<p>I've narrowed my choices to Cal Berkeley and UNC for next fall. I will be a junior transfer student trying to major in Psy and Nutrition. I am having a very hard time deciding where to go. I dont have enough time/money to see the UNC campus before I make my decision. Can any one give me advice? I need to hear why UNC is such an amazing place, so here is a chance to really show off and brag about your school!! I never thought I was going to get in out of state, and now that I made it...I dont know what to do!! I appreciate all comments!! I am a vegetarian and have done a lot of traveling oversees. I am looking for something new. I've lived in California my whole life..and even though Berkeley is a place of its own..I'm leaning towards UNC for some reason! Can anyone make me feel that I am making the right choice? Everyone in Cali is telling me to go to Berkeley!! Help</p>
<p>Well, I cant speak FOR UNC-Chapel Hill, because I did not go there and my D got waitlisted. (Long story, though she is VERY qualified on EVERY level.)</p>
<p>I have in-laws in California and have been in your neck of the woods, including Berkeley, many times.</p>
<p>Its a common misperception particularly from Californians and Northeastern elites that North Carolina is bucolic and all of one mind: a pejorative mindset at that.</p>
<p>Not true. Our state is increasingly a stopping point, visiting place, and even transfer residence for a lot of people who aren't southerners. Chapel Hill is regarded as a very liberal community and the school is not exactly a bastion of conservative values, though many conservatives go there.</p>
<p>The state is welcoming, particularly to people who are respectful, not judgmental, and who want to learn something about us and our way of life, topography, history, etc. What we despise the most is arrogance from outsiders who come in here or down here and then trash talk us, all the while acting like the Ugly Americans we hear so much about. That in a nutshell is what the term "Yankee" means. Ugly American.</p>
<p>If you have strong views politically and socially that are left of center, you will not be the only person in this state or on the campus who does. But it might be a good idea to keep a lot of your views to yourself, as our historical culture is not brash, but humble and respectful of others.</p>
<p>We have a slower way of life in GENERAL terms, though it surprise many how fast on our feet we are and how life here is moving at a rapid pace. Its perception more than anything. There are rude drivers in Raleigh and Charlotte and Greensboro just as there are rude drivers in Los Angeles, San Francisco-Oakland, and Sacramento. We have 10 lane freeways in places. But not many. We have wide open spaces, beautiful beaches, gorgeous mountains and lots in between. We have cotton fields and tobacco fields. We have soy bean fields too.</p>
<p>You will be fine at Chapel Hill. It all comes down to where you want to settle when you finish school, or where you want to go to graduate school.</p>
<p>Chapel Hill enjoys high rankings and it deserves them. Its a superb school. But like all schools, there are pockets of excellence and pockets of mediocrity. That includes Berkeley.</p>
<p>I would strongly encourage you to come, because it will expand your horizons so to speak. But come with an open mind to the viewpoint of others and be humble and respectful and you will be treated very well. Come with an attitude, arrogance, superiority complex, or talking all the time about how you got into Berkeley and how much better it is (in your mind) and you will undoubtedly be miserable here.</p>
<p>In short, we are like everyone else. My D is likely going out of state. We will apply the golden rule where she is going as well.</p>
<p>Good luck and welcome to North Carolina....even if we wont be joining you in Chapel Hill. (My D has TONS of friends down there and many more going....so we will be watching...lol.)</p>
<p>NC in general might not be perfect for a Californian but the Triangle area is full of transplants from other states (Yankees, Californians, etc!), open-minded and liberal people, and lots of change (technological, cultural, and otherwise). You'll really like Chapel Hill, don't worry about it. You are making a great choice.</p>
<p>monsheree: I'll just add to what friedokra wrote (all great advice). I wrote a long drawn-out post, but it disappeared before it got posted, so I'll be more brief here. </p>
<p>My daughter just finished up her sophomore year and really loves UNC. In fact, we just took her to the airport this morning to fly to Hong Kong, where she'll meet up with about 15 other UNC students, for a 3 week UNC course throughout China.</p>
<p>So I'll start with the study abroad program, which is really excellent. Lots of places to go, and UNC encourages study abroad (unlike a lot of schools, which often make it difficult to do study abroad and still finish in 4 years). She did an amazing study abroad last year for a semester, also in China.</p>
<p>UNC is just a beautiful campus-- sprawling, leafy, slightly rolling, with wonderful old buildings. Many buildings/dorms have been renovated in recent years and new buildings have been built, which includes a great gym, student center, and eating areas.</p>
<p>The school is large enough, with ~16,000 undergraduates, to avoid a dominant culture; instead, it's large enough to encompass lots of different types of people and groups/student activities in which to be involved. Only 15% of students "go Greek," so if this is not your thing, you won't feel left out, either. </p>
<p>Chapel Hill, the town, was actually built around the University, so UNC is very integrated into the town, and those who live in Chapel Hill are very tolerant of students and the University. They all seem to get along fine (I think!). There's lots to do in Chapel Hill, too, and great little restaurants. You also won't have any problem as a vegetarian.</p>
<p>Intro classes and those courses that are required for certain majors can be large lecture-hall classes, though my daughter had only a few of those her freshman year, which didn't seem to be a problem. The professors were fine; the TA's in precepts were also excellent. The rest of her classes have been relatively small, though, and challenging/interesting.</p>
<p>She just likes the size of Chapel Hill, too. Again, it's big enough to have lots to do and even be anonymous, if you want; yet it also has this sense of being a small school. She's not had a problem with advising nor with getting to know her professors. She's found the classes academically challenging, yet neither cut-throat nor competitive. Students seem to be supportive of one another. (At least, this has been her experience). </p>
<p>UNC really does seem to have a great feel; students are happy there, and it just seems to have more of everything than a lot of universities she researched--without a lot of downsides, and located in a perfect college town, with great weather. The location is about 3 hours from the coast and 3 hours from the mountains, too.</p>
<p>Hope that helps. Maybe some current students can give you more detailed information. I do think that you would love it. I don't know much about Berkeley, except its great academic reputation. The much larger size of Berkeley and, perhaps, the strong emphasis on graduate programs there, would make me want to go to a school that was more focused on undergraduates, as is Chapel Hill. UNC, while being a top research university and having great professional schools and graduate programs, is also dedicated to its undergraduate students. I think they do an outstanding job of balancing that.</p>
<p>Hope that helps. It really is a wonderful school, and you would be welcomed. Although a large percentage are in-state, many of those in-staters are from other areas of the country and are transplants here themselves. This is a pretty cosmopolitan area and certainly much more liberal than some other parts of NC. </p>
<p>Did I say I'd be more brief here?! Well, good luck. Again, I think you'd love being a tarheel!</p>
<p>How far a drive is New York or Miami?</p>
<p>NYC is about a 9-10 hour drive; alternatively, you can take Amtrak from Raleigh that leaves everyday around 11:30 am and gets into Penn Station around 9:30/10 pm. Even though longer, I actually prefer that to driving, but I know most people don't. I like trains, though. Miami must be a much longer drive than NYC. I've never done it, but I did take the train from Raleigh to Winter Park a few years ago, and that was a 14 hour train ride (whew), and Miami was a few more hours beyond that (and the end of the line).</p>
<p>I think you would be fine at UNC. I've heard Chapel Hill called "a little slice of California" in North Carolina, mainly because it is (stereotypically) more liberal than most of the state. I think Berkeley would be pretty awesome as well.</p>
<p>omg jack!!! can you PM me about what course it was your D is taking? I'm DYING to go to china and 3 weeks sounds just about right. id love to know how she signed up for that</p>
<p>GetOuttaBuffalo: I sent you a pm.</p>
<p>Just returned home from looking for housing for son who is transferring to Chapel Hill as a junior in psych/bio. Even though we are instate--he refused to look at Carolina as a high schooler as he thought he wanted "something different". </p>
<p>He had never even been in the town of Chapel Hill until yesterday. We spent two days looking at apartments, walking the campus, exploring shops, and eating at restaurants. He loved it. It is most definitely a college town. Even though it is summer, we saw a fair number of students and the town was far from "dead". </p>
<p>Surprisingly, he had several nice choices of apartments to choose from--we were afraid there wouldn't be much left this time of year. Several apts. were those of recently graduated students who to a one were so sad to be leaving Chapel Hill. Not one had a negative comment or a "can't wait to get out of here" attitude.</p>
<p>My son is excited about this fall and is anxious to start this new phase.</p>
<p>The drive from Chapel Hill to Miami should be about thirteen hours. We drive down there pretty often from Greensboro and it's around there. It's actually not too bad, the drive from Jacksonville to Miami is the worst part of it. I think it's pretty pleasant.</p>
<p>is the transfer housing nice??</p>
<p>I believe you would be better off to just fly from RDU to either NYC or Miami. Where I live in NC, it is an 18 hour drive to Miami. </p>
<p>In my limited time there, I would say UNC is a small town environment in a city scene. Everyone there was extremely friendly and helpful giving us directions, advice, etc.</p>
<p>I don't think you would have anything to worry about being a Californian.</p>
<p>I'm from California and UNC was one of my first choices.
I also got into many UC Schools including Berkeley. Without a doubt
UNC CHAPEL HILL is the way to go. Great town, great people, beautiful
girls and you will receive a great education. I have lived in California my
whole life and would like to experience a different group of friends.
From on Californian to another...
GOOD LUCK WITH YOU CHOICE.</p>
<p>where should I live as a transfer student?
Its also so hard getting into my classes, Im waitlisted for nearly all of them! Do I have a chance of them opening up during the first few weeks?</p>
<p>many classes will open up during the first week due to add/drops. you can also sit in on classes during the first week and ask the professor for a special admit. unless the class is far overbooked you can usually be granted admission.</p>
<p>Im number #15 on the waitlist, I hope I have a chance. Do you recommend emailing the professor beforehand?</p>
<p>clippernation: just wanted to say that i love your username. clippers = LA's real team.</p>
<p>anybody else have anything to add..I heard it doesnt really snow in Raliegh..is this true? I was looking forward to the 4 seasons</p>
<p>monsheree: We definitely have 4 seasons, though the spring is awfully short-- can zoom right into summer. We can keep house plants outside from early April through the end of Oct with no problem. We do get snow, but not much and not often. The last big snow we had (where schools were shut down for a few days, and we could sled for a few days running) was about 5 or 6 years ago. We're getting more and more hurricanes, though, if that makes you feel any better. ;)</p>