Ask a Carolina Grad

cloying
Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:28:42 +0000

Helpermom,

My first three years at Carolina, there were two scholarship days. One in Jan, one in March. I believe last year there was only one… But I might be remembering incorrectly. If they told the EA Scholarship Day participants that there will be two, then I’m sure there will be. But I would expect those invitations to have gone out already. In any case, I’m sure this board will light up when the regular admit Scholarship Day invitations go out. It may have already - I’m not really on here anymore so I couldn’t tell you.

Quail - when I was a freshman, yes, you could list up to eight people. But if someone’s saying you can’t now, maybe you can’t! I apologize; at this point I’m better qualified to talk about life after entering Carolina (and after leaving it, perhaps more importantly ). That said I am more than happy to help answer every question ever, I’m just afraid I’m getting to be a bit outdated.

eadad - good to hear from you! You’re right… This time last year I had been accepted to UT and I was absolutely thrilled. Then I visited and things became more complicated. It’s funny, as an ambassador at Carolina I was constantly thinking about how first impressions are misleading, but also always trying to be as welcoming ad possible to future Tar Heels. That really meant something to me. I understand law school is a professional school and I didn’t expect to be treated like a special snowflake while I was there, but the head of admissions was extremely rude to me. I had been offered the Chancellor’s scholarship at Carolina, which is a full ride and a huge honor, and after being instructed by a woman in fin aid at UT to go tell the head of admissions (whom I was meeting with anyway) immediately, I did… Only to be told very rudely that “Carolina is not going to help you.” (as in my offer, not the undergrad ). She messed with the wrong woman that day. Again, I know that I would never see this woman again… But after that kind of welcome, do you really expect me to slap down TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND frigging dollars for you!!! And then NOT be guaranteed to work outside of the state of Texas? I still get angry thinking about it.

It came down to USC and Carolina. I went out to visit USC and felt like California had been calling me since I was young. I liked the trojan network and the stability offered in SoCal. Unfortunately, graduating at the top of your class from Carolina Law these days can get you very far, but only really in the state of Carolina ITE. Many people in my life nearly strangled me for turning down Carolina’s offer, but I’m too ambitious for my own good! And I figured I graduated from undergrad with no debt so that I would have options at this point.

All this is to say… I loved Austin, and UT even, but that law school left me with a bad taste in my mouth.