabilitation program.

He’s been hailed as one of the most significant figures in modern musical theatre, and Lees-McRae College’s Performing Arts program will present some of Stephen Sondheim’s best music in Sondheim on Sondheim February 25‒28 at Hayes Auditorium.

Students in the first cohort of the Lees-McRae Emergency Medical Services and Management Program (EMSM) have reason to celebrate this spring. The program has received a Letter of Review from the leading specialized accreditation agency focusing on Emergency Medical Services education, which means that these students will be eligible to take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians credentialing exam upon graduation.

Best Master of Science in Nursing has ranked the May School of Nursing and Health Sciences as one of the top up and coming nursing schools in the south. The schools were ranked based on innovative teaching methods, cutting-edge technological resources, facilities and student organizations.

Lees-McRae College student Melissa Hooper shares a campus house with five other women, along with two dogs and a gecko. Even as universities relax many housing rules — gender-neutral dorms are mainstream — animals remain largely a no-go. N.C. State University (above) only allows fish and registered service animals. UNC Chapel Hill allows service and support animals.

Dr. Barry Buxton, president of Lees-McRae, offered advice to high school students on selecting a college that is the best fit for them. He brought along his dog, Ah Shux, to discuss our pet-friendly campus!

Lees-McRae College’s Department of Performing Arts continues the Fall 2015 performance series with Terra Nova. The drama, written by playwright Ted Tally, is the story of Englishman Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated Antarctic expedition in 1912 as his five-man team endeavors to be the first to reach the South Pole. This journey is filled with intense moments of hope to be the first to discover this foreign place, but also of fear, determination, isolation and tragedy.

Students at Lees-McRae College will now have the opportunity to earn a licensure in Special Education, General Curriculum (K-12) and graduate with a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts. The accredited Special Education program is the most recent addition to the Lees-McRae Division of Education, which offers licensures in both Theatre Arts Education and Elementary Education (K-6).

Nina Fischesser and two students majoring in Wildlife Rehabilitation were featured on Fox 46’s Good Day Charlotte on October 9. Check out our Saw-Whet owls, leucistic grey squirrel, British Barn owl and more on camera!

Bobcat Cycling Coach Tim Hall covers safety tips, proper technique, bike maintenance and more on Charlotte Today.

Lees-McRae College has implemented a tuition guarantee program for students beginning in fall 2016. As a testament to the College’s commitment to affordability, all students entering the 2016-17 academic year will be guaranteed the same rate of tuition for remaining academic years based on their classification as of fall 2016.

The 2015 rankings are out and we made the cut! After collecting more than 10,000 student surveys, it is official - Lees-McRae is a great place to bring your pet!

As higher education institutions continue to face stiff competition from both traditional and alternative learning programs, Lees-McRae College is pleased to report record enrollment growth for the 2015-16 academic year. Student numbers jumped 10%, from 940 in fall 2014 to 1,034 this fall.

Nina Fischesser, director of the May Center for Wildlife Rehabilitation, spoke with Bounce TV on Friday night. Students Shannon Granger and Dustin Longstreet assisted with the demonstration, holding two red tailed hawks and a pair of Saw-Whet owls.

Colleges and universities across the country continue to implement new and innovative programs to enrich the faculty and student experience, and Lees-McRae is no exception. Our pet-friendly campus policy is garnering national attention and was just featured on People.com.

After a great production of Oliver!, the cast and crew of Lees-McRae Summer Theatre is excited to begin on their next show of the season, Lend Me a Tenor. This production will be performed on July 15-18 at 7 p.m. and July 16, 18 and 19 at 2 p.m.

Lees-McRae College was recently named no. 2 on College Raptor’s list of pet-friendly colleges and universities. One of a handful of pet-friendly campuses in the nation, Lees-McRae allows students and their pets to enroll.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has reaffirmed the accreditation of Lees-McRae College for 10 years. The reaffirmation was announced at a meeting of the SACSCOC Board of Trustees on June 11.

Lees-McRae College representatives attended the North Carolina Health Occupations Students of America (NCHOSA) conference to interact with more than 2,400 prospective students and educators by raising awareness about nursing and health science opportunities at Lees-McRae College. In addition to recruiting, Lees-McRae attended as a diamond sponsor, the only institution of higher education to make such a presence at the conference. The conference was held in Greensboro, N.C. in late March.

UNC-TV recently featured the May School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Lees-McRae College in a special episode of the North Carolina Now program which provided a behind the scenes look at the new facility and Hart Simulation Center.

We all know that Lees-McRae is an outdoor enthusiasts' dream, and now it's time to prove it! Blue Ridge Outdoors is hosting a Top Adventure College Tournament and Lees-McRae is in the running. This contest will put Lees-McRae up against other colleges and universities in a head-to-head 32-school bracket. Large Division I schools will battle one side of the bracket while Lees-McRae battles against smaller schools on the other side. At the end of the contest, both division winners will compete for Top Adventure College glory.

Lees-McRae College is proud to announce that incoming freshman, Maggie Thomas, has been named the first recipient of the Sam and Mary Hart Endowed Scholarship. As the winner, Thomas will receive a full tuition scholarship that is renewable for up to four years as long as she maintains a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

On February 20 from 5 – 6 p.m., Lees-McRae’s King-Shivell Gallery will host a reception for the faculty art show, Across Borders. The featured faculty artists will be available to discuss their work. The reception and exhibit are free and open to the public. The exhibit will be on display until February 27.

For the second consecutive semester and the third consecutive spring semester, Lees-McRae College experienced significant enrollment growth. The overall enrollment for the spring semester has increased 10%, with a 77% increase in new student enrollment and a 6% increase in continuing student enrollment over spring 2014.

Lees-McRae College is proud to announce a new height of success for its Honors Program. At 84 students, the program is enjoying its largest enrollment to date, while also celebrating a persistence rate of 98.18% from fall 2014 to spring 2015. The program is growing at such a rate that program director Dr. Ken Craig is looking to increase its scope to 100 students by next fall. All of these accomplishments come just as the college gears up for its annual Scholars Day on February 21.

On February 28, 2015, for the first time in 12 years the college will host FAFSA Day in Carson Library on the campus of Lees-McRae from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. College financial aid officers and admissions specialists will assist students in completing the 2015-16 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This event is open to the community for students who plan to attend college in the 2015-2016 academic year.

Lees-McRae is proud to announce that on January 30, 2015, the North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON) approved the College to begin offering a pre-licensure nursing program. As the regulating body for the practice of nursing in North Carolina, NCBON approval marks a significant milestone in the progress of pre-licensure nursing at Lees-McRae.

Lees-McRae College will be the first institution to benefit from this new partnership. Omnicell, Inc., (NASDAQ: OMCL), today announced that Pocket Nurse, a leading provider for nursing healthcare education and medical simulation initiatives, has entered into an agreement to bring state-of-the-art medication automation solutions to the nursing education market. Pocket Nurse will develop real-world simulated education curriculums using Omnicell® automated medication dispensing systems for nursing students in healthcare education and medical simulation education programs in the USA & Canada.

Senior Emily Shields claimed the national title in the women's Division I cyclocross and the Lees-McRae cycling teams grabbed third overall in the Division I team omnium at the 2015 USA Cycling Collegiate Cyclocross Nationals in Austin, Texas.

(High Country Press) It may still be wintertime, but Lees-McRae College already has great things in store for the High Country community for the upcoming summer months. The highly-anticipated 2015 lineup of the annual Lees-McRae Summer Theatre has officially been announced, and the 2015 summer season is sure to be yet another great year of theatrical treats.