Review of University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Describe your college in three sentences.
Due to the helpful orientation staff, my freshman year of college managed to be a great transition from high school. They were quite friendly, approachable, and genuinely there to help with any questions or concerns for the incoming freshman. Personally, I am entering my final year of undergraduate school and I am still in love with the beauty and the diversity of this campus.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
As a prospective student, your main focus should be on excelling in your academics in high school. Also, your primary goal as a college student should be to obtain your degree; therefore, any other personal goals or plans that you have while attending any university should be secondary.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
Regardless of the major, classes are held to a greater standard than high school, primarily due to the expectations of students. Long story short, you are not pacified; therefore, it is important to ask questions when you need assistance, complete your assignments before the day before (or the morning of), and come to class prepared. It may sound cliche, but it honestly makes a difference to be on top of your studies.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
During my first two years of college, I lived in standard dorm rooms and honestly, it is standard housing for a reason. The only gripe that I had was the public restrooms. Overall, they were maintained by the housing staff, but I preferred having my own restroom (hence, why I am off campus now). Nevertheless, the dorms provide a place to sleep, which is the most important aspect of living on campus. If you're active around campus and involved in extracurricular activities, it isn't as bad as it may seem. Also, I can honestly recommend living on campus the first year because it provides the opportunity to expand your social circle and make connections with different types of people. The beauty of living in a standard dorm is the level of openness with the students. Most of them are in their first or second year of schooling so it's often easier to find others that share similar hobbies and interests.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
Unlike high school cafeterias, The Caf offers a variety of food choices that are often tasteful. If you are big on healthy eating (as I am), there are choices for you as well. In addition to the cafeteria, there are food vendors located on campus and a few off campus that are partnered with the university. Fortunately, they are all located in the Greensboro area for your convenience. These off-campus vendors include Papa John's, Mimi's Japanese, and Ghassan's, which allow the use of Spartan Flex dollars on your student identification card. Usually, Flex amounts vary by meal plan, or you can add whatever amount you want to your card with no additional charge. Off-campus ordering is especially convenient for those late evenings when you are on a time crunch and unable to cook.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
The Greensboro area has a lot to offer in terms of fun activities. If you are outgoing and enjoy dancing, there are copious clubs in the area for your enjoyment. The Four Seasons Mall is always a nice place to go to for shopping, food, or to play with the animals in the Puppies to Guppies store. Also, the area has an ice house for ice skating, movie theaters, bowling alleys, art museums, upscale dining facilities, and a host of other things to occupy your time.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
UNC-Greensboro is one of the most affordable and conveniently located schools in the UNC School System.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
The Rawk, as it is known, was donated to the campus in the 1970s as a method of communication. Individual students, clubs, or organizations have the opportunity to display messages, shout outs, or points of information for all of the campus to see by painting the Rawk. Messages are generally posted for 24 hours minimum before someone else paints over it. And as usual, many college campuses have a superstitious tradition that states If you do X, you will not graduate on time. For our campus, if you walk under the clock (near the library tower), you will not graduate on time. Although some students, like myself, are not superstitious, many usually follow the path around the clock to maintain the tradition. It's actually funny to witness a person walking under the clock and to look at the faces of the OTHER students in that area watching him/her. The facial expressions are priceless. And finally, the Fountain was an original hang-out spot and location for probates (or the coming out ceremonies for NPHC Greeks). Unfortunately, it is blocked off since the dining hall is under construction.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
This campus thrives due its diversity. I cannot emphasize how diverse it is unless you witness things for yourself. At UNC-Greensboro, you find people from all walks of life with different interests, styles of dress, and accents. Personally, I appreciate the student exchange program that our school offers, which contributes an international level of diversity to this campus. Therefore, the students that adjust easiest are open-minded and respectful of differences. The great commonality that links us as people is quite simple: we're people FIRST. You may not agree with all of the choices that people make as individuals, but you respect them as a human being and honestly learn that on this campus, the atmosphere is as close to the real world as it gets.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
There are countless clubs and activities for students to get into. Campus Activities and Programs is one of the most dominant clubs on campus since they often provide free food, entertainment, and prizes throughout every academic year. There is a club or organization present for almost anything that you could imagine and if you do not find something of interest, create your own! Our school gives you the option to create your own student group as long as you have a minimum of 5 people and take the necessary steps to create it.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
There are several councils here, including the College Panhellenic Council (CPH), the InterFraternity Council (IFC), the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and the Multicultural Council (MGC). Regardless of your major or ethnicity, there is a council and chapter for you (if there is a personal interest to join); however, as stated before, please be mindful of balancing your extracurricular activities and interests with your primary goal which is obtaining a higher education. After all, balance is the key to success! And on another note, I encourage those who are interested to do the research about the organization before joining and to also get to know the local chapter and see what they are involved in. Each council and chapter has various focal points (e.g., public service, political awareness, social engagements, etc.) so it's best to get a feel for the chapters because they could be a potential chapter for you to join. From my personal experience, I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of my council and proud of my choice in a sorority.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
Out of the several years that I have been in this area and attending this university, there were only a few problems that occurred and I believe they all related to theft. In a nutshell, know your surroundings at night. Personally, I believe that this campus is quite safe, but I am never oblivious of the things going on around me. I can admit that during my first couple of years here, I took a few nighttime strolls, but I was often with someone or heading back to my dorm from the library. But a good thing about the campus is there are ample lights and emergency polls throughout the area.
Due to the helpful orientation staff, my freshman year of college managed to be a great transition from high school. They were quite friendly, approachable, and genuinely there to help with any questions or concerns for the incoming freshman. Personally, I am entering my final year of undergraduate school and I am still in love with the beauty and the diversity of this campus.
As a prospective student, your main focus should be on excelling in your academics in high school. Also, your primary goal as a college student should be to obtain your degree; therefore, any other personal goals or plans that you have while attending any university should be secondary.
Regardless of the major, classes are held to a greater standard than high school, primarily due to the expectations of students. Long story short, you are not pacified; therefore, it is important to ask questions when you need assistance, complete your assignments before the day before (or the morning of), and come to class prepared. It may sound cliche, but it honestly makes a difference to be on top of your studies.
During my first two years of college, I lived in standard dorm rooms and honestly, it is standard housing for a reason. The only gripe that I had was the public restrooms. Overall, they were maintained by the housing staff, but I preferred having my own restroom (hence, why I am off campus now). Nevertheless, the dorms provide a place to sleep, which is the most important aspect of living on campus. If you're active around campus and involved in extracurricular activities, it isn't as bad as it may seem. Also, I can honestly recommend living on campus the first year because it provides the opportunity to expand your social circle and make connections with different types of people. The beauty of living in a standard dorm is the level of openness with the students. Most of them are in their first or second year of schooling so it's often easier to find others that share similar hobbies and interests.
Unlike high school cafeterias, The Caf offers a variety of food choices that are often tasteful. If you are big on healthy eating (as I am), there are choices for you as well. In addition to the cafeteria, there are food vendors located on campus and a few off campus that are partnered with the university. Fortunately, they are all located in the Greensboro area for your convenience. These off-campus vendors include Papa John's, Mimi's Japanese, and Ghassan's, which allow the use of Spartan Flex dollars on your student identification card. Usually, Flex amounts vary by meal plan, or you can add whatever amount you want to your card with no additional charge. Off-campus ordering is especially convenient for those late evenings when you are on a time crunch and unable to cook.
The Greensboro area has a lot to offer in terms of fun activities. If you are outgoing and enjoy dancing, there are copious clubs in the area for your enjoyment. The Four Seasons Mall is always a nice place to go to for shopping, food, or to play with the animals in the Puppies to Guppies store. Also, the area has an ice house for ice skating, movie theaters, bowling alleys, art museums, upscale dining facilities, and a host of other things to occupy your time.
UNC-Greensboro is one of the most affordable and conveniently located schools in the UNC School System.
The Rawk, as it is known, was donated to the campus in the 1970s as a method of communication. Individual students, clubs, or organizations have the opportunity to display messages, shout outs, or points of information for all of the campus to see by painting the Rawk. Messages are generally posted for 24 hours minimum before someone else paints over it. And as usual, many college campuses have a superstitious tradition that states If you do X, you will not graduate on time. For our campus, if you walk under the clock (near the library tower), you will not graduate on time. Although some students, like myself, are not superstitious, many usually follow the path around the clock to maintain the tradition. It's actually funny to witness a person walking under the clock and to look at the faces of the OTHER students in that area watching him/her. The facial expressions are priceless. And finally, the Fountain was an original hang-out spot and location for probates (or the coming out ceremonies for NPHC Greeks). Unfortunately, it is blocked off since the dining hall is under construction.
This campus thrives due its diversity. I cannot emphasize how diverse it is unless you witness things for yourself. At UNC-Greensboro, you find people from all walks of life with different interests, styles of dress, and accents. Personally, I appreciate the student exchange program that our school offers, which contributes an international level of diversity to this campus. Therefore, the students that adjust easiest are open-minded and respectful of differences. The great commonality that links us as people is quite simple: we're people FIRST. You may not agree with all of the choices that people make as individuals, but you respect them as a human being and honestly learn that on this campus, the atmosphere is as close to the real world as it gets.
There are countless clubs and activities for students to get into. Campus Activities and Programs is one of the most dominant clubs on campus since they often provide free food, entertainment, and prizes throughout every academic year. There is a club or organization present for almost anything that you could imagine and if you do not find something of interest, create your own! Our school gives you the option to create your own student group as long as you have a minimum of 5 people and take the necessary steps to create it.
There are several councils here, including the College Panhellenic Council (CPH), the InterFraternity Council (IFC), the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and the Multicultural Council (MGC). Regardless of your major or ethnicity, there is a council and chapter for you (if there is a personal interest to join); however, as stated before, please be mindful of balancing your extracurricular activities and interests with your primary goal which is obtaining a higher education. After all, balance is the key to success! And on another note, I encourage those who are interested to do the research about the organization before joining and to also get to know the local chapter and see what they are involved in. Each council and chapter has various focal points (e.g., public service, political awareness, social engagements, etc.) so it's best to get a feel for the chapters because they could be a potential chapter for you to join. From my personal experience, I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of my council and proud of my choice in a sorority.
Out of the several years that I have been in this area and attending this university, there were only a few problems that occurred and I believe they all related to theft. In a nutshell, know your surroundings at night. Personally, I believe that this campus is quite safe, but I am never oblivious of the things going on around me. I can admit that during my first couple of years here, I took a few nighttime strolls, but I was often with someone or heading back to my dorm from the library. But a good thing about the campus is there are ample lights and emergency polls throughout the area.