<p>ldmom</p>
<p>Actually there is a fairly sizable community of Texans at UNC. Annually the DFW area alone sends 18-20. Having worked on the the send off parties I got to see the list of the Texans headed to UNC for several years and I was surprised to see how many there actually were.</p>
<p>eadad - You know you are right…I think we had about 10 or so at Houston metro area send off party the year my d was accepted. I guess it’s all about the relativity. It is still relatively few given the size of the freshman class and the number of college freshmen in Houston, but not so few in proportion to oos attendees at UNC. Texans ARE well represented among the oos-ers. </p>
<p>And we always send two or three a year from our high school alone to Duke…but never anyone to UNC. I’m working to get more of OUR kids to apply! More Tar Heels, less Dukies! ;)</p>
<p>hey cloying and ann, wanna clue me in? if i know K and J this really is a small world! :)</p>
<p>You met K in my room one night… and J, well she is definitely a good friend of yours haha</p>
<p>ldmom - I’ve met a lot of Texans for whatever my experience is worth. Also, to whichever post I’m replying to - the 18% OOS figure doesn’t reflect scholarship kids (athletic, academic) and transfers (residency doesn’t factor into transfer applications). I might be overestimating but the true OOS number could be closer to 25%. At any rate or figure, most people you meet will be from NC, though many in-staters are from outside NC or the US originally. </p>
<p>To the OP: Good luck with parking. The campus is safe in a pretty college town with mild weather, the dorms are nice (I recommend North Campus, but to each his own) and classes are good. You asked about entering upper level courses using AP credit - by all means, as long as you don’t overload yourself (academics can be pretty tough). The only other negatives are price for OOSers, which again, is still better than a private school or OOS public of similar quality, and the football team, which seems to be improving under Butch Davis.</p>
<p>I realize UNC sounds a little too good to be true but negatives are truly hard to find!</p>
<p>HAHA I definitely know who J is…K I’m not too sure about.</p>
<p>J is actually who kinda sorta introduced us heathergee… small world</p>
<p>this just gets weirder…ldmom…im wondering if we all somehow know your daughter too</p>
<p>Haha I love how I actually know every UNC student that comments on this board in real life.</p>
<p>Get - I think you may. Knitter from Texas on a red Vespa. Can’t be too many of those in Kenan right? ;)</p>
<p>You’re confusing her with me. I live two doors away from her and her room is so cool-y laid out!</p>
<p>haha what part of Texas? i know many texans!</p>
<p>how would the rigor of academics of UNC compare to that of Duke?</p>
<p>There seems to be the opinion by some that UNC has lost some of it’s rigor from the good ole days.</p>
<p>I’d say it’s right on par with Duke. Students are always studying on campus during the semester and working very hard. And I’ve never seen a library so packed as during finals. Everyone takes their work very seriously…but we also take our fun very seriously too!</p>
<p>Maximus: Well, all older people always think all schools have lost their “rigor from the good ole days.” I mean, life was harder back then, too, wasn’t it? Didn’t your parents walk to school in snow everyday, for miles? 
</p>
<p>But I think if you check with current students, the rigor is still alive and well. While I don’t believe UNC has actively instituted grade deflation, I do know they did a study some years ago, because they were concerned about grade inflation (which all universities have experienced over the last few decades). This study (in 2001?) curbed grade inflation across the board, I believe, and is particularly notable in certain departments/majors, including the sciences, math, econ. I saw a link once to the average GPA of each major. It was astonishing, really. You could tell which were the more difficult (or, certainly, graded more conservatively) courses/majors-- a little scary. </p>
<p>I have also known a lot of people over the years, both adults and now current students, who have attended both Duke and UNC, either taking courses at the same time, or having gotten 2 separate degrees. They all say the academics are really the same, both in level of difficulty and in quality of teaching, but the attitudes of the students differ. While UNC students study and work just as much and as hard as Duke students, Duke students seem to be much more obsessive and competitive about grades, etc. I have also heard many people say (don’t know how true this is, though), that grade inflation is much more prevalent at Duke; it’s simply easier to get A’s there than at UNC. </p>
<p>I think GetOuttaBuffalo summed it up well. UNC students take their work very seriously but also seem to have a healthy attitude towards school (not so obsessive about it all), and know how to balance fun and work.</p>
<p>I was referring to relaxwolf’s comments (tongue in cheek) which I now realize were made in 2004 and seemed a bit atypical. My son is absolutely psyched to visit UNC and get a feel of the university’s classes and students, first hand. I must admit, I’m quite interested in seeing the campus for myself as well.</p>