<p>As I try to decide between going to UNC (out of state) for $16,000 a year and going to Cornell at full price, I keep running into people online who claim that UNC is going downhill. Is there any truth to that? My impression on visiting was that UNC was very academically strong... also, any last minute thoughts on where I should go? I'm thinking UNC at this point, because I liked both schools and UNC is so much less expensive. I'm interested in history, and probably law school after graduation.</p>
<p>IMO, Cornell is a good school, but not worth the price. I've never heard of anyone saying that UNC is going downhill, but I do talk to a lot of people who would be biased. However, Cornell is regarded as the worst of the Ivies, and it is the largest (only 3000 students less than UNC). In the end, I just don't think that the small difference in academics is worth the large difference in price. If you believe that a Bachelor's degree will be your final degree, you should put more weight on Cornell's name. However, if you're going to law school, the difference will be miniscule. Employers will ask you where you went to LS, not college. You would rather go to UNC undergrad and then Cornell law instead of Cornell undergrad and then UNC law.</p>
<p>mradio has a good point about cost comparison vs difference in education and grad schools. Cornell is a fine school. it is known as the easiest Ivy to get into and the toughest to stay in because, unlike its peers, there is zero grade inflation. Freshman students are shocked when they see grades they have NEVER seen before in their lives.</p>
<p>The undergraduate experience of the two schools and towns could not be more opposite. Ithaca is isolated with severe winters and Cornell has one of the highest undergraduate suicide rates in the nation. Because of the number of people who are going there because it is the only IVY they got into, the atmosphere can be stifling and cut throat. The bridge over the gorge is known as suicide bridge with good reason. UNC is perhaps the friendliest school you could ever imagine and Chapel Hill is as close to college nirvana as any college town in the US, and the weather...let's just say that you will be wearing shorts and flip flops more than anything else most of the year. </p>
<p>Anyone running down the reputation of UNC is probably someone that didn't get in, because it is a tougher admit for out of state students than most Ivies with the exception of HYP and many who were admitted to HYP and other "elite" schools often turn them down for scholarships to UNC.</p>
<p>Well, I was pretty sure UNC was the way to go, and your comments convinced me. Thanks for the help!</p>
<p>eadad, that would've convinced me!</p>
<p>Haha, yeah... suicide vs nirvana. That's a tough one. Are you a lawyer by any chance?</p>
<p>unfortunately, it really is known as "suicide bridge" and it seems lke every year around winter finals it adds to it's mystique....no kidding and sadly, not an old wives tale.</p>
<p>congratulations to you all and best of luck...you will love unc and chapel hill</p>
<p>mradio, no not a lawyer....LOL...business consultant....</p>
<p>no one ever answered the original question</p>
<p>which question? Is UNC's reputation going downhill?</p>
<p>well, not that I know of. I think we have a very good reputation, it probably depends on who you ask though, i'm sure a dookie or some farmer from NCSU would probably tell it was going downhill.</p>
<p>I would definitely agree that the reputation is going downhill, at least as regards their undergraduate curriculum. I transferred to UNC from a respectable-if-not-stellar liberal arts college because I thought UNC would provide a much better academic experience. The reality is, though, that the school just doesn't care about undergraduate teaching. All the emphasis, attention and money is spent on the (admittedly excellent) graduate programs. Undergraduates really get cheated by the school's lopsided priorities. I think UNC needs to correct this problem fast or else it will continue to slide out of the ranks of super-elite public schools and become just another diploma-mill state university.</p>
<p>That applies to pretty much any major research university - liberal arts schools exist solely for undergraduate attention, you shouldn't expect the same level of attention at UNC or any other reserach university.</p>
<p>um, a lot of the stuff mentioned on this board is totally not true. Instead of bashing Cornell, why don't you enjoy your time at UNC. First of all, to say it is not worth to spend the extra 15,000 a year to attend one of the best institutions of higher learning and one of the most prestigious universities in the world is something that an individual should make up for his/her own. I think UNC is a great school, well respected, but it is defintely not on par with Cornell in any which way. One thing to keep in mind is the level of the student body at Cornell versus UNC. At UNC, the SAT average is around a 1300 and at Cornell, it hovers at a 1400. Just from that statistic, you see that there is a better quality of students at Cornell. Also, UNC only has approximately 18 percent out of state students, basically all of the students come from NC. At Cornell, roughly 60 percent of the school comes from out of state, which means more diversity. It is up to you, and ultimately you are the one that needs to make the choice.</p>
<p>I've really never heard that UNC's reputation is going downhill and if your using its undergrad program to base ur statement than I think its pretty unfair to single out UNC. Most large research univeristies treat undergrads pretty much the same. From my experience though I thought undergrads were treated very fairly just like any other school like it, (ie Duke).</p>
<p>Nobody was bashing Cornell, just saying that it isn't worth the $24k difference in price he will have to pay.</p>
<p>A small liberal arts college, with no graduate school, professional schools, or serious research going on, is always going to have a much stronger emphasis on undergraduate teaching--even a "respectable-if-not-stellar" one. Undergraduates are their sole focus. Universities, like UNC (and smaller universities with strong graduate programs) have an intellectual rigor as well as research opportunities that a small liberal arts college can't match. Could Percy elaborate on why he or she feels that the undergraduates are being "cheated" at UNC?</p>
<p>Just wanted to edit the above a bit so as not to offend anyone with the 'intellectual rigor' comment as I'm sure lots of small liberal arts colleges have this. What I was really meaning to say was a different sort of intellectual climate exists (where there are graduate programs and tons of research going on)..perhaps more of an intellectual 'vigor' (?) is what I should have said. Nevertheless, I'm still curious as to what specifically has disappointed percyweasley at UNC.</p>
<p>maybe percy is angry about a few bad grades he or she recieved at Carolina</p>
<p>Actually, I did quite well at UNC (I graduated with distinction and PBK). And I'm certainly aware of the differences between LACs and large research universities as regards undergraduate teaching! I wasn't naive enough to expect lots of personal attention at a place like UNC :) What disappointed me was the sheer indifference to undergraduates that I encountered on the part of many faculty. It wasn't simply that undergraduates weren't a high prioity -- they didn't seem to be a priority at all! Keep in mind that this was just my personal experience in my own department, and things might be much better in other departments. I certainly don't want to provoke an argument with anyone! You'll find as many different opinions about a university as there are students and alumni!</p>
<p>What was your major Percy?</p>
<p>I know this is late, but Cornell's suicide rate is BELOW the national average.</p>