School Spotlight: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. And while the media tends to focus on just a handful of schools, we at College Coach encourage students to think outside the box during their college selection process and explore a wide range of colleges. As such, we are highlighting a new college each week in our School Spotlight series. Check out the college below, along with the other posts in our series, and you may just stumble upon your dream school! School Spotlight: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC Opening its doors in 1795, the University of North Carolina has the unique distinction of being our country’s first public university. 41 students were enrolled during the University’s inaugural year, and now nearly 19,000 undergrad students from around the country call this beautiful campus home. While most students flock to the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication is UNC’s second most popular division. There students can specialize in fields such as business journalism, sports communication, and public relations, as well as take advantage special study abroad opportunities in locations such as Australia, China, and Spain. Just under 20 percent of underclassman hail from out-of-state, but all U.S. citizens who meet low-income guidelines are guaranteed to graduate debt-free thanks to the Carolina Covenant. Freshmen who enroll in one of the University’s first year seminars will be introduced to the rigors of college life in courses such as “Race and Small Town America,” “Ancient Magic and Religion,” and “Mediating the US-Mexico Border.” Good to know: all applicants to UNC are automatically considered for Honors Carolina, a select scholars program that features unique summer research opportunities and honors-level seminars. Photo credit: Top, Courtesy of Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill