<p>i was wondering which of the two schools you think is better as i might attend one of these two schools. if i go to university of illinois i would major in actuarial science. if i go to unc chapel hill, i would major in mathematical decisions science. which of these two majors do you think would be better.</p>
<p>UI is known for eng/math/sci, and IDK about UNC.</p>
<p>that’s a toughie, because UNC has more prestige than UI. If you get into both, I’d probably say UNC</p>
<p>Even though Im instate 4 uiuc and I got accepted and I might probably be going there. I will have to agree totally with the rsxwheeeeee (^^^)</p>
<p>UNC’s prestige is not all that much better on a national basis. Out west they are pretty even.</p>
<p>And if you move further west into overseas, UIUC is better known due to its outstanding engineering programs.</p>
<p>Where do you live, OP? UNC is cheaper OOS than UIUC. If you live in Illinois, stick with UIUC. Ditto for UNC if you’re an in-state resident. Engineering and sciences are stronger at UIUC.</p>
<p>ACADEMICS</p>
<p>Illinois: "The epically large flagship campus of the University of Illinois “is very challenging and gives you freedom to do anything.” Students here enjoy “all the benefits of a great public university.” There are over 150 undergraduate programs. The colleges of engineering and business are of the “most prestigious and hardest to get into,” but there are dozens of other “very strong and reputable” departments as well. “The research resources are amazing,” raves a Russian literature major. “The library has almost any resource an undergraduate or even an advanced researcher would ever need.” However, the drawbacks that come with such an expansive campus are present as well. Lower-level class sizes “are horrendously large.” “My largest class had 800 students,” notes a biochemistry major. “The massive bureaucracy” is a constant source of irritation. “Simple things like adding or dropping a class a few weeks into a semester can require five or six trips to different buildings to talk to different people, each time requiring you to explain your situation.” “Professors are more impersonal to freshmen, but seem to warm up to upperclassmen,” explains one student. “There are some professors that should not be teaching anywhere,” though. “A lot of times, it’s a toss up with bad/good professors,” counsels a geology major. “You can learn a lot and have a great teacher, but you need to ask around and find out who that good teacher is.” “There are professors and classes that you come across that certainly leave something to be desired,” agrees a women’s studies major. “But overall, I am very pleased with my academic experience at UIUC and have met some astoundingly intelligent, influential professors.”</p>
<p>UNC-Chapel Hill: “The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill “is so well rounded,” according to students who make their case by pointing to the “very highly recognized academics, sports, and quality students who are here to get a great education and have fun doing it.” With a typically Southern approach, UNC “creates a very balanced atmosphere to live in. The workload isn’t so overwhelming that you can’t go out and do anything. . . . It makes for a good place to live because people aren’t always stressed out.” Undergrads report that “you won’t find a better combination of quality, cost, and environment for any student specifically interested in undergraduate programs in business, journalism, or education,” and that “the humanities and social sciences have a huge presence here” as well. The sciences aren’t too shabby either; in fact, pretty much across the board “The academic life is very rigorous” and professors “are not only educated in their fields but have life experiences that add to the flavor of their courses.” Many students warn that academic advising is a weak point; one student reports, “We have complicated requirements for majors and . . . sometimes students end up taking classes that don’t count toward their major. Or, they end up not realizing they had to take a particular class until senior year.” The constitution of the state of North Carolina keeps UNC’s in-state tuition rates very low; some out-of-state students complain that the cost of this guarantee falls disproportionately to them.”</p>
<p>STUDENT BODY</p>
<p>Illinois: “The U of I has a decidedly Midwestern feel and “Midwestern hospitality” is abundant. “Kids from out-of-state and small-town farm students” definitely have a presence but, sometimes, it seems like “practically everyone is from the northwest suburbs of Chicago.” There’s a lot of ethnic diversity “visible on campus.” There are many Asian and Asian-American students. On the whole, the majority of students are “very smart kids who like to party.” “The typical student is involved and really good at balancing schoolwork, clubs and organizations, and their social life.” “They really study fairly hard, and when you ask, it turns out that they’re majoring in something like rocket science.” Ultimately, there’s something for everyone here with students who think about “nothing but drinking” to those who “never miss a class” and are “in the library every night.” “There is a niche for everyone.””</p>
<p>UNC-Chapel Hill: “By state policy, native Tar Heels must make up 82 percent of each incoming undergraduate class at UNC, so “The typical student is a North Carolina resident.” Out-of-state students “blend seamlessly into this mix, and are often the ones to take the helm of leadership opportunities.” Undergraduates here “are very involved, whether it’s in the Greek scene, the religious scene, playing intramural sports, or starting their own club. Philanthropic involvement is also high.” Students typically “are academically oriented but aren’t dominated by it. You can’t ‘feel’ midterms in the air, as you can at other schools.” You’ll “find every stereotype represented here: The J. Crew snob, the polo shirt and sunglass-wearing frat boy, the emo/punk rocker, the Southern belle, etc.” The most apparent stereotypes, though, are “the ones who look like they stepped out of the Carolina catalogue, sporting Carolina-blue laptop bags, polo shirts, and sneakers.” UNC is liberal by Southern standards, although no one would ever confuse a UNC undergrad for a Reed College or Wesleyan University student.”</p>
<p>CAMPUS LIFE</p>
<p>Illinois: "At the University of Illinois, there is “never a dull moment, despite the surrounding cornfields.” Over a thousand clubs and organizations provide students with a wide array of options. “Anything that you are interested in you can do,” gloats an engineering major. “It’s a huge campus but it’s not too spread out,” says a Spanish major. “You can get around anywhere by bike or bus and you don’t need a car.” “The campus is very Greek-oriented,” and the students who pledge the myriad frats and sororities “love the Greek life.” Some students notice serious animosity between the independent students and students involved in the frat scene. “It seems at times to take over our campus,” says one irate independent. Other students just don’t see the problem. “I think plenty of non-Greeks associate with Greeks,” asserts a finance major. “Drinking is a big thing at U of I.” Apartment parties and frat parties rage on the weekends. There is an “outstanding bar culture,” too. “If you’re 19, or if you can get an ID so you can be 19, it’s very popular to frequent the bars even during the week.” “If you don’t want to party all the time, there are plenty of other options.” “Intramural sports and playing sports on the quad and in Frat Park are popular.” The campus is “alive with the Big Ten spirit” and students are very supportive of their beloved Illini. “Awesome concerts” proliferate and “there is a really good artsy theater which runs foreign and indie films.”</p>
<p>UNC-Chapel Hill: ““UNC has a great nightlife” with plenty of options. Franklin Street, the main drag of Chapel Hill, runs along one side of the campus and “has tons of restaurants,” “packed bars,” and college-oriented shopping. “Students from Duke and NC State will often come party on Franklin Street” because it’s the most student-friendly stretch in the Triangle. The campus offers “tons of clubs and organizations—more than 600—so there is plenty of stuff to do.” The dorms “are wonderful, and there is always something going on,” although “Dorm parties are hard to pull off on South Campus, where most of the freshmen live. Just about anything goes on North Campus, though.” The active Greek scene also provides plenty of party options; GDIs note that “it’s really easy to have a social life and be an independent.” But what truly binds the campus are the Tar Heel athletic teams, with the men’s basketball team paramount among them. One student reports, “People look forward to basketball season more than anything. The rivalries are intense” and the quality of play is excellent. The Atlantic Coast Conference is arguably the NCAA’s strongest in basketball. Students also enjoy a “beautiful campus” and great weather; one student observes, “One of the most relaxing things to do is to sit outside on the grass in the quad studying in the 70 degree weather and sun in November.””</p>
<p>You need to be outgoing at UNC though if you are OOS. Many of them go Greek and the ones who don’t get lost in the crowd.</p>
<p>ahduke99, Greek life is more dominating at Illinois than UNC</p>
<p>UI has the largest greek system in the country, right?</p>
<p>no wai, largest greek system isn’t in the south?</p>
<p>I think UNC has more prestige nationally… I live in Texas, so there could be some bias there I guess?</p>
<p>well Mississippi, Penn State, Florida, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Tennessee, Miami University and Illinois all have pretty big greek systems, no clue which is the biggest though</p>