Child considering UNC Honors Carolina or Michigan. Public policy major. No guarantee into either major/school. Out of state student at both schools. Loves both campuses. Has never lived in a northern state but being an oos at unc a bit intimidating. Would like to compare schools/programs rather than cost at this point. Thanks
I think the schools are close enough academically that you can use other factors. Personally I would choose the weather in NC. And I would choose the honors college at UNC with the extra perks and attention I assume it includes. Plus isn’t UNC cheaper?
Being OOS at UNC doesn’t worry me. My kid is OOS at another school (UGA) which is also 80% in state (that’s what UNC is, I think?) and it has not been an issue for her at all.
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Congrats on your acceptances!
My daughter went to UNC (OOS) and had a fabulous experience. Her friends who were policy majors took advantage of many opportunities and have successful careers.
This will depend on you. I would take a look at what advantages honors will give you. Two reasonable people can make two different decisions…and neither would be wrong.
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Agreed with others - you have Honors at UNC and it’s a policy major so that you’re saving, even if you say costs out of it for now, is a bonus.
But the campuses are very different - did your student feel comfort at one vs. the other?
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For the study of public policy, these schools may be difficult to distinguish:
It seems your child could comfortably choose between them based on aspects other than academics.
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In addition to its own offerings in public policy, UNC Chapel Hill has cross-registration with Duke, which has a top-notch school of public policy.
A bus runs between the two every 30 minutes, making travel fairly easy.
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What is the pathway to major in public policy at UNC? I took a look at the website and it didn’t seem like there was a huge barrier to entry for that major, but I might have missed something.
You probably already know this, but public policy at Michigan requires an application and only about 40% of applicants are accepted. My daughter applied and was accepted, but one of her close friends (in the honors college, with a significant amount of political internships for a college sophomore) was not.
If UNC has an easier pathway, I would choose it. As others have said, the schools are very similar in many, many ways. I love Michigan, but if she really wants public policy I would not take the risk of a 40% acceptance rate if the UNC pathway is more likely.
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