University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)

Citing "academic prestige" and "affordability," the "beautiful," "historic" setting, and "world-renowned" faculty, students take pride in "being a Tar Heel" at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The professors at UNC-Chapel Hill are "top-notch, many of them being academic celebrities," but "like the students, are never flashy" and remain "humble." Students find that their professors frequently stress that they are here to "learn from you all as much as you are here to learn from me." UNC offers undergrads "bountiful resources" as "one of the top public research universities in the nation," and students have the opportunity to participate in this research by applying for "generous academic grants." Academics are "rigorous," but the "quality of teaching makes the material intellectually stimulating." The college is fairly large, so students will likely attend "large lecture-hall style classes," yet students stress that as they advance, "class sizes are smaller," and this leads to "the opportunity to build more personal relationships with professors." UNC's "reputation and ranking in STEM programs," along with its well-regarded business school, are among its greatest strengths. Said one transfer student, "I visited countless top universities," but UNC was the only one that had a "population...both economically and ethnically diverse."

The student body is "as helpful as it is inquisitive, and as creative as it is caring." For every "get-to-know-you question someone asks you," there is a "student happy to direct you to your classes." Everyone at Carolina is "fun, energetic, and passionate about something." The students "are smart, but they aren't haughty and ostentatious about it." Students are "generally liberal, but there is a vocal religious/conservative presence on campus as well." Ultimately, UNC is "unified unlike any other school I have encountered," says one student, "whether it's in the common support of a sports team, music group, or simply the pride in saying you are a Tar Heel." Another student agrees, "Donning Carolina blue almost constantly, we all just really love our school!"

UNC offers its "more than 20,000 undergrads" a host of opportunities to socialize, relax, and pack themselves all together at the Dean E. Smith Center to cheer on the men's basketball team. Carolina has strong athletics, including opportunities for "potential studentathletes." For non-athletes, it's a great school to be a fan, "as basketball games especially create a special campus atmosphere that nothing can recreate." Despite the university's size, life on campus generally moves at a "slow pace"-in a good way. The campus is full of "gorgeous old buildings, towering oak trees, and ubiquitous birds, squirrels, and chipmunks," and students "love walking through the upper quad," a "beautiful green area with lots of old trees." Raleigh is "only 30 minutes away" and "Durham only 15," so students will head out there on weekends, and if they need to unwind during the week, they go "out to bars on Franklin Street." There's "always a party going on at UNC," but there are also "plenty of ways to have fun if you're not into the party scene." There are several "day hikes somewhat close to campus," and Carrboro is "within walking distance," providing a "hip space for social life including a farmers market, concert venue[s], and many bars and restaurants."