The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Date: May 12 2004
Major: Anthropology (This Major's Salary over time)
The four years I spent at UNC were the best four of my life. I hated high school, and went to college looking for other people like me who weren't ashamed to admit that they enjoyed learning for its own sake. I found an abundance of such people at UNC, many of whom also shared my interests in service and recreational sports. UNC students have a bit of a reputation for arrogance, and it's somewhat deserved, but only because the arrogant students also happen to be the most vocal ones. There are plenty of people who are down-to-earth and easy to get along with.

I wasn't sure when I left UNC that I would be competitive with students from wealthy private schools in applying for jobs or graduate school. I'm thrilled to say that I was mistaken. After taking a few years off from school to work, I was recently accepted to four prestigious private graduate schools, and one of the professors who admitted me explicitly credited my 'excellent education at UNC.' I say this not to brag on myself, but to reassure others like myself who might question how far a UNC education can take them.

UNC isn't perfect, of course. Many people do find themselves lost on its big campus, and professors vary in their responsiveness. I visited each of my professors at the beginning of each semester—even in big courses. Later, when I had problems or questions, I nearly always found them helpful and responsive—partially because I had introduced myself before. Because the student population is big, it's easy to feel lost. Students who are successful at UNC are willing to take the initiative to talk to ther professors outside class, involve themselves in extracurriculars (the best way to make friends), and seek out classes that seem interesting (rather than choose classes based on the time they're offered). For me, being at such a big school was liberating—I was tired of the insularity and gossipiness of my small town. For others from my hometown, it was overwhelming. UNC is a great place for people who are willing to make an effort in class, in joining activities related to their interests, and in listening to other perspectives. The effort is more than repaid in academic quality, social life, and personal growth.