NCSU vs. UNC for Entrepreneurship

Hey everyone,

I have gotten into both UNC and NCSU and I want to study entrepreneurship. UNC has a better undergraduate and business program overall, but State ranked higher for entrepreneurship specifically and is located in Raleigh, which is a great city for budding entrepreneurs, much better than Chapel Hill.

I was very impressed with State’s admitted students day, I am attending UNC’s late next month. Until then, I am weighing my options and trying to decide which one I like more, I’m very torn. I feel like I like State more, but I am being drawn in by UNC’s prestige.

I will be entering straight from high school, but I have 2 years of college credit already. I can graduate from State in 2 years, but it will take 3 to graduate from UNC due to pre-reqs they have that are only offered at UNC. I have been offered Assured Admissions into UNC’s business school, so business school admission will not be a factor.

Do any of you have experience with either of these programs? What are your thoughts?
Thanks!

Congrats on two great options!

UNC recently got a huge investment to double its entrepreneurship program. https://gazette.unc.edu/2017/06/20/shufords-18-million-gift-will-transform-entrepreneurship-at-unc/

And with direct admit to a top 20 business program I think it’s hard pass up.

That said, if you’re specifically into tech entrepreneurship I think NC State could be better b/c of its really strong engineering and CS. It’s a true on the rise university.

CH is not far from RTP and Durham-based jobs, but State’s Centennial campus does bring more employers directly ‘on campus.’

You should customize your visit to UNC – see the new maker space and the incubator, for example, to get the full picture.

I’m curious about others’ input!

Thank you for your answer, @AlmostThere2018. I did not know about this recent donation, that is good to know.

I am not sure exactly what “type” of entrepreneurship I’m interested in specifically, its the creating and running the company that interests me.

I will definitely make sure to visit the maker space and incubator, thanks for the points.

My S18 is currently taking his first Entrepreneurship class at NCSU. He loves the class, and says they have a lot of group projects. I know that isn’t much to go on, however. Wish I knew more.

I would encourage you to “unpack” the issue of potentially graduating in two years at NCSU vs. requiring four years at UNC. Certainly there’s a cost savings there… but is it really the goal to sail into full-time employment or an MBA program at age 20-21? (If anything, the trend in MBA programs is to prefer candidates with some real-world experience over new grads, and I would think that extra-young new grads would be at even more of a disadvantage.) What do you want to learn during your time as an undergraduate (both academically and socio-emotionally), and can that learning realistically be accomplished in two years? If the answer to that question suggests that more time in college would be better/healthier, then the next question is, out of the vast offerings at NCSU, isn’t there something additional that would enhance your primary course of study, extend your time there, and enrich your education and life by double-majoring or otherwise augmenting your path to graduation? (Include study abroad and/or other “gap” type programs in that research as well. And compare these with what’s available within the four years at UNC. ) If you explore what’s available and pick what excites you most, then do an apples-to-apples comparison (actually two - one with cost-parity and one with time-parity, assuming they differ) of what 3-4 years and/or $[x] spent at each school would offer you.

UNC Business >>>>NCSU any day, I am sorry. UNC is a top 10 business school adn Chapel hill is not far from RTP. The overall name of UNC will give you more opporunities