The Pros and Cons of UNC

What is UNC’s reputation?

“incredible research” “beautiful campus” “a little Southern piece of heaven” “top ranked undergraduate business program” “down-to-earth students” “one of the best college towns in America” “friendly, easy-going vibe” “insane basketball culture” “tons of school pride” “everyone wears Carolina Blue” “near the biggest research hub in the nation” “happy students” “affordable tuition” “left-leaning students” “a bit over-crowded” “size can be overwhelming” “housing is an issue” “academic advising could be better” “great crosstown rivalry with Duke” “constant construction”

UNC is (arguably) the oldest public university in America. It’s located in the small, vibrant, progressive college town of Chapel Hill, NC, and it has about 21,000 undergraduates. Overall, UNC is ranked #27 in the nation, but it’s ranked #5 in public universities, behind only UCLA, Berkeley, UMich, and UVA. UNC is world-renowned for its outstanding research, particularly in the areas of public health, medicine, and social sciences, including public policy issues. And although UNC has a number of different undergraduate schools — including Business, Global Public Health, Journalism and Media, Education, etc. — all first-year students apply to the College of Arts and Sciences first, and then you apply to a specific school or major after about a year on campus.

UVA vs. UNC

The University of Virginia (UVA) and the University of North Carolina (UNC) have quite a bit in common: they are the #4 and #5 ranked public universities; they’re both located in the Southeast only a few hours apart; and they both have top rated undergraduate business programs. But the key difference is feel.

UVA feels grand, historic, prestigious, venerable, exclusive, aristocratic, old money, politically moderate or even conservative — it’s intimidating and awe-inspiring. By contrast, UNC feels much more modern and accessible: it’s down-to-Earth, inclusive, progressive, affordable, and laid-back. UVA is more competitive and pre-professional, whereas UNC is more collaborative and research-focused. UVA is also more dominated by Greek life, whereas UNC has a wider variety of social options. They are both excellent universities, but UNC lacks a bit of the pomp and circumstance of its regional rival.

The Pros of UNC…

#1: In-State Perks — UNC is a no-brainer for North Carolina residents. State law mandates that at least 82% of students must be in-state residents, and that makes it much easier to get into if you’re from North Carolina: the overall in-state acceptance rate is 41% vs. only 9% for out-of-state. In addition, the school is dirt-cheap for in-state residents who pay only $9,000 in tuition. You can’t beat that price for the quality.

#2: Outstanding Research — If you want to pursue undergraduate research on CRISPR technology, or AI-generated pharmaceuticals, or global poverty patterns, or environmental health, UNC is the perfect place. Not only are there endless opportunities for research on campus, but the school is only 20 minutes away from Research Triangle Park (RTP), which is the largest research park in the country. It’s home to over 300 innovative companies including Apple, Google, Cisco, etc., which makes it ideal for internships and jobs.

#3: Chapel Hill — The small town of Chapel Hill is known as one of the best college towns in the country. It’s easily accessible from campus, it’s walkable and safe, and there are plenty of bars and great restaurants, including a lot of farm-to-table cuisine. It also has a lot of culture, including bookstores, fairs, live music, and civic engagement. And for a Southern town it’s extremely progressive and LGBTQ+ friendly.

#4: School Spirit — UNC is teeming with school spirit, and the entire school (really the entire town) rallies around the famous basketball team, which was once home to Michael Jordan. They have a fierce crosstown rivalry with Duke, which is only 15 minutes away, and other big rivalries with NC State and UVA. And this school spirit translates into a really strong, supportive alumni network that can help you after graduation.

#5: Kenan-Flagler Business — UNC’s undergraduate business program is one of the best in the nation, ranked #6 for 2025. It’s important to know, however, that most students apply to the program after completing their first year on campus, and only about 50% of those applicants are admitted. However, they do guarantee admission to the business program to a very small group of exceptional students coming straight out of high school: but you have to apply EA, and you have to check a box on your application that says you’re interested in being considered for this Special Opportunity. Roughly 10% of students who are admitted to UNC, and who express interest in the business major, are guaranteed a spot in the 3-year program.

#6: Scholarships & Honors — UNC offers a variety of appealing scholarships. Two that you have to apply to are the Morehead-Cain Scholarship and Robertson Scholars. They both have less than a 3% acceptance rate, but you earn a full-ride to the university plus a series of summer enrichment programs. One you don’t have to apply to is Honors Carolina: you’re invited to join based on the strength of your application to the school, and you get access to small classes, priority research, special freshman housing, etc.

About 10% of students who are accepted to UNC are invited to join the honors program, and about half of those will receive financial scholarships. (NOTE: Out-of-state residents must apply EA for Morehead-Cain; otherwise RD is fine.)

The Cons of UNC…

#1: Out-of-State Odds — It’s extremely difficult to get into UNC as an out-of-state applicant. As I mentioned, the overall acceptance rate for OOS applicants is only 9%, compared with 41% for in-state applicants; so it’s like two completely differently schools. Consequently, the academic bar is thought to be much higher for out-of-state applicants. And UNC students often say that many of the most impressive students on campus are from out-of-state.

#2: Over-Crowding: UNC has a lot of students packed into a relatively small area, which gives the campus an energetic buzz but also an over-crowded feel. That means that housing is a big problem, and students are only guaranteed campus housing for freshman year. It’s also impossible to find parking, a lot of your classes will be very large, and it may be hard to register for the classes you want. So you’ll just have to learn to navigate the size.

#3: Lack of Diversity — Like many public universities that have a mandate to prioritize in-state applicants, UNC can seem a bit homogeneous. It’s worth knowing that UNC is 54% white, 60% female, 85% of students come from the state of North Carolina, and only 5% of students are international. Nevertheless, from a socioeconomic standpoint, the school seems to attract a wide array of students from all different types of backgrounds.

How to get into UNC…

#1: Apply EA — UNC does not have an Early Decision option. They only offer an Early Action option, which is due very early on October 15th. There is some evidence from past years that suggests applying EA provides an admissions boost to all applicants. For example, for the Class of 2022, the EA rate for out-of-state applicants was 17% vs. 7% for Regular Decision.

Also, you should know that the vast majority of students accepted to UNC — in fact, 87% of the freshman class — is made up of EA applicants. There’s really no downside to applying EA, other than the fact that you have to finish your application by mid-October. And even if you apply Early Decision somewhere else, you’re typically allowed to apply EA to public universities like UNC.

#2: International Students — From an admissions standpoint, UNC can be a very good option for international students. The school doesn’t seem to attract as many international applicants as some other top universities, which keeps the acceptance rate unusually high, at about 18%.

#3: Non-Specialists Welcome - While most top universities are looking for students who over-excel in one area — they have what’s called a “spike” — UNC is equally interested in well-rounded students who are strong in a variety of areas. This probably applies most specifically to in-state applicants, where the bar is not quite as high.