The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

The university has many great things about it, but it lacks many things. In general, it is very over rated in terms of the social life outside the class room. I find it to be quite boring here and the parties are nothing to write home about. Chapel Hill is pretty small. The classes are hard and require you to spend a great deal of time outside the class room studying and I mean a great deal of time. In some ways, it is easy to cheat, some students do it, but that is another topic. The students are friendly, but one will run into a whole cast of unusual people from far far far left wingers to far far far right wingers to even white and black racists individuals. Overall, my past two years at UNC would mount up to a B-. It was not what it is cracked up to be and not what I expected it to be. Some students and administrators make things nice and rosey, but then once you get on campus, you find out what the real deal is.

2nd Year Male -- Class 2007

Education Quality: A-, Innovation: F

Well. I have been thinking of what to write here for quite some time because as a recent high school senior I know that people attach a lot of meaning to the reviews posted in this site. I read the reviews for Carolina in a state of dismay last year because they were so negative and yet I knew I was coming here anyway because I am in state and my parents would not pay for me to go to a "lesser" public school than Carolina without a fight because the motto for them like everyone else is go to as good a college as you can. Ok, so I came. But, I am most likely going to transfer even though I feel like my world view is changing here for the better as I get more informed. The quality of my conversations with people has skyrocketed as I can talk confidently about things like yellow fever, hog farming, and the Balkan conflicts thanks to my classes. I am also a huge fan of my Spanish teacher, but I got lucky with him because I transferred out of a really horrible class. Here's the truth; UNC has made me realize that compared to the student body here I am not quite as smart as I thought, that I am very awkward socially, and I am also not very physically confident with myself. I can't imagine studying for four years here in this place where girls hugely outnumber boys and I probably won't get a date until I graduate. And then, will I be so far behind socially that I will have trouble getting dates after that? It's something that is hugely probable for me here at Carolina. Also, I don't want one of those jobs where you have to go way into debt and spend years working on finishing up your education. So if I don't want to be a lawyer, doctor, businesswoman, why do I need the Carolina degree anyway? You may wonder why I don't want the above careers; it's because I have had many encounters with graduate students of all different disciplines including duke students studying on our campus and they were all somewhat un-enchanted with their studies and their future job prospects. They were all mainly concerned with if they were going to be able to make any money once they got out (even the duke ecology major) and they all seemed a little lost and kind of regretful. Also, isolation is very common at UNC unless you are the kid who came in with the cell phone on your belt buckle and a list of high school buddie's phone numbers in your hand and you rush a fraternity/sorority. Basically, I'm transferring to App in the spring so I can be in Watuaga College there so I can live and learn in the same building and not have this intense feeling of intellectual isolation that is common here when the freshman are ushered from big lecture to big lecture. But, I say if you're in state and you're thinking of coming here, do it. After a semester you can transfer and it is good to know what it's like here so you can either fully appreciate the university/college you transfer to without any regret and because this is just a place that has alot to teach to the fresh out of high school types. I basically formulated my life plans just by coming here and experiencing it in all its intensity. It can help you put things in perspective. And then you might decide to leave and go someplace to better suit your goals. I would recommend taking five very different classes your first semester of everything that you have an interest in and that will help you narrow it down by the end of the semester. Come here if you are a black male, you are in huge demand here and will have a girlfriend in a second. If you are an average looking girl, don't come because everyone here is 90 pounds and blonde and do you really want to coompete with that? I don't, I think social life is just as important as academic life.

1st Year Female -- Class 2007

Useful Schoolwork: A+, Surrounding City: F

The university has some good points. For one, I generally feel safe. The town of Chapel Hill is safe and the school has late-night bus services. Generally, the campus is passable asthetically. Overall, it is a beautiful looking campus and a safe one. Now, for the negatives, a lot of students on "full-rides" are arrogant and look down on students who are not. There is definitely a "who you are" network on campus and some clubs, teams, etc can be extremely arrogant towards those not in.

1st Year Male -- Class 2007

Perceived Campus Safety: A+, Individual Value: F