The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

I am a bright student who had a tough family background and very little money. it turns out that unc was perfect for me. it is probably the lowest pressure elite public school i have found (i taught at the university of virginia, so i have some perspective).

it is a great place to be a pre-med. i took a ton of math and science classes and could never figure out who was pre-med. you just did the work and if you knew it, you scored well.

my twin brother went to duke and although a great school, it was much more of a grind.
i also felt that i was the best prepared student (at least mathematically) in my ph.d. program (economics).

dont' go if you are lazy. you may get a degree but you can take crappy classes and come out with an average education.

do go if you want to learn and not have to deal with a lot of grade/social pressure.not that unlike many southern schools, frats do not loom large.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

I transferred here from one of the numerous DC schools and have learned a few things since being here, coming from a school quite dissimilar to this one. It all depends on the situation your put in, I was placed with a roommate i did not like the first semester here, thought about leaving, came back and got placed in a good situation and have been enjoying myself since. People can complain about not having fun in college all they want, as if its the universities fault? And people around here are nice enough that if you want to talk about tar heel sports, your going to make a good friend. People complain about it being a large institution and being taught by TA's (at this point id like to note that these TA's are in some of the top dept of the country and would take these TA's over many professors at other schools) As for the people who complain about those professors who wont make time for them, they have to be rather unassuming and expect everything handed to them, cause I have NEVER had any problem of not going to a prof and getting additional help. And go ask kids at the smaller private schools when they last time their team beat U of miami at football or was ranked 5th at basketball. Is it perfect? no, far from it... JUST LIKE EVERYWHERE ELSE! But I'll take it happily.

2nd Year Male -- Class 2006

Education Quality: A, Individual Value: C