<p>I just got accepted into Wash U yesterday, and have been in at UNC since january and also got into the honors college there. i want to go into medicine, but music will be a part of my college academics, and ill probably minor or major in music. I do like wash u, but its literally 2 blocks from my house in st louis, a little bit too close for me. UNC is far enough away, and has great student body unity and school spirit, something that i have heard wash u lacks. however, im an intrigued by the academic atmosphere at Wash U, but think ill probably get a similar experience at UNC in their honors college. at this point, im leaning towards UNCs, but will be going back to both places for overnight visits. what im wondering is, which is a better option considering my intesrests? would i be stupid to go to UNC over Wash U?</p>
<p>That's an incredibly tough decision, but congrats! with those acceptances. I am from NC, and it is very impressive to make Honors at Carolina. I am sure that Wash U and UNC will offer you comparable academics; you just need to find which fits you better and/or where you will get better financial aid. Congrats again! Best of luck with your choices.</p>
<p>I think those are both great opportunities. UNC out-of-state is incredibly selective, especially with the Honors Program. But they are very different schools in size/location/etc -- especially in terms of proximity to you.</p>
<p>I'd see how you feel after visits, and also consider if there is a substantial difference in cost.</p>
<p>UNC does have a lot of school spirit, as well as excellent academics.</p>
<p>Wash U has an even stronger academic reputation, but less spirit.</p>
<p>WashU is a great school! But quality of life would probably be better at UNC-Chapel Hill, especially when you factor in the "too close to home" aspect of WashU.</p>
<p>I would pick UNC over Wash U. Academically, they are peers but in terms of overall undergraduate experience, UNC/Chapel Hill trump WU/STL. That's just my opinion of course, you really should visit both schools before deciding.</p>
<p>Heh, I have been interviewing for Phd programs and routinely running into people who moved from Wash U to UNC in the biomedical sciences. The impression they have given me, is that Wash U is a research institution where all things are second fiddle to publication/grants. The faculty at UNC were sure to let me know the environment in the biomedical sciences at UNC is substantially friendlier, more cooperative and more collaborative. I am sure it would be easy to get marginalized at a place like Wash U, but according to what I have heard, it would be less likely at UNC.</p>
<p>"WashU is a great school! But quality of life would probably be better at UNC-Chapel Hill, especially when you factor in the "too close to home" aspect of WashU."
?</p>
<p>Princeton Review gives Wash U the #1 ranking for overall quality of life. Personally, I think Wash U is a superior school to Chapel Hill, but the honors program might offset that. The problem with going to UNC out of state is that you get mixed in with a lot of instate kids, who despite being very good students, would have no realistic shot at a school as selective as UNC for out of staters.</p>
<p>^ If you're considering weather or the overall attractiveness of the student body, UNC-CH wins by a mile. ;)</p>
<p>Music? Do you march? UNC has a great band for football games etc.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The problem with going to UNC out of state is that you get mixed in with a lot of instate kids, who despite being very good students, would have no realistic shot at a school as selective as UNC for out of staters.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I'd say that is a pretty big misconception. Yes, that's probably true for some people, but plenty of people go to UNC over other prestigious schools because a.) it is a bargain b.) it has a huge amount of school spirit and c.) the school's overall atmosphere is hard to beat. I personally know several people at UNC who turned down other, higher-ranked schools (and even full rides) to attend UNC.</p>
<p>As of now I think that you should go to whichever one feels right. They are peers on many levels and being logical won't do anything other than make an already convoluted situation more complicated.</p>
<p>But personally, I'd go to UNC. It's really balanced in just about every regard.</p>
<p>You have a great conundrum to be in. Congrats.</p>
<p>I sent you a PM about Music at UNC. Great violin professor and lots of opportunities for majors and non-majors.</p>
<p>UNC
Div I Sports</p>
<p>Academic caliber aside (both are great schools), I strongly encourage you to visit UNC to help with your decision-making.</p>
<p>As you live very close to WashU, visiting WashU should not be a problem, and you sound like you are more familiar with WashU than UNC.</p>
<p>Visiting the college campuses made a huge difference in my decision-making because I really got to see what the college was like and began to experience a bit of the campus culture. There's something about hearing about it and seeing it in glossy viewbooks versus actually being there to see it for yourself firsthand.</p>
<p>I concur with Alexandre. That you'll be participating in the Honors Program there makes it the clear and compelling choice.</p>
<p>Skie, would you mind copy-and-pasting the info about music at UNC for me in a PM? Thanks</p>
<p>for music: i play jazz bass and classical violin, but my violin is far more developed. i sent in a recording and have been playing for 14 years, so that will be my focus. but by no means will i performance major. if i was doing that, id be looking at conservatories.</p>
<p>ive visited both, and yes they are very different feels. my school sends nearly 20 kids each year to wash u in a class of under 250 (almost 50 apply), so im definitely more familiar with wash u. i plan to do an overnight at both campuses, as the honors college at UNC sets up ppl to room with, and wash u would be more like a sleepover than a trip </p>
<p>great input all around though. thanks everyone!</p>
<p>UNC is a wonderful school. Big, sports-crazy, very social, and amazing collegetown in Chapel Hill.</p>
<p>WUSTL is also an amazing school with a wonderful quality of life, great dorms, campus, and is set a part from some of the more grisly parts of St. Louis, but is close enough for you to enjoy the wonderful attractions the city provides.</p>
<p>Academically, WUSTL is more research oriented than UNC, while UNC will probably have larger classes as a whole. There is also more geographic diversity at WUSTL as, being a top private school, it attracts students from everywhere. At UNC, about 80-90% of the students will be NC natives, which could be a good or bad thing, depending on how much you crave diversity.</p>
<p>UNC will have its fair share of intelligent and not-so intelligent students, while WUSTL will mostly have students who have excelled and are in the top 10% of their graduating HS classes. </p>
<p>UNC has better weather probably, though St. Louis isn't as bad as, say, Ithaca or Chicago.</p>
<p>Overall, these are two awesome schools. It all depends on fit. The typical WUSTL student will probably be cool and nerdy, with a lot of ambitions, while the typical UNC student will probably be more laid-back and social, with dreams of a stable life, with ambitions, but not typically as ambitious or prestige-hungry as WUSTL students.</p>
<p>it's up to you!</p>
<p>For what its worth, I applied ED to Wash U and EA to UNC. I was happy that I got in to Wash U before I heard from UNC because I felt that UNC was one of the few schools that,if accepted, may have made second-guess going ED to WUSTL.</p>
<p>I would go to UNC over WashU....</p>
<p>They are both great schools. But I chose WashU over UNC during my senior yr in HS and if I had to do it again, I would pick the same choice. XD</p>