TRIO Talent Search

We provide support that will enhance academic skills to help middle and high school students with achieving the goal of going to college by helping to prepare for, apply to, pay for and enroll into college.  For over 19 years, TRIO Talent Search has supported students who reside in Cumberland, Hoke, and Robeson counties with achieving the dream of going to college. 

TRIO Programs

I remember walking to lunch and seeing a sharp group of professionals at a table. Just being nosy I asked about their business at my school. I was encouraged to fill-out an application for a program at FSU for students who were College bound and I knew that this was for me. From that day on my life after high school was my ultimate focus. TRIO Talent Search literally took me places that I never thought I would go. As a small town girl who never traveled very much outside of Fayetteville, I was taken to other parts of N.C, Virginia, Georgia, S.C. I will always be eternally grateful for the intrusive counsel and care that I was shown by The Talent Search team and I can not wait for my two children to be the next generation of TRIO students.

Why Join TRIO Talent Search

As a leader in the college access industry, we have a strong track record of having positive effects on helping students from low-income and first-generation families to complete high school and enroll into college. Our dedicated team travels to local target schools to work with students one-on-one and in small groups to provide career and college readiness support. There is no cost for any services provided by our program.

Services Provided
  • Academic Coaching
  • Individualized Service Plans
  • Habits of Mind Workshops
  • Career Exploration
  • Assistance in Completing College Applications
  • Assistance with Completing Financial Aid Forms
  • Scholarship Search Assistance
  • ACT/SAT Testing Fee Waivers
  • College Application Fee Waivers
  • College, Cultural & Educational Tours
  • Transition to High School
  • Transition to College Assistance
  • Parent Workshops
  • Summer STEM Camps
Eligibility Requirements

As a participant in the program you will receive free services and are expected to make a serious commitment to both school success and pursuing a college education. Consider applying to the program if you:

  • Are in at least the 6th grade (students in the 5th grade may apply for admission but will not be admitted until they receive their final 5th grade report card)
  • Attend one of the target high schools.
  • Are a potential first generation college students and/or receive free/reduced lunch.
  • Have the desire to continue your education after high school at a four-year college
Target Schools
  • E.E. Smith High School (TS I)
  • Douglas Byrd High School (TS I)
  • Douglas Byrd Middle School (TS I)
  • Hoke County High School (TS I)
  • Red Springs High School (TS II)
  • Southview High School (TS II)
  • Seventy-First High School (TS II)
  • Westover High School (TS II)
Apply Now

Talent Search (I) Application

Talent Search (II) Application

Download Application 

Note: * Students are not allowed to switch from one Talent Search program to another unless initiated by Director of Talent Search

Resources
  • Senior Success Guide
  • Scholarships
  • Program Service Guide
Federal Funding Statements

The Fayetteville State University Talent Search I Program is funded from 2016-2021 entirely from the U.S. Department of Education in the amount of $279,840 annually.The Fayetteville State University Talent Search II Program is funded from 2016-2021 entirely from the U.S. Department of Education in the amount of $240,000 annually