CFNN Addison Wellons

College Readiness Night took place in Cape Fear High School’s Auditorium on January 15th, 2026. 

The presentation explained the details of AP Courses at Cape Fear, as well as the Fayetteville Technical Community College classes offered to High School students. 

Mr. Christopher Lucas began the presentation by going into detail about common college requirements. From the Ivy Leagues to local community colleges, Mr. Lucas explained the hard work and determination they’re looking for in future students.

Mr. Lucas went over the Grade Point Average scale, as well as how AP, FTCC, Honors, and basic classes affect your GPA differently. He explained how one’s GPA is a significant factor when it comes to the admission decision based on your application. 

Not only did Mr. Lucas dive into the statistics of college application requirements, but discussed how to build one. Mr. Lucas described the differentiation between colleges and their application processes, as well as the fluctuating difficulty to be admitted. He spoke not only on what colleges want to see on your application, but how to obtain those desired academics and extra curricular activities.

Mr. Lucas extended his personal help to the students in the audience. As the Academically Intellectually Gifted Coordinator at Cape Fear High School, Mr. Lucas is willing to help the students in his program with any difficulties they might face. From difficulties in managing time, creating the right schedule, and choosing your college pathway, Mr. Lucas is a perfect man for the job!

After Mr. Lucas left the stage, Mrs. Preddie began her presentation. 

Mrs. Preddie is the Fayetteville Technical Community College coordinator at Cape Fear. 

Mrs. Preddie discussed the benefits of taking a FTCC class at Cape Fear, and how the classes are extended to those who are eligible.

She also dived into the technique of hybrid scheduling. In essence, a student at Cape Fear can take college classes, either online or on FTCC’s campus, along with courses offered at Cape Fear.

FTCC classes provide a great boost to your GPA, just like AP courses. When you pass an FTCC class, you automatically receive a college credit. Many students looking to attend college benefit from these credits because of the long term benefits they provide.

Along with the positive attributes to FTCC classes, Mrs. Preddie also went over the eligibility requirements. To take a college class in high school as a 11th or 12th grader, your unweighted GPA must be above 2.8. To take the courses as an underclassmen, the process includes more steps, including teacher recommendations and presentation of test scores.

After Mrs. Preddie finalized her presentation, a panel of Cape Fear alumni, along with one current senior at Cape Fear, entered the stage. The three college students and singular senior sat behind a table and answered questions from the audience.

Each panel member attended, or was soon to attend, a different university. These included East Carolina University, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, and the Massachusetts Institute for Technology.

The four answered questions from the audience, including topics about passion finding, major discovering, and most commonly asked, time management.

They answered with respect, maturity, and humor. “This might sound crazy, but get a mattress topper!” said Briana King, freshman at East Carolina University.

After all was said and done, the audience was dismissed. The presentation ended around 7:30pm on January 15th, 2026. 

From rigorous class explanation to hybrid scheduling techniques, the night was beneficial in expanding the knowledge of those looking forward to the college application process.