UNC-Chapel Hill intellectual?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
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<p>Because of the current economic downturn, I have had to remake my college list, adding more schools that give merit aid and whose sticker price is originally less instead of the Ivy-heavy list I had before.</p>

<p>One school I am now looking at is UNC-Chapel Hill. Students seem happy there and the academics are obviously first-rate.</p>

<p>What I am worried about is the huge sports/Greek scene there and everything that goes along with it. I am not one for the partying scene and more for the stereotypical "intellectual" scene. </p>

<p>My question: Is UNC-Chapel Hill a good fit for someone whose first choice was originally UChicago?</p>

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<p>D1 school in the ACC conference vs. D3 school in a UAA (aka "Cerebral League")....</p>

<p>If UChicago is your first choice... No, I don't think so. lol. Its like asking whether or not attending a Big 10, Big East, or Pac-10 school would provide the same intellectual atmosphere as UChicago. haha Sports is huge down in UNC-CH. UNC-CH is definitely filled with a ton of smart valedictorians and smart ppl. Atmosphere is more sports and party oriented tho...</p>

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<p>The thing is that even though I liked UChicago best, I could also see myself really happy at a number of places (including JHU) and I probably wouldn't be considered that intellectual in the UChicago pool. </p>

<p>How is UNC compared to Duke? Same atmosphere? Less party-oriented? More?</p>

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<p>Sometimes I forget that the abbreviation UNC-CH can be used for either Charlotte or Chapel Hill.</p>

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<p>Are you in-state or out-of-state for UNC? If in-state, UNC is the best buy you could hope for (unless you get big merit scholarships elsewhere), provided that you get in. If out-of-state, not only is it extremely difficult to get into, but also it's almost a private school sticker-price that isn't worth it, unless you can afford it.</p>

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<p>sunshineyday:</p>

<p>Why don't you apply to Chicago, and see how financial aid turns out? If you're low-income (<$75k), you'll receive an Odyssey Scholarship, and will probably end up paying <$15k/year. This really isn't a bad option, considering that you could still take out Stafford and other loans, then pay back the difference after graduation.</p>

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<p>Thanks, but I am not low-income (yet not high-income enough to pay full tuition)--which is why I have to go the way of merit aid instead of Ivies with good need based aid. And I am out-of-state for UNC but I am applying for certain merit aid programs (which I know are extremely selective).</p>

<p>I'm just talking about fit and from everything I see on this thread, it would probably be a bad fit for me. It's too late to visit but I guess I can just apply and then possibly rule it out later. Thanks, everyone.</p>

<p>Any other takes?</p>

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<p>You will find lots of partying at every big state u. UNC-CH is no exception. The kids are smart (or they wouldn't be there) but the social/sports scene is big.</p>

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<p><em>sigh</em>
OK, then. Thanks everyone.</p>

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<p>While both excellent schools, they are like night and day. Despite that, I can see why someone could like both. You need to visit each.</p>

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<p>UNC-Chapel Hill is an excellent school at a great cost, anyone can make UNC-Chapel Hill's quality of education the same as UChicago if they try</p>

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<p>It's obviously a different kind of school (and not for the worse, just different), but there are plenty of intellectuals at UNC. You should have no problem finding your place there.</p>

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<p>Wow, the responses to this thread became increasingly optimistic.
I'll try to talk to some students there and research a bit more in depth before applying.
Thank you!</p>

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<p>and UChicago has its fair share of party animals too. Its everywhere. There is no escaping it because kids being kids, and being away from home for the first time, they are going to abuse that freedom. The worst offenders wash out by midterms. The biggest thing at any flagship state school is the bureaucracy, class sizes freshman year and sometimes the difficulty in getting into classes as upperclassmen. You have to be shrewd and learn how to navigate the system.</p>

<p>Having a sense of self discipline really helps. Dorm drama occurs everywhere...and frats are often worse. You have to learn to find places that are quiet where you can get your work done in solitude.</p>

<p>Intellectualism is not the exclusive province of the top name schools either. Its a gross misnomer that lower ranking schools are less intellectual. There will be classes in every college that will blow you away with their rigor and those that blow you away with their boredom. Its a process and you learn to navigate it. </p>

<p>Also, college is not just about intellectual academics so dont set your expectations too high. Like you, I prefer an intellectual environment, but I also see the broad picture of college being for growing up, maturing, social networking, learning to be independent, etc. </p>

<p>You will be plenty challenged no matter where you go, if you seek out the classes and professors and fellow students who demand more from life than just getting by. But be prepared for the onslaught of people who are only there for a good time and have lower expectations of the college experience: particularly the party animals, jocks, drama queens, etc. They are out there and they are everywhere. </p>

<p>Chapel Hill is a great school with some amazing programs. But its also a school with a healthy party scene. Yes the kids tend to be very bright...but sometimes scores can be deceptive and you will scratch your head about how so and so got in there. And it happens at the Ivy League as well. </p>

<p>If you make friends with values like yours and avoid the crazies, you will be fine. And if you get a monster for a roommate, well you just hang out somewhere else.</p>

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<p>I was really into U Chicago until I started hearing that it was where "fun goes to die." I wound up here at UNC and am glad that it turned out that way.</p>

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<p>First off, let me give you my perspective to help you better understand what I am about to say. I attended U of C for my MA degree in the 70's and insisted that my son put it on his list of schools when he was applying to schools because intellectually I thought it was a great fit for the way he learns and honestly felt he would excel there.</p>

<p>His first choice school was Yale and he applied SCEA there the first year they had the program. Some of his "other" schools were Amherst, Dartmouth, Pomona, Princeton, Stanford, Wash U, and UNC because he was nominated by his school for the Morehead Scholarship. In the end he decided that he didn't want to apply to U of C.</p>

<p>He found out that he was a Morehead finalist in late October or early November and then was accepted to Yale SCEA on Dec 14th. He immediately withdrew his apps from Dartmouth and Amherst and after winning the Morehead in March, withdrew from Pomona and several others because he had classmates that had those schools as their first choices and he didn't want to hurt their chances. When the dust all settled in April he had admits from every school on his list and ultimately chose to accept the Morehead and UNC.</p>

<p>He was alway somewhat of an intellectual snob and I worried a bit at first about his decision. He never regretted his decision, and sometime during either his sophomore or junior year said that he honestly couldn't see himself anywhere else. He had a large group of friends who not only were brilliant but were dynamic and multi talented. They worked hard AND partied hard and had the penultimate undergrad experience as a result.</p>

<p>He double majored and had a minor, was very active, played lead guitar in a very popular Chapel Hill band and had an experience that he wouldn't trade for anything. He graduated in May and is now attending a top ten Med school.</p>

<p>Comparing U Chicago and ANY school is difficult at best. U of C is, on the whole, an intellectual think tank. Classes are all very small, taught in a seminar style and the pressure to succeed there is intense. Hyde Park is undergoing a metamorphosis but is still surrounded by some of the worst areas of Chicago and transit both in and out is not something you want to do alone at certain times of the day.</p>

<p>UNC is somewhat unique in that you can make your experience there be whatever you want it to be. If you want to have small classes, develop close relationships with professors and surround yourself with very smart people you can do it. It may take a little more effort than at U of C but it can be done. For those who want to remain anonymous, be in large classes and "get by" they can do that too.</p>

<p>There is no shortage of very smart people at UNC and many are there BECAUSE of the significant merit awards that are offered as well as the comparatively low cost for such a fine education even without the merit monies</p>

<p>My son was able to develop close relationships with several of his professors and was asked by one to serve as a TA in one of his classes. Since I brought that up. I asked him how many TAs he had and how many classes over fifty he had while at UNC. He said that the few TAs he had were in science labs or in one class he took that apparently is/was one of the most popular on campus. He had three classes over 100, one or two over 50 and the rest were quite small with a few being as small as five to seven students and the majority in the 10-15 student range.</p>

<p>On the whole I think it would be unwise to in any way look down on the education you can get at UNC and if you are the least bit social, I think you'll find the overall atmosphere at UNC and in Chapel Hill to be welcoming and a very friendly place.</p>

<p>I am sorry that this is so disjointed but I am trying to do three things right now and have been interrputed at least four time while writing this.</p>

<p>If you have any other questions, please feel free to PM me.</p>

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<p>^^ That's the most helpful thing I've read so far. I applied early to Yale as well and I do see some similarities between myself and your son. I'm not at all worried about the academics at UNC, just about fit and I see that it's a big enough school that I'd be able to find my niche.
I'll definitely PM you if I have any q's in the near future.</p>

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<p>i would say UNC is VERY intellectual. the greek scene is very big, but only for a very small group of students. basically if you want to party four nights a week, you have to go greek. but that's the only way at all that it's big. if you don't like the greek scene you don't even have to know it exists. i have friends that don't even know where frat court is and LOVE it here.</p>

<p>and back to if unc is intellectual, i would say for sure. i was deciding between unc, brown, and northwester, and i would definitely compare it to brown. obviously ALL of the students aren't gonig to be talking about literature (like at brown), but there is definitely a very large intellectual, artsy group. i actually found unc MORE intellectual than northwestern...</p>

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<p>^^What specifically made you eventually decide on UNC instead of the other two?</p>

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<p>As a current student at UChicago, I could give you a list of reasons why UNC could potentially be a better place to study.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>As much as you think you like academics, you don't really know until you get here. Even to someone like myself who breathes academics, the stress level occasionally becomes unbearable, and there are times when I lose all motivation. Working 50-60 hours a week on [coerced] academics alone gets old fast.</p></li>
<li><p>Even though Chicago's Core attempts to make its students think outside of the box, in many cases, the exact opposite occurs. Students aren't given enough time to contemplate all of the material due to the vast amount of work each student has. If you're a true intellectual, you want time to think - to create your own ideas, to test them, to talk with people about them. At times, Chicago hinders this.</p></li>
<li><p>Required classes can become a pain. Not sure about UNC, but I know that at some large publics, 'core' classes are a joke and won't require very much time. This gives you more space to take courses you are really interested in, and it also gives you time to do independent research.</p></li>
<li><p>The housing at UChicago is awful. My first year, I paid about $800/month for a single that had maybe 20 square feet of non-bed, non-desk room (that price would have risen to $900/month if I had stayed there for my 2nd year). On top of that, if you're housed in the dorm system, you're required to register for a meal plan, which charges you, in the case of our main dining hall, over $2000 for a $1000/year plan. They don't even bother to disguise the obviously absurd charges.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Because of the absurdity of the housing system, I moved out last year. And since many apartments near campus charge $600-700/year for a studio, I settled on sharing a townhouse with a couple of people for $280/month. (My roommates turned out to be jackasses, but that's another matter.) This Tuesday, we had a break-in attempt. (They tried to break in even though they knew we were in the house. Pretty scary stuff.) Hyde Park is very dangerous, and there's not a week that goes by without hearing some kind of gunpoint robbery, break-in, or sexual assault. I've had several people in my classes robbed, and a relative was beaten up and left for dead when he was a student here. The truth is, safety in Hyde Park has been improving steadily in the last couple of years, but there is still a very large presence of crime.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>As has already been mentioned, Chicago does have a social scene. Lots of drinking, lots of partying. Not nearly as profluent as peer universities, but plentiful nonetheless. Eventually, you get to the point where you just ignore them. This happens at any university.</p></li>
<li><p>It's probably easier to get a professor to work with you individually at UNC than at U of C.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Overall, there are many advantages that an intellectual has for studying at UNC over U of C. It all amounts to taking advantage of resources, though.</p>