Anonymous wrote:Unc just got caught graduating athletes for 20+ years that never attended class. They also let regular students attend the classes that don't require anything so it would be NCAA legal.

Good schools don't do that kind of thing. Way overrated and just an average school. They have zero Nobel alumni and the most influential alumnus is a basketball player who would probably flatline an sat test taken 1 day after he received his " degree".

So sorry that UNC rejected your DC... or you....

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.

Times change. USNEWS doesn't agree with you http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/spp+50

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.

No info on quality, look-and-feel, or much else, but I do know a little about UNC tuition, and be prepared for some sticker-shock from out of state. UNC has promised in-state students four years of frozen tuition (the "Carolina Covenant") but the state won't raise taxes. Out of state students receive no tuition freeze and will make up the difference.

I was a graduate of a DC area private school who went to college at UNC. It was very long ago, and thus my experience may not be that relevant today, but I do want to note that, because of the cultural differences, I often did feel like a fish out of water. Most of my friends were also out-of-state students. I will note that I had very satisfying academic experiences in both the political science and journalism departments, with very fine teachers. It just never felt quite "right," and these many years later, I view those 4 years as just a little detour in my life. If I had it to do over again, I would have gone to Duke.

I went to UNC and am amazed that it ranks as highly as it does; my professors ranged from mediocre to awful. The other students that I attended with felt the same way. During my undergrad/graduate career I attended two other less heralded universities and the quality of instruction was loads better.

I think the instruction quality has little to do with well ranked universities are. The professors at UNC are going to be preoccupied with research, not teaching. The same can be said of Berkeley, Texas, Michigan, UVA, etc.

Anonymous wrote:Unc just got caught graduating athletes for 20+ years that never attended class. They also let regular students attend the classes that don't require anything so it would be NCAA legal.

Good schools don't do that kind of thing. Way overrated and just an average school. They have zero Nobel alumni and the most influential alumnus is a basketball player who would probably flatline an sat test taken 1 day after he received his " degree".

I went to UNC and am amazed that it ranks as highly as it does; my professors ranged from mediocre to awful. The other students that I attended with felt the same way. During my undergrad/graduate career I attended two other less heralded universities and the quality of instruction was loads better.

Unc just got caught graduating athletes for 20+ years that never attended class. They also let regular students attend the classes that don't require anything so it would be NCAA legal.

Good schools don't do that kind of thing. Way overrated and just an average school. They have zero Nobel alumni and the most influential alumnus is a basketball player who would probably flatline an sat test taken 1 day after he received his " degree".

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

By tier, I meant how schools are commonly ranked. Among public schools, there are a handful of elite schools (UVA, Mich, Berkeley, and maybe UCLA) then there is a second tier of excellent public schools but that fall below the top gang, and that includes UNC, I would also say Wisconsin and probably Iowa, Minnesota, maybe Texas, but people would differ on this second group (I don't think there is a lot of disagreement at the top if you are focused on national research institutions). My own view is it makes little sense for students from out of state to attend below these top two tiers, and most public schools will fall outside of it.

What constitutes a tier?

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.

UVa is probably a smidge more prestigious than UNC, but I think of UNC as being better than Michigan. US News and World Report ranks UNC the lowest of the 3 at #30, but they're very close. I think of UNC as being one of the best state schools in the country. http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/page+2

I'm from NC, but haven't lived there in 12 years. I went to college out of state and haven't moved back. My sister graduated from UNC recently, and her friends were from all over the country and one or two were international. I think out-of-state students are pretty well integrated into everything.

It's really hard to get in from out of state, but it's a great school!

Much harder to get into than Michigan from out-of-state, and harder than UVA. On par with both but a lot would depend on the major. Michigan has the strongest international/national reputation. Why not apply to all 3. I wouldn't spend a lot of time trying to decide between them until you know if you have the choice. Remember to love thy safety ~ apply to a few colleges which will be admission and financial safeties.

Tell me about UNC-Chapel Hill, please. Is it prestigious? Is it on par with Michigan, UVA? I am particularly interested in hearing from anyone not from the state of NC who went there. Were the Tar Heels easily accepting of someone from the Northeast?