"Explore Carolina" days 2008?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
1

<p>Hi folks!</p>

<p>We are delighted that DS#2 got accepted into UNC, as DS#1 is now a junior there and loves it. Question for you informed folks -- Does anyone know if there are going to be "Explore Carolina" days this spring like there have been the past couple of years, and if so, when? </p>

<p>The reason I ask is that DS#2 is trying to figure out a time to go to Chapel Hill to take another in-depth look (he loves it, he really does, but there's another university neck-and-neck for Number One in his affections). He could do the "Be a Carolina Student for a Day" thing that was mentioned in the "likely letter", but it seems to me that if there's gonna be an "Explore Carolina" program then perhaps that would suffice for his purposes.</p>

<p>What do y'all know and whaddaya think?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Legalpeach
(Proud Atlanta 'Heels Mom!)</p>

2

<p>Do Carolina for a Day instead! There will be Explore Carolina days but I'm not sure when. But Carolina for a Day, in my mind, would be more legitimate because you're actually with a real live student and go to some classes. You can even spend the night with them if you want.</p>

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<p>Thanks so much, cloying! You know, your posts here are so helpful -- I really enjoy reading them!</p>

<p>I think I agree with you and I am gonna tell Son #2 that I think he should go for the "Carolina for a Day" experience. As I remember Son #1's "Explore Carolina" trip, he was invited to stay over in a dorm, but the next day he wasn't in any classes -- it was a whole gloriously beautiful springtime day of, really, touring and schmoozing (which he loved -- it tipped him over the edge and he decided on the spot to go to UNC after being on the fence with UVA). As nice as that was, I do think going to classes would be fun and valuable for Son #2. He's visited his brother at Carolina often, but hasn't ever sat in a class!</p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

<p>Legalpeach
(Proud Atlanta 'Heels Mom!)</p>

4

<p>Thanks! I appreciate it.</p>

<p>If he's invited to the honors program, there's also an opportunity through them to visit some classes. I'd take that one above the aforementioned two (though no worries if he isn't picked for honors!) I'm still figuring out if I should host some seniors. I think it could be fun but I don't know if I have the time!</p>

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<p>That's a great idea, cloying -- I hope he does get invited into the Honors Program so that he'll have the opportunity to make that kind of visit! My older son who's a junior at UNC is in Honors, but got invited in at the beginning of the second semester of his freshman year. When would DS#2 find out if he's been asked in as a first-semester freshman? </p>

<p>Legalpeach
(Proud Atlanta 'Heels Mom!)</p>

6

<p>Whoops, I gave you some wrong information:</p>

<p>Be a Student for a Day is designed simply for the day. They just said at our meeting tonight that if the student wants to spend the night, that is up to you and it isn't sponsored through the university. I think that makes more sense, really. So if you'd like to stay overnight I'd just post that in your original forum post - I really don't think that will hamper you.</p>

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<p>If someone already offered to host you for the day (overnight was not requested or mentioned in the hosting students reply email) but you are feeling awkward about asking to spend the night, are there nearby hotels or something?</p>

<p>hate to seem a mooch to a total stranger who is being nice....</p>

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<p>Thanks again, cloying! He will need to stay overnight since he'll be coming up from ATL, but if it's too much trouble to arrange a dorm stay he can always bunk at his brother's cute little house in Carrboro! :-) </p>

<p>I'll post back and let you know what he does, and thanks so much again for all your attentive help!</p>

<p>Legalpeach
(Proud Atlanta 'Heels Mom!)</p>

9

<p>I am so confused! I would like my son to go to UNC for the day and attend some classes. Sleeping there would be good, but he could always stay at a hotel with us. Which is the day - Carolina for a Day, Student for a Day??? When are these scheduled for?</p>

10

<p>NewJerseyMom,</p>

<p>"Be a Carolina Student for a Day" is a program where they visit classes with a student for the day. It's not an overnight thing. Your son would stay in the hotel with you the night before. If you're new to Chapel Hill hotels, I HIGHLY recommend either the Carolina Inn or the new Courtyard by Marriott Chapel Hill. Both of them can be found by Googling, and by the way, there are several Marriott-owned hotels in Chapel Hill and this one is near the Friday Continuing Education Center and South Campus and is on a street called "Marriott Way". </p>

<p>To do that program, your son should go to htttp://<a href="http://www.admissions.unc.edu/message"&gt;www.admissions.unc.edu/message&lt;/a>, click on the link for the Admissions Message Board, and he'll see a topic called "Be a Carolina Student for a Day". All he has to do is register as a user, and post that he'd like to come, giving them some good dates he could do it and his e-mail address. A student host will contact him to follow up and will reply to his post on that message board.</p>

<p>The "Explore Carolina" day is a totally different event, and I think it's actually held a few times, all during April -- "decision month". When we attended with our older son in 2005, it was sort of a 24-hour event. He was invited to spend the night in a dorm the night before the day-long program (I mean, that was part of the overall event) but we couldn't do that because of our travel schedule coming in from OOS. We got in late, and started with the morning program. What followed was an all-day schmooze-fest (lots of fun) for students who've been admitted to UNC but haven't said "yes" yet -- campus tours, speakers, lots of people telling your son all the great reasons why he should say yes and why UNC wants him so badly. :-) The day ended, as I recall, with a nice (also optional) dinner. All in all, it was a fabulous day and the campus was gloriously in springtime bloom. As I've said somewhere else on this Forum (can't remember where!), this event was the "deal sealer" for our older son. He had been really agonizing over UNC vs. UVA, and this day in Chapel Hill NAILED the decision for him. </p>

<p>Our older son was invited to come to this event in a letter that I remember arrived really quickly after his EA acceptance in January 2005. Maybe it's too soon since the 2008 EA decisions were posted, but so far our younger son hasn't heard anything any "Explore Carolina" days this spring. He is in a similar position to his brother -- agonizing over UNC and a couple of schools that he really, really loved. So we'd like for him to have the "Explore Carolina" experience, too. (And we'd love for him to pick Carolina!!)</p>

<p>If anybody does have confirmed info about whether/when "Explore Carolina" will be happening this spring, please post here! Thanks!</p>

<p>Legalpeach
(Proud Atlanta 'Heels Mom!)</p>

11

<p>DD had a call this evening from UNC admissions checking in, making sure she got her acceptance packet and saying that Explore Carolina information would be coming in the mail soon.
(Was from a student, I'm assuming working in admissions. Wasn't someone she already knew).
That's all I know. I assume it's just part of their courteous keeping-in-touch, letting folks know the Explore Carolina thing will happen, and info. will arrive soon.</p>

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<p>UNC admissions called last night. What nice folks they are to do that. </p>

<p>They said call them with any questions, so I think you should give a call.</p>

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<p>Yup. I'll be calling people tonight from 6:30 to 8:30, so I imagine it'll be West Coast students. Carolina tries to call every single accepted student and see if they have any questions.</p>

<p>If you have extra money in your budget, the Franklin Inn is really cool. I'm pretty sure that's the name, it's located on Franklin Street and had beautiful rooms.</p>

<p>I can't remember who asked - but if you want to spend the night, email the student and ask, but then say that if they aren't able to accommodate you then you're happy to stay in a hotel.</p>

14

<p>And okay I did the phone-a-thon tonight and it was so much fun.</p>

<p>All of you should receive a call so go ahead and start thinking of questions about student life. We're real people here and don't have scripts (except for the hi my name is _____ and i'm a student at unc chapel hill sort of thing) so ask ask ask! I was pumped because like 80% of the people I called were either enrolling or seriously considering it. I'm pretty sure I didn't call any of you, though. :)</p>

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<p>Legalpeach: If you check your son's UNC homepage, there should be four bullets near the center top. The very last bullet that says "You have been invited to an event. Click here to view your invitations." provides a link to events such as Explore Carolina 2008 and First Look. It looks like the Explore Carolina days will be in February, on these dates:
* 02/15/2008<br>
* 02/29/2008<br>
* 03/17/2008</p>

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<p>Thanks so much, 'SPOOF! My son actually found those links last night, and I think he's now debating about whether to go to THAT program or to go up for the "Be a Carolina Student for a Day" program. It looks from the agenda like the "Explore Carolina" event isn't quite as elaborate or long as it was in 2005 -- which isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just makes the program less different from the "Be a... for a Day" program. I'd also hoped that there would be a date in April, so that he would have heard from all of his other schools before going up to Chapel Hill for the day. He still tells us that in his heart-of-hearts UNC is tied for #1, but he won't tell us exactly which school (or schools) it's tied WITH! </p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

<p>Legalpeach</p>

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<p>Do you think there will be Explore Carolina days in April that EA student could go too? I'm OOS and we already booked a trip last week for a different week in March. I want to go, but it's impossible at this point.</p>

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<p>how do you sign up for any overnight visits?</p>

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<p>(Where in Atlanta are you from LEGALPEACH? I have a freshman and a junior there now!!!) My regular hangouts include the Holiday inn express which is very nice...and sometimes the Carolina inn. I stayed at the franklin once but was too close to the bar next door and found it noisy. so ask for the carrboro end of the building not towards campus. It gets rolling 11:30-1 and we were tired. It is walking distance to campus a plus. The express has a shuttle or you can cough up parking expenses for the on campus decks. BOOK A ROOM SOON.</p>

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<p>There are no formal overnight visits. You have to secure that on your own....privately. As far as another week, just go when you can that is NOT during spring break for them March 7 -the following week and NOT during finals....
you can still sign up to visit a class and attend lectures...if you plan ahead you might be able to meet the dept head of the program you are interested in, take a campus tour, eat at the dining hall etc. What you will miss is the big sell. Yes, if they accepted you, it is now their turn to sell you on Carolina. They do a good job doing that. They just want to tell you that yes they read every word you wrote on your applications, by hand and they want you here. You can still have a very good tour/visit without it. D1 did the explore and D2 had to cancel bc of an Math Tournament.</p>