Barq45

Anyone who thinks that UNC is a no name school doesn't know what they are talking about.

UNC is a great school, but I just want to point out that W&M was left out of the list of the top public universities earlier. In my opinion it should look like this:

1. Berkeley/Virginia
2. Michigan
3. William and Mary
4. North Carolina
5. UCLA

vc08

No, I haven't. I've received a few PM's from people agreeing that you're pretty out-of-line on this one. Or are we all "misunderstanding" you?

Umm, where? Stanford's website boasts about how they compare with HYP. So, in your mind, Stanford wants to be Princeton too, then?

I've got an idea. Since you are CLEARLY concerned with how certain schools are "wannabies", why don't you go ask this Q on the Berkeley and Stanford boards, exactly the way you presented it? In fact, I want you to do that. If you end up being right, and there's overwhelming response that Stanford is high and mighty versus Berkeley, then I'll be happy to admit you're right.

And, I'm glad to hear you're so rich! I finally get to "meet" the people who are charging us $4.69 per gallon for gas out here! At least somebody is making money off a busted economy though.

PS~ I'd be interested to see the "repeated comparisons." Because, I'm sure there are no repeated comparisons between UNC and Duke on their respective websites, right?

UNCC: Great insight. Sounds like UNC has served you well! And I really appreciate how you give UNC the credit it is due without putting down other great schools. It's clear that your time at UNC was 4 years well-spent. I found this line especially valid: So true.

ldmom06

UNCC - I hope you aren't a business major. Funding of a private equity startup has nothing to do with "personal" wealth, but it does has everything to do with investors willing to RISK wealth based on a person's knowledge or skills. (For the record, our own personal wealth is also at risk in this venture....so no need to make incorrect or inappropriate assumptions about our financial situation.)

My point is.... my husband has good and accurate insight and is VERY well-qualified to offer an opinion as to which schools are most respected for energy industry-related degrees. (omGOSH...I'm going to have work on my nouns and verbs I suppose...yet another person can't seem to hone in on the 'point'!) vc stated UCB had a top 10 program in engineering related to the oil and gas industry. Per the UCB website, that is not the case. Also, there is a chart at their website where UCB does compare their engineering rankings to those of Stanford and MIT.

Also, I don't really understand the comment re: the use of the phrase 'omgosh' UNC. Why would you distrust people based on something like this? But I do appreciate your acknowledgement of your own [over]compensation and ego in your post. Believe it or not, I appreciate the humor. This thread needs it.

Finally, in the real world, hyperbole is not respected. To describe my opinions as a rant, merely because you don't agree with, like or respect them is inaccurate and gross exaggeration.

vc - If you have an issue with the price of gasoline, you'd do well to speak to your legislators. How many years has it been since a refinery has been built in Cali? And for the record, independents do not refine. They explore and produce. Longterm analysis - the reason gasoline is so expensive is because it is an increasingly scarce commodity given the expansion of economies in China and India. OPEC nations are producing all they can as fast as they can and it isn't enough. ANWR reserves will be a meaningless drop in the bucket. You want solutions? My husband's advice is alternative fuel sources. Imagine that from an 'oil man'. (We are actually considering trading our gas guzzlers in for the Toyota Prius.) Also, for a better than laughable understanding of just the basics of economics, especially as they relate to the energy industry, try reading "Twilight in the Desert".

I apologize if I make anyone uncomfortable with my low opinion of rankings and those who insist on overemphasizing them. Those who do this truly do people who are here searching for meaningful information, and yourself, a disservice with this attitude.

unc please!!!

Does anyone think that UNC will be in the TOP twenty(public and private) in a few(5-10) years???

vc08

haha k, ldmom, when I think oil producers, refiners, independents, whatever, are out for more than themselves, THEN I'll put effort into them. It's hard for me to fathom why they haven't "explored" "discovered", etc., more fuel options with such a large amount of money available (you mentioned your H had $1B...and that's just one person)! But I suppose I really don't matter much to them, since gas is an inelastic good and therefore marginal increases and decreases in price will have virtually no impact on the demand curve. Then again, what do I know. I only have a "laughable understanding" of Econ, right? You add a lot of humor yourself by assuming things you have no idea about.

UCB compares their rankings to Stanford, MIT, and CalTech, because they are all among the best schools in the world for engineering. In fact, in recent years, UCB undergrad engineering has been ranked higher than Stanford. That's TOTALLY different than "wanting"to be another school. As I mentioned earlier, Berkeley has more top-10 depts than Stanford, MIT, Harvard, etc. So I highly doubt they "want" to be someone else. Please only speak on what you know. You clearly aren't familiar with those two schools. As someone who has family on the faculty at both schools, let me say that they're extremely proud of who they are as individual institutions.

And I'm sorry if I'm a disservice to you. But your oil company is a disservice to my state's pocketbook, so we're about even I think

Though I do admire your car swap...I've heard good things about the Prius. You'll have to let me know what you think about it

UNC: I think it already is in certain departments. But a lot of it depends on the success of other universities as well.

crs1909

I highly doubt UNC is going to crack the Top 20 in the next 5-10 years. More than likely, UNC is going to stay in the 25-30 range. Some years it'll be ranked as the 4th best public school, other years it'll be ranked 5th best.

U.S. News Rankings Through the Years

shoesfocollege

I'm a tarheel and I really love the school. I think UNC gets a pretty good rep, though some kids (actually mostly adults) turn their noses up because we are a public school. I don't know if it's so much we are underrated as that a lot (and I mean A LOT) of the private schools are overrated. Maybe not in terms of facilities and money (figures don't lie) but in terms of quality of students-I've been amazed at some of the kids that get into Ivies (no offense anyone).

heathergee

I couldn't be any prouder of going to UNC and being a Tar Heel.

If you want to talk rankings, let's talk this one:

http://www.princetonreview.com/colle...D=6&TopicID=43

I don't care if I could've gone to a more "academically challenging" private school. UNC has great academics, great sports, great DIVERSITY (sorely lacking at private universities and when it's there, it is often not legit: see Duke, where there is little race interaction). I am happy and that is what is most important to me in a university. I have grown as an individual more than I can possibly describe to a bunch of strangers (minus a few fellow students I know on here!) on a message board. I am finding myself while becoming more worldly, intelligent, and accepting all while having a good time.

So if we want to talk about the best well rounded college experience and what's supposed to be the best 4 years of your life, I give UNC a #1 ranking.

airportrd69

"I don't care if I could've gone to a more "academically challenging" private school. UNC has great academics, great sports, great DIVERSITY (sorely lacking at private universities and when it's there, it is often not legit: see Duke, where there is little race interaction). I am happy and that is what is most important to me in a university. I have grown as an individual more than I can possibly describe to a bunch of strangers (minus a few fellow students I know on here!) on a message board. I am finding myself while becoming more worldly, intelligent, and accepting all while having a good time."

WAY TO GO HEATHERGEE!!

Yours should be the last post in this thread!!