The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

This place is gone downhill in the past few years. friends told mei should go here because unc is used to be pretty good for a state school. but if i had to do it over again, i'd try to get into a better state schools like virgina, maryland, michigan, texas, cal, etc.. first. if youre applying to unc, don't say you haven't been warned. you can get a better equally affordable education elsewher.

5th Year Female -- Class 2002

Perceived Campus Safety: B+, Education Quality: F

Preface: I'm an out-of-state student from the Northeast who attended UNC-Chapel Hill for two years. This fall, I'm transferring to an Ivy League University to study history. I'll break my experience down into categories, then leave you with a few general observations.

Academics: Overall, I give my academic experience at UNC a "B" grade. With the exception of a few duds, the teaching quality was generally excellent and I had some outstanding mentors. However, I often found myself unimpressed with student participation and the quality of class discussions. Although large lectures present challenges at every school, even small seminars and honors courses frequently failed to facilitate participation. Many students were very involved outside the classroom, which may have detracted from the university's academic focus.

Sports/Student Body: I'll give this one a "B-/B." The student body is generally active, energetic, and pleasant. Like many southern schools, Div. I sports were extremely popular, especially basketball and football. Sports fostered incredible school spirit and represented major opportunities for high-quality recreation. However, they also siphoned millions of dollars away from academic programs and represented a step away from sheer academia. As a casual fan at best, I sometimes felt out of place and alienated by the sports craze.

Nightlife: An easy "A-/A."There were ample opportunities for parties and other small social gatherings. Greek parties are the most active and often do not admit male non-members, and first years may sometimes have a little trouble finding open events. By sophomore year, however, social connections made it extremely easy. For non-partiers,the downtown has quality restaurants, shopping, and a discount movie theater. Study sessions on Saturday night were not "frowned upon."

Conclusions:
1. UNC is a great school for bright, in-state students. As a well-traveled student from New England, I quickly realized that there was "more out there." With tuition on the rise, the niche of high-achieving, yet non-full-scholarship OSS students seems to be getting smaller.

2. The sports craze is pervasive, influencing everything from the student body to university policy. For sports fans, it's heaven. Personally, I found it alienating and, at times, disturbing. The widely-publicized athletic scandals speak for themselves.3. UNC is at a crossroads between "highly prestigious public university" and "non-elite, athletic powerhouse." Unfortunately, it seems to be moving towards the latter. In essence, this is why I left. Please consider my advice!

2nd Year Male -- Class 2016

Campus Aesthetics: A, Individual Value: B-

Please take as many AP classes as possible. Try to place out of math and science here. Most people start off as biology majors, but by sophomore year they have changed their major. It's not as hard as people think. The most challenging subjects I have come across are math and science only because the professors were not very good.

2nd Year Female -- Class 2010

Extracurricular Activities: A+, Faculty Accessibility: D-