<p>Georgia Institute of Technology and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. These two schools are often on the list of the best public schools in the USA. So what are the strengths and weaknesses of both schools?</p>
<p>Might I suggest checking out some free internet sites... the princetonreview.com is one place, there are many. They will include student comments in the profiles.</p>
<p>There are many comments on this BB about Georgia Tech, as it is more specialized than UNC... especially about the grading rigor, and also insightful posts about non-engineering, non-science majors at a Tech university.</p>
<p>If you are interested in engineering or hard sciences go to Ga Tech for everything else then UNC.</p>
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If you are interested in engineering or hard sciences go to Ga Tech for everything else then UNC.
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UNC is superior to Georgia Tech in chemistry, biology, math, and geology and roughly equal to Georgia Tech in physics. Georgia Tech really only comes ahead in engineering and computer science.</p>
<p>UNC has much more prestige overall for pretty much everything but engineering.</p>
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UNC is superior to Georgia Tech in chemistry, biology, math, and geology and roughly equal to Georgia Tech in physics. Georgia Tech really only comes ahead in engineering and computer science.
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<p>You are entitled to your opinion, but as far as I know nobody does peer surveys for such specific areas for undergrad. One proxy is of course looking at graduate rankings, but it's not terribly accurate as to how well each school treats undergrads. I seriously have not heard one way or another whether Tech or UNC is definitely better in the sciences and math at the undergrad level (though humanities and engineering are gimmes of course).</p>
<p>Georgia Tech per a well known study here wins the cross admit battle hands down, where it ranks #35 (that includes LACs). I'll post the link when I get to work tomorrow.</p>
<p>I found the link -- GT is #25, extremely high and much higher than I would have thought being a left coaster... UNC was #32</p>
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I agree that graduate rankings are not always a good indicator of undergraduate quality, but one can still make the comparison between departments. Unless somehow Georgia Tech's programs are better at the undergraduate level and UNC's are worse at the undergraduate level (which wouldn't make much sense), it's a reasonable comparison.</p>
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Normally I have no problem with the Revealed Preferences survey, but in this case I have to question its usefulness. It's odd that UNC would be lower, considering that it nets 68% of in-state admits (which make up 85% of the class) and 53% of all admits; Georgia Tech's yield is around 44%. Relatively few students apply to both UNC Chapel Hill and Georgia Tech, and I'm not sure the survey pool would be representative of the small amount of cross-applicants. NC State undoubtedly shares more cross-admits with Georgia Tech than UNC does. </p>
<p>I'd like to see the actual (not predicted) cross-admit data for NC residents, GA residents, and OOS residents. I suspect the yields would vary considerably.</p>
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Normally I have no problem with the Revealed Preferences survey, but in this case I have to question its usefulness. It's odd that UNC would be lower, considering that it nets 68% of in-state admits (which make up 85% of the class) and 53% of all admits; Georgia Tech's yield is around 44%.
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<p>Yield doesn't tell much about the relative strengths of two universities with self-selecting pools of applicants. As you state, I doubt they get many cross applicants. It's probably an inference based on UNC losing to a bunch of other schools that Georgia Tech tended to win out over.</p>
<p>From The Princeton Review</p>
<p>Georgia Institute Of Technology</p>
<p>Academics</p>
<p>"Students coming to Georgia Tech should be prepared to be “challenged in many new ways.” Here, “Professors are very demanding. They’re the most brilliant people I’ve ever met,” and they “don’t spoon-feed you”; if you want to succeed at Tech, students advise that “you have to learn how to suck it up and study.” There’s one big upside to the rigors of Tech’s academics. As one student puts it, after being here, “The rest of the world seems easy.” Students interested in hands-on learning appreciate the fact that “a lot of the professors are doing major research, so it’s [a] great [school] for research opportunities.” “Because the professors are deep in their research,” however, they sometimes “don’t do that great a job teaching.” Luckily, “The professors are required to have office hours,” and students suggest taking advantage of them: “Professors are mostly great one-on-one. They really want you to talk to them and for you to learn.”"</p>
<p>Student Body</p>
<p>"Students claim that “Tech is broken down into two different types of college students. First you have the ‘typical’ college students, who take their academics seriously, but who enjoy being social, going out on weekends, and interacting with the rest of the student population. Then there’s the group of ‘Techies’ who are sometimes socially awkward and who like to stay in their rooms a lot and only interact with others like them.” The guys here bemoan a “70:30 male/female ratio, but” optimistically declare that “The ratio is getting better.” And those who have found their talents to be liabilities in the past will be pleased to learn that at GT, “Unlike at high school, no one looks down upon you if you know the entire periodic table, if you can do differential equations, or you can speak three languages; rather, you are respected.”"</p>
<p>Campus Life</p>
<p>"As one undergrad puts it, “Basically people bust their asses during the week, and when the weekends arrive they’re prepared to let loose a bit.” Options for letting loose include “a ‘good enough’ NCAA Division I sports program, a good social scene,” a welcoming Greek community, “and for everyone else, there’s the city of Atlanta right at your doorstep. You’re just a short ride away from movies, shopping, the Fox Theatre, the High Museum of Art, Piedmont Park, and one of the best club and bar scenes in the South,” centered mainly in the neighborhoods of Buckhead and Midtown. For those without cars in this driving city, transportation comes in the form of “a ‘Tech Trolley’ that takes a route around midtown, and a ‘Stinger Shuttle’ that goes to the MARTA [Atlanta’s subway] station, giving students access to the airport, downtown (although that is walkable), and Lenox Mall.” With “over 300 organizations already on campus,” students seeking leadership experience can most likely find it, as too they can find other students with like-minded interests."</p>
<p>The University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill</p>
<p>Academics</p>
<p>"The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill “is so well rounded,” according to students who make their case by pointing to the “very highly recognized academics, sports, and quality students who are here to get a great education and have fun doing it.” With a typically Southern approach, UNC “creates a very balanced atmosphere to live in. The workload isn’t so overwhelming that you can’t go out and do anything. . . . It makes for a good place to live because people aren’t always stressed out.” Undergrads report that “you won’t find a better combination of quality, cost, and environment for any student specifically interested in undergraduate programs in business, journalism, or education,” and that “the humanities and social sciences have a huge presence here” as well. The sciences aren’t too shabby either; in fact, pretty much across the board “The academic life is very rigorous” and professors “are not only educated in their fields but have life experiences that add to the flavor of their courses.” Many students warn that academic advising is a weak point; one student reports, “We have complicated requirements for majors and . . . sometimes students end up taking classes that don’t count toward their major. Or, they end up not realizing they had to take a particular class until senior year.” The constitution of the state of North Carolina keeps UNC’s in-state tuition rates very low; some out-of-state students complain that the cost of this guarantee falls disproportionately to them.</p>
<p>Student Body</p>
<p>UNC-Chapel Hill Students Say...
"By state policy, native Tar Heels must make up 82 percent of each incoming undergraduate class at UNC, so “The typical student is a North Carolina resident.” Out-of-state students “blend seamlessly into this mix, and are often the ones to take the helm of leadership opportunities.” Undergraduates here “are very involved, whether it’s in the Greek ..."By state policy, native Tar Heels must make up 82 percent of each incoming undergraduate class at UNC, so “The typical student is a North Carolina resident.” Out-of-state students “blend seamlessly into this mix, and are often the ones to take the helm of leadership opportunities.” Undergraduates here “are very involved, whether it’s in the Greek scene, the religious scene, playing intramural sports, or starting their own club. Philanthropic involvement is also high.” Students typically “are academically oriented but aren’t dominated by it. You can’t ‘feel’ midterms in the air, as you can at other schools.” You’ll “find every stereotype represented here: The J. Crew snob, the polo shirt and sunglass-wearing frat boy, the emo/punk rocker, the Southern belle, etc.” The most apparent stereotypes, though, are “the ones who look like they stepped out of the Carolina catalogue, sporting Carolina-blue laptop bags, polo shirts, and sneakers.” UNC is liberal by Southern standards, although no one would ever confuse a UNC undergrad for a Reed College or Wesleyan University student." </p>
<p>Campus Life</p>
<p>"“UNC has a great nightlife” with plenty of options. Franklin Street, the main drag of Chapel Hill, runs along one side of the campus and “has tons of restaurants,” “packed bars,” and college-oriented shopping. “Students from Duke and NC State will often come party on Franklin Street” because it’s the most student-friendly stretch in the Triangle. The campus offers “tons of clubs and organizations—more than 600—so there is plenty of stuff to do.” The dorms “are wonderful, and there is always something going on,” although “Dorm parties are hard to pull off on South Campus, where most of the freshmen live. Just about anything goes on North Campus, though.” The active Greek scene also provides plenty of party options; GDIs note that “it’s really easy to have a social life and be an independent.” But what truly binds the campus are the Tar Heel athletic teams, with the men’s basketball team paramount among them. One student reports, “People look forward to basketball season more than anything. The rivalries are intense” and the quality of play is excellent. The Atlantic Coast Conference is arguably the NCAA’s strongest in basketball. Students also enjoy a “beautiful campus” and great weather; one student observes, “One of the most relaxing things to do is to sit outside on the grass in the quad studying in the 70 degree weather and sun in November.”"</p>