<p>As an OOS Carolina Scholar and member of the Honors Program I am leaning hard towards Chapel Hill. My other option is Cornell Arts and Sciences and while money alone seems to make UNC an obvious choice, I am having a few concerns about the academics and fitting in as an OOSer at Chapel Hill. Any opinions/info is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Why do you think you’d have trouble fitting in as an OOSer? lol. There is a misconception that UNC is 80% homogenous southerners. Have you spent some time on campus? The admissions cap belies the diversity.</p>
<p>What academic concerns? I can almost guarantee that a motivated, smart student at Chapel Hill will thrive.</p>
<p>My son got accepted IS. What people from OOS don’t know is that there has been such in influx of people from OOS to work and live here over the past few years, there are just as many people from elsewhere as there are true North Carolinians. Don’t be concerned at all.</p>
<p>There will be less diversity at UNC than at Cornell, that’s just a fact. What proportion of UNC’s student body comes from within 100 miles of Charlotte? A fairly big one, I’d bet. But the vast majority of OOS people don’t find it to be a problem.</p>
<p>Academics would be far more rigorous at Cornell. Many people say you can make UNC just as rigorous by taking the right classes. You’ll have to make your mind up on that one.</p>
<p>Fitting in as an OOS at UNC is definitely not a problem. I can attest to that. </p>
<p>If a lack of OOS diversity remains a concern for you, keep in mind Cornell also has a very large number of NYers in attendance. Of Cornell’s seven undergraduate colleges, three are NY state-assisted, while the other four are privately endowed. The three state-assisted colleges of Cornell, the ILR School, the College of Agriculture and Life Science (CALS), and the College of Human Ecology, were created by an Act of State Legislature and receive funding from New York State. As such, the state-assisted colleges are partnership colleges of SUNY, the State University of New York. SUNY colleges charge reduced tuition for New York State residents in a similar manner that UNC does for North Carolina residents. Unique to the SUNY colleges located at Cornell, they deliver a Cornell (not SUNY) diploma upon graduation. Because of this, they are very popular with ISS and they also tend toward a rather large student population. As an example, CALS has the 2nd largest student population of all colleges at Cornell. This NY state funding and reduced tuition nuance is very different from the other Ivies and definitely attracts TONS of NYers.</p>
<p>Take the money and enjoy the fantastic environment of UNC. It has a great balance between academics, school spirit, pretty campus, terrific sports, and exceptionally bright and friendly students.</p>
<p>Fitting in as an OOS at UNC is definitely not a problem. I can attest to that. </p>
<p>If a lack of OOS diversity remains a concern for you, keep in mind Cornell also has a very large number of NYers in attendance. Of Cornell’s seven undergraduate colleges, three are NY state-assisted, while the other four are privately endowed. The three state-assisted colleges of Cornell, the ILR School, the College of Agriculture and Life Science (CALS), and the College of Human Ecology, were created by an Act of State Legislature and receive funding from New York State. As such, the state-assisted colleges are partnership colleges of SUNY, the State University of New York. SUNY colleges charge reduced tuition for New York State residents in a similar manner that UNC does for North Carolina residents. Unique to the SUNY colleges located at Cornell, they deliver a Cornell (not SUNY) diploma upon graduation. Because of this, they are very popular with ISS and they also tend toward a rather large student population. As an example, CALS has the 2nd largest student population of all colleges at Cornell. This NY state funding and reduced tuition nuance is very different from the other Ivies and definitely attracts TONS of NYers.</p>
<p>Take the money and enjoy the fantastic environment of UNC. It has a great balance between academics, school spirit, pretty campus, terrific sports, and exceptionally bright and friendly students.</p>
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<p>Just out of curiosity, have you taken classes at Cornell?</p>
<p>FYI - Cornell is something like 65-70% OOS.</p>
<p>PS - you have two GREAT options … congrats!</p>
<p>After the first few weeks you won’t have trouble fitting in at UNC at all as an OOS’er.</p>
<p>As keepittoyourself said, Cornell is more academically rigorous, and (being an Ivy League) has an international reputation that UNC can’t match. Or even come close to.</p>
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<p>Nope, but a friend of mine from school went there. Her coursework and grading was clearly tougher. It’s no Cambridge, but very tough by American standards.</p>