Review of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
from Wilmington, NC
Do you feel you’re learning a lot?
With this being a grade-A institution, the academics are wonderful. There are huge lecture classes balanced out with small classes having only about 20 people. In the lecture classes there are usually one to two Teacher's Assistants in addition to the professor's office house so one-on-one help is always available despite the large class setting. One thing I would recommend, Do NOT bring your laptop to lecture classes unless it is required. It is a lot easier to take notes on a piece of paper rather than type them because Facebook is ALWAYS a distraction. Some professors don't even allow computers in their lecture classes. There are numerous places to study (and sleep) on campus whether it be one of the three undergraduate libraries, an empty classroom, Starbucks, the Student Union, or even the quad. There are also numerous help centers on campus, from the Math Help center to the Writing Help center, to tutoring groups throughout the semester, especially come exam time. As long as you put in a decent amount of effort into your school work, you are guaranteed to learn a lot.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
While UNC is a great school, it is not for everyone. The campus is very suburban and confining if you do not have a car, so getting around for first-years can be very difficult. It is a gorgeous campus with plenty of fields to play soccer on, but it is not for people who like to get out and explore, as there is not much town to explore. There are hundreds of clubs on campus so every personality, from type-A to hippies, can find some place that feeds their interests. Franklin Street does have tons of places to eat and shop, but the shopping is expensive. The best place on Franklin is the Varsity Theater which has classic movies and new movies playing for only $3! The sports are obviously wonderful, but those students who do not care for a great sports team, may find it hard to fit in because sports are everything. Greek life is very predominant on this campus and it is easy to avoid if you don't like it. This school does have a place for everyone, but if you can't find that place it's not the most enjoyable atmosphere.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
This is a great value school, especially for in-state students. The tuition is only about $15,000 for one of the best educations in the country. Unfortunately there is not much by way of on-campus jobs. The majority of on-campus jobs are offered through work study, which can only be received by the federal government. The Rec center, the libraries and the Union do hire non-work study students, but those jobs go quick, so be sure to grab them as soon as possible. Other than that, students would have to resort to Franklin Street which can be a 20-30 minute walk from some dorms. Also, Franklin only provides food and retail jobs, so people who don't work well in those situations are out of luck. Also, many of the food services on Franklin do not close on the weekends until after the P2P stops running so a walk home in the middle of the night would be necessary if you don't have a car (which you most likely won't if you are a first-year). There are a lot of jobs advertised in the Daily Tar Heel everyday, so those in dire need of a job can surely find something.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
While GPA is very important, focus on being well-rounded and the essays. Everyone student and applicant had a great GPA in high school, but the admissions committee want to make sure that intelligent pool is well rounded. Do as much community service as you can; it is becoming more and more important in any college admissions process. Also, try to stress the leadership activities and those activities in which you were dedicated to for more than one year.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
This school is great for those students who are academically motivated. It is not at all for the slacker. It also wouldn't do for those students who like the city scene, because, while Raleigh is right next door, it is hard to get there without a car, and it's not a city like New York or Boston that you could just wander aimlessly about; you need a destination. This school has an extremely large student body, so it's great for those who want a large and diverse population. It's great for students who like to get involved because there are so many student organizations. Despite it's liberal arts status, I would not recommend this school for students who have no idea whatsoever of what they want to do. With the way the school is set up, a student only has two years to get their core requirements done as well as their pre-requisites for the major they intend to do. For example, a student who come in and intends to major in history, but if midway through his sophomore year he decides to do nursing there is no way that he'll have enough time to get all of his pre-requisites done in time to apply to the nursing school for his junior year. This school is wonderful for those who want a nationally recognized school both for sports and academics.
With this being a grade-A institution, the academics are wonderful. There are huge lecture classes balanced out with small classes having only about 20 people. In the lecture classes there are usually one to two Teacher's Assistants in addition to the professor's office house so one-on-one help is always available despite the large class setting. One thing I would recommend, Do NOT bring your laptop to lecture classes unless it is required. It is a lot easier to take notes on a piece of paper rather than type them because Facebook is ALWAYS a distraction. Some professors don't even allow computers in their lecture classes. There are numerous places to study (and sleep) on campus whether it be one of the three undergraduate libraries, an empty classroom, Starbucks, the Student Union, or even the quad. There are also numerous help centers on campus, from the Math Help center to the Writing Help center, to tutoring groups throughout the semester, especially come exam time. As long as you put in a decent amount of effort into your school work, you are guaranteed to learn a lot.
While UNC is a great school, it is not for everyone. The campus is very suburban and confining if you do not have a car, so getting around for first-years can be very difficult. It is a gorgeous campus with plenty of fields to play soccer on, but it is not for people who like to get out and explore, as there is not much town to explore. There are hundreds of clubs on campus so every personality, from type-A to hippies, can find some place that feeds their interests. Franklin Street does have tons of places to eat and shop, but the shopping is expensive. The best place on Franklin is the Varsity Theater which has classic movies and new movies playing for only $3! The sports are obviously wonderful, but those students who do not care for a great sports team, may find it hard to fit in because sports are everything. Greek life is very predominant on this campus and it is easy to avoid if you don't like it. This school does have a place for everyone, but if you can't find that place it's not the most enjoyable atmosphere.
This is a great value school, especially for in-state students. The tuition is only about $15,000 for one of the best educations in the country. Unfortunately there is not much by way of on-campus jobs. The majority of on-campus jobs are offered through work study, which can only be received by the federal government. The Rec center, the libraries and the Union do hire non-work study students, but those jobs go quick, so be sure to grab them as soon as possible. Other than that, students would have to resort to Franklin Street which can be a 20-30 minute walk from some dorms. Also, Franklin only provides food and retail jobs, so people who don't work well in those situations are out of luck. Also, many of the food services on Franklin do not close on the weekends until after the P2P stops running so a walk home in the middle of the night would be necessary if you don't have a car (which you most likely won't if you are a first-year). There are a lot of jobs advertised in the Daily Tar Heel everyday, so those in dire need of a job can surely find something.
While GPA is very important, focus on being well-rounded and the essays. Everyone student and applicant had a great GPA in high school, but the admissions committee want to make sure that intelligent pool is well rounded. Do as much community service as you can; it is becoming more and more important in any college admissions process. Also, try to stress the leadership activities and those activities in which you were dedicated to for more than one year.
This school is great for those students who are academically motivated. It is not at all for the slacker. It also wouldn't do for those students who like the city scene, because, while Raleigh is right next door, it is hard to get there without a car, and it's not a city like New York or Boston that you could just wander aimlessly about; you need a destination. This school has an extremely large student body, so it's great for those who want a large and diverse population. It's great for students who like to get involved because there are so many student organizations. Despite it's liberal arts status, I would not recommend this school for students who have no idea whatsoever of what they want to do. With the way the school is set up, a student only has two years to get their core requirements done as well as their pre-requisites for the major they intend to do. For example, a student who come in and intends to major in history, but if midway through his sophomore year he decides to do nursing there is no way that he'll have enough time to get all of his pre-requisites done in time to apply to the nursing school for his junior year. This school is wonderful for those who want a nationally recognized school both for sports and academics.