<p>Assuming acceptances to the University of Notre Dame and UNC Chapel Hill (in-state), which would you lean towards and why? Especially for an education major?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>My son just chose between these exact schools (accepted EA to both.) Have you visited? They are very, very different.</p>
<p>I’ve been to Chapel Hill a million times, but I only saw ND one summer afternoon a few years ago on a day trip from Chicago…</p>
<p>I’m not really sure how the feel compares to that of CH. If you don’t mind my asking, which did he chose?</p>
<p>Don’t mind at all. It was a very difficult decision particularly as his father, uncle, and grandfather all attended ND. He chose UNC. It is in my opinion a perfect fit and I am confident he made the right decision.</p>
<p>I definitely think that was a good choice. I think it might be a little bit different for me, however, because I literally live right next to CH. Id like to see a new part of the country.</p>
<p>Are you prepared for long, gray, very cold winters and a town that is very different than Chapel Hill…ie not much that is not related to ND?</p>
<p>Are you aware that ND is VERY conservative with an enormous handbook of rules and regulations for campus life that includes no coed dorms and very strict dorm inter-visitation policies?</p>
<p>[Residence</a> Life & Housing: du Lac](<a href=“http://orlh.nd.edu/dulac/index.html]Residence”>http://orlh.nd.edu/dulac/index.html)</p>
<p>As caligirl67 said the two schools are VERY different and the towns are as well…everyone I know who had had to choose between either UNC or UVA and UND have chosen the first two mainly because of campus lifestyle differences.</p>
<p>UND is a very good school, but not for everyone…if you think that “campus culture” fits you and you can see yourself living with far less freedom (and I really mean FAR less) for the next four years, then go for it but don’t do it because it’s in a “new part of the country.”</p>
<p>Liberty is important to me. Thanks for the input. I wasn’t aware of ND’s limitations on student freedom. I appreciate it.</p>
<p>As far as the cold, that doesn’t really bother me.</p>
<p>When you’re picking an undergrad this is what you should consider:</p>
<ol>
<li>cost</li>
<li>fit</li>
<li>educational opportunities</li>
</ol>
<p>I don’t know enough about Notre Dame to help you out here, but if there is a significant difference in cost then that should be a huge factor. Graduating from undergrad with debt is a really terrible idea in this economy. No one likes to hear that but it’s true. Maybe money isn’t an issue - for most people it is. Talk with your parents or whoever’s paying for this about how you’re paying for each school.</p>
<p>Research their core requirements, rankings of their majors, and employment data.</p>
<p>Make sure that Notre Dame students are happy. I know people are happy at Carolina, and I have no idea about Notre Dame students.</p>
<p>Good luck and congrats on your choices!</p>
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<p>Looks like you haven’t done much research on student life there…make sure you go to the link I provided and read through that book…“du Lac” which is their campus residence life handbook though at 160 plus pages it seems more than that to me…it’s a very clear picture of daily life there if you cut through the obligatory campus highlight pictures…</p>
<p>I had a very good friend who was at ND in the 70s and I was in school about 90 miles away so I visited often…he was a star football player for the Irish and thus campus royalty so his experience wasn’t exactly the norm…</p>
<p>There are a lot of former Catholic school jocks who go to school there…they were great HS athletes but not good enough to play ball at ND but they still want to go to school there…so one thing that is unique to ND is the fact that ND is the ONLY school in America that has it’s own intramural full equipment, tackle football league, that competes for a championship trophy in the fall. Despite the fact that it is now coed, there’s still a lot of testosterone in the air there.</p>
<p>The campus is beautiful and full of sports tradition but when I read du Lac it doesn’t seem like much has changed in a student’s life (other than the technology) since then. College is a time that should be spent learning about yourself and growing as a person…having that many restrictions on my daily social life would not necessarily be interesting to me but I’m also fairly liberal in most of my views about things like this.</p>
<p>As they say, that’s why Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors. Some people really need the somewhat archaic (to me) and rigid guidelines and restrictions; you need to decide what “flavor” is best for you.</p>
<p>Cloying makes very good points (as usual) but I would alter her order to have “fit” be the first priority because regardless of cost if the fit isn’t correct it will severely impact your academic performance…by this I mean that there have been numerous studies done that say that if you are not happy where you are, you have a higher chance of not succeeding/excelling academically. Cost is certainly important as well and ND is NOT inexpensive…if the educational programs that you require are available at UNC save your money for grad or professional school neither of which are cheap and also have far less scholarships available for their students…</p>
<p>Good luck and may I also add my congratulations for your excellent choices.</p>
<p>I have a D at Notre Dame. I live near UNC-CH, have relatives who have attended, know many kids who currently go there, and will have a D there next year. I know both of these schools well. </p>
<p>Academically the schools are of similar caliber. Both have lots of high-achieving, smart kids. My sense is that UND is a little more demanding, but I don’t think the difference is significant. You can get an excellent education at either. </p>
<p>There is definitely a different atmosphere at the two schools: UNC has the more typical liberal college vibe, while UND is more conservative but, at the same time, inclusive. UNC has a very accessible and fun college town, UND really has no college town to speak of. UNC has pretty good weather year round, UND is beautiful in the fall and spring, but brutal in the winter. Both schools have vibrant sports cultures. </p>
<p>One notable difference is the four year graduation rates. UND has one of the best in the nation at 95%, UNC a respectable 76%. But I’m concerned about this at UNC going forward; I know students who are having a difficult time getting the classes they need to stay on track, and with the significant budget cuts this could become more of a problem. </p>
<p>Another big factor is cost. The sticker prices for the schools are very different: UNC (in-state) has a COA of $18-20K, UND is $55K. Out of state COA for UNC is about $40K. But don’t dismiss UND on that basis alone, since FA depends very much on your situation. We are paying less for daughter to attend UND than we will for daughter to attend UNC. </p>
<p>Bottom line is that you have two excellent schools to choose from. For the right kind of kid, UND is a very special place, and most of them wouldn’t trade what they have there for ANY other school. UND sees its mission as educating the mind, body, and spirit, and they do an excellent job of helping their students to find their place in the world. </p>
<p>I also believe that, for most kids, UNC is the better choice. There is a reason that UNC is selected as the best value in US public higher education year after year, and NC residents are very fortunate to have this option.</p>
<p>Not much new for me to add, but eadad and the last poster are spot on. My brother and dad went to ND, my son chose UNC over ND and made the right choice for him. His thought about Notre Dame is that they do all the thinking for you, and he preferred to do his own thinking and make his own decisions, even if it turned out he made some mistakes. Plus he couldn’t’ deal with the bleak winters and dreary town of South Bend. No doubt, though, that Notre Dame does offer a great education. If you want Catholic education, and from the more open-minded Jesuits, why not consider Boston College. Even though it is cold, it will take you to a new environment from your home. Boston is a great city with lots more to do than South Bend.</p>
<p>UNC. I made this choice 3 years ago and if I had it to do over, I would make the same decision. One thing I’ve realized since college is that the experience is what you make of it. I’m perfectly happy paying $30k less per year for I think would end up being a comparable experience for me.</p>
<p>Plus, UNC sports have been better than ND sports in recent years.</p>
<p>I’m a senior at ND. It’s an amazing experience, but not for everyone. I’d just like to say that our thinking is not done for us. We’re exposed to different styles of thought. The campus will have a more spiritual feel to it though.</p>
<p>Definitely visit the schools to get a feel for them. You may be surprised to find we’re not a convent/monastery.</p>
<p>Also ND has slightly more guys than girls whereas UNC is about 60% female so the gender dynamics will be different.</p>