<p>I'd just be interested to hear the details and how it went.</p>
<p>Ah, orientation. S attended. And decided that UNCA was not for him. He called me about 11 PM, the first night, to tell me he had been having 2nd thoughts all long and that he did not really like the school. He was very confused and very unsure about how to proceed. He continued the next day, signing up for classes, but not happy. I could not get him to pinpoint what was bothering him but all he could really say was that he didn’t like it. He had visited UNCA twice before he applied and had decided that that was THE school and didn’t really want to look anywhere else. Luckily, he did apply to 2 in state schools, as safties, because I was concerned that with the low OOS rate, he would not be accepted at UNCA.</p>
<p>So he came home, called College of Charleston, got admitted, got his scholarships reinstated, secured his dorm, signed up for orientation, called UNCA to tell them he wasn’t coming (NEM–perhaps adding to the low graduation rate !?!). He took care of everything himself. He notified me while I was at work, via text message, that he had taken care of everything and that he was very happy. And he does seem relieved and happy.</p>
<p>But while he has spent a lot of time in Charleston, he really knows nothing about the school. So we shall see. Financially, it’s much, much less expensive for us so he could easily spend a year there and transfer, if it doesn’t work out. Both schools are public LACs, part of COPLAC and have good regional reputations. Charleston offers a much bigger city, more internship possibilities and the Medical University is there, too. I think about 30% are OOS.</p>
<p>So, orientation? Not what I expected!</p>
<p>Wow, stillnadine that’s quite a story…yet again proving that the whole college search process is full of twists and turns…I’m glad your s was able to extricate himself from a situation he just wasn’t comfortable with and I hope he’ll be very happy at the C of C.</p>
<p>D and I attended the orientation on the 18th & 19th. D went away even more excited about going to UNCA. I was able to get more information than I was able to at the Admitted Students event. I was also able to corner one or two higher ups and ask some questions about low graduation rates. D and I spent some weekend time in the city hopping between little shops and restaurants. It’s definitely a “go” for D.</p>
<p>Hello Bankroll - Whew, I’m glad you and your daughter had a better experience. What answers did you get about the low graduation rate? Also, did your d get to sign up for classes and meet with an advisor? We had to sign our d up online for classes because she’s away.</p>
<p>Hi Jane!</p>
<p>I’m a senior at UNCA right now and I absolutely LOVE it. It isn’t where I thought I would go to school - I am in-state, but was initially looking at northeastern Ivys like Dartmouth, Yale, and Columbia, and chose UNCA out of financial convenience. I am extremely happy with it. Class sizes are consistently around 20 people in most 200 level classes (intro sciences are the largest, topping at about 80 for lectures), and professors are very personal. There is also an overwhelming amount of student involvement in extracurriculars and in the community. </p>
<p>I’m not sure about the low graduation rate stats, but from friends’ accounts, I can tell you that some students come to UNCA for the liberal arts background, but transfer their junior year to take a more specific program at another university. I also know that a significant amount of students transfer to Asheville-Buncombe Technical College, the local community college, if they find that the academic workload or fee is too much for them at the time. UNCA has many core requirements, and some students become frustrated with that once they know what they want to pursue specifically. I could probably do a little digging if you’re really curious for the reasons – however, I can definitely say that if your D is set on graduation, her professors will do everything to help make that happen. </p>
<p>Let me know if y’all have any questions or would like any advice - I’ll do my best to give you only slightly biased responses! ;)</p>
<p>One other thought - we have a running joke here about “super-seniors”: those students who don’t quite make it out in 4 years. There are a lot of them, and students seem to regard them with muddled feelings of sympathy and amusement. I’m not planning on being one, but it seems that generally what happens is that students not only: a) must fill their core requirements and b) complete a major, but also decide that they would like to c) pursue a minor, second major, or other (pre-med, pre-law, etc.) program. Many students who come here also happen to get very involved - super-seniors that I know personally are doing undergraduate research, interning at the school, have studied abroad, or are in student government and five other student organizations. In other words, there are definitely some students who just totally bum out, be really lazy, and don’t graduate on time if at all, but it seems much more to be a symptom of overinvolvement than underinvolvement.</p>
<p>Oak, how great to hear from you - a living, breathing Asheville student! Thank you so much for taking the time to respond and for the information. Much of what you’ve said confirms that sense I’ve had about UNCA and you may also have answered a large part of the graduation rate question.</p>
<p>Do you know anything about the Political Science/International studies major? My D is planning on majoring in International studies which I believe is an interdisciplinary major. She’s also just found out she’ll be living in West Ridge…it’s all very exciting and we’re all in countdown mode. She’s doing the Wilderness pre-rendezvous thingy so we’re leaving for NC next Wednesday.</p>
<p>It sounds as if originally you were thinking of attending schools in larger cities (although Dartmouth doesn’t fit that criteria). How do you now feel about being somewhere like Asheville with a smaller town feel? Has it been stimulating enough for you? </p>
<p>Also, do you know anything about the study abroad programmes? Do you know of anyone who has gone for a year long study abroad programme - I’m just wondering if it’s a possibility. Sorry for all the questions but it’s really nice to hear the views of an attending student.</p>
<p>Hi Jane! Glad I can be helpful. I’m excited for your D 
</p>
<p>I don’t know too much about International Studies personally, but it seems really neat to me because (as an interdisciplinary program) students get to choose a lot of their own classes and tailor the program to their interests. However, I have taken a few intro Poli Sci classes, and Poli Sci is definitely one of my favorite departments. I would also venture to say it’s one of the strongest departments on campus. It -will- be academically challenging, but the quality of the classes is very, very high. </p>
<p>Awesome that she’s doing the Wilderness Experience! I didn’t do it myself (actually, I don’t remember if it was an option when I was a freshman), but all the students who I’ve talked to that have done it really enjoyed it. It should also help her feel more at home when school starts! West Ridge is a really great place to be; I hope she enjoys it. It’s a social but quieter dorm, and the area around the Ridges is great for studying and just hanging out. But she should leave 10-15 minutes early to get to most classes, especially if they’re in Zageir! That staircase up to the main road was the bane of my first week. 
</p>
<p>And you’re right - I was mostly aiming toward schools in larger cities. Columbia was one of my favorites, and that’s smack in the middle of NYC, which I love and have been to often. Plus the city I was raised in is a good deal larger than Asheville, so I’m familiar with a bigger city atmosphere. In my opinion, Asheville is a smaller city, but it doesn’t have the “stifling” feeling I get when I’m in a city where everything closes at 9. Asheville is so full of art, music, and interesting things in general that I’ve always found it plenty stimulating. There are buses that go downtown (but watch out, the bus system is tricky and will land you 45 minutes away in Weaverville if you get on the wrong one!) and that’s a great thing to do with friends on an afternoon or weekend. As you’ve probably seen, there is an endless amount of little shops to be explored. The Asheville Mall is a bit more complicated to get to if you don’t have a car - I would recommend asking a friend for a ride on this one - but it’s large and has plenty of stores if your D prefers that to little boutiques. There are also always concerts and shows going on somewhere, notably the Grey Eagle and the Orange Peel. Most importantly, there is almost always something interesting going on ON campus. My favorite tool is the Events Master Calendar: <a href=“http://www.unca.edu/calendar/[/url]”>http://www.unca.edu/calendar/</a>.</p>
<p>On practical terms, Ingles and Walmart both stay open 24 hours (as well as a couple fast food places), and the Walmart is so big you can get lost in it. Greenlife, the more eco-friendly grocery store on Merrimon, is pretty neat and stays open until 10. There’s a CVS within walking distance of the school, which is great if you need essentials and don’t have a ride. There’s also a really nice Target off Tunnel Road (70) where I get most of the stuff I’ll need after I move in. </p>
<p>I’ve actually just gotten back from studying abroad, so you’re welcome to pick my brain about that. I had an amazing time and encourage it very much. I also have a friend who is leaving this fall to study abroad for a year (9 months exactly, I think), so it’s definitely possible. The one restriction that comes to my mind is that you must complete your last 60 hours - so senior year, basically - at UNCA. The Study Abroad Office was not the most helpful when I was doing my program, but it’s undergoing a lot of changes now, so I’m hoping that it will be much better in the future. A friend of mine has begun interning there and I know he has a lot of improvements in mind. In any case, UNCA allows you to study abroad through their programs or most programs at other schools, which is really nice. I did mine through UNCEP, which let me be an exchange student, meaning that I paid UNCA tuition while attending school abroad. Of course there were more expenses than a typical semester - largely due to the flight - but it was actually quite reasonable financially. </p>
<p>If your daughter’s around and wants to get on and ask me any questions she has, she’s more than welcome to also!</p>
<p>I would be interested in hearing where you went for your study abroad and where your friend is going for a year. The information you’re giving me Oak is invaluable and I really appreciate it. I also read your posting to the Australian transfer student and you really do give clear, well-thought out, balanced, knowledgeable comments. Do many students transfer to “Carolina” for grad school? Does Asheville have any sort of relationship with Carolina beyond being one of the 16 NC schools?</p>
<p>It’s great to hear that overseas students have an interest in Asheville isn’t it - are you conscious of international students at school with you or is the number to small?</p>
<p>Stillnadine – I don’t know how to send direct e-mails, so my apologies to all for taking this thread in a slightly different direction!</p>
<p>My daughter plans to apply to UNCA and CofC - we’re OOS for both. Since your son has first-hand experience with both, I’m very curious about what he didn’t like about UNCA and what appealed (appeals) to him about CofC (besides the city). </p>
<p>BTW, I’m very impressed with how your son got everything rearranged. Good for him!</p>