University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
By
Gloria Jean Baptiste – 9th grader at Brien McMahon High School
I have always had a fondness for the institution that once groomed Michael Jordan into a phenomenal basket ball player and a smart business person. Long after he has retired from basketball his sneakers and clothing line are still a favorite among my peers. University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill is clearly a top choice for many high school juniors and seniors.
When we arrived at the admission center we were hustled off to the performing arts arena in order to accommodate the large group of other students and parents gathering there. The admission director quickly determined that the majority of the students in the room were juniors through an icebreaker exercise. We were quite restless and surprisingly the majority of the students were from the New England area – Connecticut and Massachusetts.
UNC at Chapel Hill was founded in 1789 and was the first state public university in nation. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is considered one of the best universities in the world. Chapel Hill ranks 10th among Money magazine’s top 100 “Best Places to Live in America,” based on a survey of cities with populations between 50,000 and 300,000. North Carolina is home to the state’s Research Triangle, which has one of the highest numbers of Ph.D.s per capita in the U.S. UNC has 40% of its students coming from out of state and 10% coming from out of the country. The campus is home to 10,000 students. The Greek life (sorority and fraternity) is alive on campus and students can participate in the more than 700 organizations.
Admission to UNC is through a holistic approach. They require two essays, transcripts, along with participation in community based activities, strong SAT or ACT test scores, strong recommendations and a rigorous schedule including advanced placement classes. It is clear that much weight is placed on the strengths that a student will bring to the institution. Each year they receive more than 50,000 applications from all over the world.
There is no surprise that athletics is a big part of the school culture. The famous ‘tar heels’ are well liked by so many of my fellow school mates. The excitement and joy that we all displayed as we toured the recreational facility says it all: “there is much love for UNC.” The school’s historical moments were well captured and are well displayed in its state-of-the art facility. I just got goose bumps walking through and visualizing the way it was so many years ago. I have dreamed of gaining admission to UNC and now after touring UNC I am determined to do my part to make this dream a reality.
Gloria Jean Baptise
Like this:
Like Loading...
