The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

I have had great and wretched experiences here at UNC. I'm close to completing my second year, and I have had some awesome classes here. I think what has impacted my education most is having teachers that I feel I can talk to. I rarely go to office hours, but there are a few teachers (professors) that are very interesting and have really gotten me into their subject matter. I'm a Spanish and International Studies major, so I take all kinds of classes.

One of the best things about international studies is the ability to basically customize the major and take whatever you want in almost any department and have it count toward something.

After spending nearly two years in Chapel Hill I have to say I am ready to get off campus. I never had a big problem with the residence halls since I lived on north campus the whole time. I have had air conditioning, and I don't really feel the need to have socialized in the freshmen dorms.

UNC has the ability to really isolate someone who isn't outgoing or comes here without any friends. I came in with a lot of people I knew from high school, most of them jerks, and my best friend also came here. What you need to understand about college is that for some people, times change. I'm no longer best friends with that person, I have been able to move on.

What really has amazed me is that so many of my former classmates haven't really moved on. Perhaps their bonds were stronger or they just never grew out of being rich and liking the friends they could buy. I am not Greek, and I know a lot of Greeks that are huge assholes, and a lot of them are really nice people. UNC has an active arts scene, so it's nice if you dance, sing, or act to find a group (there are lots for each interest) and make friends there.

If you are not outgoing, UNC will drive you nuts. You WILL lock yourself in your room and be miserable because everyone else is out having fun. I was never much into clubbing, so I don't really go to Franklin Street, but food on Franklin Street is nice. If you are a vegetarian, don't get a meal plan because the salad is horrid and never gets replaced, and the only other really nutritious things they serve are fruit and pasta. You don't want to eat pasta with three day old marinara five days a week.

Study abroad! I have heard so many people say it is a great experience, and I am headed to Spain for a year this fall and spring. Studying abroad will open up your mind.

Try not to be overwhelmed by the other students' opinions. There are some people who are crazy about their opinions and will argue them to death, and they're very confrontational about it (conservatives and liberals). As for UNC being insanely liberal, the carousing from conservative students has only gone up every semester I've been here where they whine about how they are treated differently or whatever. Most of my professors have asked me to listen and decide for myself.

As for a wretched experience, it's very hard to know what you want to major in when you get to school. The science departments are overwhelming with the work and I found them very unapproachable. I was a chemistry major for four weeks, and then I changed to Spanish and found a much lighter attitude. It was much less of a grind. In the math class I took when I was a freshman, I had a teacher who had a very thick Eastern European accent. I didn't have a problem understanding him, but almost all my classmates complained that he spoke too fast or too thickly with an accent and that impeded their learning.

I don't think I'd choose a different university at this point since UNC hasn't been the best to me, but it hasn't been the worst. I went to UNC because it was the most affordable choice for me, and I knew that if I came here I would have a lot of options to major in. My brother came here and offered me this advice: always have an open mind. College is not going to be what you expect it to be, you must take things as they come. I have one best friend who has been wonderful to me and I never knew her before UNC. Ignore people who arrogant because of what they have been given or where they come from. We are all just people, and you must respect that. Also know that college is not only about academics, and some of the people in the science areas are going to have heart attacks by the time they reach their junior years. If you are able to keep a level head, you will survive and even flourish at UNC.I also have to say that I didn't have a typical freshman experience. I lived on north campus and had very few perspectives to fill because I came in with 50 hours of AP credit.

2nd Year Female -- Class 2007

Campus Maintenance: A+, Scholastic Success: F

Just because your degree has the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on it, does not mean you will ultimately end up getting a good or reasonable job, especially in your major. I was unemployed for months after graduation, and I received a degree in one of the most recognized programs at UNC, Journalism. I did not have the same connections as other students, nor I had the desire to stay in the state of North Carolina. Like my friends that also seemed to have struggled to find employment after graduating from Carolina, the rep of the university only influences a handful of employers in the state of North Carolina, mostly Carolina grads that work in the Triangle, Triad, and Charlotte areas, and is seen on equal ground as any other school once you go out of the state. Also, the rep the university use to have is disappearing in and out of state. Carolina has fallen from its status as a “public ivy” no matter what propaganda the university and some over zealous students hand out. Carolina is also far from the “utopia” that some tried to paint during the 80s and 90s. In all honesty, the university is going downhill from what it use to be, but continues to offers a quality education. There is a major education gap between out of state students that enter Carolina and in-state students. Not to be too critical of students from North Carolina, but I found out there is a huge difference in perception as far as academics and social ideals go. As an out of state student, I found many of the so called “tougher” classes during my freshman and sophomore years to be easy or similar to my AP classes in high school. I knew many in-state students that struggled and cheated their way through those same classes to come out with a final grade of a C. High schools in North Carolina are not on the same level as other states, they are far behind. Also, I found the social side/social life at Carolina to be quite boring/overrated from what I expected. Things are pretty much the same on the weekends and sometimes can be very stale. There are a few parties here and there, but over all, it is very overrated.

I had many good and bad times while attending Carolina. I met a lot of interesting people. Carolina features many types of individuals from the preps, rich and snooty, studious, greeks, legacy base whom got into the school because of their parents or connections, out of state students, racist/prejudice/closed minded, liberals, ultra-liberals, ultra-conservatives, homosexuals, minority males that date only white women, wannabe thugs, basketball fans, and etc… Overall, students have their own agendas, and it is all about making the right connections. People will use you to get to the top or get something they want. It is not an anti-social campus; but groups rarely interact with each other, especially racial groups.

Some professors are very helpful while many are really stuck up and don’t care about their students. Their agenda is to write articles or books rather than focusing on students. Overall Carolina is more graduate school based than undergrad. I believe that is one of the reasons why the university’s rep and ratings are falling and will continue to fall.You will need to have your mind made up once you arrive on campus. There will be little to no time to decide on life issues. You will be quickly classified into a group once you arrive on campus. You will either get kicked to the side by the stuck up and snooty students and treated like a number by a professor or you can kiss a lot of butt on both sides and have a better time. If I had to do it all over again, I probably would not have decided to attend Carolina. It is far from the propaganda that you may read from university officials or from students that are paid to write positive reviews for the university on various sites, and yes, the universities pays for positive reviews. The truth is that Carolina is a fairly average university but fell far below my expectations. At times I felt cheated and other times I thank God I am finally out of that place.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

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-