<p>I’ll offer my two cents on this one, as I live in CH and know a number of UNC students (and more than a few “down the road”). It’s true that certain classes like Chem and Bio 101 are ridiculously large-- same with intro Econ and Psych. As many have noted, recitations are where you connect to classmates and instructors when you’re stuck in massive 101’s. But even as freshmen, you can often have three out of five classes with less than 40 students. First Year Seminars have 15-20 students, are usually taught by senior faculty and often get rave reviews. If you’re lucky you can take one each semester. English and upper-level social science classes are usually small, as are those in departments like Classics, Asian Studies and Folklore. And if you are flexible in the time of day you go to class, that increases your chances of landing small or under-enrolled classes (8:00’s or evening seminars). You really just need to be creative and discerning, and ask around among older students. And yes, you sometimes have to be lucky in your registration process.
As far as the Classics and History departments go, they’re both stellar: FYS’s like “Famous Courtroom Trials in Antiquity” and “Violence in the Early Modern West” and lower level classes like “The History of Sea Power” and “Augustan Poetry.” Lots of fantastic lecturers, which is why the history program in particular is so popular.
And the potential for interaction with faculty is always there-- most professors I know say they wish their students would seek them out more. If students are willing to advocate for themselves, they can often get into “closed” classes, and they can build genuine relationships with professors, even those who teach the 101’s.
Finally, as a word of sobering reality-- more budget cuts are looming, and with the change in make-up of the state legislature, it’s very possible that those cuts at both UNC-CH and UNC-A will be substantial enough to really affect the size of classes next year. But remember that CH is the flagship, and their departments are most likely the ones that’ll be buffered. There’s a lot to love about UNC-A, but in evaluating the aforementioned departments, I think the comparison clearly favors UNC-CH.</p>
<p>LadyD </p>
<p>Sent you a PM</p>
<p>These descriptions are consistent with my son’s experience thus far at Carolina. He’s a freshman and of his 10 classes so far, three have been huge (400 in bio, 400 in econ, and 100 in stats), and the other seven have had 35 or fewer students. These smaller classes include two sections of Latin, which have had < 15, two First Year Seminars in the Classics Department, which have had 20-22 and have been taught (enthusiastically and well) by full professors, two calculus classes (~35) taught by a senior lecturer in the math department who my son enjoyed so much the first semester he persevered and landed a spot in one of his sections this semester. His final class is an intro to philosophy class capped at 35. </p>
<p>As an OOS parent, I was concerned about the “huge, impersonal” classes and worried that the wouldn’t be able to get the classes he wanted or needed. It has not played out that way. Now, to be fair, he didn’t necessarily get the classes/sections he wanted right away, but if you’re persistent enough and willing to check the online registration system often enough the days before and at the start of a semester, classes DO open up. Like most things in life, I think you get out of Carolina what you put in. He e-mailed one professor in August introducing himself and explaining why he really wanted (as a non-honors student) to take this man’s (full) honors first year seminar. The professor e-mailed him back immediately with an encouraging tone and told him what steps to take to maximize his chances. He got in and loved the class! </p>
<p>Overall, he’s studying harder and considerably more hours than he expected, but meaningfully so, I believe. He chose Carolina over many strong (and pricey) LACs. In short, we are very pleased with our son’s intellectual engagement at Carolina, enough that we even consider the OOS tuition we pay a deal!!</p>
<p>Thank y’all so, so much for these responses, which are helping to tip the scale for us!</p>
<p>I apologize for my confusing, misleading posts above. I should have clarified that my son is planning to major in history and minor in classics – not the other way around. 
I understand that a classics minor can minor in either Latin or Greek. I’m pretty sure DS will pick Latin, since he is farther along in that language.</p>
<p>I must say the immense resources available at UNC are simply awesome. While DS is planning to concentrate more in U.S. history, his dad and I have more experience in medieval history. (We met in a seminar on research methods in 11th-12th-century history – how’s that for arcane?) Anyway, I googled “medieval history UNC Chapel Hill” – and discovered that there is ae entire UNC Center for the study of Medieval and Early Modern History. This blew me away! No other public in-state NC school has anything remotely approaching this.</p>
<p>Thanks again!!!</p>
<p>My oldest is at Duke. She has never had a problem with large classes.</p>
<p>I took classes at the University of Minnesota, another large university, while I was in high school. While I’ve had 5 or 6 large lectures in two years, it doesn’t feel so huge if you sit towards the front. Sometimes the professors even learn the names of students who sit in the front few rows.
I’m not saying that every professor is like this, but a lot of them know how intimidating their lectures can be and try to make it easier on students. Usually you’ll find one or two people you’ll sit by regularly, too, which also helps.</p>