North Carolina State University (NCSU)

Students who pursue their education at North Carolina State University will find a “very welcoming” environment, one filled with a variety of “programs to help you succeed.” The university offers “strong academics” across a wide range of disciplines, “from the highly ranked engineering school to the textiles school to the life sciences school.” Undergrads also benefit from coursework that emphasizes “research opportunities,” “creative projects,” and “real life applications.” For example, “the NC State civil engineering department has a cool driving simulator that they use to test out new interchange designs.” And the business school offers “entrepreneurship initiatives…that help students turn ideas into real startups.” By and large, undergrads also give their professors high marks, noting that they typically “prioritize communication with students and are easily accessible outside of class.” Students also emphasize that it’s easy to find help should you need it. As this undergrad elaborates, “We have a free tutoring program…free therapy, and there [are] so many different places to study and decompress!” Overall, “the academic experience feels challenging but super rewarding.”

Undergraduates at NC State have high esteem for their peers who, in addition to being “really friendly and [having] great school spirit,” are described as “good people [who] make you feel right at home.” Students also appreciate that, along with “a ton of hometown North Carolinians,” you can meet classmates “from all corners of the planet.” As this impressed undergrad shares, “My closest friend my [first] year was from Kazakhstan, my coworker at my student job is from Iraq, I know several people from India, China, Korea, and Malaysia.” Students welcome this diversity, noting that “everyone brings their own vibe, and it makes campus feel welcoming and full of personality.” They also note that you’ll find that “queer orgs thrive right alongside religious organizations of all denominations and faiths.” In short, NCSU has “very supportive” students who are “easy to talk to and fun to be around” and who tend to “treat those around them with great kindness.” It’s a school where “everyone is smart, but the atmosphere doesn’t feel competitive, everyone collaborates and wants to help each other.”

Life at North Carolina State is “a good mix of busy and fun” where “people spend a lot of time studying or working on projects during the week, but there’s always something social happening too.” Just strolling around, you’re likely to see “skateboarders practicing tricks [or] people making art on the free expression tunnel.” That’s why some students have expressed concern about current construction, which has made the campus “difficult to navigate.” Importantly, athletics are quite big, and you’ll frequently find students heading “to Carmichael gym, playing intramural sports, [or] attending NCSU athletic events.” One undergrad explains, “Everyone tries to get student tickets to football and men’s basketball games, and our women’s basketball team and our men’s soccer teams are also very popular.” Additionally, students highlight the wonderful Wellness and Recreation Department, which “organizes all sorts of things, including backpacking trips and spring break trips.” Of course, you don’t need to be sporty or outdoorsy to get involved; the university offers a range of clubs catering to a wide variety of interests: “We have a great many, from Ballroom Dancing, to Beekeeping, to App Development…and political clubs. [There’s even a] club dedicated to giving out flowers to student passersby.” When the weekend rolls around, lots of “people go to the frats or bars, or to different schools to see their friends.” Rest assured that “there’s always something going on, so it’s easy to find stuff that fits your vibe.”

Students at NC State work hard in order to be prepared for their future careers, and most feel that the school prepares them very well for life after college. The Career Development Center offers one-on-one academic advising and career planning; job and internship search resources; career fairs and on-campus recruiting in many different fields; and help with resume building, job interviews, and other professional skills. The school emphasizes experiential learning opportunities with their platform ePACK, a digital forum for jobs, internships, Pre-Health training, or co-ops (Cooperative Education). The co-ops allow students to pursue paid work in their field as undergraduates while building credentials that can lead to full-time career positions or graduate degrees. Students also find faculty support to be an invaluable tool: “I have had several good academic advisors that have helped me decide what courses I should take based on the different career paths I have been considering,” says a student. “Also, all of my professors always wish to do whatever they can in order to help out the students.” Out of NC State alumni visiting PayScale.com, 53 percent report that they derive a high level of meaning from their jobs, and a median starting salary of $68,300.