<p>Hi guys
I've been recently admitted to both UNC @ Chapel Hill and UVa and I absolutely cannot make my mind up about where I should go.</p>
<p>I'm not only OOS at both, I'm actually an international student and have absolutely no option of visiting any of those. This may actually be not only a downside, because my choice does not depend on the tuition costs, proximity to relatives, friends and so forth. It depends on the student life, education and my future job.</p>
<p>I'm planning on majoring in business. I've watched virtually every video I found regarding both universities, I've read all the threads and discussions comparing both of them, I've also compared Chapel Hill to Charlottesville and I was very happy to find out that wherever I go, I would end up in an absolutely wonderful place. But where exactly should I go?!</p>
<p>I ran out of criteria by which I choose the uni, since they are very close in numbers. Well, except maybe for international and national rankings. I personally think that all of the ratings are complete rubbish, nevertheless Times ranks UNC at 47 & UVa at 116 (why?), and Bloomberg ranked UVa #2 undergrad business school (UNC@#10).</p>
<p>I'm looking forward to maybe studying abroad for a month or a semester, and I saw UVa having a little more opportunities for that. Should this be the deciding factor?
I really wish some of you could help me out where would you go and why. Where would I have a better time and a better start to my career afterwards?
Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Are you assuming that you’ll be able to work in the US after college? That may be easier said than done.</p>
<p>Yes I do. But you’ll never know. First I gotta pick a college though</p>
<p>UVa probably has a better academic reputation around the country (perhaps UVa more in the humanities, and UNC more in the sciences). UVa certainly has a higher profile on the west coast, where many people haven’t heard of UNC, unless they follow college basketball and its scandals. But if you’re not going to be working in the US after graduation (and on an F-1 student visa, that’s basically impossible) then it probably doesn’t matter, since both places are no-names to most people outside of North America.</p>
<p>College experience fun probably goes to UNC.</p>
<p>Based on my dealings with colleagues all over the US, UNC is well known and regarded throughout, including the West Coast. This is an anecdotal example, obviously, but our family met a couple from Hawaii while on vacation in Europe last year. When my daughter told them she studied at UNC, their immediate reaction was “that’s a GREAT school.” I think the idea that people on the West Coast haven’t heard of UNC is a bit extreme, just as people up and down the East Coast have, in fact, heard of UC Berkeley, UCLA, the University of Washington, etc.</p>
<p>Oh, and your comment regarding the rankings being rubbish is a very fair observation. I think it’s splitting hairs to say that UVA is better than UNC or vice versa. Suffice it to say that both are excellent schools and both are consistently ranked with a handful of other schools as among the top 10 public universities in the country. Further, there are rankings (again to be taken with a grain of salt) that include both schools among the top 200 in the world. The specific rankings probably don’t mean much, but the fact that both are on that list at all is a good indicator. My colleagues in Asia haven’t remarked about UNC, but a couple in Europe have heard of it (one mentioned that top 200 ranking, the other mentioned having a nephew or cousin at grad school at UNC). My daughter has befriended and studied with a few international students at UNC who are all quite happy to be there.</p>
<p>Recognition of both is ubiquitous in the USA. There are plenty of study abroad opportunities via UNC. Our Study Abroad Office offers more than 320 programs in 71 countries. Within Kenan-Flagler specifically, in addition to their GLOBE program, there are a number of global immersion electives which are heavily promoted. More than 50% of KF undergraduate students earn academic credit while studing outside the US. I will have done three with KF by graduation. </p>
<p>I was on the West Coast recently, and I hate to say it but just “UNC” did lead to some slightly puzzled looks: University of Northern California?</p>
<p>Since you have cost and fit taken care of, I suggest that you dive into the course catalogs and the degree requirements of each schools. Which school offers the better courses for your areas of interest? Which has the degree requirements that you find more acceptable? I believe that you have to apply to KF at UNC. Since you got into UNC as a international student you have the qualifications but what is plan B if you don’t get into KF? Does UVA work the same way?</p>
<p>Once you determine what school has the best offerings (including research opportunies) then consider other aspects. How easy is it to do a second major if desired? Who give the best credit for the coursework you have done. Who has the best programs for other areas you might want to pursue if you decide to switch majors.</p>
<p>Tough tough choice, but for what you want to study I’d go with UVA. Might be a little harder to get to, but just a little. </p>
<p>Have you made your decision yet?
If you have not, could you consider airfare to both from your house?
I know that a few hundred for the first ticket probably won’t be a big deal, but if you consider that few hundred over the four years that you are there, plus the cost of your family flying over to see you walk, that <em>might</em> help you with your decision if all other things are equal. </p>