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The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (also known as UNC, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill or North Carolina') is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. First enrolling students in 1795, it is one of the multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States.
Chapel Hill is widely regarded as one of the best college towns in the world, and for good reason - it’s a fantastic place to be in, if you’re a student. A pretty small town, it has everything a student can ask for – bars, cafes, brilliant malls, open spaces, theatres, you-name-it! There are a number of colleges nearby too, with Duke being the most well-known. And if you plan to get out of Chapel Hill for the weekend (which is unlikely, but anyway), the cities of Durham and Raleigh are almost next door.
Like you would expect at any of the good universities in the States, UNC Chapel Hill has pretty good infrastructure. Although UNC is one of the oldest universities in America, constant renovation and reconstruction has ensured that it looks ‘as good as new’ all the time. The college has excellent facilities for students, with some huge libraries, state of the art computer labs, beautiful lecture halls, and a fantastic Student Recreation Centre (SRC). There are also facilities for all kinds of sports and athletics.
Although not all grad students live off-campus, most do. This is probably because it affords them more freedom and privacy. Searching for an apartment or house shouldn’t be such an issue – there are loads of them available, and most are quite reasonable as well. The entire Chapel Hill – Durham belt is ideal to live in; peaceful, safe and convenient. You’ll end up shelling out anything between $300 and $800, depending on where you live, and with how many roommates.
The weather at Chapel Hill is quite okay, especially if you hail from India. Winters are quite mild, while summers are warm (they say it’s hot, but Indian standards are different, aren’t they?). The area rarely receives snowfall, so even in winters you probably wouldn’t need more than a couple of sweaters.
The one thing that cannot be questioned is the quality of professors at UNC Chapel Hill. Some of the most qualified and respected professors in the region teach here, and the students have absolutely no complaints. The best part – almost all faculty members are extremely approachable, and sometimes even arrange for students to come over to their houses to solve doubts, if students’ schedules clash with their office timings. All in all, it’s quite a fantastic learning experience here.
Scholarships aren’t terribly easy to come by, but it’s not too hard to get one either. You have to maintain decent acads though, so you’ll find a number of students applying for RAs and TAs instead.
This really is what ‘university life’ is all about. A small college town, a number of colleges, thousands of fellow students, and the freedom to make your own decisions. Many students prefer going to a college in a big city, to get a taste of the ‘American Urban Life’, but if you want to know what a university should be like, this is where to start. A highly diverse crowd has students from all walks of life, and it’s never hard to find people to get along with. It’s a wonderful experience at one of the best places to be on the East Coast.
Hugh McColl - Former CEO of Bank of America.William B.Harrison Jr. - Former CEO and Chairman of JPMorgan Chase.
UNC Chapel Hill is a university for high-rankers and a good bet for those who are looking for a career in Computer Science (CS). For an average student who wants a great experience along with a good education, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill is one of the best colleges to apply to.