University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Top Questions

UNC is a big school and this is both good and bad. It's good because it means there are endless possibilities for ways to learn or get involved (and a seemingly endless amount of funding, if you're willing to search for it). It's bad because it means that these possibilities are not always open to people and many students probably fall through the cracks that the intro-level 300-person classes create. UNC has a decent reputation, and for the most part it deserves it. There is a wide range of students, very far left to very far right, very smart to questionably vegetative, etc. I think UNC might be the most "public" of the top public universities - almost every student is involved in philanthropy or outreach or activism.

UNC's an amazing place. As someone who didn't want to come here I really grew to love it in my four years. There are over 600 student organizations so you can get involved somehow, no matter what your interests. There's also just a ton of stuff going on in the town of Chapel Hill and academically around the university. Most of the other schools I looked at were Ivy Leagues and I think I can pretty much say that I received as good an education here as I would have up north. I really appreciated the size of the campus as well; there are always new people to meet and stuff to do, but I never felt lost or swallowed. Also, after my first year or so I was able to steer clear of big lecture classes and interact in small classes with all of my professors and other students.

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Best: Historical Campus, most beautiful in the country Worst: Dining Academics: Top Tier Social: Yes, Franklin street is amazing and there is always something to do - too much, I find often. This is the greatest school in the country.

The Big picture is that I simply couldn't imagine myself anywhere else. UNC is my home, my love, and my life. UNC has helped me become the person that I always thought that I could be. It has developed me academically, intellectually, and has helped to ground my life in service to others. UNC is a place for everyone, we welcome anyone who wants to persue a commitment to passion, intensity, and change.

The size is just right and the campus is absolutely heavenly. It's a true college town. When I tell people I went to UNC people always respond with recognition and admiration. The adminsitration tends to care more about the alumni's money than the students at times, but on the whole I would say the students are very well respected and listened to. TONS of school pride. More than I can ever describe here. If you've ever been in the Dean Dome for the Duke game, you know what I'm talking about. We bleed Carolina Blue.

Very large. Many students, hard to get to know people in your classes. Friendly rivalry with Duke. Chapel Hill is definitely a college town. Lots of school pride. There is ALWAYS construction. Campus would be much prettier if there wasn't constantly construction.

UNC has a beautiful campus, located in a perfectly-sized town. Many of the big city attractions are in Chapel Hill, but the traffic is much better on average, a benefit from the biker-friendly attitude UNC and neighboring Carrboro have adopted. Regardless of the origin, an almost tangible sense of camaraderie exists amongst students, faculty, employees and alumni. This "Carolina Spirit" likely derives from the fondness that everyone associated with the university feels for it. The school is the perfect size, UNC is well known and respected in almost all areas, and many suitable housing options are close to campus. One problem at UNC, however, is parking. Like many schools, parking permits are prohibitively expensive for some, but that makes walking/biking to campus all that more practical. My deepest gratitude is to be given to UNC's Carolina Covenant, because it enabled me, a student from a low income family, to graduate with only $3500 in student loans - and my parents paid none of my tuition or other expenses.

UNC is the perfect size. It's big enough that it offers infinite opportunities to get involved in an activity, a cause, or just to socialize. But it's small enough that it quickly feels like home. The majority of students genuinely love the school and the community, and take tremendous pride in the school. There are a ton of small, comfortable places to study or to read on campus, and the quad is beautiful. UNC's campus is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, largely because of the number of trees and flowers. I think the majority of the faculty and administration at UNC sincerely want the students to succeed and work to help students that are willing to ask for it.

I love everything about Carolina. The academics are top notch, competition is fierce, and the professors expect the best of the best. Something that amazes me everyday is the way every single person is involved in so many other activities and organizations outside of just academics. There is such a great balance of academics, athletics and social that people would be CRAZY not to come to Carolina. Best college town in the nation.