Hello all!!! So I’ve been accepted to transfer to both Northwestern and UNC Chapel Hill! And I honestly don’t know which one to choose. I’m looking to go into advertising, so I majored in Media & Journalism at UNC and Communications at Northwestern! What are some of different social stigmas and academic challenges at the schools? What are the students like? I’ve been to northwestern a lot, so I know a little more about them, but not so much about UNC. Please respond!
What do you mean by different social stigmas? What school are you in now?
Stigma probably wasn’t the right word. I meant like the different social niches. And I’m at a lower tier state school.
UNC is a school with a LOT going on. It is a very, very busy campus. There is Greek life if you want it, but if you do not want it, you can easily avoid it. There are parties if you want them, and if you don’t- they are very easily avoidable. There is a tremendous amount of school spirit and the games are very popular. There are lots of clubs to get involved in, as well as concerts, lectures, etc on campus. If you are into research and hanging out with the professors or TA’s for hours to discuss any science topic, that is there too. Lots of students join the school paper, and there are some really good internships that journalism students get. Most of the students are from NC, however there are students there from all over the country (and the world) and once you get acclimated you will realize how easy it is to meet them. It is really easy to find your niche simply because there are so many niches to find. It is not unusual to be part of several niches- for example nobody is stopping you from being a “science nerd” and then painting your face Carolina blue at a game, followed by a school sponsored event as a thank you for being part of a particular club. The academics are challenging yet at the same time they are doable and the school is not cut throat. As with any school, some students struggle more than others. There are resources there to help if necessary. Getting good grades depends upon a lot of different factors.
Northwestern is an outstanding school as well and perhaps somebody else will chime in about it. Good luck! You won’t go wrong with either.
Thank you!
I’m a current freshman economics and math at UNC planning on transferring to Northwestern. For me it’s mostly because I miss living in/near a major city (I grew up 40 min outside of NYC), and there is a very small out-of state population, so I felt like a bit of an outsider at times. I will say though, I think UNC is a tremendous school with tremendous resources. I know that the athletics are far better at UNC than they are Northwestern–they definitely add to the campus environment in a great way. If you’re one that likes to do a variety of things, I’ve found that Carolina is also q great place to try out a lot of “niches” as twogirls said.
Feel free to ask me any questions you might have about Carolina. I’ve decided that it wasn’t the right place for me but I still have a lot of love for the place and think it has a lot to offer.
Chicago, very close to Evanston, is an amazing city (though I may be a bit biased as I live here ). However, if you hate the cold or weird weather, I wouldn’t recommend it. People are extremely friendly here and you can’t run out of stuff to do. There is a very active and busy life for all. I can’t speak on the specific university life though as I am not in college.
@indieincognito, UNC is far better in basketball.
NU has been and I believe will be better in football.
We are also OOS at UNC. It was initially difficult as my D also felt like an outsider at first. She became VERY active on campus and after 2-3 months of some transition difficulty, she really fell in love with the school. She has friends from NC, but also from Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Texas, Illinois, etc and other countries. At the beginning, as with any state school, it may be hard to be from another state- you sometimes feel like everybody knows one another. As you get involved and meet more students, that feeling subsides.
The school has balance. The academics are strong but the vibe of the school is not competitive.
Like I said you won’t go wrong with either choice. My D has a friend at NW who initially voiced similar " complaints" but is now happy. Her transition was also very difficult.
@twogirls thanks for the personal perspective!
Thank you all again for the insight!!
@PurpleTitan UNC is better than NU at football. Last season, UNC was one game and one win away from making the playoffs.