The following reviews are the views of students or alumni at this school and are unrelated to the school data and other editorial content on usnews.com. These reviews neither reflect nor impact a school's position within the Best Colleges rankings.
UNC is really great. It may seem big at first especially if you are used to a smaller school environement, but getting involved on campus and in your community really makes it shrink and by the end of your career there it'll just feel like home! Big controversy we've had lately is safety and racial issues as Eve Carson our Student Body President was recently murdered. However, it is never smart to walk around anywhere by yourself at night as a female so use the buddy system and I know I always felt safe there and usually went places with people/friends and let people know where I was (no one is exempt from crazy people so it's wise to be smart!) Also due to it being a white girl killed by black males that has brought some issues up, but as I've said racism is everywhere and ignorance reigns supreme with people generalizing rude and biggoted statements to entire races and peoples.
Chanda Alum
UNC encompasses everything that I believe a truly great university should be. With the high academic expectations, nationally recognized athletic programs, good party life, and numerous social organizations, UNC is basically the perfect university. People have strong feelings towards UNC which you will encounter when you tell others this is where you attend. They often praise you for your high academic standing or tell you all about their love or hate of the school's basketball program. Chapel Hill is a great college town. We have Carrboro up the road which is the most quaint little hippie town. Chapel Hill itself attracts all sorts of performers, speakers, politicians, etc.
Anonymous Junior
The best thing about UNC (and you'll hear this repeatedly if you decide to come here) is that it's like a family here. The moment you step off of campus and enter another community, you'll find someone who went to UNC or is a UNC fan and suddenly the two of you are best friends--there's a sense of school pride that immediately becomes a part of you that you'll never be able to shake, especially if there's a Duke fan around! And of course, we have the best basketball team in the nation. :) The worst thing about UNC is the constant ongoing construction. Because it is the oldest public university in the U.S., buildings are constantly being remodeled, so it's a never-ending sight to see orange cones and yellow tape blocking off buildings and pathways. It's a little sad to see a different campus everytime you return to UNC from being away for awhile. But you really can't beat the feeling of pride when you say "I go/went to Carolina." People are always impressed, and it's nice being able to say you went to a university that people all over the country--and the world--know about. Chapel Hill is definitely a college town, but it's fun and relaxing. Everyone goes to Franklin Street during nights and weekends to eat, shop, and/or drink. But nothing beats the feeling of being at a sporting event (most notably, the Dean Dome) and screaming along with 20,000 other Carolina fans to root on our athletes.
Angela Alum
UNC is an amazing school, period. I wouldn't change a thing about my four years at Carolina, and they were without a doubt some of the happiest in my life. I learned so much, made so many good friends, got involved in organizations I cared about, and really lived life.
cferriter Alum
UNC is very much a school that people fall in love with after coming here (if they didn't already come a die-hard Tar Heel fan). You will grow to cheer your heart out for the basketball team, to hate Duke, love the town as it is completely based around the school, and realize that our campus really is the most beautiful when you go visit friends at other schools. It is a large school but can be very small if you want it to be. There are thousands of organizations to get involved in ranging across the most diverse of interests. By senior year people realize that most everyone is connected to each other through random friends because everyone is involved in so many different things. People are real go-getters and entrepreneurial in their academic and social endeavors. UNC really provides the resources for students to follow their passions, whether through study abroad, fellowships and grants, bringing speakers, starting clubs, etc. Chapel Hill tends to be considered the liberal bubble of NC and is very politically active. For NC there is a much larger LGBT population and they are openly accepted. Students tend to complain the most about having to deal with registration and advising as it is such a large school and getting in to see people can often be difficult. Everything is automated and they try to cover it via internet, but sometimes it is necessary to speak to someone in person which can be a pain.
Abby Senior
The best thing about UNC is the camaraderie students and alumni share. That could probably be said for all universities, but I think it's more intense here given our rivalry with and total detestation of everything Duke. If only thing I would change about UNC is the expensive cost of food on Franklin St. When I'm able to I walk or drive to nearby Carrboro where food is cheaper. When I tell people I got to UNC they either love it and are impressed or absolutely hate it. I guess a lot of people hate UNC because students and alumni have so much school pride that it's mistaken for arrogance. I spend most of my time on campus between classes in the Student Union. I hate libraries and it has great corners to hide and study, a tasty bagel shop, and comfy chairs to sit in and chat with friends. I even feel comfortable enough that I'll take naps there between classes. I think Chapel Hill is the quintessential college town. The town built up around the university and caters to students. Anything that Chapel Hill doesn't have, (like a big mall), can be reached in Durham or Raleigh by a short bus ride or drive. There's a ridiculous amount of school pride here. I don't think I could encounter a school with more of it than I see here. I completely understand it though, I absolutely love my school. I've said that I'm glad I didn't go to other schools I considered so many times. When I'm outside of Chapel Hill I'll often talk about it to my non-UNC friends and they get a little tired of hearing it and sometimes mistake it for bragging. I honestly don't intend to brag, but it's hard not to when you love it as much as I do. I think there are alot of unique things about UNC. I can't quite explain all of them though. Maybe it's just the overall atmosphere. When I visited the campus for a tour I immediately felt that this is where I belonged. People just seemed to be so happy here, despite all the homework and studying. I also visited a handful of other campuses like Wake Forest and Appalachian State. Before my UNC tour I had decided to go to Wake Forest (which I had visited). Wake is also intensely academic, but I felt it was missing that social aspect I needed to keep myself sane between classes and exams. When I walked through The Pit for the first time at UNC in November 2005, there was a group of guys chugging milk and eggnog and throwing it back up into trash cans. As gross as that was, I thought it was hilarious and knew I'd never see that at Wake. I'm serious about my grades, but I also like to have fun. That can also be said about the student body here. We're known for our academics, but also for our antics. However, the thing that separates us from a "party school" is our delegation of priorities. In general, the people I've encountered here study hard and then go out and have fun. Being surrounded by people with these priorities helps me keep mine intact. My most memorable experience here thus far is when our mens basketball team beat Duke's team at Duke last year. It's what I'd been hoping to experience as soon as I sent in my first deposit to UNC. It was exhilirating. People literally ran from middle and south campus up to Franklin St. I was ecstatic and felt that I had achieved the biggest part of my UNC experience. I didn't jump over a bonfire like many people do because I'm really clumsy, but I screamed a lot and took plenty of pictures. The most frequent student complaints are about the distribution of mens basketball tickets. This is no surprise since we have an excellent program and most people follow it religiously. Students (including me) also complain about the alumni at games. Many of them pay gross amounts of money for season tickets and never stand up or clap during the games. Many also leave before the games are over with to beat traffic, even in tied and rival games.
Elizabeth Sophomore
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