Thoughts on UNC-Chapel Hill (for out of state student)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it curious that people on here are claiming that UNC is weak in STEM. Some of the graduate programs in STEM at UNC are very competitive/well regarded (for example, chemistry). There is also a lot of biotech/tech in the research triangle areas. I will be the first one to say that the quality of the research programs doesn't necessarily map on to the quality of the education for undergraduates, but it's not like top tier resources do not exist there.

In contrast, I find people on this board to overrate UVA's overall reputation quite a bit on this board. From discussions on here, you would think UVA is Yale. While I think students can get an excellent education there (STEM or otherwise), UVA is not really known for having top tier programs that are not in the humanities, business, or law (at the graduate level). In fact, I have a PhD in a STEM field, and have lived in a lot of other states, and a lot of my colleagues (who are unaware of its humanities/law reputation) don't really think of it as overall top tier. Certainly not at the same level as UC Berkeley or Michigan, or even Wisconsin-Madision, UCLA, etc. Again, I still think that undergraduates can receive a fantastic in a number of fields, and at some level it doesn't matter for undergrad, but the "network" and the way the "name brand will carry you" perhaps is somewhat overexaggerated.

I also find that in whatever state I have lived in, because getting into the flagship school is challenging, and the top students from that school want to attend, people tend to overrate its prestigiousness. When I lived in Texas, parents were obsessed with getting their kids into UT-Austin. When I lived in the Chicago area, it was all about University of Illinois-Urbana, Champagne.

I agree with the PP that mentioned that if two people were applying for a job, and one went to UNC and the other to UVA, it would come down to a lot more about their qualifications than which school was ranked higher on the US news and world report list that given year.

It depends on the state. People in NJ, NY, CT, MA for example do not act this way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it curious that people on here are claiming that UNC is weak in STEM. Some of the graduate programs in STEM at UNC are very competitive/well regarded (for example, chemistry). There is also a lot of biotech/tech in the research triangle areas. I will be the first one to say that the quality of the research programs doesn't necessarily map on to the quality of the education for undergraduates, but it's not like top tier resources do not exist there.

In contrast, I find people on this board to overrate UVA's overall reputation quite a bit on this board. From discussions on here, you would think UVA is Yale. While I think students can get an excellent education there (STEM or otherwise), UVA is not really known for having top tier programs that are not in the humanities, business, or law (at the graduate level). In fact, I have a PhD in a STEM field, and have lived in a lot of other states, and a lot of my colleagues (who are unaware of its humanities/law reputation) don't really think of it as overall top tier. Certainly not at the same level as UC Berkeley or Michigan, or even Wisconsin-Madision, UCLA, etc. Again, I still think that undergraduates can receive a fantastic in a number of fields, and at some level it doesn't matter for undergrad, but the "network" and the way the "name brand will carry you" perhaps is somewhat overexaggerated.

I also find that in whatever state I have lived in, because getting into the flagship school is challenging, and the top students from that school want to attend, people tend to overrate its prestigiousness. When I lived in Texas, parents were obsessed with getting their kids into UT-Austin. When I lived in the Chicago area, it was all about University of Illinois-Urbana, Champagne.

I agree with the PP that mentioned that if two people were applying for a job, and one went to UNC and the other to UVA, it would come down to a lot more about their qualifications than which school was ranked higher on the US news and world report list that given year.

This is a very accurate post. I want my kids to go to UVA because it's cheap and it's a good school because we're in VA. But I have lived in other states, and UVA is not that big of a deal. It's mostly a big deal in VA because of the price. I think nationally, UCLA, U Mich and UNC all carry more name recognition than UVA. UVA is a good school and it's an awesome deal for instaters but it's not that much of a draw for those from out of state because without the discounted costs, there are tons of other school that people would prefer. And pp is right that people tend to overrate the prestigiousness of its flagship school. In NC, it's all about Chapel Hill. Those in NC would hands down choose to go to Chapel Hill over Duke. If you were in VA, would you choose to go to Chapel Hill over Duke? I don't think so.

[Anonymous]

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2015/06/...ting-body-places-unc-probation

Accrediting Body Places UNC-CH on Probation

June 12, 2015

A week after the NCAA leveled five major allegations against UNC-Chapel Hill, an accrediting body has handed down 12 months of probation against the university for failing to meet seven accreditation standards, including academic integrity and control of athletics.

“It’s the most serious sanction we have,” said Belle Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The only step more severe than imposing probation would be for SACS to revoke a university’s accreditation. That rarely happens, and because it means a loss of eligibility for federal funds, it typically ends with a college shutting down.

The commission cited seven of those standards in its decision about probation: overall integrity; program content; control of intercollegiate athletics; academic support services; academic freedom; faculty role in governance; and compliance with provisions in federal financial aid law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2015/06/...ting-body-places-unc-probation

Accrediting Body Places UNC-CH on Probation

June 12, 2015

A week after the NCAA leveled five major allegations against UNC-Chapel Hill, an accrediting body has handed down 12 months of probation against the university for failing to meet seven accreditation standards, including academic integrity and control of athletics.

“It’s the most serious sanction we have,” said Belle Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The only step more severe than imposing probation would be for SACS to revoke a university’s accreditation. That rarely happens, and because it means a loss of eligibility for federal funds, it typically ends with a college shutting down.

The commission cited seven of those standards in its decision about probation: overall integrity; program content; control of intercollegiate athletics; academic support services; academic freedom; faculty role in governance; and compliance with provisions in federal financial aid law.

UNC is not shutting down. Get over it & move on with your life.

[Anonymous]

A good but not great university. And that's that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UNC falls in the tier below Michigan, UVA and Berkeley, UCLA but it is an excellent public school. Like most public schools, it will be near 80% from NC and that may not be everyone's cup of tea -- it is quite Southern even though NC now projects itself as the New South and the Greek system is big. Cute college town. Out of state is not cheap so you might consider whether a private university that would be more geographically diverse would be a better fit -- if your child is set on North Carolina that probably means Duke or Davidson (much smaller) and Washington and Lee would probably count too, but it is also smaller.

What about Wake Forest? Sow this thread, checked out the US News ranks and noted Wake is now at 27?

[Anonymous]

I have a friend whose son turned down Uva for UNC. He's a VA resident.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend whose son turned down Uva for UNC. He's a VA resident.

And I know some VA residents who turned down UVA for Mich. I think all these schools mentioned on this thread (UCLA, UNC, UVA, Mich) are very similar in prestige, academics... They are all good, large, flagship state schools that are a great deal for those living in that state. But almost always, if someone turns down its own state flagship school for another state's flagship school, it's generally because cost isn't an issue for them (maybe because of scholarship, maybe because the family had enough money that the difference in tuition costs wasn't a big deal).

[Anonymous]

http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/opinion-shop/article36377526.html

12 Steps To UNC Delirium

"We have learned a lot about “The Carolina Way” in the last few months, and it seems to be a 12-step process in a recent example of 18 years of academic and athletic fraud:

Step 1: Bury the whistleblower
Step 2: Spend $1 million to hire PR spinmasters
Step 3: Conduct obligatory internal review lite 1
Step 4: Ease out unaccountable AD into early retirement with full benefits, move chancellor back to professor
Step 5: Stall, obfuscate, stall, see if news reporters can figure it out
Step 6: Hire friendly investigator, who sees no need to really interview anyone
Step 7: Trot out head coaches to earnestly claim they had no idea
Step 8: Bury whistleblower No. 2: player who took the courses ... well he’s crazy
Step 9: Just to keep him around, extend the head basketball coach’s contract
Step 10: Keep those pesky reporters happy with real investigation
Step 11: Interpret results yourself, take 89 days of NCAA 90-day response period, come up with a new delay to get through football and basketball season, keep the BS flowing to the new recruits
Step 12: Throw Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach under the bus, get her set for early retirement, problem solved!"

“The Carolina Way”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it curious that people on here are claiming that UNC is weak in STEM. Some of the graduate programs in STEM at UNC are very competitive/well regarded (for example, chemistry). There is also a lot of biotech/tech in the research triangle areas. I will be the first one to say that the quality of the research programs doesn't necessarily map on to the quality of the education for undergraduates, but it's not like top tier resources do not exist there.

In contrast, I find people on this board to overrate UVA's overall reputation quite a bit on this board. From discussions on here, you would think UVA is Yale. While I think students can get an excellent education there (STEM or otherwise), UVA is not really known for having top tier programs that are not in the humanities, business, or law (at the graduate level). In fact, I have a PhD in a STEM field, and have lived in a lot of other states, and a lot of my colleagues (who are unaware of its humanities/law reputation) don't really think of it as overall top tier. Certainly not at the same level as UC Berkeley or Michigan, or even Wisconsin-Madision, UCLA, etc. Again, I still think that undergraduates can receive a fantastic in a number of fields, and at some level it doesn't matter for undergrad, but the "network" and the way the "name brand will carry you" perhaps is somewhat overexaggerated.

I also find that in whatever state I have lived in, because getting into the flagship school is challenging, and the top students from that school want to attend, people tend to overrate its prestigiousness. When I lived in Texas, parents were obsessed with getting their kids into UT-Austin. When I lived in the Chicago area, it was all about University of Illinois-Urbana, Champagne.

I agree with the PP that mentioned that if two people were applying for a job, and one went to UNC and the other to UVA, it would come down to a lot more about their qualifications than which school was ranked higher on the US news and world report list that given year.

+1

UVA is not that big of a deal in other parts of the country or internationally. Berkeley and Michigan have more national and international reputation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it curious that people on here are claiming that UNC is weak in STEM. Some of the graduate programs in STEM at UNC are very competitive/well regarded (for example, chemistry). There is also a lot of biotech/tech in the research triangle areas. I will be the first one to say that the quality of the research programs doesn't necessarily map on to the quality of the education for undergraduates, but it's not like top tier resources do not exist there.

In contrast, I find people on this board to overrate UVA's overall reputation quite a bit on this board. From discussions on here, you would think UVA is Yale. While I think students can get an excellent education there (STEM or otherwise), UVA is not really known for having top tier programs that are not in the humanities, business, or law (at the graduate level). In fact, I have a PhD in a STEM field, and have lived in a lot of other states, and a lot of my colleagues (who are unaware of its humanities/law reputation) don't really think of it as overall top tier. Certainly not at the same level as UC Berkeley or Michigan, or even Wisconsin-Madision, UCLA, etc. Again, I still think that undergraduates can receive a fantastic in a number of fields, and at some level it doesn't matter for undergrad, but the "network" and the way the "name brand will carry you" perhaps is somewhat overexaggerated.

I also find that in whatever state I have lived in, because getting into the flagship school is challenging, and the top students from that school want to attend, people tend to overrate its prestigiousness. When I lived in Texas, parents were obsessed with getting their kids into UT-Austin. When I lived in the Chicago area, it was all about University of Illinois-Urbana, Champagne.

I agree with the PP that mentioned that if two people were applying for a job, and one went to UNC and the other to UVA, it would come down to a lot more about their qualifications than which school was ranked higher on the US news and world report list that given year.

This is a very accurate post. I want my kids to go to UVA because it's cheap and it's a good school because we're in VA. But I have lived in other states, and UVA is not that big of a deal. It's mostly a big deal in VA because of the price. I think nationally, UCLA, U Mich and UNC all carry more name recognition than UVA. UVA is a good school and it's an awesome deal for instaters but it's not that much of a draw for those from out of state because without the discounted costs, there are tons of other school that people would prefer. And pp is right that people tend to overrate the prestigiousness of its flagship school. In NC, it's all about Chapel Hill. Those in NC would hands down choose to go to Chapel Hill over Duke. If you were in VA, would you choose to go to Chapel Hill over Duke? I don't think so.

Obviously, UVA is a huge draw for out of state applicants. Nice try at reverse psychology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Michigan is not Top 25. I'd say UNC and Michigan are comparable with both below Cal, UVA and UCLA

Huh. I'm a UVA grad and I'd definitely put Michigan on the same level as UVA, and definitely better than UNC. Better for some people because it's such a large research university. I did know some out of state students at UVA who hadn't been accepted to UNC though. UNC is apparently really tough to get into from OOS.

I agree.

[Anonymous]

michigan is way better than uva.

it has a lot more global and national appeal.

it is stronger in stem by far with comparable non-stem.

it also isn't as insular as it is over 40% out of state.

Uva is the clear 4th bethind cal, ucla, and michigan.

UNC is a dumpy school. If Michael Jordan didn't go there,no one would care.

[Anonymous]

UNC is a crap school. Cheats at academics and athletics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UNC is a crap school. Cheats at academics and athletics.

Oh, sweetie. Give it a rest. You are unhinged in your hatred. This thread and others prove it.