Carolina #1 best academic value for 12th time in a row

Just today Carolina was named as the number one value in American public higher education according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine because of its stellar academics, reasonable sticker price and generous financial aid.

For the 12th time in a row, Carolina ranked first on Kiplinger’s list of the 100 universities and colleges that provide the best value to in-state students. The magazine also listed Carolina second for the best value offered to out-of-state students.

Kiplinger’s periodically has ranked the best public campus values since 1998; Carolina has been first every time. The new ranking appears in the February issue, posted today (Dec. 27).

“Access and affordability are what allow us to attract great students from a broad range of backgrounds with different interests and different career goals,” said UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp. “I can’t think of an aspect of this University that is more crucial to who we are. It’s the marriage of that with the academic excellence that creates the environment and the unique nature of Carolina.”

Read more.

For Ben in the UK

Earlier this year, our intern Will Rimer made a few videos featuring the admissions counselors. One of the questions he asked us was "If you could be a Carolina student for a day, what would you do?" One of our counselors, Patty Baum, responded that she would take all the courses she wanted to take but couldn't fit into her four years at Carolina. We heard from one student, Ben in the UK, who wanted more specifics--exactly what courses would she take if she could be a student again?

So Will asked her just that, and this is what she had to say. As always, if you'd like to peruse the many courses that are available at Carolina, you can check out the Undergraduate Bulletin.

Carolina Celebrates

Let’s face it, December is a busy month. In addition to Chanukah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa, there are final exams, application deadlines, and decision letters looming on the horizon. It’s enough to stress out even the coolest of characters, which is probably why some smarty pants decided to declare December National Stress Free Month. Seriously. It’s a thing. Go ahead and Google it if you don’t believe us. We’ll wait…

See. You learn something new every day. So now that you know it exists, you can probably understand why at Carolina, we believe this is cause for celebration. Stress is an unavoidable part of life. The key is finding healthy options for managing and relieving it. Luckily, Carolina has that covered. From two multipurpose gyms to test-prep services to a beautiful arboretum, there are plenty of ways to get through even the most stressful of times without even breaking a sweat.

Check out MyCarolina to learrn how Tar Heels minimize stress, and please remember to keep calm. It will all work out in the end.

Stress can be a real "Bear"

This time of year seems to lend itself to feeling stressed. From homework to application deadlines to the utter agony of waiting to hear back from the schools you've applied to, you have a lot on your plate - and we haven't even gotten to the Mayan apocalypse yet.

Here at Carolina, we're feeling the pressure, too. Today is a "reading day" for students: classes ended yesterday and final exams start tomorrow, so all across campus, Tar Heels are burrowed into their books. Davis Library is even tweeting status reports for those searching for a study spot:

For the admissions committee this time of year, almost every day has to be a reading day. Because we don't make decisions based off any one factor like your GPA or your test scores, it takes time to build our class. We know this can be frustrating and can leave you wondering why this all takes so long. We know that with the approach of our Regular Decision deadline on January 7 and the release of Early Action decisions at the end of January, your stress levels are going to creep up over the next few weeks. But in the spirit of keeping calm, here are a few tips from Bear, one of several therapy dogs on campus today and next week:

Feeling tired? Be sure to get enough sleep.

Don't forget to eat healthily, either.

Ask for a helping hand.

Remember, stress is a normal part of life...

...but we're all in this together.

(I don't actually have a caption for this one; I just really like puppy cheeks.)

Join our New Facebook Group: UNC Academics 4-1-1

Curious about an academic department at Carolina? Want to connect with current students who are studying in your field of interest? A group of current students working as interns in the Admissions Office have created a new Facebook group to help you out. UNC Academics 4-1-1 will allow you to ask questions, learn more about academic life at Carolina, and connect with current students who are ready and willing to share their knowledge and experiences with you.

Join the discussion on Facebook!