You're Invited to...Visit Carolina this Summer!

Ever wonder who’s welcoming you to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at UNC? WE ARE!

As the summer starts to settle in, you might be thinking: “I'd love to visit UNC, but it’s summer…what is there to do?” The Visit Team (left to right: Michael, Kellie, Sean, Margaret, Andrew and Erin) wants you to know that just because school is out, this doesn’t mean there aren’t great opportunities awaiting you. If you’re interested in learning about applying to Carolina and what your life could be like as a student here, you should plan to visit us. We offer campus tours Monday through Friday, twice a day. These sessions include a one-hour information session given by one of our caring staff members. These sessions will give you an in-depth look at how to apply to Carolina and how we read applications. After your information session, you’ll head out with the real Carolina experts, our incredible student ambassadors, on an hour to hour and a half walking tour of campus. You’ll have an experienced- based tour because we want to give you a good idea of what it is like to be a Carolina student.

But the information session and tour isn’t the only opportunity we offer. While you may be out for summer, we still have summer school classes that you can sit in on. Here’s a great opportunity visit a real-life college classroom and get a feel for what your future at Carolina has to hold academically. There’s also a model dorm room available weekdays from 1pm – 5pm in Hinton James.

So we’ve covered admissions, academics and where you’re going to live…what now?
If you want to get the "downtown experience," Franklin Street is the place to visit with more than 300 diverse businesses. It’s truly the heart of Chapel Hill where the famous alumni and visitors have walked and celebrated great sports victories or simply enjoyed a leisurely walk on a Sunday afternoon.

You’ve walked Franklin Street, but now your stomach is starting to growl from hunger. With about 120,000 residents, Orange County has one of the largest concentrations of diverse, multi-ethnic restaurants and eating places in the country. Guess what? If you ate at a different restaurant every day starting January 1, you wouldn’t have to repeat a restaurant until October!

So who’s on campus? Every summer, we have about 7,000 students take summer classes. So students are here, we are here, why aren’t you? Come visit us and see what Carolina has to offer!

For a list of the events on campus, please check out the University Calendar. You can also follow us on Twitter @UNCAdmissions.

Honoring Our Fallen Heroes

As the nation prepares to observe Memorial Day on Monday, we hope that you'll join us and take a few moments to think of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have given their lives in service to our nation.

To the left is the centerpiece of UNC's own memorial—a bronze Book of Names with pull-out "pages" engraved with the names of the 684 UNC alumni known to have perished in service. Blank space has been left to allow for the inclusion of alumni yet to be discovered, as well as those who may be lost in the future. The General Alumni Association also publishes an online edition.

Meet Rebecca Egbert, Sr. Asst. Director of Admissions and C-STEP Director!

To all of our admitted students, first year and transfer, congratulations!  To all of the C-STEP (Carolina Student Transfer Excellence Program) students who will be joining us this fall at UNC, congratulations and welcome!  My name is Rebecca Egbert, Senior Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions and C-STEP Program Director, and I’m pretty sure I have one of the best jobs on the planet. 

In my role, I travel across the state and meet cool transfer students from all over the world, talk about what a great place UNC is, and get to know some of the best students on our campus—those who come to us from C-STEP.  I also get to work one-on-one with amazing community college students.

When I’m not working, I enjoy celebrating life and spending time with my family. My husband Daniel of 16 years and two beautiful daughters—Jordan Halen and Lawson Hannah, are my motivation in life.  I love adventure and my other passions include rescuing animals, hiking, camping and anything outdoors (and in the water). Okay, it’s no secret among my colleagues that when I retire, I might be on location with National Geographic photographing the wild animals of the world.

I'll close by saying that there are many paths to Carolina—every path is different and every path is valid.  If you are here, it is because you deserve a place on this campus.  Look around, meet new people, create your own adventures and enjoy what short time you have as a student here. It will go fast! 

What is C-STEP?
Launched in 2006, with the help of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, C-STEP guarantees junior transfer admission to students who earn an associate degree and successfully complete the program at one of seven partner community colleges across North Carolina: Alamance Community College, Carteret Community College, Central Carolina Community College, Craven Community College, Durham Technical Community College, Fayetteville Technical Community College, and Wake Technical Community College. C-STEP currently serves more than 300 students, and more than 170 of those have already enrolled at Carolina. Read more Central Carolina's recent C-STEP graduates in the Sanford Herald!

How does the program work? 
C-STEP students must successfully complete an AA or AS degree at one of the seven partner community colleges in no more than five semesters. Students must also complete at least three semesters of college-level foreign language before enrolling at Carolina. Additionally, students must participate fully in C-STEP activities—at their home college and later at Carolina. While enrolled at the community college, students work directly with C-STEP leaders and mentors and participate in monthly events on their campus and at Carolina. These events introduce students to Carolina, help them engage early with the campus community, and prepare them for their transition to Chapel Hill.

Who is eligible?
C-STEP focuses on community college students whose household incomes fall at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines (around $69,150 for a family of four). You must also be enrolled (or plan to enroll) at a partner community college in a course of study that will lead to the Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Sciences (AS) degree, and you must earn the degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
We review candidates holistically and consider, among other criteria, demonstrated ability to overcome obstacles, first generation college status, diversity, employment history, and family responsibilities.

How do I apply?
The application is available here. Community college students should apply by October 1, and high school students entering one of the partner community colleges should apply by April 1. Representatives at UNC and two advisors from each partner college review applications and confirm students’ acceptances into the program by early fall.

Is financial aid provided?
Carolina meets 100 percent of demonstrated need through grants, scholarships, and loans for all students who are eligible to receive federal aid. Eligible students may qualify for the Carolina Covenant and graduate debt-free.

For more, please see the C-STEP website.

Kicking Across Carolina

If you visit us at Carolina, as you walk around campus, you'll probably see some of our students kicking soccer balls -- on Polk Place, or on one of the residential quads, or on Ehringhaus or Hooker fields.

If you visit us soon, as you drive towards campus, you might see three of our students kicking soccer balls -- on Highway 70 in Haw River, or on 55 between Durham and Cary, or on some other winding road between New Bern and Morehead City.

These three students -- Dylan Simel, Sasha Seymore, and Ahmad Saad -- come from different backgrounds and different faiths.  They're dribbling from the mountains to the sea because they want to bring people together along lines that often divide.

Their project is called Kicking Across Carolina.  To read more about these three friends and what they're doing, click here.

Want to Be on the Air at Carolina? Consider Broadcast Journalism!

After finishing my first year, I know that choosing to study journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill was definitely the right decision. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication has impressed me not only with its faculty and curriculum, but also through the opportunities it presents to gain hands-on experience right off the bat. Within my first month of school, I began to volunteer for UNC’s student newscast, Carolina Week, and have never looked back.

Fresh out of high school and overwhelmed by all things college, I couldn't believe how easy it was to get involved in the journalism school’s news outlets. After a brief training session with Carolina Week, I began to attend both practice and live shows where I was given the opportunity to shadow students in the class. I watched and learned as my peers operated cameras, directed the control room and reported the news to the Carolina community.

Within a few weeks, I felt confident enough to run the camera and floor direct on my own. I even extended my involvement outside the studio and tagged along with reporters to help shoot interviews. Regardless of what I did, each task provided me with real life experience in my future field of work that I couldn't have gotten elsewhere. Furthermore, being part of a team of people so dedicated to the show reinforced my passion for broadcast journalism. My commitment to Carolina Week strengthened and I'm proud to say that this was recognized by my teammates, who voted me Most Valuable Volunteer at the end of the year. This achievement has paved the way for my future endeavors in the J-school and I can only hope that my remaining three years will be as prosperous.

UNC students are fortunate that taking part in activities and organizations is so easy. The J-school is a perfect example of this, because whether you're interested in television, radio or web journalism, there are opportunities to get involved. Carolina Week, Carolina Connection and Reese News are all student-run news outlets that provide the experiences and skills needed to become a successful journalist. I've certainly taken advantage of these opportunities, and the lessons I've learned and the people I've met as a result have truly shaped my time so far at UNC. I cannot imagine what my first year would have been like without the support and sense of belonging that Carolina Week provided. Getting involved was the best decision I've made during my academic career and I highly recommend incoming students do the same.

--Brenna Cukier, 2015

For more information on these programs and the broadcast journalism major, you are welcome to email Dr. Charles Tuggle, Professor of Journalism.

Greetings from Kyle Brazile, Sr. Asst. Director of Admissions for Enrollment

My name is Kyle Brazile, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions for Enrollment. I'm originally from Chicago but I've been living in North Carolina since 2007. My colleagues will tell you that they can hear the occasional jazz tune from my office but I am not shy about admitting that I now feel fully at home in North Carolina. The milder weather, the variety of the geography, and the friendly people here make N.C. a very enjoyable place to live. And of course, the atmosphere at Carolina is like no other. I am a Tar Heel fan through and through.

As part of my job, I oversee transfer credit and credit by exam to ensure that enrolling students receive the proper credit they have earned from their previous institutions. This means talking to students over the phone and  in person and through email. This time of year is very busy for us as we work to help students make a smooth transition to Carolina. To help, we'll post a number of our FAQs here. This includes questions I've been receiving and questions coming through our communications specialists who are taking your phone calls today. If you have questions beyond these, please post them here and we'll do our best to answer them.

I am an admitted transfer student but I didn't get the email with my transfer credit. All admitted transfer students should have received an email with their credit unless we do not have your most recent account on record. However, all currently enrolled transfer students may view the same information through their MyUNC.  If you haven't yet enrolled (as a reminder, the deadline is May 16) and need your evaluation re-sent, please email us at transfercredit@admissions.unc.edu and we will send it to you.

When will I receive my credit by exam? We plan to award credit by exam for both first-year and transfer students (AP, IB, A-levels, SAT subject tests, etc.) by early fall.

I have just enrolled and plan to take a course at another university over the summer. How do I ensure that I get credit? For your convenience, you may apply online for approval using our Course Approval Form. We aim to respond to these requests within five business days.

What should I do if I don't agree with how my credit was evaluated? You may apply for re-evaluation using our online Course Re-Evaluation Form. Please note that because credit is determined by campus departments, these forms are submitted to the various campus departments for review. Therefore, your re-evaluation takes a little time but it should take no longer than 30 days before you are notified of the department's decision on your course re-evaluation.

I just applied for readmission. How do I find out my decision? Please log into MyUNC to view your decision. Please note that you should also check to make sure that you do not have any items on your admissions to-list. If you do, please address those items as soon as you can to ensure that you may matriculate as soon as possible. Please also note that it may take 1-2 days to matriculate from this point.


I am a newly readmitted student. Can I enroll in summer school? If you were just readmitted, and we're sorry for any inconvenience, but given the timing, the earliest that you may enroll is Summer Session II.


How will the courses that I've transferred fulfill Carolina's curriculum and my degree requirements? Once you have enrolled, you are encouraged to meet with Advising to determine how your transfer credit fulfills requirements. Also, as another reference, the Undergraduate Bulletin provides complete information about degree requirements, all majors and minors available at Carolina, course descriptions, and information about policies and procedures at Carolina. Academic Worksheets, which provide a one-page synopsis of degree requirements, are available on the Advising website. A worksheet is available for all majors. You may use the worksheets and the information in the Bulletin to tentatively determine how your transferred credits may be used. In the meantime, please visit the Advising website to learn more about the curriculum and academic options.

Also, to help ensure a smooth transition, for the first time Carolina is now offering orientation sessions just for transfer students. Attendance at one of these sessions is mandatory for enrolling transfer students but we think that you will not only find it helpful, you will also enjoy connecting with your fellow future classmates.  Learn more about Transfer Orientation.

What if I went to both a 2-year school and a 4-year school?  Is my cap 64 or 75 credit hours?If you take courses from a combination of a two-year and four-year institution, the maximum number of transferable hours will be determined by the most recent institution attended.  For example, if the last institution you attended is a two-year institution, then you may only transfer a maximum of 64 hours, while if the most recent institution was a four-year then you may transfer a maximum of 75 hours.

I am an international student. What do I need to do in order to have my transcript evaluated?If you have taken class at an international university, you will need to have your transcript evaluated first by a credit evaluation service such as WES – World Education Services.

Can I test out of a course by taking a CLEP examination? No, we're sorry but we no longer award credit by exam for CLEP exams.

Where and how do I submit my immunization records? Learn more here.  For additional questions, you may also contact Campus Health Services directly by calling 919-966-2281. 

I’m a visiting student and wish to take summer classes; how do I enroll? You may apply directly through our Summer School.


Do you offer tours in the summer? Yes! The summer is a great time to visit us. The trees and flowers are in bloom and our campus continues to bustle with activity. We welcome students to campus all year long, Monday – Friday. Sign up for an information session and campus tour.

Please Tell Us How We're Doing

Charlie and I thank you for your feedback!

To all of our admitted students, again we congratulate you on your admission to Carolina! It probably feels like you’ve spent the past few months under the microscope, being evaluated, poked, and prodded, by us and all the other schools you applied to. We prefer to view it as a journey of “getting to know you” and we try to make it as humane as possible, but if I were you, I’d be tired of being in the hot seat too.  Which is why I’m happy to tell you that the tables have turned, and it’s now your turn to tell us how we’re doing.  And that’s why we’ve recently asked for your feedback via an online survey.

We have a bad habit in this office of signing a lot of our emails with “The Office of Undergraduate Admissions.” The survey invitation you received was probably signed the same way, but if you pulled back the curtain, you would find – no, not a wizard – but just little ole’ me.  My name is Jen Kretchmar, and I’ve been working in admissions as the Senior Assistant Director for Research for almost ten years now.  I have a graduate degree from Carolina, but I still take classes for fun (yes, and they are fun!).  If you take a literature course over the next four years, you might find me sitting next to you.

But back to the survey.  We talk a lot in our office about goals, and evaluation, and getting better.  We view feedback – the good, the bad, and the ugly – as a gift.  And you the students are the only ones who can truly give it to us.  If you haven’t already responded to the survey, watch your email for a reminder invitation in the next few days, and then tell us what you think.  And please don’t hold back…

--Jen Kretchmar
Office of Undergraduate Admissions

Carolina's Joe DeSimone Elected into the National Academy of Sciences

Dr. Joseph DeSimone, Ph.D., Chancellor's Eminent Professor of Chemistry, has been elected into the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors that a U.S. scientist or engineer can receive. He is the 12th Carolina faculty member to be elected to the academy, a private organization of scientists and engineers dedicated to advancing science and technology and their use for the public good.

DeSimone holds more than 130 patents. His current projects include developing a nanoparticle vaccine for prostate cancer and creating particles that mimic red blood cells. He is a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and an adjunct member at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He also is co-founder of Liquidia Technologies, a Triangle-based nanotechnology company. Read more.

P.S. First-year students: If you haven't already, don't forget to enroll today by 11:59 p.m. EDT.