<p>I read on another thread that this might be a commuter campus? Another poster commented that they found the campus to be empty on a weekend. Is this true? Do most students stay on campus for the weekend? Thanks.</p>
<p>I did not mean commuter campus, but rather a suitcase school. Does anyone know if this is true, or do students stay on campus on weekends?</p>
<p>My nephew is a rising senior there and his brother a graduate - I would say not so much that kids go home, as they go to the beach. There are lots of great places and ways to have fun on your free weekends and holidays, so often kids are at the beach rather than on campus during these times.
My nephew lives three hours away and came home for Thanksgiving, Christmas and a few sporting events during the year - not unusual.</p>
<p>orjr, Thank you for replying. We are from out of state and my son would not know anyone at that school. Are the students renting beach houses on weekends? Isn't that kind of expensive? Would someone from out of state feel comfortable attending this school? My son has relatives in NC, but not near Wilmington. How did your nephews like it? What are their strong majors, besides having fun in the sun ;)</p>
<p>Older nephew majored in computer science and was hired directly from grad. in the triangle-area (Raleigh) he is happy with his experience. Younger is majoring in History/Poli Sci and planning to attend law school. He has especially enjoyed the history faculty. Neither boy was an athlete / musician / other specialty type group. Both kids lived on campus freshman year, then moved into apartment with friends. They both had a car on campus and spent alot of time at the beach - not renting houses or anything - just being there.
One thing to take into consideration if you are unfamiliar with the area, is that both boys experienced hurricane evacuation more than once during their four years (yes, both graduated / will graduate in 4). This can be pretty darn disruptive!
Both kids have been happy. One of UNC-W's stellar programs is the marine and environmental program - nephew's wife is graduate and worked at the beautiful aquarium there.</p>
<p>Wow, hurricane evacs., I never thought about that! Hurricaines in this area is something for us to think about! Your post was very helpful. Do you know if most students move off campus after the first year or two?</p>
<p>Just editing this post. I just went on the UNC-W website and checked out the policy about hurricane evacs. It seems like students just need to make their own arrangements for an evacuation. It is really an uneasy feeling for a parent who is 14+ hours away.</p>
<p>I can understand your unease. The past few years have been particularly bad for weather. I know some years of course, there is no disruption. This past school year nephew's apartment was flood and wind damaged due to the hurricane so he was displaced for a number of weeks even after school was back in session. A difficult way to do your best, but he still says it's worth it!</p>
<p>Wow, not a great stituation to have to deal with while in school. Do most students move off campus after freshman or sophomore years?</p>
<p>northeastmom, We are in NC and S (at at NCSU) has many friends from high school who go to UNC-W. Every kid I know who goes to UNC-W really likes it. I don't know many that come home on weekends. NC is a wide state so even though we are in-state, it's over a 4 hour drive. S makes road trips to UNC-W a lot on weekends to see his friends. Wrightsville beach is not far from the campus so kids are always hanging out down there. It's an easy drive (like 15-20 minutes). S loves visiting his friends there.<br>
His friends all moved out to apartments after fresh. year. I do know one girl who moved out after fresh. year to an apt. but is now moving back on campus to the on-campus apartments (guess you have to have jr. standing to live in those). So many kids from around here want ot go to UNC-W. The in-state competition is making it tougher to get in. Don't know about out of state.</p>
<p>UNC-Wilimington is an attractive place (the campus. I found the town itself to be midling. Not great, not bad, not quaint). The school has all the programs that you would find at a traditional comprehensive public university. The undergraduate Biology department seems to have much quality, and it specializes in Marine Biology. I also found the History-major curriculum to be strong. You might want to read the columns of Professor Mike Adams. He's a political conservative and a bit of a town crier when it comes to UNC-Wilmington.</p>
<p>Packmom and Lake Washington thanks for your posts. It does seem like a very nice area to go to school. It seems smaller than most state schools, yet large enough for a nice selection of majors. </p>
<p>Lake Washington, at least it has a town, which is more than surrounding areas of some other schools that we have visited! The airport is a major plus for us. </p>
<p>The hurricanes never crossed my mind until orjr was kind enough to remind me about that. I am not really comfortable with the idea of my son scrambling for shelter on his own at the last minute to get out of a hurricane! This might be the deal breaker. </p>
<p>I would also want to know the percentage of students living on campus after freshman year. It sounds like most move off campus.</p>
<p>Packmom has a good suggestion - check into the on-campus apartment style student housing. I think she's right that you need jr. status to live there, but I'm not sure. Surely the admissions or housing office could give you info on the housing options and stats on the percentage of students in each class year who live on campus. These are good questions. But I agree with the other posters, it doesn't seem at all to be a commuter school (the cities of any size are not close) it's just that the beach is calling :)
Have you visited? The campus is nice and the area is a fun place to be, as well as for parents to visit. As for being on your own to evacuate - I know my nephews often brought friends from out of state home to Charlotte when the school closed due to weather. I'm sure your student would find similar friends - and I don't mean to sound alarming, but it is something to think about. I live on the west coast, so the thought of a hurricane never crosses my mind.</p>
<p>Several of our children's friends attend or have attended UNCW. Freshmen are not required to live on campus. There are several townhouse and apartment complexes within bike-riding distance and many students live there. Dorm space is limited. In addition to the comments already made, UNC-W has a very good business school and many people do commute to UNCW for education degrees. Wilmington is surrounded by many small communities that have strong community colleges and the students begin there and then transfer to UNC-W. UNC-W's reputation has increased greatly within the past 10 years and it is becoming a more competitive school to gain acceptance. The former Chancellor was hired out of UNC-Chapel Hill and he was very good for the school.</p>
<p>orjr, No, we have not visited yet, but we are planning to when we visit NC. </p>
<p>ForeverBlue, Thank you for this information.</p>
<p>I stayed on campus at UNC-W ~4 years ago for a surf camp (several times during middle school, in fact). Then, the dorms were amazingly spacious and comfortable, and the campus decent. Dorms were organized in fairly large communities, so if your S chooses to live on campus I imagine there would be a strong community feel. Since my visit there have been extensive renovations and landscaping done to give the school a more collegiate feel, and from friends' trips down and online photos, I can say that it looks like a truly beautiful place. The beach is very accessible and, like others said, I am SURE that is why the campus may seem empty! </p>
<p>The students on campus in the summer at least were friendly and laid back, even to us young and annoying campers :]. Some of the counselers were also students, and again, really amazing people (and environmentally conscious, but that just may be the surfer-niche, although I suspect the surfer-niche is fairly large there...). Apparently that is the general vibe at this beach school. I was under the impression that it was most known for its marine biology program, but as a history major myself it's pretty interesting to hear that that is another strong department.</p>
<p>As for the hurricane evacuations, I would not let that be the make-or-break factor. You should be able to make a plan (and several back-up plans) for that sort of emergency before sending your S away. I.e. buses to take, hotels to stay in, etc. So he would not be "left all alone" to scramble for a place to stay and a way to get there.</p>
<p>northeastmom- I have the same concern re; suitcase schools. I have a feeling -expressed on this board before- that most lower tier public schools are suitcase schools but hopefully the schools our kids find will have a critical mass that stay on campus. While visits to campus are the best way to get a feel have you tried the Institutional research page on the schools web site. It may give you a feel. For example UNC-G has info that tells you how many kids live on campus and where they are from. It could give you a feel of how many kids are likely to stay around. I am always impressed by a school that provides alot of data. It may not be perfect but it is useful.</p>
<p>There are lots of college age kids in Wilmington. I know some who were not accepted to UNC-W but moved to Wilmington (4 hours from here) anyway and are attending the Community College there. I have only passed through on vacation but my S loves it down there when he visits his friends who attend UNC-W. I don't think they come home very often. There is apparantly too much going on there. I hear Wrightsville Beach is wall to wall teenagers/college students.</p>
<p>NOReastMOM - HI again :) From the Noreast as well with a kiddo who went to school in eastern NC - and had applied to UNC-W as well. Great school for what I recall you were looking for for your kiddo - nice campus - good surrounding area and a fantastic beach - where many of the kids from the school do go and hang out alot. Not so much a suitase school - more a school where the students actually are around - but most likely out near the beaches and the surrounding areas. Cost of living in Wilmington for students is very reasonable off campus and many do leave campus after freshman year - but are very close by - and I don't think it really effects the socialness of the school very much.</p>
<p>As for hurricanes - best laid plan?? well - we have experienced 3 evacs while my gal was there - still is there now :) - the first one being 5 days after school started - what did we do?? from 14 hours away?? - we basically told her to find a 'friend' and head west - and to take her valuables/computer etc... with her - which she did without any difficulty (she did not know a soul prior to her arrival there - so this was a very new friend) - this friend took her home - and they were spoiled by this gals parents for 5 days LOL - and then returned to campus and everything resumed like nothing had happened at all. (this gal is still one of her best pals :)</p>
<p>We did not allow a car during freshman year - so this was another consideration - but it did work out as many other students had cars - and were very willing to 'adopt' an OOS'er in an emergency such as a hurricane. Having plan A - B - C in place - or kind of at least - can really make a huge difference when your kiddo is far from home - it really can work out very well. Have faith :)</p>
<p>Hurricanes are definitely a force to be dealth with - but don't let the idea of a hurricane keep you from considering UNC-W - there are always ways to deal with what comes - as long as there is awareness - there is always a way to make things work out.</p>
<p>Jeepmom, Hi again, and thank you. I did go back to the UNC-W website and it does say that if you have no place to go to call Dean of Students. This is comforting if they place their OOS students. I am sure that I would be less worried after the first year (when my son meets friends from NC), but knowing nobody as freshman, I am concerned about how this will be handled. 5 days into school and this happening is a fear, and it happened to your DD. I am glad that it all worked out!</p>
<p>tom, thank you for the suggestion. That is good idea and I have not checked the institutional information yet. I will do this. I think that your family and ours are looking at some similar schools.</p>
<p>NOReastMOM - maybe look at it this way - here in the noreast - we deal with blizzards - noreasters - no pun intended LOL - and it effects our noreast college kids as well - in some of the same ways - and we survive it.</p>
<p>Colleges in the mid-atlantic/southern regions pretty much know how to deal with things and emergencies such as this - and there students are there biggest consideration - their safety. I had to learn to have faith in them - so I do understand where you are coming from - but in the big picture - it may not evan affect your kiddo at all.</p>
<p>Most students who lived thru Katrina did ok in the long run of things - and that was about as bad as it gets. As long as you and your kiddo know the resources - and have a plan in place - it can be managed :)</p>
<p>I know this may sound crazy - but I do think that living thru situations such as we are discussing - and many other diverse situations - really can make for and help kids mature and they are pretty responsible in situations such as a hurricane. The schools are also very very on top of things and keep the students well informed about what is going on - and what needs to be done. I know of NO student left behind when my gal was evac'd - everyone seems to pitch in to help each other - and it is truly a great way to 'make friends' even with strangers. I could not imagine the situation where a student would be 'left behind' - cuz some good soul will grab'em up and take care of them.</p>
<p>I know that going to college in eastern NC has been an interesting experience for my gal - and for many others who have had to deal with these types of things - all learning experiences. :)</p>