Accepted at both: UNC Chapel Hill & UNC Wilmington

[Captain Zappo]

Hi everyone. I am trying to decide which is the better place to spend my next four years. Here's the situation.

I have been accepted into both of the schools mentioned in the title. Obviously, Chapel Hill ranks higher on SAT scores, national polls, etc...So I would love to go to this school.

However, I have been offered acceptance into UNC Wilmington's Honors Program. Basically, I would be in classes with no more than 20 people, I would have a special dorm room, etc...

So my question is this, which school would you choose? Would you be just another Joe at Chapel Hill or would you go to Wilmington and be treated like a king?

PS: Not sure if it helps or not, but I am planning on majoring in physics.

All insights and opinions are welcome,
-Zach

 

[0rthodontist]

Well, I took a look at both schools and why do you think Chapel Hill is so much better than Wilmington? I don't know, though.

I am in the honors program at my school and basically I'm just getting 1 honors course a semester. Last semester I had calculus III and this semester I have language theory. The calculus III class had like 30 people though, and the language theory has 20 or 30 people. The honors for these courses was basically an extra meeting, one hour weekly, of five or six people with the professor. If the honors program at Wilmington is like mine, then you can expect the honors classes to be good, but not always small, and the majority of your courses will be non-honors.

 

[Astronuc]

Knowing what I know now, with about 20 years professional experience, I would look at the faculty primarily quality, but also quantity. Look at what research is being done and what is published. Ideally, a student studies under a professional who is doing research, and better yet leading or cutting edge research. Also look at the number of graduate students.

I think Wilmington is a smaller campus and relatively new.

Compare UNC-Chapel Hill
http://www.physics.unc.edu/
Faculty (alphbetical) http://www.physics.unc.edu/directory/directory.php?section=1&mode=text&param=99
Faculty by research area - http://www.physics.unc.edu/directory/faculty_groups.php

with UNC - Wilmington (Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography)
http://www.uncw.edu/phy/
http://www.uncw.edu/phy/alumni.html - alumni
http://www.uncw.edu/phy/about-faculty.html (small in number)

The Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography provides quality programs leading to the B.S. and B.A. degrees

No grad school.

Look at specific professors and research areas, and publications.

Certainly, if one wishes to do physical oceanography, then Wilmington would be the choice.

 

[hedgebox]

You will not feel like just another fish if you choose physics at UNC (I'm a student here). The department is extremely small when compared to other departments here (think chemistry). Your largest major classes will be the intro physics classes that chem, math, comp sci, etc are required to take. After those classes you generally top out around 30 students except in a few classes that other majors are required to take. Unless things change you will have professors for more than one class, and most will learn and remember your name.