UNC-CH vs. Notre Dame

tjd
Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:48:25 +0000

I have a D at Notre Dame. I live near UNC-CH, have relatives who have attended, know many kids who currently go there, and will have a D there next year. I know both of these schools well.

Academically the schools are of similar caliber. Both have lots of high-achieving, smart kids. My sense is that UND is a little more demanding, but I don’t think the difference is significant. You can get an excellent education at either.

There is definitely a different atmosphere at the two schools: UNC has the more typical liberal college vibe, while UND is more conservative but, at the same time, inclusive. UNC has a very accessible and fun college town, UND really has no college town to speak of. UNC has pretty good weather year round, UND is beautiful in the fall and spring, but brutal in the winter. Both schools have vibrant sports cultures.

One notable difference is the four year graduation rates. UND has one of the best in the nation at 95%, UNC a respectable 76%. But I’m concerned about this at UNC going forward; I know students who are having a difficult time getting the classes they need to stay on track, and with the significant budget cuts this could become more of a problem.

Another big factor is cost. The sticker prices for the schools are very different: UNC (in-state) has a COA of $18-20K, UND is $55K. Out of state COA for UNC is about $40K. But don’t dismiss UND on that basis alone, since FA depends very much on your situation. We are paying less for daughter to attend UND than we will for daughter to attend UNC.

Bottom line is that you have two excellent schools to choose from. For the right kind of kid, UND is a very special place, and most of them wouldn’t trade what they have there for ANY other school. UND sees its mission as educating the mind, body, and spirit, and they do an excellent job of helping their students to find their place in the world.

I also believe that, for most kids, UNC is the better choice. There is a reason that UNC is selected as the best value in US public higher education year after year, and NC residents are very fortunate to have this option.