Enrollment Deadline for First Years is Today!

Happy May Day! May 1 is our enrollment deadline for admitted first-year students so if you haven't yet responded to our offer of admission, today is the day! You can enroll online through MyCarolina. And once you've enrolled, check out our admitted student website for lots of information about what to do next.

Do you still have questions about Carolina? Let us know! You can ask a question in the comments below or call our office at 919-966-3621. We'll be glad to help.

Transfer Deadline Reminder and FAQs

Good morning! The final application deadline for transfer students is right around the corner! Below are some of the questions we've been getting lately; just let us know if there's anything else we can answer.

Which application should I submit?
All transfer applicants, except those wishing to transfer directly into the School of Nursing as juniors, may apply through the Common Application. We also accept transfer applications submitted through the College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC), but please note that certain majors must apply through the Common Application. Click here to find out which application you should use.

What must be submitted by the deadline?

Only your portion of the application, your payment method, and your UNC Supplement (if you’re applying via the Common Application) must be submitted by the deadline. Please note that you don't need to submit the UNC supplement if you're applying through CFNC. Other materials, such as your official transcript and test scores (if applicable), may arrive shortly after the deadline if necessary. 

How do I determine my standing?

To be eligible for transfer admission, you'll need to have graduated high school at least 12 months prior to the semester you wish to enroll. If you have fewer than 15 transferable hours, you'll be classified as a transfer student with first-year advanced standing. Appropriate consideration will be given to your college-level work.

• First-year transfer: Fewer than 15 transferable hours
• Sophomore: 15–50.9 transferable hours
• Junior: 51 or more transferable hours

No more than 75 hours from a four-year school and 64 hours from a two-year school can be transferred to the University and applied toward the hours necessary for graduation.


Do you require essays?
We ask transfer students to submit one essay. Here is the prompt: Please provide a statement of 250 – 500 words that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve.

You'll also have the option to submit an additional statement if you feel there is any other information you'd like to provide that hasn't already been covered in other parts of the application.

Do I need to send a letter of recommendation?
We don't require letters of recommendation for transfer applicants. However, if you'd like to submit one, you can have your teacher/professor email it to us at uncsubmit@admissions.unc.edu.

**If you're applying to one of the professional schools, you'll want to check their application instructions for any additional requirements.**

Check out our website for more information on applying as a transfer student .

7 Reasons to Apply to Carolina

Happy New Year! We hope your 2013 is shaping up to be the best yet. As a reminder, if you haven't already applied for first-year admission to Carolina, our final deadline of January 7, 2013 is just days away. You still have time, so why not make a New Year's resolution to apply to Carolina?

Need another reason? We'll give you seven. Carolina students not only dream big, they possess the initiative to make those dreams a reality. In the early days of this new year, we thought you might enjoy learning about how seven of our current students are taking advantage of the endless opportunities Carolina offers.

1. Alfredo interned at Goldman Sachs in New York.
2. Mallory pays it forward as co-president of Carolina Firsts.
3. Brandon is a tutor for Carolina's Summer Bridge Program.
4. Yu is the founder of Young Scholars International.
5. Madison spent two months in Jordan studying Arabic.
6. Whitney is completing an honors thesis related to mental health in adolescents.
7. Fedor will research biological noise in desensitization.

These are just seven of the countless Carolina students who are making their mark on the world in their own way. Read about more students.

If you applied to Carolina already, we thank you for your application, and we are enjoying getting to know you. Once you do apply, please log into your MyCarolina account to check the status of your application.

We wish you the best as you set your own goals for a happy and prosperous New Year.

Beat the Deadline

Our first deadline falls on November 3. If this year turns out like last year, around 5,000 students will hit the submit button on their applications within 48 hours of the deadline.

If you can help it, don’t let this be you. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with waiting until the deadline, and while we’ll gladly receive your application whether it comes to us on October 2 or November 2, it’s generally smart to avoid the last-minute rush.

Two years ago I waited too long to finish a big project. Thinking I had plenty of time before my Monday deadline, I woke up early on Saturday, grabbed a cup of coffee, turned on our home computer—and got the blue screen of death.

Don’t let this be you. Great students lead busy lives, and there are times when just-in-time delivery is the best that you can do. But waiting until the last minute doesn’t always work—and even when it does, it can cost you both a weekend’s worth of worry and a lapful of hot coffee.

--Stephen Farmer

Why apply first deadline?

Our first application deadline of November 2 is coming up in just three weeks. For more info about the difference between our two deadlines, see this post I wrote a couple months ago. I definitely encourage you to apply by the first deadline if you can. But why, you ask???

Three good reasons to apply by November 2:

1. It’s not that hard to meet the deadline. You’ve got three weeks. And the only thing that you need to have submitted by November 2 is the application itself, your essays, and the application fee. It’s fine if your transcripts, test scores, and recommendations arrive after the deadline. Also, keep in mind that any test scores from tests you take in November will be considered with your application, even if you are applying for the first deadline. So really, it’s just those pesky essays. Buckle down and get them done. You’ll be glad you did.
2. More chance for scholarships. The earlier you get your application in, the more time we’ll have to consider you for merit scholarships. Some scholarships require that you apply by the first deadline. Others don’t require it, but it gives the selection committees more time to do their work. This isn’t a hard and fast rule; plenty of scholarships are awarded to second deadline applicants. Definitely do your research about all the different scholarships available—both through the University and from outside sources. But for the best chance of being considered for the greatest number of scholarships, it's best to apply by November 2.
3. You don’t want to spend your winter holiday filling out applications. I mean, who would? And if you’re applying to a gazillion + one schools, it’s at least one application that you won’t have to worry about while you’re stuffed with holiday turkey.

Questions? Let me know!

Our Two Application Deadlines

As in past years, we have two deadlines for first-year applications. This time of year we get a lot of questions about our two application deadlines: What’s the difference? Which should I do? Will applying early give me a better chance?

One of the most important things to know is that applying early does not commit you to a binding decision. You may apply elsewhere for binding or other early admission programs. We want to give you more options, rather than less.

Why do we offer two deadlines?
We find it makes the whole experience much more pleasant. For you and for us. You can choose whichever deadline is most convenient for you, and best fits your schedule. And we don't have to read all 20,000+ applications at one go. Just thinking about that makes me shudder. I don't think it would be humanly possible. Last year, of the approximately 21,500 applications we received, 11,300 applied first deadline and 10,200 applied second deadline.

Although we have two deadlines, we evaluate each application against our entire pool of applicants. For this reason, there is no inherent advantage in applying first vs second deadline. The only advantage for one over the other lies in which deadline allows you to submit the best application you can.

Why apply first deadline?

• A stress-free spring semester. Enjoy your senior year a little bit more. (Not too much, of course. You will still have to submit all final grades for your senior year. Beware senioritis.)
• Have more time to make a thoughtful decision about which college is the right fit for you. You’ll have more time in the spring to visit schools, talk to students, and consider what you need for a successful college experience.
• Spread the work of applications over a longer span of time. If you are applying to multiple schools, you can get your Carolina application out of the way early, and be less stressed while completing the others.

Why apply second deadline?

• Be able to submit first semester grades. If your junior year grades are not as high as you’d like, it might be a good idea to apply second deadline, so that we will be able to see the first semester grades of your senior year.
• Take the SAT/ACT one more time. For second deadline, you can take the tests in December and the results will still reach us in time.
• Have more time to submit the best application you can. Take extra time with your essays and get thoughtful recommendations for your teacher and counselor.

Make sense? Good. You decide when you want to submit your application, and we’ll be delighted to read it. And if you have any further questions, as always feel free to leave a comment below.