W&M vs UNC-CH

<p>Ive been accepted to UNC and will hopefully also be accepted to W&M. What can you tell me about the differences between these schools? Ive only visited UNC, but I absolutely loved the park-like atmosphere.</p>

<p>They are both fine schools Taylor, congrads! Having a brother who was very close to going to UNC, W&M, and then chose Swarthmore, I will try to help you out a bit. W&M is an awesome campus that is surrounded by colonial Williamsburg. Williamsburg itself is awesome! It is very touristy though, but that makes it awesome for your parents when they come to visit. W&M itself is preppy, one of the more preppier schools. It being one of the first colonial schools, maybe the first(I forget), it has some awesome architecture. The town of Williamsburg is especially nice during the holidays. I use to go to Williamsburg as a child for many years for Thanksgiving and loved it! But, I would definitley visit W&M and see how you feel about it. I suppose a college student may not want to be in the mecca of colonial tourism.</p>

<p>Thank you Rutgers89! I will take your advice and visit W&M on my own (whenever I can get a chance since I live in FL). I think my decision will ultimately come down to which school I feel most comfortable in.</p>

<p>I think it will be worth the trip! :) It is a top of the line school with a great reputation! Good luck with your decision!</p>

<p>W&M is a very small school, with a reputation for closeness and small focusedness :) (if that's a word, haha)</p>

<p>UNC, while a good school, will probably give you more classes and seminars with 100-200+ people...or at least at the intro level. I'm not sure if you want that.</p>

<p>Good luck getting in to W&M....it is a very difficult school to get in to especially if you are not a VA resident. My daughter applied ED, had attended a summer program there and still didn't get in....It is a fabulous school considered one of the public ivys.....my daughter happens to love Williamsburg and would have been very happy there, but I've heard from many students that it's not that exciting of a town....something many of them complain about....the "coolest" place to go to is the cheese shop or the deli :)</p>

<p>
[quote]
W&M is a very small school, with a reputation for closeness and small focusedness (if that's a word, haha)</p>

<p>UNC, while a good school, will probably give you more classes and seminars with 100-200+ people...or at least at the intro level. I'm not sure if you want that.

[/quote]
Depends entirely on the major. English classes at UNC, for example, are capped at 30. In any case, I've known even LACs with 100-person intro courses.</p>

<p>UNC has produced more Rhodes scholars than any other public school except UVA, so it must be doing something right.</p>

<p>well, Rhodes Scholars or not, state schools in general are not known exactly for their intimacy. W&M being one of the exceptions.</p>

<p>UNC is a great school, but it certainly depends on what you look for in a school. If you want big parties, pretty people, and a nice collegetown, then maybe UNC is for you. If you want small size, a close/homely feel, and a very solid liberal arts-like atmosphere, then W&M is for you.</p>

<p>IBC06,</p>

<p>You can be even prouder of UNC - since 1998, it has tied U Georgia with the most Rhodes scholars among public colleges at 6 each! U VA has only had 4 in the same time period.</p>

<p>W & M is more mid-sized than small (6,000 undergrads); UNC-CH is almost 3 times as large in terms of undergrad population. Both campuses are beautiful. W & M, too, has a park-like atmosphere. Chapel Hill's campus is much larger, of course, and the surrounding area is more commercially developed. Williamsburg is a tourist attraction, so you'll find many hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, etc., but not as much in the way of business/industry.</p>

<p>I hope Rutgers89 won't mind if I disagree about W & M being one of the preppier schools out there. The student body is diverse and has eclectic interests - you'll see many different wardrobes, hear a huge range of music, etc., on campus. As a public school, W & M is financially diverse as well, so there isn't a predominantly preppy feel to the place - though you can find preppy kids on both campuses.</p>

<p>Congrats on your UNC acceptance and best of luck at W & M - both great schools.</p>

<p>For those wondering about class size at UNC, feel free to browse the course list:</p>

<p>UNC</a> Chapel Hill Directory of Classes</p>