University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (or UNC) was established in 1789, making it the first public school to be founded in the state. The campus is set in the suburbs on about 729 acres. The area is often considered one of the best college towns because of the many activities. With about 20,000 undergraduate and 11,000 postgraduate students, it has the second largest enrollment in North Carolina. The largest undergraduate school is the College of Arts and Sciences, while there are several graduate programs, including the Kenan-Flagler Business School, the School of Education, the Gillings School of Public Health, and Carolina Law.

There are roughly 70 majors and 50 minors within 60 departments at UNC Chapel Hill. The most popular majors for undergraduates are social sciences, communication/journalism, biological/life sciences, psychology, and business/marketing. The student to faculty ratio is lower than most public universities at about 17 to 1. However, only 41% of classes have fewer than 20 students in them. Undergrads must complete general education requirements as part of the Making Connections curriculum. Students must take classes in English, social science, history, foreign language, mathematics, and natural science. All UNC Chapel Hill freshmen are required to complete first-year seminars. In their second year, they can choose to focus on a degree in the College of Arts and Science or in another professional school (like nursing, business, education, pharmacy, or journalism and mass communication).

Because about half of all undergraduates live on campus, there are plenty of opportunities for social activities outside the classroom. There are about 800 student organizations on campus, including Greek chapters. About 4,000 students are affiliated with Greek organizations, which comes out to roughly 20% of the undergraduate population.

The majority of social activities take place in the Campus Y, which was established in 1859. Over the years, this area has marked several historical breakthroughs, including the racial integration of the student population and the building of the Sonja Haynes Stones Center for Black Culture and History. Today, many organizations are located there (including STAND, Nourish International, Homeless Outreach and Poverty Eradication (HOPE), and Project Literacy). Students can also get involved with the publication of The Daily Tar Heel, the student-run publication. Also noteworthy: UNC Chapel Hill made history with the first internet radio broadcast in the world through its student radio station WXYC.

UNC Chapel Hill competes as the Tar Heels, and they are members of the NCAA Division I (Football Bowl Subdivision) and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The school is most famous for its men’s basketball and women’s soccer teams. Other popular sports include baseball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and wrestling. Students who don’t mind a lack of class sizes and who like an active social scene will fit right in at UNC Chapel Hill.