unc chapel hill honors essay

First-Year Application

We’re grateful for your interest in joining our community.

When you apply, we’ll consider everything we learn about you from reading your application. At Carolina, we know you are more than your grades or test scores, and we’ll hope you’ll use your application to help us understand your story.

I’m an International Student

Pick Your Deadline

Early action (non-binding).

Application Deadline – October 15 Decision Available – January 31

Regular Decision

Application Deadline – January 15 Decision Available – March 31

enrollment confirmation deadline

For Early Action and Regular Decision – May 1

Complete your Application

Apply online through the Common Application. Then, be sure to have your supporting materials sent to us, which will help us gain a fuller understanding of you as a student and the contributions that you make in the classroom.

What’s on the Common Application?

• Extracurricular Activities
• Essay and Two Short Answers
• Your College and University Courses
• Global Opportunities
• Honors Carolina and Special Opportunities
• Application Fee or Fee Waiver

What supporting materials are required?

• Letter of Recommendation
• Official Transcript and School Report
• SAT or ACT Scores (optional for 2025 admission)

When you complete your Common Application, provide us with your personal email address to make sure our messages go straight to you.

• Global Opportunities This section of your application is optional. In addition to considering applicants for fall enrollment, we are looking for students who want to go abroad before enrolling at Carolina through either the Global Gap Year Fellowship or Carolina Global Launch.  If you’d like to be considered for either, indicate your interest and submit two additional short answer responses that share your interest in global experiences.
• Honors Carolina and Special Opportunities This section of your application is optional. You can express interest in a range of special opportunities including Honors Carolina, assured enrollment in professional or dual-degree programs.
• Application Fee or Fee Waiver The non-refundable application fee is $85, and if you can’t pay the fee right now, please talk with your school counselor about asking us to waive it. The bottom line: whether you apply with a fee or a waiver, we’ll be grateful to receive your application, and we’ll consider you with care, appreciation, and respect.
• Official Transcript and School Report Ask your school to send us your official transcript by secure electronic delivery as well as an official school report.
• For students applying for the 2024-2025 academic year , students are not required to submit a test score.
• For students applying for the 2025-2026 academic year , students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above (on a 4.0 scale) are not required to submit a test score. Students with a weighted GPA below 2.8 (on a 4.0 scale) are required to submit either an ACT or SAT score.
• For students applying for the 2026-2027 academic year and beyond , students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above (on a 4.0 scale) are not required to submit a test score. Students with a weighted GPA below 2.8 (on a 4.0 scale) are required to submit either an ACT score of 17 or higher or an SAT score of 930 or higher.
• For the full UNC System policy, please visit www.northcarolina.edu/students/admission/ .
• Most successful applicants (domestic and international) to Carolina have very strong grades in their core academic coursework and have well above a B+ average in their courses. If your school does not provide a weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale, but you have above a B+ average in your courses (weighted if applicable), you will not be required to submit an ACT or SAT. If you are an international student in a Cambridge-based or similar educational system, we consider your grades made in A-level or external exams for the purposes of this UNC System GPA-based testing requirement.

Apply for Aid

Submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and CSS Profile. Learn how to submit both on our Financial Aid website.

Keep in Mind

• If you’re a North Carolina resident, you’ll need verify your residency with Residency Determination Services.
• Check your email regularly. If we need materials or more information as we’re reviewing your application, your email is where you’ll hear from us.
• If you need to add information to your application after you’ve submitted it, you’ll be able to send it to us using MyCarolina. If a school official or recommender has additional information, please ask them to email us at [email protected] and include your full name and date of birth.
• If you believe your academic progress has been affected by disability-related issues, we encourage you to share this information with us. Learn more about submitting disability-related documentation.
• We require all applicants (including students offered admission) to disclose any new school-based disciplinary incidents or criminal charges that occur after the application was submitted within ten days of the occurrence. The student’s written explanation as well as any required corroborating documentation (from a school official or legal representative) can be shared in MyCarolina.

Helpful Deadlines

* Financial Aid : Submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile by January 1 if you’d like to be considered for need-based scholarships. For more information about aid and key dates, visit studentaid.unc.edu.

Honors Theses

What this handout is about.

Writing a senior honors thesis, or any major research essay, can seem daunting at first. A thesis requires a reflective, multi-stage writing process. This handout will walk you through those stages. It is targeted at students in the humanities and social sciences, since their theses tend to involve more writing than projects in the hard sciences. Yet all thesis writers may find the organizational strategies helpful.

Introduction

What is an honors thesis.

That depends quite a bit on your field of study. However, all honors theses have at least two things in common:

• They are based on students’ original research.
• They take the form of a written manuscript, which presents the findings of that research. In the humanities, theses average 50-75 pages in length and consist of two or more chapters. In the social sciences, the manuscript may be shorter, depending on whether the project involves more quantitative than qualitative research. In the hard sciences, the manuscript may be shorter still, often taking the form of a sophisticated laboratory report.

Who can write an honors thesis?

In general, students who are at the end of their junior year, have an overall 3.2 GPA, and meet their departmental requirements can write a senior thesis. For information about your eligibility, contact:

• UNC Honors Program
• Your departmental administrators of undergraduate studies/honors

Why write an honors thesis?

Satisfy your intellectual curiosity This is the most compelling reason to write a thesis. Whether it’s the short stories of Flannery O’Connor or the challenges of urban poverty, you’ve studied topics in college that really piqued your interest. Now’s your chance to follow your passions, explore further, and contribute some original ideas and research in your field.

Develop transferable skills Whether you choose to stay in your field of study or not, the process of developing and crafting a feasible research project will hone skills that will serve you well in almost any future job. After all, most jobs require some form of problem solving and oral and written communication. Writing an honors thesis requires that you:

• ask smart questions
• acquire the investigative instincts needed to find answers
• navigate libraries, laboratories, archives, databases, and other research venues
• develop the flexibility to redirect your research if your initial plan flops
• master the art of time management
• hone your argumentation skills
• organize a lengthy piece of writing
• polish your oral communication skills by presenting and defending your project to faculty and peers

Work closely with faculty mentors At large research universities like Carolina, you’ve likely taken classes where you barely got to know your instructor. Writing a thesis offers the opportunity to work one-on-one with a with faculty adviser. Such mentors can enrich your intellectual development and later serve as invaluable references for graduate school and employment.

Open windows into future professions An honors thesis will give you a taste of what it’s like to do research in your field. Even if you’re a sociology major, you may not really know what it’s like to be a sociologist. Writing a sociology thesis would open a window into that world. It also might help you decide whether to pursue that field in graduate school or in your future career.

How do you write an honors thesis?

Get an idea of what’s expected.

It’s a good idea to review some of the honors theses other students have submitted to get a sense of what an honors thesis might look like and what kinds of things might be appropriate topics. Look for examples from the previous year in the Carolina Digital Repository. You may also be able to find past theses collected in your major department or at the North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library. Pay special attention to theses written by students who share your major.

Choose a topic

Ideally, you should start thinking about topics early in your junior year, so you can begin your research and writing quickly during your senior year. (Many departments require that you submit a proposal for an honors thesis project during the spring of your junior year.)

How should you choose a topic?

• Read widely in the fields that interest you. Make a habit of browsing professional journals to survey the “hot” areas of research and to familiarize yourself with your field’s stylistic conventions. (You’ll find the most recent issues of the major professional journals in the periodicals reading room on the first floor of Davis Library).
• Set up appointments to talk with faculty in your field. This is a good idea, since you’ll eventually need to select an advisor and a second reader. Faculty also can help you start narrowing down potential topics.
• Look at honors theses from the past. The North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library holds UNC honors theses. To get a sense of the typical scope of a thesis, take a look at a sampling from your field.

What makes a good topic?

• It’s fascinating. Above all, choose something that grips your imagination. If you don’t, the chances are good that you’ll struggle to finish.
• It’s doable. Even if a topic interests you, it won’t work out unless you have access to the materials you need to research it. Also be sure that your topic is narrow enough. Let’s take an example: Say you’re interested in the efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and early 1980s. That’s a big topic that probably can’t be adequately covered in a single thesis. You need to find a case study within that larger topic. For example, maybe you’re particularly interested in the states that did not ratify the ERA. Of those states, perhaps you’ll select North Carolina, since you’ll have ready access to local research materials. And maybe you want to focus primarily on the ERA’s opponents. Beyond that, maybe you’re particularly interested in female opponents of the ERA. Now you’ve got a much more manageable topic: Women in North Carolina Who Opposed the ERA in the 1970s and 1980s.
• It contains a question. There’s a big difference between having a topic and having a guiding research question. Taking the above topic, perhaps your main question is: Why did some women in North Carolina oppose the ERA? You will, of course, generate other questions: Who were the most outspoken opponents? White women? Middle-class women? How did they oppose the ERA? Public protests? Legislative petitions? etc. etc. Yet it’s good to start with a guiding question that will focus your research.

Goal-setting and time management

The senior year is an exceptionally busy time for college students. In addition to the usual load of courses and jobs, seniors have the daunting task of applying for jobs and/or graduate school. These demands are angst producing and time consuming If that scenario sounds familiar, don’t panic! Do start strategizing about how to make a time for your thesis. You may need to take a lighter course load or eliminate extracurricular activities. Even if the thesis is the only thing on your plate, you still need to make a systematic schedule for yourself. Most departments require that you take a class that guides you through the honors project, so deadlines likely will be set for you. Still, you should set your own goals for meeting those deadlines. Here are a few suggestions for goal setting and time management:

Start early. Keep in mind that many departments will require that you turn in your thesis sometime in early April, so don’t count on having the entire spring semester to finish your work. Ideally, you’ll start the research process the semester or summer before your senior year so that the writing process can begin early in the fall. Some goal-setting will be done for you if you are taking a required class that guides you through the honors project. But any substantive research project requires a clear timetable.

Set clear goals in making a timetable. Find out the final deadline for turning in your project to your department. Working backwards from that deadline, figure out how much time you can allow for the various stages of production.

Here is a sample timetable. Use it, however, with two caveats in mind:

• The timetable for your thesis might look very different depending on your departmental requirements.
• You may not wish to proceed through these stages in a linear fashion. You may want to revise chapter one before you write chapter two. Or you might want to write your introduction last, not first. This sample is designed simply to help you start thinking about how to customize your own schedule.

Sample timetable

Avoid falling into the trap of procrastination. Once you’ve set goals for yourself, stick to them! For some tips on how to do this, see our handout on procrastination .

Consistent production

It’s a good idea to try to squeeze in a bit of thesis work every day—even if it’s just fifteen minutes of journaling or brainstorming about your topic. Or maybe you’ll spend that fifteen minutes taking notes on a book. The important thing is to accomplish a bit of active production (i.e., putting words on paper) for your thesis every day. That way, you develop good writing habits that will help you keep your project moving forward.

Make yourself accountable to someone other than yourself

Since most of you will be taking a required thesis seminar, you will have deadlines. Yet you might want to form a writing group or enlist a peer reader, some person or people who can help you stick to your goals. Moreover, if your advisor encourages you to work mostly independently, don’t be afraid to ask them to set up periodic meetings at which you’ll turn in installments of your project.

Brainstorming and freewriting

One of the biggest challenges of a lengthy writing project is keeping the creative juices flowing. Here’s where freewriting can help. Try keeping a small notebook handy where you jot down stray ideas that pop into your head. Or schedule time to freewrite. You may find that such exercises “free” you up to articulate your argument and generate new ideas. Here are some questions to stimulate freewriting.

Questions for basic brainstorming at the beginning of your project:

• What do I already know about this topic?
• Why do I care about this topic?
• Why is this topic important to people other than myself
• What more do I want to learn about this topic?
• What is the main question that I am trying to answer?
• Where can I look for additional information?
• Who is my audience and how can I reach them?
• How will my work inform my larger field of study?
• What’s the main goal of my research project?

Questions for reflection throughout your project:

• What’s my main argument? How has it changed since I began the project?
• What’s the most important evidence that I have in support of my “big point”?
• What questions do my sources not answer?
• How does my case study inform or challenge my field writ large?
• Does my project reinforce or contradict noted scholars in my field? How?
• What is the most surprising finding of my research?
• What is the most frustrating part of this project?
• What is the most rewarding part of this project?
• What will be my work’s most important contribution?

Research and note-taking

In conducting research, you will need to find both primary sources (“firsthand” sources that come directly from the period/events/people you are studying) and secondary sources (“secondhand” sources that are filtered through the interpretations of experts in your field.) The nature of your research will vary tremendously, depending on what field you’re in. For some general suggestions on finding sources, consult the UNC Libraries tutorials . Whatever the exact nature of the research you’re conducting, you’ll be taking lots of notes and should reflect critically on how you do that. Too often it’s assumed that the research phase of a project involves very little substantive writing (i.e., writing that involves thinking). We sit down with our research materials and plunder them for basic facts and useful quotations. That mechanical type of information-recording is important. But a more thoughtful type of writing and analytical thinking is also essential at this stage. Some general guidelines for note-taking:

First of all, develop a research system. There are lots of ways to take and organize your notes. Whether you choose to use note cards, computer databases, or notebooks, follow two cardinal rules:

• Make careful distinctions between direct quotations and your paraphrasing! This is critical if you want to be sure to avoid accidentally plagiarizing someone else’s work. For more on this, see our handout on plagiarism .
• Record full citations for each source. Don’t get lazy here! It will be far more difficult to find the proper citation later than to write it down now.

Keeping those rules in mind, here’s a template for the types of information that your note cards/legal pad sheets/computer files should include for each of your sources:

Abbreviated subject heading: Include two or three words to remind you of what this sources is about (this shorthand categorization is essential for the later sorting of your sources).

Complete bibliographic citation:

• author, title, publisher, copyright date, and page numbers for published works
• box and folder numbers and document descriptions for archival sources
• complete web page title, author, address, and date accessed for online sources

Notes on facts, quotations, and arguments: Depending on the type of source you’re using, the content of your notes will vary. If, for example, you’re using US Census data, then you’ll mainly be writing down statistics and numbers. If you’re looking at someone else’s diary, you might jot down a number of quotations that illustrate the subject’s feelings and perspectives. If you’re looking at a secondary source, you’ll want to make note not just of factual information provided by the author but also of their key arguments.

Your interpretation of the source: This is the most important part of note-taking. Don’t just record facts. Go ahead and take a stab at interpreting them. As historians Jacques Barzun and Henry F. Graff insist, “A note is a thought.” So what do these thoughts entail? Ask yourself questions about the context and significance of each source.

Interpreting the context of a source:

• Who wrote/created the source?
• When, and under what circumstances, was it written/created?
• Why was it written/created? What was the agenda behind the source?
• How was it written/created?
• If using a secondary source: How does it speak to other scholarship in the field?

Interpreting the significance of a source:

• How does this source answer (or complicate) my guiding research questions?
• Does it pose new questions for my project? What are they?
• Does it challenge my fundamental argument? If so, how?
• Given the source’s context, how reliable is it?

You don’t need to answer all of these questions for each source, but you should set a goal of engaging in at least one or two sentences of thoughtful, interpretative writing for each source. If you do so, you’ll make much easier the next task that awaits you: drafting.

The dread of drafting

Why do we often dread drafting? We dread drafting because it requires synthesis, one of the more difficult forms of thinking and interpretation. If you’ve been free-writing and taking thoughtful notes during the research phase of your project, then the drafting should be far less painful. Here are some tips on how to get started:

Sort your “evidence” or research into analytical categories:

• Some people file note cards into categories.
• The technologically-oriented among us take notes using computer database programs that have built-in sorting mechanisms.
• Others cut and paste evidence into detailed outlines on their computer.
• Still others stack books, notes, and photocopies into topically-arranged piles.There is not a single right way, but this step—in some form or fashion—is essential!

If you’ve been forcing yourself to put subject headings on your notes as you go along, you’ll have generated a number of important analytical categories. Now, you need to refine those categories and sort your evidence. Everyone has a different “sorting style.”

Formulate working arguments for your entire thesis and individual chapters. Once you’ve sorted your evidence, you need to spend some time thinking about your project’s “big picture.” You need to be able to answer two questions in specific terms:

• What is the overall argument of my thesis?
• What are the sub-arguments of each chapter and how do they relate to my main argument?

Keep in mind that “working arguments” may change after you start writing. But a senior thesis is big and potentially unwieldy. If you leave this business of argument to chance, you may end up with a tangle of ideas. See our handout on arguments and handout on thesis statements for some general advice on formulating arguments.

Divide your thesis into manageable chunks. The surest road to frustration at this stage is getting obsessed with the big picture. What? Didn’t we just say that you needed to focus on the big picture? Yes, by all means, yes. You do need to focus on the big picture in order to get a conceptual handle on your project, but you also need to break your thesis down into manageable chunks of writing. For example, take a small stack of note cards and flesh them out on paper. Or write through one point on a chapter outline. Those small bits of prose will add up quickly.

Just start! Even if it’s not at the beginning. Are you having trouble writing those first few pages of your chapter? Sometimes the introduction is the toughest place to start. You should have a rough idea of your overall argument before you begin writing one of the main chapters, but you might find it easier to start writing in the middle of a chapter of somewhere other than word one. Grab hold where you evidence is strongest and your ideas are clearest.

Keep up the momentum! Assuming the first draft won’t be your last draft, try to get your thoughts on paper without spending too much time fussing over minor stylistic concerns. At the drafting stage, it’s all about getting those ideas on paper. Once that task is done, you can turn your attention to revising.

Peter Elbow, in Writing With Power, suggests that writing is difficult because it requires two conflicting tasks: creating and criticizing. While these two tasks are intimately intertwined, the drafting stage focuses on creating, while revising requires criticizing. If you leave your revising to the last minute, then you’ve left out a crucial stage of the writing process. See our handout for some general tips on revising . The challenges of revising an honors thesis may include:

Juggling feedback from multiple readers

A senior thesis may mark the first time that you have had to juggle feedback from a wide range of readers:

• your adviser
• a second (and sometimes third) faculty reader
• the professor and students in your honors thesis seminar

You may feel overwhelmed by the prospect of incorporating all this advice. Keep in mind that some advice is better than others. You will probably want to take most seriously the advice of your adviser since they carry the most weight in giving your project a stamp of approval. But sometimes your adviser may give you more advice than you can digest. If so, don’t be afraid to approach them—in a polite and cooperative spirit, of course—and ask for some help in prioritizing that advice. See our handout for some tips on getting and receiving feedback .

Refining your argument

It’s especially easy in writing a lengthy work to lose sight of your main ideas. So spend some time after you’ve drafted to go back and clarify your overall argument and the individual chapter arguments and make sure they match the evidence you present.

Organizing and reorganizing

Again, in writing a 50-75 page thesis, things can get jumbled. You may find it particularly helpful to make a “reverse outline” of each of your chapters. That will help you to see the big sections in your work and move things around so there’s a logical flow of ideas. See our handout on  organization  for more organizational suggestions and tips on making a reverse outline

Plugging in holes in your evidence

It’s unlikely that you anticipated everything you needed to look up before you drafted your thesis. Save some time at the revising stage to plug in the holes in your research. Make sure that you have both primary and secondary evidence to support and contextualize your main ideas.

Saving time for the small stuff

Even though your argument, evidence, and organization are most important, leave plenty of time to polish your prose. At this point, you’ve spent a very long time on your thesis. Don’t let minor blemishes (misspellings and incorrect grammar) distract your readers!

Formatting and final touches

You’re almost done! You’ve researched, drafted, and revised your thesis; now you need to take care of those pesky little formatting matters. An honors thesis should replicate—on a smaller scale—the appearance of a dissertation or master’s thesis. So, you need to include the “trappings” of a formal piece of academic work. For specific questions on formatting matters, check with your department to see if it has a style guide that you should use. For general formatting guidelines, consult the Graduate School’s Guide to Dissertations and Theses . Keeping in mind the caveat that you should always check with your department first about its stylistic guidelines, here’s a brief overview of the final “finishing touches” that you’ll need to put on your honors thesis:

• Honors Thesis
• Name of Department
• University of North Carolina
• These parts of the thesis will vary in format depending on whether your discipline uses MLA, APA, CBE, or Chicago (also known in its shortened version as Turabian) style. Whichever style you’re using, stick to the rules and be consistent. It might be helpful to buy an appropriate style guide. Or consult the UNC LibrariesYear Citations/footnotes and works cited/reference pages  citation tutorial
• In addition, in the bottom left corner, you need to leave space for your adviser and faculty readers to sign their names. For example:

Approved by: _____________________

Adviser: Prof. Jane Doe

• This is not a required component of an honors thesis. However, if you want to thank particular librarians, archivists, interviewees, and advisers, here’s the place to do it. You should include an acknowledgments page if you received a grant from the university or an outside agency that supported your research. It’s a good idea to acknowledge folks who helped you with a major project, but do not feel the need to go overboard with copious and flowery expressions of gratitude. You can—and should—always write additional thank-you notes to people who gave you assistance.
• Formatted much like the table of contents.
• You’ll need to save this until the end, because it needs to reflect your final pagination. Once you’ve made all changes to the body of the thesis, then type up your table of contents with the titles of each section aligned on the left and the page numbers on which those sections begin flush right.
• Each page of your thesis needs a number, although not all page numbers are displayed. All pages that precede the first page of the main text (i.e., your introduction or chapter one) are numbered with small roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, v, etc.). All pages thereafter use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.).
• Your text should be double spaced (except, in some cases, long excerpts of quoted material), in a 12 point font and a standard font style (e.g., Times New Roman). An honors thesis isn’t the place to experiment with funky fonts—they won’t enhance your work, they’ll only distract your readers.
• In general, leave a one-inch inch margin on all sides. However, for the copy of your thesis that will be bound by the library, you need to leave a 1.25-inch margin on the left.

How do I defend my honors thesis?

Graciously, enthusiastically, and confidently. The term defense is scary and misleading—it conjures up images of a military exercise or an athletic maneuver. An academic defense ideally shouldn’t be a combative scene but a congenial conversation about the work’s merits and weaknesses. That said, the defense probably won’t be like the average conversation that you have with your friends. You’ll be the center of attention. And you may get some challenging questions. Thus, it’s a good idea to spend some time preparing yourself. First of all, you’ll want to prepare 5-10 minutes of opening comments. Here’s a good time to preempt some criticisms by frankly acknowledging what you think your work’s greatest strengths and weaknesses are. Then you may be asked some typical questions:

• What is the main argument of your thesis?
• How does it fit in with the work of Ms. Famous Scholar?
• Have you read the work of Mr. Important Author?

NOTE: Don’t get too flustered if you haven’t! Most scholars have their favorite authors and books and may bring one or more of them up, even if the person or book is only tangentially related to the topic at hand. Should you get this question, answer honestly and simply jot down the title or the author’s name for future reference. No one expects you to have read everything that’s out there.

• Why did you choose this particular case study to explore your topic?
• If you were to expand this project in graduate school, how would you do so?

Should you get some biting criticism of your work, try not to get defensive. Yes, this is a defense, but you’ll probably only fan the flames if you lose your cool. Keep in mind that all academic work has flaws or weaknesses, and you can be sure that your professors have received criticisms of their own work. It’s part of the academic enterprise. Accept criticism graciously and learn from it. If you receive criticism that is unfair, stand up for yourself confidently, but in a good spirit. Above all, try to have fun! A defense is a rare opportunity to have eminent scholars in your field focus on YOU and your ideas and work. And the defense marks the end of a long and arduous journey. You have every right to be proud of your accomplishments!

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Atchity, Kenneth. 1986. A Writer’s Time: A Guide to the Creative Process from Vision Through Revision . New York: W.W. Norton.

Barzun, Jacques, and Henry F. Graff. 2012. The Modern Researcher , 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Elbow, Peter. 1998. Writing With Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process . New York: Oxford University Press.

Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. 2014. “They Say/I Say”: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing , 3rd ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.

Lamott, Anne. 1994. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life . New York: Pantheon.

Lasch, Christopher. 2002. Plain Style: A Guide to Written English. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Turabian, Kate. 2018. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, Dissertations , 9th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

About the senior honors thesis.

An honors program is available to IS majors who have demonstrated their ability to perform distinguished work. The Honors Thesis allows exceptional students in the undergraduate major to demonstrate the ability to treat a problem in a substantial and scholarly way.  Students write an honors thesis on a topic related to information science and defend it before a faculty committee.  They may graduate with honors or highest honors; this designation is printed on the final transcript and diploma.

Registering for an Honors Thesis at SILS

Registering for Honors at SILS requires an application . The application should be submitted to the Undergraduate Student Services Manager prior to  April 1 during the year in which the student plans to register for INLS 691H.

To conduct an Honors Thesis in Information Science, students must complete INLS 691H (offered in the Fall) and INLS 692H (offered in the Spring).  To be considered for admission into this course of study, students must meet the following course requirements and submit an application.

Course Requirements

The requirements for conducting an Honors Thesis in Information Science include having taken at least four INLS courses, including two numbered higher than 299, and having a total INLS GPA of at least 3.5.  The student should have an overall GPA of at least 3.3.

Application & Schedule

Prior to april 1st (effective for the fall semester).

•  Provide a list of all courses taken by the student, along with the grades earned in those courses.  A print out from Carolina Connect is sufficient documentation.  Students are not required to request an official transcript from the registrar.
• Create a one-page proposal including a one paragraph description of the research topic, several questions related to the topic (i.e., what you want to discover or learn), and a short list of approximately five sources related to the topic. Also, add the name of the SILS faculty member you would like to serve as you advisor on this document.
• Gather the name of a SILS faculty member the applicant would like to serve as his/her advisor.  (It is required for the student to talk this over with the faculty member first and ensure they are in agreement to advise your Honors Thesis)
• The application will be submitted using the following form: SILS BSIS Honors Application 
• The advisor and the DUS, in consultation, will decide whether the student will be permitted to register for INLS 691H, and also whether the proposed advisor will serve as the Thesis Advisor.
• Once approved, you will be enrolled in INLS 691H for the Fall semester.

Prior to your registration period for the Spring semester

• If satisfactory progress is made, you will submit the Courses Requiring Instructor Permission form to be enrolled for the corresponding course
• Once approved, you will be enrolled in INLS 692H for the Spring semester
• Submit your final project to the Honors Carolina office by the required deadline; failure to submit your final Honors thesis will result in you not receiving Honors recogntion on your official record – Honors Carolina

Course Sequence

The honors program consists of two courses:   INLS 691H – Research Methods in Information Science, and INLS 692H – Honors Thesis in Information Science. INLS 691H will be taken in the fall of the senior year.  In this course, each student selects a research topic of interest, learns about research methods, and writes a research proposal.  Assuming satisfactory completion of INLS 691H , students register for INLS 692H in the spring of their senior year.  You must submit the form Courses Requiring Instructor Permission prior to your registration period to be enrolled for INLS 692H

Each student should select a thesis advisor based on mutual interest in the topic, and the availability of the faculty member to advise the student during the thesis work.  The student and advisor should meet regularly to discuss the student’s research and writing.

• The student’s thesis advisor, chosen when submitting the Honors Thesis application
• A second reader, identified jointly by the student and advisor, and
• The SILS Director of the honors program (Director of Undergraduate Studies)

The thesis must be completed and circulated to the thesis committee by the end of March, and the oral defense of the thesis must take place in the middle of April (exact dates will be based on the registrar’s calendar for the year).  The final approved copies of the thesis must be submitted to the SILS office; the due date will be communicated to those in the honors program, and it is always before the end of the semester.

Students who complete a high-quality thesis will graduate with honors; those whose thesis is exceptional will graduate with highest honors.  The SILS Director of the honors program will assemble all thesis advisors and second readers to evaluate the theses to be considered for honors each year.

BSIS Honors Thesis titles from the past:

• Student and Faculty Perceptions, Attitudes and Use of Wikipedia by Alexander Foley (BSIS ’08)
• Cognitive Strategies for Constructing and Managing Passwords for Multiple Accounts by Julia Kampov-Polevoi (BSIS ’08)
• Illusionary Privacy in the Digital Landscape:  Identity, Intellectual Property and Privacy Concern on Facebook by Elizabeth Lyons (BSIS ’08)
• PDA:  Personal Digital Assistant or Personally Distracting and Addicting? by Robert Shoemake (BSIS ’09)
• Information Overload in Undergraduate Students by John Weis (BSIS ’09)
• Faceted Search Implementation on Mobile Devices by Ashlee Edwards (BSIS ’11)
• Self-Initiated Search Versus Imposed Collaboration by Beth Sams (BSIS ’11)
• Building a Memory Palace in the Cloud: Instructional Technologies and the Method of Loci by Marla Sullivan (BSIS ’12)
• Unfriending and Unfollowing Practices of College Student Users of Facebook by Eliza Hinkes (BSIS ’15)
• Music in the Real World: Live Music Retrieval and the Limitations Thereof by Ryan Burch (BSIS ’15)
• Investigating the Effect of Familiarity with Target Document on Retrieval Success in Group Information Repositories by Kimberly Hii (BSIS ’16)
• Cross-Cultural Usability for Product Customization on the Web by Kristian Perks (BSIS ’16)
• Library Policy as a Potential Barrier to the Access of Public Library eBook and eReader Services by People Experiencing Homelessness by Rachel Spencer (BSIS ’17)
• Scaling Smart Cities: An Analysis of how Small Cities Implement Smart Technologies by Ryan Theurer (BSIS ’18)
• The Impact of Social Norms on Users’ Smartphone Notifications Management Strategies by Cami Goray (BSIS ’18)
• Visualization Technology Use in Secondary Mathematics Classroom Education by Xiaoqian (Sophie) Niu (BSIS ’18)
• Is Mobile Work Really Location-Independent? The Role of Space in the Work of Digital Nomads  by Evyn Nash (BSIS ’19)
• A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Publications that Adopted the Medical Expendture Panel Survey (MEPS) Data  by Jiacheng Liu (BSIS ’19)
• A Usability Study of the Intelligent Assitant for Senior Citizens to Seek Health Information  by Silu Hu (BSIS ’19)
• The Drama of Dark Patterns: History, Transformation, and Why it Still Matters by Michael Doucette (BSIS ’20)
• Human-AI Partnership In Underwriting: A Task-Centered Analysis of the Division of Work by Preston Smith (’20)
• Self-Presentation Strategies in the Platform Profiles of Successful Freelancers by Mara Negrut (BSIS ’21)
• Keep the Checking in Check: Analyzing Feedback and Reflection as a Strategy for Controlling Smartphone Checking Habits  by John Lickteig (BSIS ’21)
• Evaluating Collaborative Filtering Algorithms for Music Recommendations on Chinese Music Data by Yifan He (BSIS ’21)

These titles are available in the North Carolina Collection in Wilson Library.  Check out the UNC Library Catalog for more information.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

2 Strong UNC Chapel Hill Essay Examples

What’s covered:, essay example #1 – topic of interest, essay example #2 – change one thing about where you live.

• Where to Get Your UNC Chapel Hill Essays Edited

UNC Chapel Hill is the flagship institution of the University of North Carolina system and is often regarded as a “ Public Ivy ” because of its academic excellence. Not only that, UNC Chapel Hill has a spirited fan base that loves to support the Tar Heels, especially in basketball. 

In this post, we’ll go over two essays that real students submitted to UNC Chapel Hill, and we’ll discuss the strengths and some potential areas of improvement. (Names and identifying information have been changed, but all other details are preserved)

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized.

Read our UNC Chapel Hill es say breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Prompt: Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college. (250 words)

Armed with pink playdough, I transformed my bedroom into a dimly lit laboratory. Every squish and mold orchestrated the crinkled folds into an organ capable of choreographing life. 

As I grew older, the brain’s complexity surpassed what I had explained to my stuffed-animals. Volunteering alongside OB/GYNs, I witnessed newborns’ painful prelude to existence with their fragile bodies scarred from incomplete neural tubing and spinal cysts. Between infancy and old age, the brain fades into memory loss. The severity of Alzheimer’s draped a cruel fog over events I organized in a senior home as residents kept forgetting where they were. Playdough was no longer enough to mend the brain’s crinkled folds. 

“Apples in a tree, cars in a garage,” a simple saying that bridges the natural world with genetic expression. When apple trees don’t bloom and adenine fails to bind with thymine, both landscapes and DNA become distorted. By examining the mechanisms of DNA damage through a neurobiological lens, I can develop targeted treatments focused on enzymes that untangle molecular threads in neurons. Learning to genetically map expecting mothers for fetal defects opens avenues for proactive interventions before NICU visits. As I experiment with CRISPR alongside Professor Dowen, I’ll be able to modify altered DNA sequences seen in Alzheimer’s. The intersection between genetic variation and neural pathways drives me to translate my knowledge into technology capable of diagnosing psychological illness from nerve activity. 

Using my pink playdough, I hope to construct genetic blueprints that build a brighter future amid neurological disorders. 

What the Essay Did Well

The student who wrote this essay is able to convey two critically important things: their passion for and knowledge of this topic. As a result, we get a complete picture of how captivated this student is with neurobiology, and how they will be an engaged neurobiology student on campus.

Their passion is conveyed right from the start. The introduction is short and sweet—just long enough to get the reader hooked, without wasting precious words on recounting their entire childhood. Thanks to the descriptive details of “ pink playdough ” and complex concepts “ explained to my stuffed animals ,” within the first three sentences we immediately understand the child-like fascination this student has had for neurobiology for most of their life.

Once the early spark of passion is established, they provide details on their extracurricular involvements related to this topic, to show how they furthered their interest. Although the prompt doesn’t specifically ask you to discuss your extracurriculars, in any college essay you want to use examples to illustrate your points.

For this student, their activities–working with an OBGYN and at a senior center–allow them to show how passionate they are about going into medicine. This strategy is far more effective than the student simply telling us “ I am fascinated by this topic .”

To further establish their interest in this field, and why their passion would make them a good addition to the UNC campus, the student displays their knowledge of the topic. Again, they don’t accomplish this by saying “ I’ve read countless books on this topic and have learned a lot about Alzheimers.”

Instead, this essay shows us they know what they are talking about by providing technical details like “ neural tubing and spinal cysts ,” “ adenine fails to bind with thymine ,” and “e nzymes that untangle molecular threads in neurons. ” Seamlessly including technical details, in a way that feels accessible even to people who don’t know much about this topic, conveys a sense of confidence in your knowledge and shows admissions officers you are prepared for college-level coursework.

Finally, although not explicitly asked for in the prompt, this student accomplishes one of the higher level goals of a “ Why Major ” essay and tells the reader what they hope to accomplish with their degree. (Note: this prompt is a little different from a typical “Why Major?” prompt, in that you have the freedom to write about a topic other than your intended major, but many of the same general principles apply.)

A forward-looking ending like this is always a smart move, as showing the admissions committee that you already have longer term dreams for how you’ll use your degree gives them confidence that you’re ready to take full advantage of the resources their school has to offer. Even better, this student alludes to a specific professor they want to work with to help make those dreams a reality, thus bringing UNC into the picture as an integral player for achieving their goals.

What Could Be Improved 

A 250 word limit is fairly restrictive, so we don’t want to nitpick too much, but one area that could have been expanded on in this essay is how the student hopes to engage with the UNC community. 

As mentioned above, they do tie their goals back to UNC by mentioning a professor, but the conclusion would have been even stronger if they went farther than just name dropping one professor. This could have been done in a few ways:

• Including one or two classes that are unique to UNC (so, not neurobiology 101) that they are excited to take, and a specific lesson or piece of information they hope to take away from their coursework.
• Mentioning a club or research lab on campus they hope to join and what they will learn/achieve through it.
• Elaborating on the professor’s research or lab they are involved with–that extra detail shows they’ve done their homework and didn’t just pick a random name.

While the details they include earlier on in the essay to prove their knowledge of neurobiology are certainly effective, they could afford to sacrifice one or two, to buy themselves some extra space at the end. Their point would still come across, and doing one of the things listed above would make an already excellent essay even better, by further building their case for why they need to attend UNC, specifically, to make their aspirations reality.

Prompt: If you could change one thing about where you live, what would it be and why? (200-250 words).

Sitting behind the loaded plates on our dinner table, I predicted my mom’s first question with 100% accuracy: “So, how did you do on the trigonometry test today?” Notorious for failing math classes, my brother paused from chewing his chicken wing. 

I knew he’d be in trouble. 

Indeed, after hearing his grade, my mom scolded: “Look at our neighbor’s kid; then look at you! She never gets anything below a 90!”

There it is again: “the neighbor’s kid,” a Chinese concept that I wish would serve a different purpose. Upon learning about their children’s unsatisfactory academic performance, Chinese parents often bring up a so-called perfect neighbor’s kid for comparison. It saddens me to see individuals raised under the shadow of “the neighbor’s kid” not able to simply enjoy exploring knowledge. They toil through years of schooling for good grades and a prestigious college’s acceptance letter at the cost of their mental well-being. Worse, some measure their self-worth by grades alone: my brother believes he’s not good enough, despite all his admirable traits outside of academics. 

Instead of “the neighbor’s kid who got a good grade” at the dinner table, I suggested my parents discuss “the neighbor’s kid who sells bracelets to raise money for charity”  or “who had a hot discussion with the teacher about whether animals have consciousness.” I look forward to a more vibrant and colorful dinner conversation, where families talk about their roses and thorns of the day, rather than a neighbor’s kid defined by numbers.

This essay does a great job of opening with a strong anecdote and seamlessly transitioning the anecdote into an answer to the prompt. The reader feels the suspense of sitting at the dinner table with the student and their family waiting for the response to their mom’s question, and might even relate to hearing the student’s parents complain about their grade. It’s a simple and quick story, but everyone can find something in it they relate to, which makes the reader want to keep reading.

The essay was also successful at transitioning from a personal anecdote to a broader topic that addresses the prompt. The anecdote is connected to the larger issue the student has with their home environment and provides context for their reasoning that growing up surrounded by this mentality is harmful. The use of the anecdote bolsters the entire essay by perfectly setting up the student’s response to the prompt, rather than being an out-of-place inclusion to add some empathy or imagery, which is a common mistake with anecdotes.

Another positive aspect of this essay is how the student’s passion for the issue shines through. The reader learns a good deal about the student’s family life and familiarity with the “the neighbor’s kid.” The student’s sadness and disapproval at not being able to enjoy learning because the immense amount of stress their parents place on them to get good grades is evident when they say, “ They toil through years of schooling for good grades and a prestigious college’s acceptance letter at the cost of their mental well-being.”

The inclusion of the student’s brother also shows how close this issue is to the student’s heart, because they are watching stereotypes harm someone they love. The details and direct language included provide strong evidence for why the student wants to change this aspect of where they live, which is the most important part of the prompt to address.

What Could Be Improved

For the most part, this is a great essay. The one thing that could be improved is the last paragraph that explains what the student wants to change. As far as the reader knows, the suggestions the student makes to discuss “the neighbor’s kid who sells bracelets” or “the neighbor’s kid who had a hot discussion with the teacher” are random topics the student chose to contrast with the idea of valuing a kid for a numerical grade. Since these appear as random topics, it distracts from other qualities the student and their brother might possess and want to showcase to their parents.

In an essay that is focused on changing the norm of equating worth with a grade, it would reveal more about what the student wants to be recognized for if they mentioned topics of conversation that related back to their interests. For example, if the student liked to ice skate and play the trumpet they could say:

“Instead of the dreaded question about my grades, my parents would ask about how my axel is coming along or what new song I’m considering for the winter concert.”

An ending more like this, that discusses the student’s interests rather than randomly mentioning other students, still achieves the same goal of the student not wanting to solely be measured by a number, but conveys the idea while also providing more insight into the student and what they value.

Where to Get Your UNC Chapel Hill  Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your UNC Chapel Hill essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

The Honors Carolina Difference

Academic excellence + priority registration, doorway to the world, carolina people helping carolina people, diverse & inclusive community.

COME HERE. Go Anywhere.

Priority Registration

Global Honors

Unmatched by any other honors program in the nation, Honors Carolina’s commitment to global study opens up the world to you.

Faculty-led coursework and internships in London, Cape Town, Beijing, Singapore, Florence, Barcelona, Washington, D.C., and more — plus summer fellowships worldwide.

Hands-On Learning

Dedicated Advisors

Honors Carolina Thrive Advisors offer guidance and support to ensure you get the most out of your undergraduate career. They’ll help you understand relevant requirements, policies, procedures, and how to access campus support systems.

Community + Events

From an August kick-off brunch at the Alumni Center to private showings at the Morehead Planetarium, game nights, movie screenings, and catered dinners with faculty and alumni guests, members of Honors Carolina always find time to enjoy each other’s company.

Experiential Learning

Personalized Coaching

Imagine having a personal coach in your corner to help you think through academic and professional goals, plan for post-graduate success, and connect the dots between major and career. That’s exactly what our Honors Carolina Coaches can do for you!

Engaged Alumni Network

Designated Housing

Located in Cobb Residence Hall.

Professional Support Staff

Our team of academic professionals is dedicated to helping you find your niche and thrive. Find us in Graham Memorial, home base for Honors Carolina.

Honors Carolina Laureate

The Honors Carolina Community

Enjoy all the perks of being a Carolina student, plus the added advantage of making connections with a small group of peers who share your passion for learning.

The Company You Keep

• Average High School Class Rank:  Top 5%
• Average SAT Score:  1463

  View this profile on Instagram   Honors Carolina (@ honorscarolina ) • Instagram photos and videos

INVEST IN OUR STUDENTS

UNC Chapel Hill Guide

The Ivy Scholars guide to UNC’s culture, admissions, and other essential information for prospective students and their families.

Location: Chapel Hill, North C arolina

Mascot: Rameses the Ram

Type: Public Research Institution

Population: 30,000 (19,000 undergrads)

Jump to Section:

Statistics  

Natl. Rankings  

Admissions Info

Academics  

Special Programs

Student Life  

Financial Info  

Fun Facts     

About UNC Chapel Hill

Among the nation’s oldest and most prestigious state universities, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the only public institution to grant a degree in the 18th century. With a strong program of academics, a proud athletic tradition, and a commitment to research, UNC is one of the South’s preeminent institutions.

UNC Chapel Hill Statistics

Year Founded: 1789

4-Year Graduation Rate: 81%

Gender Distribution: 58% female, 42% male

Acceptance Rate: 24%

Residency: 85% in state, 10% out of state, 5% international

Location Type: College Town

Schedule System:  Semesters

Student/Faculty Ratio: 13:1

Average Class Size:  20

Demographics: 62% Caucasian, 11% Asian, 11% Other or Unknown, 8% Black, 8% Hispanic

Need assistance with the college admissions process?

National rankings.

US News Rankings:

• #5 Top Public Schools
• #8 Undergraduate Business Program
• #10 Best Value Schools
• #29 National Universities
• #42 Undergraduate Research
• #61 Best Undergraduate Business Programs
• #63 Most Innovative Schools

Independent Rankings:

• #8 Public Colleges per Forbes
• #13 Best College Newspaper per The Princeton Review
• #19 Best Value Colleges per Forbes
• #21 Best Value Colleges per The Princeton Review
• #33 National Universities per The Times of Higher Education
• #45 Top Colleges per Forbes
• #54 World Universities per The Times of Higher Education

UNC Chapel Hill Admissions Information

Application Deadlines:

• Early Action: October 15th
• Regular Decision: January 15th
• Transfer Deadline: February 15th

Notification Dates:

• Early Action: End of January
• Regular Decision: End of March
• Transfer Deadline: End of April

Acceptance Rates:

• Transfer: 34%

Average Applicant Pool: 39,700

Average Number of Applicants Accepted: 9,700

Average Number Enrolled: 4,400

Application Systems: Common App

Average GPA: 3.83 weighted

SAT Scores: 25th% – 1450, 75th% – 1560

ACT Scores:  25th% – 33, 75th% – 35

*Test mandatory. Writing sections are not required.

Demonstrated Interest:

UNC does not consider demonstrated interest.

Recommendation Letter Policies:

One recommendation from a counselor and one from a teacher in an academic subject are required.

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Prompts:

• Common App Personal Statement (650 words)
• Expand on an aspect of your identity  – for example, your religion, culture, race, sexual or gender identity, affinity group, etc. How has this aspect of your identity shaped your life experiences thus far?
• If you could change one thing about where you live, what would it be and why?
• Describe someone who you see as a community builder. What actions has that person taken? How has their work made a difference in your life?

UNC Essay Writing Tips

Special Notes:

• Students applying as Music or Dramatic Arts majors are required to audition.
• State law requires at least 82% of each year’s admitted class be from North Carolina.
• Students choose and apply to their major after their first year, including applications to schools beyond the college. All schools beyond the college may only be applied to by transfer students or current UNC students.
• Around 800 transfer students are admitted each year, and must enter as juniors or seniors.
• Students must use the Common App.
• Transfer students must submit official transcripts from high school and every college attended. They must answer the same short answer prompts as first-year applicants.
• The school does request standardized test scores. They also require one letter of recommendation, although they will allow for an additional one to be included.
• The school does not offer interviews.
• Professional Schools have additional transfer requirements.

UNC Chapel Hill Admission Strategy

Admissions Criteria:

The criteria the school considers very important are: course rigor, test scores, essays, extracurriculars, recommendations, talent, character, and state residency.

The criteria the school considers important are: GPA, class rank, and volunteering.

The criteria which are considered are: legacy status, first-generation status, and race/ethnicity. Chapel Hill considers legacy status more than most other state schools, and around 17% of students are legacies. This does not mean admission is automatic for legacies, but it is a leg up.

Recruited athletes do have an advantage in admission, although this does depend on level of talent and how heavily they are recruited.

What is Chapel Hill Looking For?

The school uses holistic admissions, and every application is read and considered in full before a choice is made on it. They have no automatic cutoffs or thresholds for grades or test scores which will cause automatic acceptance or rejection, although it is much harder to get in with poor academic performance. They discuss this admissions philosophy here on their website.

They are looking for smart, motivated, and curious students, who will both benefit from and add to the community at the school. They want students who will succeed and contribute both in and outside the classroom, and stellar academics alone are not enough to gain admission. That said, 41% of in-state students who apply were accepted last year, while only 13% of out of state students were.

Out of state students are capped at 18% of the student body by law in North Carolina, thus leaving the school very little flexibility in admitting out of state students. It is therefore much easier to gain admission for in-state students, although they are still held to the same academic standards. The school also attempts to ensure students from around the state are admitted, meaning it is easier for students from less inhabited counties than those from more urban areas.

The school has an ongoing commitment to increase the number of low-income students admitted, both via recruitment and new scholarship initiatives. Race and socio-economic status are both considered when admissions decisions are made, although neither is generally the deciding factor. They also have a new commitment to enrolling and supporting veterans or their dependents.

Chapel Hill Strategy:

For in state students, ensuring you are one of the top students in your school is very helpful for your application chances. The school does compete with elite schools around the country for the best students from North Carolina, and their 41% yield rate reflects that. Being a competitive applicant to top colleges generally and a resident of the state makes your chances of admission much higher.

For out of state students, it is much more difficult, but not impossible, to gain admission to the school. Only one letter of recommendation from a teacher is accepted, so if you are requesting letters from multiple teachers, carefully select which one will provide the best view of you as a student and a person. They want to see who you are in a classroom, and what your impact is, in order to understand academic success and potential.

For the essays, authenticity is one of the traits they look for most. The essay should sound like you, and be unique enough to not get lost in the crowd of other essays. The more personal and less generic the essay is, the better it will be received. 

Recruited athletes have the best chance of out of state students, but this is a small demographic generally, and only students who truly excel in a sport should consider this a viable approach.

UNC Chapel Hill Academics

• College of Arts and Sciences
• Gillings School of Global Public Health
• Kenan-Flagler School of Business
• School of Education
• School of Information and Library Science
• Hussman School of Journalism and Media
• School of Nursing
• Eshelman School of Pharmacy
• Students may only enter the College of Arts and Sciences. They may enter other schools after their first year by filling out an additional application. This requires a meeting with an advisor.

Core Requirements:

• Courses taken in four areas outside of the major: Foundations (6 courses), Approaches (8 courses), Connections (8 courses), and Supplemental General Education
• Comprehensive General Education Information

Courses of Study: 

• 71 Majors Offered
• Option to double major
• Popular majors include Communications, Biology, Psychology, Economics, and Health & Physical Education
• Changing a major within a school is relatively simple, changing majors into a different school requires applying to that school, and may be contingent upon being able to meet all graduation requirements in time.
• Minors Offered
• Course Catalog

AP Credit Policies:

• UNC awards credit for scores of 3, 4, or 5 on most AP exams and scores of 4 or above on most IB higher-level exams.
• Comprehensive AP Credit Information

Honors Programs:

• Honors Carolina All incoming students are automatically considered for the honors program with no additional information needed, while current students are able to apply to join the program. The program allows access to honors classes, seminars, and research and mentorship opportunities, plus graduation honors.
• Departmental Honors (contact individual departments for more information).
• Graduation Honors Students may earn distinction or highest distinction based on GPA
• Academic Honors Societies

Research Availability:

• The Office for Undergraduate Research serves to connect students with research opportunities on campus.

Study Abroad: 

• Study Abroad Options

Business Options: 

• The business school offers a single major, but students may choose up to two areas of emphasis within that to explore fields of business that interest them.
• There is also a minor , which is open to students who are not in the business school but wish to pursue business.

Pre-Med Options:

• While there is no dedicated pre-med major, the majors offered by the School of Public Health try to prepare their students for medical or other professional schools. Students may also major in various scientific fields.
• Pre-Health Advising

Pre-Law Options:

• Pre-Law Advising Program
• Philosophy Department Pre-Law

Computer Science Options: 

• The Department of Computer Science offers both a BA and a BS in the field, with BS aimed more towards continuing studies and the BA for students who wish for CS to be a second major or focus.
• They offer a combined BS/MS program which allows students to graduate with both degrees in as little as 5 years.
• CS Student Organizations

Additional Specialty Programs: 

• Baccalaureate Education in Science and Teaching (UNC BEST)
• Inter-institutional Programs
• Joint Biomedical Engineering Program
• Robertson Scholars Program
• APPLES Service Learning
• Dual Degree Programs

Programs for High Schoolers:

• Summer School allows high school students to apply for and take courses at UNC during their Summer term.
• Summer Enrichment Institutes are short programs which allow students to experience what life is like at UNC.
• Summerfuel is a pre-college program which prepares high school students for the transition to college life.

Student Life at UNC Chapel Hill

School Motto: Light and Liberty

Mission and Values:

• Mission: Our mission is to serve as a center for research, scholarship, and creativity and to teach a diverse community of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students to become the next generation of leaders. Through the efforts of our exceptional faculty and staff, and with generous support from North Carolina’s citizens, we invest our knowledge and resources to enhance access to learning and to foster the success and prosperity of each rising generation. We also extend knowledge-based services and other resources of the University to the citizens of North Carolina and their institutions to enhance the quality of life for all people in the State.
• Values: Boldness, Excellence, Responsibility, Service, Relationships, Diversity, Leverage, and Improvement
• Additional Information
• Student Testimonials: ( Niche , Unigo , Grad Reports )

Residential Housing System:

There are 32 residence halls across campus, which are grouped into 15 communities. First years are required to live in first-year-experience halls. Upperclassmen may choose from a variety of halls or living learning communities, which focus on various academic or social aspects. There is some apartment style housing available to upperclassmen as well.

Housing Statistics:

• 94% of freshmen live on campus
• 46% of undergraduates live on campus at any given time.

Campus & Surrounding Area :  

• Dominated by two large quads, the campus is divided into three: North, Central, and South campuses. The campus has a lot of green and open spaces.
• Located in the college town of Chapel Hill, points of interest include the Morehead Planetarium , a lively downtown , and a number of fine restaurants . 
• Safety information: ( UNC , College Factual )
• Virtual Visit

Transportation:

• Commuting students are able to forgo a parking pass to receive a free bus pass . The school also offers other commute alternatives .
• Shuttle system for transit around campus.
• Parking Information

Traditions:

• Rushing Franklin – Students rush onto Franklin street in a joyous mob to celebrate sporting victories, often starting bonfires as well.
• Dance Marathon – A 24 hour no-sitting no-sleeping marathon held every Spring in order to raise money for a children’s hospital.
• Old Well Magic – Legend states that drinking from the old well before your first class of the year will bring good luck, and even a 4.0.
• Arts Everywhere Day – One day in Spring campus is filled with art installations, performances by more than 60 student groups, and interactive art activities.

Student-Run Organizations:  

• Organization Database
• Sample Organizations ( Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies , Clef Hangers , Residence Hall Association )
• D1 Athletics Athletic Coast Conference (Good Men’s Basketball and Women’s Soccer)
• Intramural Sports
• Club Sports
• Main Rival: Duke University

Greek Life:  

• 18% of undergraduates participate in greek life, including social, academic, and service organizations.
• There’s frequent live music in town.
• The town of Chapel Hill has a small but vibrant nightlife scene, and many bars and restaurants . 
• Sporting events are also social events, with tail-gating and afterparties being quite common. 
• Frat and apartment parties are a common weekend occurrence, although Chapel Hill isn’t as prominent a party school as some state schools.

Financial Information

Yearly Cost of Attendance:

• Total: $51,970
• Tuition and Fees: $36,000
• Room & Board: $11,526
• Books: $972
• Personal Expenses: $3,472

Financial Aid:

Around 47% of students receive financial aid, with the average award being $19,000. Students are required to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS profile to be considered for aid. While financial aid applications will not be processed until after a student is admitted, they recommend starting early. All incoming students are automatically considered for need-based grants.

Additional Financial Aid & Student Loan Information

Scholarships: 

There are additional merit based scholarships available, some of which require additional applications. These include the Morehead-Cain and Robertson scholarships. The school also accepts outside scholarships, and offers work-study opportunities to help students cover personal expenses.

• The first dormitory in the US was built at UNC in 1795.
• UNC was the first publicly chartered university under the US constitution, was the first state-sponsored university, and is one of three universities claiming to be the oldest public university in the US.
• The university was forced to close during reconstruction due to the number of casualties suffered during the Civil War among the student body and the town of Chapel Hill.
• The university’s honor code for academic violations is entirely student run and adjudicated.
• The ram mascot, named Rameses, dates back to 1924, when a student brought a ram to a football game, and the kicker rubbed its head for luck before kicking the winning field goal.
• The school keeps changing their main rival, as the fortunes of their rival schools change. It has been Duke, UVA, and NC State.
• President Jame Polk and 13th Vice President William King both graduated from the school.
• Notable alumni include Michael Jordan and Mia Hamm.

Ivy Scholars is the leading educational consultant in Sugar Land, Texas, providing admissions coaching, test prep, and more to help students enroll at top tier schools.

Get In Touch

Call us now: +1 (281) 215-5148

Houston: 4265 San Felipe St, Suite 1100, Houston, TX 77027

Get Started

Subscribe for updates, © all rights reserved.

12 UNC Chapel Hill Essay Examples (2024)

If you're trying to get into the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2024, you'll need to write college essays that make you stand out from the crowd.

In this article, I've gathered 12 of the best essays that got students admitted into UNC so that you can improve your own essays and ultimately get accepted to UNC.

What is UNC Chapel Hill's Acceptance Rate?

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the top public universities, which means every year it's more difficult to get accepted into UNC.

Last year over 53,775 students applied to UNC. UNC at Chapel Hill had an overall admit acceptance rate of 19.2%.

University of North Carolina Acceptance Scattergram

What are the unc chapel hill writing prompt for 2022-23.

UNC Chapel Hill requires all applicants to write two short essays of 200-250 words each and answer four fill-in-the-blank questions.

The UNC application also notes: " Carolina aspires to build a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that students can only achieve their best when they learn alongside students from different backgrounds. In reading your responses, we hope to learn what being a member of such a community would mean to you. "

Short Answer Questions

There are four UNC short answer questions to choose from for this year, of which each student must choose two prompts to answer.

Each essay must be between 200-250 words in length.

Describe an aspect of your identity and how this has shaped your life experiences or impacted your daily interactions with others?

Describe a peer who is making a difference in your school or community. What actions has that peer taken? How has their work made a difference in your life?

If you could change one thing to better your community, what would it be? Please explain.

Former UNC-Chapel Hill employee, community service member, and civil rights activist Esphur Foster once said “We are nothing without our history.” How does history shape who you are?

Fill in the Blank Questions

Instructions: Please complete these short fill-in-the-blanks in 25 words or less .

One family, friend, or school tradition I cherish…

If I had an extra hour in every day, I would spend it...

If I could travel anywhere, near or far, past, present or future, I would go…*

The last time I stepped outside my comfort zone, I...

People who meet me are most likely to notice...and least likely to notice...

12 UNC Chapel Hill EssaysThatWorked

Here are 12 of the best essays from admitted students from UNC.

Check out these answers to the UNC short answer questions, as well as several successful Common App personal statement essays , and get inspired.

UNC Chapel Hill Essay Example #1

Unc chapel hill essay example #2, unc chapel hill essay example #3, unc chapel hill essay example #4, unc chapel hill essay example #5, unc chapel hill essay example #6, unc chapel hill essay example #7, unc chapel hill essay example #8, unc chapel hill essay example #9, unc chapel hill essay example #10, unc chapel hill essay example #11, unc chapel hill essay example #12.

Prompt: Describe a peer you see as a community builder. What actions has that peer taken? How has their work made a difference in your life? (200-250 words)

I only had one class with Tom, but his soapbox made an appearance almost every day. In every class conversation, he would always have a strong opinion that he would vocalize with no fear of judgment. It astonished me. Though I poured much time into developing my own opinions, I had nowhere near the confidence he had to throw them around freely. I doubted if they could hold up to questioning, and if not, how I would be perceived.

As the year progressed, I was validated in that not all of his opinion stood up to scrutiny. However, I also realized that the only way to amend my own ideas was to put them on the line. The only way to withstand discord was to engage in it. And when coupled with my growing dedication to understanding others’ beliefs, I not only reflected on my own, but shared them, so others could internalize mine. Since then, I consistently draw on his intellectual confidence and the tempered thoughtfulness I have always possessed, to strike a balance between dialogue and introspection. Not until he came along had I realized the absolute importance of sharing imperfect ideas. As I have grown to recognize, my engagement in intellectual discourse not only works to refine my views but also works to constructively challenge those of others, fostering a mutually beneficial discussion, which though occasionally contentious, is always underpinned by tact and respect.

In elementary school, multiplication tables were the ultimate conquest. Each day, students would take their seats, filled with either anticipation or dread of the timed multiplication practice they would inevitably receive. To me, these worksheets were a challenge- an opportunity for me to prove to myself and others that I had mastered the art of third-grade math. However, I did not realize that a fellow classmate would motivate me to achieve ambitions beyond multiplication. Every day, this classmate expertly completed his multiplication with time to spare. As the year progressed, the teachers noticed his mathematical skill and allowed him to attempt the next step—division.

I jealously watched as he attempted division while I continued working through the same monotonous problems, and eventually realized that if he could master multiplication, I could too. I began to practice my multiplication tables at home, and, at school, every timed quiz brought me closer to excellence. Finally, after what seemed like years of hard work, my teacher allowed me to progress to the division worksheets with my classmate. Without realizing it, this classmate pushed me to work my hardest and take my learning outside of the classroom. He motivated me to learn and inspired me to be the best version of myself. Because of this classmate, I work harder in school, always push myself, and, above all, believe that anything is achievable if I try my hardest.

Julia (I’ve changed her name) had always sat behind me in calculus. We traded snippets of our lives in the five minutes between math problems. One Friday night, I answered an unexpected FaceTime from Julia. She told me about her family, how her dad had committed suicide after her mom threatened to leave him. She described how her brother had physically abused her, leaving her bloody on the bathroom floor. She recounted calling the police after her boyfriend threatened to jump off a window ledge. I was left speechless.

The next morning, I remembered the classic Freudian glacier diagrams with only 10% of a person residing above water. Julia was an avid artist, a budding mathematician, yet she was living with pain most adults would find unbearable. Looking at the jeans she had painted herself in Starry Night’s likeness, basking in the warm glow of her wit, there was simply no way of knowing what obstacles she had to overcome. I had always taken having a supportive family for granted, rarely ever considering that for many, home was a punishment and not a sanctuary. While the mild success I had enjoyed in school existed primarily because of my ever-encouraging parents, hers existed in spite of them, making everything she had accomplished all the more remarkable. My respect for Julia is immeasurable. She taught me not only resilience by example, but never to assume, to never disregard what most likely lies just beneath the surface.

Learn the Secrets of Successful Top-20 Applications

Join 4,000+ students and parents that already receive our 5-minute free newsletter , packed with T-20 essay examples, writing tips & tricks, and step-by-step guides.

I opened my email on the first day of junior year to these words: “Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Chess Club has returned once more to bless our Halls”. The sender was Donald Hasler, one of the most remarkable people I have ever met. Don and another student decided to revive the dormant Chess Club. Don, however, wanted it to be about much more than chess; he hoped to create a place where all types of students could unite. He succeeded in this goal through a weekly series of hilarious emails and constant outreach to the student body, from the most reserved students to the most rambunctious. A few months into school, Chess Club was not only the most popular club but also one of the most welcoming communities. Regardless of their knowledge of chess, students of different ages and interests come together once a week to play.

Don has become, for me, a model of the take-charge attitude essential to success in today’s world. He has taught me to emulate his leadership with nothing more than determination, a sense of humor, and an open mind, in order to develop a collaborative and cohesive group of students. Over the past year, I have helped bring a host of high school underclassmen into Math Team, helping them find a unique extracurricular interest and a group of fun, caring peers and role-models. Math Team has now joined Chess Club as the only clubs in the school with 100 members.

I am a Democrat, and Jack is as Republican as they come. True friendships are not possible between people with vastly different ideologies. At least that’s what I had originally thought. We have played basketball, done homework, gone out to lunch, laughed at memes, mourned bad grades, gossipped about teachers, and done everything that most friends do.

We have also had some of the most interesting political discussions; passionate, but without rancor or judgment. In the process I have learned many things. All it takes is a mutual willingness to listen intently and not constantly think of a repartee. Productive dialogue is more important than the instant gratification of defeating someone’s argument. The mutual respect Jack and I have for each other’s disparate political opinions is something most people wouldn’t imagine possible.

My political beliefs have only become stronger through our friendship, but so too has my understanding of divergent perspectives. I think that milk should go in before cereal, and that Lebron James is clearly better than Kobe Bryant; but it’s not a big deal if someone disagrees with me. So why is politics an exception? If friendships can only be formed between like-minded people, then democracy is in peril. Let us build that bridge. Jack and I did. It makes a difference.

I have been blessed with so many fantastic friends. I was going to write about my best friend in this essay. But no friendship has taught me more than the one Jack and I share.

Prompt: Describe an aspect of your identity (for example, your religion, culture, race, sexual or gender identity, affinity group, etc.). How has this aspect of your identity shaped your life experiences thus far? (200-250 words)

Thanksgiving is a special time for many in America. It is a celebration of American traditions. Growing up, with parents from Bangladesh, we never celebrated Thanksgiving – my parents always told me it was an American holiday, and we weren’t Americans. Now, we do celebrate Thanksgiving, albeit different from the traditional American holiday that most celebrate.

The cuisine we eat is unique to us – the turkey has spices such as turmeric, giving it a hint of the perceptible Bengali flavor. The mashed potatoes in our house aren’t topped with gravy – they are topped with curry. There are slight nuances to everything we have at the dinner table that combines the essence and cultures of the traditional American style with our own Bengali culture.

I believe that these meals, and our Thanksgiving, describes me personally. The combination of the American society in which I live and Bengali household I reside have a strong influence in my whole being. This clash of cultures blended together for me is something I would in turn contribute to the UNC community.

I also believe that my background gives me a unique perspective on social justice, which allows me to contribute to conversations that others might struggle to contribute to. Because of our Thanksgiving and how it shapes me, I will carry that with me to college where it will provide a model for myself and my peers at UNC.

Prompt: If you could change one thing to better your community, what would it be? Why is it important and how would you contribute to this change? (200-250 words)

As a global citizen and more literally an American citizen, I hope we find common ground. World affairs, as I understand them, veer wildly between extremes. Though this change can occur over decades, the world as a whole, and our country specifically, experiences radical swings between populism and elitism, far left and far right doctrine.

The natural reaction to an extreme ideology is the rise of its opposite: the process is cyclical. This extreme swing means constant division; one group vehemently fighting to keep their ideas in power and the other willing to sacrifice anything to destroy them. Rarely is their moderation, rarely is their compromise.

This lack of general balance in a countries dogma means little long-term change. Substantive action from one group is later demolished when the other gains power. Nationalism is used to attack the opposition, not to unify the country, and simulated existentialism disenfranchises many. For the good of us all, it’s time for change.

Admittedly this is idealistic, and amending this issue is not in the power of any one world-leader or bureaucrat. But I’m optimistic. In The United States, there is a vocal minority urging compromise, and though their voices are in danger of being drowned out, they have a far more compelling argument than those advocating the extremes. I hope for this change with the understanding that my community is rational and reasonable, and that with mutual respect and moderation, we can make the practical changes that best serve our world.

New England. Apple Cider, Lobster Rolls, Clam Chowder, Fall Foliage. Dead Leaves, N’oreasters, Blizzards.

The unique corner of America where I live raises conflicting feelings in me. New England is a place where beautiful colors envelop you when autumn appears but also where bitter blizzards leave you in despair when winter takes hold. A place with strong values rooted in its deep history but also where change is often rejected in favor of tradition.

As much as I love the possibility of a white Christmas, I despise the sight of muddy slush on the roadside as I drive to school. There is nothing I would love more than to be rid of the biting cold and terrible snowstorms. Of course, we couldn’t do that without discovering some outrageous new technology to shut down Earth’s natural phenomena. But that would create bigger problems, so maybe we should stay away from that idea and just hope for some forgiving weather this year!

Blizzards aside, one of my biggest issues with New England lies in its lack of decent public transportation. Our weather is worse than that of many parts of Europe, but Europe solves this problem with phenomenal public transportation including modern metros, efficient bus systems, and high-speed rail networks. One day, I hope we can emulate that level of interconnectedness and convenience in New England and throughout America. I hope this historically significant region might serve as a catalyst for technological and infrastructural change throughout America, changing history once more.

There aren’t many places where everyone is free from prejudice. One exception is a basketball court. The first time I stepped on a basketball court, I was expecting the usual joke about my race or the judgmental questions about my culture. But they never came. Everyone I met had unique perspectives on everything, from basketball itself to politics, and they were open and willing to share.

I began to open up more about my background – how I couldn’t tie my own shoes until I was 10 and that I’m the only person in my family who loves hip-hop music. I was willing to share my experiences because there were no judgments made about me. Despite living in an ethnically homogenous area, on the court, I met and connected with people who have different backgrounds and interests. Coleman, now one of my best friends, who is in love with Greek architecture, or Gavin, who is the only member of his family who isn’t a Packers fan.

The culture of unity and acceptance that is fostered is not due to the courts themselves, but due to the common goal everyone shares. I hope my community will find ways to build more places that promote what I have experienced on the basketball court – areas where everyone is respected for their perspectives rather than judged by their race, religion, or beliefs.

“Kings have riches widely lain, Lords have land, but then again, We have friends and song no wealth can buy.” - “Here’s to Song” by Allister MacGillivray

Whether it was french horn, singing, or piano, music has been integral to my mental development, and has provided me an enriching outlet to immerse myself in outside the classroom. Sadly, 1.3 million American elementary school students lack access to music classes due to funding cuts. Music should not belong solely to children in privileged, affluent schools; during my college experience, I aim to tackle this issue.

During my UNC visit, I fell into conversation with a current student, Evan Linnett, about Musical Empowerment, an organization that he leads. UNC’s commitment to equipping the next generation with the power of music is inspiring; my vision is to take this a step further. Aspiring applicants attend college-run summer programs for the experience of staying on campus; however, almost all of these programs are academic.

I envision a service-based UNC Music summer program, one that fills up dorms over the summer, provides a service opportunity to high school students from all over the country, and free basic music education to children in the RTP area, who perhaps can’t afford summer camp or music lessons. As a musician, I feel that it is our duty to use the opportunities we have been blessed with to make music accessible to children of marginalized communities across the country.

This isn’t an RTP problem; it’s a national problem. But it starts with one.

Prompt: What is one thing that we don’t know about you that you want for us to know? (200-250 words)

Sharp ambition recedes to a dull afterthought under the vast blue sky. There is nothing to prove, only a trail to be hiked. Human worries have no place here, are as alien as concrete and WiFi. Thoughts of chemistry competitions, English essays, and college loans fade into nonexistence. A stream gurgles nearby, white noise in the greenest of places. Surrounded by unassuming simplicity, I am home.

I started hiking before I could read the trail signs. I’ve been skiing for 12 years. Nature presents an opportunity not just for individual tranquility, but for being with family free from modern distractions. A tradition as ingrained as making cozonac at Christmas, the commitment to spending time outdoors is a rare source of common ground for my family. After eight hours on the trail, we eat at the same cafe, our legs streaked with dried mud. My mom predictably orders the Reuben while my dad orders salad and steals our fries. There is something warmly comforting in our routine; no matter the arguments that inevitably arise after four of us are stuffed in a car together, everything else recedes away once we step outside, slowly disappearing with the fading whoosh of cars on the highway.

I’ve trekked hundreds of miles in the mountains of upstate New York, fished in the cold, salty waters of Talkeetna, marvelled at the sun setting over Arches National Park. No matter the landscape, be it red rocks or blue ocean, I am continually humbled by the natural world and its capacity for fostering human connection.

Prompt: We hope you’ll share with us the activities that you’ve found especially worthwhile. We also hope you won’t feel compelled to tell us everything you’ve ever done or, worse yet, to do things that mean little to you just because you think we expect them.

Low-profile pursuits can be just as meaningful as ones that draw more attention, and fewer activities can be just as good, and sometimes even better, than more activities. For example, although starting a new club can be a great experience and helpful to others, so can caring for siblings, parents, or grandparents, working outside the home to put food on the table, or being a good and caring friend.

For these reasons, although we’re glad to receive complete résumés, we don’t require or encourage them. Instead, if you choose to submit something that goes beyond what you’re providing through your Common Application, keep it brief; focus less on including everything and more on choosing and explaining the things that have meant the most to you; and upload it here. (650 words max)

Everywhere I looked, I saw a sea of white coats and scrubs; there was constant beeping of the heart monitors, and the smell of disinfectant was strong.

There I stood - a diminutive, awkward high school kid - lacking in experience and confidence, ready to begin volunteering at Vidant Medical Center. Perhaps the very same qualities that made me nervous were what put patients at ease. Many patients, especially younger ones who were uncomfortable speaking with medical professionals, seemed much more comfortable in my presence. I have learned this quality is how I have been able to make a difference - by connecting with many of the younger patients who were nervous just like me. I’ll always remember the two eight-year-old brothers who were waiting as their father got an MRI.

In some ways, they were also like me - they loved sports, and had an interest in math and science. As they were waiting, we talked about everything, from who they thought would win the NBA championship title to me giving them tips on how to remember their multiplication tables. This interaction put them at ease and kept them from becoming restless.

Every time I step into the hospital, I strive to connect with people. I find that I am able to make a difference not strictly due to my tasks of escorting and discharging patients but because of connection and rapport that I establish with them.

My initial nervousness about whether or not I would be able to assist sick and injured patients soon gave way to relief and gratification as I learned that I was indeed able to help them, by bringing a smile to those I escort, discharge, or deliver meals . I’ve met people I might never have met otherwise, and we’ve shared our thoughts and talked about our experiences. I have come to look forward to their company, who, despite their conditions, are still able to smile every day and enjoy engaging in conversation with me - and vice versa.

Even when volunteering in areas of the hospital where I’m not in contact with patients as often, such as doing food preparation, I always make sure to visit the patients I escort after my shift, to talk to them and uplift their spirits. Volunteering at a hospital reminds me every day how fortunate I am to be in good health and of the rewards of helping those who aren’t. While my job as a volunteer at the hospital may not result in the discovery of a cure for cancer, I am happy to have had an opportunity to contribute to improving the experiences of the children and young adults coping with their hospital stays.

What Can You Learn From These UNC Chapel Hill Essays?

Getting into UNC Chapel Hill in 2022 is difficult, but you can maximize your chances of acceptance by writing essays that help you stand out.

These 12 UNC essays that worked show exactly how real students got accepted into UNC recently by responding to the UNC short answer questions and Common App personal statement.

What did you think of these UNC Chapel Hill essays?

Ryan Chiang , Founder of EssaysThatWorked.com

Want to read more amazing essays that worked for top schools?

Hey! 👋 I'm Ryan Chiang, the founder of Essays That Worked.

Get our 5-minute free newsletter packed with essay tips and college admissions resources, backed by real-life examples from admitted students at top-20 schools.

Meet the Author

Ryan Chiang

I'm Ryan Chiang and I created EssaysThatWorked.com - a website dedicated to helping students and their families apply to college with confident. We publish the best college admissions essays from successful applicants every year to inspire and teach future students.

You might also like:

26 University of Michigan Supplemental Essay Examples (2024)

7 University of Virginia EssaysThatWorked

3 University of Wisconsin-Madison EssaysThatWorked

3 University of Pittsburgh EssaysThatWorked

What do outstanding essays have in common? Here are our 23 most effective strategies based on lessons from admitted students.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

By signing up you agree to Terms and Privacy Policy

Now available for August 2024 ...

The College Essay Workshop

Join my on-demand step-by-step course for crafting outstanding college admissions essays, plus 1-on-1 help.

Here's everything needed to write essays worthy of Top-20 colleges.

Google Rating

Join our students who have earned acceptances to schools like...

See exactly how students wrote admitted essays for top schools.

Our 231 essay examples show you how ordinary students wrote outstanding essays that helped their applications - all in their own words.

These aren’t just essay examples - but real acceptance stories, from real students who share their most intimate details with you - down to their real essays and exact profiel stats.

How do I find a unique topic? How do I write a great essay? And how do I stand out?

Our 231 essay examples break down these exact questions. Every type of essay prompt, student, and school.

You’ll realize these students are just like you - and that, deep down, you can do it too.

Princeton Admitted Essay

People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is... uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable...

MIT Admitted Essay

Her baking is not confined to an amalgamation of sugar, butter, and flour. It's an outstretched hand, an open invitation, a makeshift bridge thrown across the divides of age and culture. Thanks to Buni, the reason I bake has evolved. What started as stress relief is now a lifeline to my heritage, a language that allows me to communicate with my family in ways my tongue cannot. By rolling dough for saratele and crushing walnuts for cornulete, my baking speaks more fluently to my Romanian heritage than my broken Romanian ever could....

UPenn Admitted Essay

A cow gave birth and I watched. Staring from the window of our stopped car, I experienced two beginnings that day: the small bovine life and my future. Both emerged when I was only 10 years old and cruising along the twisting roads of rural Maryland...

Over 200 more admitted essays like these...

Learn the secrets behind outstanding application essays.

College essays are confusing. And it's not your fault. You're not taught how to write them in school.

How should I structure my essay? Can I use humor? What makes a truly great essay?

There's so much conflicting advice out there.

And with people selling "magic formulas" and "structures" to follow... it's easy to be led astray.

You’ll get access to courses, live events, a dedicated essay coach, and countless resources to help you write your best essays.

You finally have a place where you can ask these questions, get advice, and see exactly how admitted students before you did it.

You’re no longer figuring out everything on your own. You're no longer stuck wondering.

Everything you get

231 essays analyzed

Explore our database of 200+ admitted essays from top-20 colleges. Filter by prompt, school, topic, word count, and more. Get expert insights into why they worked and what you can learn from them.

Exclusive access to essay editing

You'll get access to our essay editing services, which is only offered for members. You can get your essays reviewed personally by me (Ryan). I'll give you detailed feedback on how to improve your essays and make them stand out.

Dedicated essay coach & support

You'll get access to our private community, where you can ask questions and get help from me directly. I'll be there to answer your questions and provide unlimited personalized advice.

44 in-depth video lessons

Learn the secrets behind outstanding essays. We break down the entire process, from brainstorming to writing and editing. You'll learn how to write amazing college essays for any prompt, with step-by-step guides and actionable tips.

26 downloadable guides

Get our best tips and tricks in easy-to-read guides. Learn what makes great essays, how to brainstorm your best topics, and how to write specific parts like a powerful hook and memorable ending.

Tons of bonuses

Get the Ultimate College Application Planner, my 154-Point Essay Checklist, and more. You'll also get a free copy of my eBooks, including 23 College Essay Tips to Stand Out and more.

Don't take our word for it

Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of our students and parents.

" Ryan, I want to express our great appreciation to you for your help on George's application essays. You have provided invaluable resources! P.S. I will certainly recommend you to our friends. "

" Ryan—David got into The University of Michigan!!! Only 4 kids got in out of 200 that applied at his school!!! Thank you so so much for everything "

" Thank you for the incredible help Ryan - both Hannah and I have said repeatedly that we could not have done it without you! "

" Thank you for your help with my essays back in November, including my Yale supplements. Just wanted to let you know I ended up getting into and committing to Yale! "

" I feel so much more reassured to press the submit button now. I wish I knew about your site sooner! "

" ... Invaluable to me during the college admissions process! It gave me a different perspective to look at my essays. "

" Initially I was skeptical about my essay's idea and whether it was properly reflected in my writing. This gave me a clear direction! "

Don't miss out on writing your best college essays.

© 2018- 2024 Essays That Worked . All rights reserved.

Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms and Conditions , Privacy Policy , and Cookie Policy .

We have no affiliation with any university or colleges on this site. All product names, logos, and brands are the property of their respective owners.

• Skip to Content
• Catalog Home
• Institution Home
• Explore Programs (Majors & Minors)
• Programs A-Z
• Degree Requirements
• General Education Curriculum
• Departments
• Professional Schools and Colleges
• Academic Enrichment Programs
• Explore Programs (Graduate)
• Schools and Departments
• Graduate Education
• Courses A-Z
• Course Search
• Policies and Procedures /

The Honor Code

The Honor System forms a bond of trust among students, faculty, and administrators. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill operates under a system of self-governance, as students are responsible for governing themselves. As such, our University has been transformed into a powerful community of inquiry and learning. The Honor Code embodies the ideals of academic honesty, integrity, and responsible citizenship and governs the performance of all academic work a student conducts at the University. Acceptance of an offer of admission to Carolina presupposes a commitment to the principles embodied in our century-old tradition of honor and integrity.  

Faculty and Students' Mutual Responsibilities  

Academic work is a joint enterprise involving faculty and students. Both faculty and students have a fundamental investment in the enterprise and must share responsibility for ensuring its integrity. The Faculty Council has formally adopted specific responsibilities that parallel those of the students concerning the Honor Code.  

Faculty Responsibilities  

• Awareness: To communicate University-wide expectations about academic integrity, to make sure students understand those expectations, and to hold students accountable for behaving in a way that is consistent with those expectations.  
• Communicating Expectations and Administering Examinations: Faculty members, teaching assistants, and other instructional personnel should do the following to help students comply with their responsibilities relating to academic integrity:  
• Use good judgment in setting and communicating clear ground rules for academic work conducted under their supervision.  
• Require students to sign the honor pledge as a condition of submitting academic assignments.  
• Take steps o prevent unauthorized access to examinations during development, duplication, and administration.  
• Avoid reusing prior examinations in whole or in part to the extent possible.
• Take all reasonable steps consistent with physical classroom conditions to reduce the risk of cheating during the administration of examinations.  
• Maintain proper security during the administration of examinations, including, as appropriate, overseeing the distribution and collection of examinations and proctoring the examination session.   

3. Oversight: Faculty members, teaching assistants, and other instructional personnel should do the following in cases of student misconduct that appear to violate the Honor Code:  

• Tell the appropriate student attorney general if the instructor reasonably believes that a student under their supervision has committed academic dishonesty or significantly helped another student to do so in an academic context.  
• At the instructor's discretion, tell the student about the intention to report the suspected academic dishonesty and allow the student to present additional relevant information.  
• The instructor should not punish a student on their own if they suspect the student has broken the Honor Code. The instructor should report the behavior instead.  
• Work with Honor System representatives by helping with investigations, giving testimony or evidence, suggesting suitable sanctions, and helping resolve the matter quickly.  

4. Involvement: Faculty, teaching assistants, and teaching staff should do the following to emphasize the importance of academic integrity and promote a University-wide culture of commitment to the intellectual and personal values related to academic integrity: 

• Explore issues of integrity in connection with instructional activities where relevant and appropriate.
• Encourage their academic units to take matters of academic integrity seriously, become informed regarding related problems and advisable means of preventing problems from arising, and provide requisite training and support to instructional personnel.
• Participate upon request as part of educational initiatives, faculty advisory panels, and University Hearing Boards designed to create, nurture, and enforce high standards of academic integrity within the University community.

Student Responsibilities

To ensure the effective functioning of an honor system worthy of respect in this institution, students are expected to:

• Conduct all academic work within the letter and spirit of the Honor Code, which prohibits giving or receiving unauthorized aid in all academic processes.
• Consult with faculty and other sources to clarify the meaning of plagiarism, to learn the recognized techniques of proper attribution of sources used in the preparation of written work, and to identify allowable resource materials or aids to be used during examination or in completion of any graded work.
• Sign a pledge on all graded academic work certifying that no unauthorized assistance has been received or given in completing the work.
• Comply with faculty regulations designed to reduce the possibility of cheating. This may include removing unauthorized materials or aids from the room and protecting one’s examination paper from the view of others.
• Maintain the confidentiality of examinations by divulging no information concerning an examination, directly or indirectly, to another student yet to write that same examination.
• Treat all members of the University community with respect and fairness.
• Report any instance in which reasonable grounds exist to believe that a student has given or received unauthorized aid in graded work or violated the Honor Code in other respects. Students should make such reports to the Office of the Student Attorney General, the Office of the Dean of Students, or other appropriate officer or official of their college or school.
• Cooperate with the Office of the Student Attorney General and the defense counsel in the investigation and hearing of any incident of alleged violation, including giving testimony when called upon.  

Procedure for Reporting

University community members wishing to report possible violations of the Honor Code should contact the Office of Student Conduct at (919) 962-0805 or complete the online form . The Office of Student Conduct will review the report and refer it to the appropriate Student Attorney General for action.  

• Programs A-​Z
• Aerospace Studies
• African, African American, and Diaspora Studies
• American Studies
• Anthropology
• Applied Physical Sciences
• Archaeology
• Art and Art History
• Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
• Biochemistry and Biophysics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Biostatistics
• Cell Biology and Physiology
• City and Regional Planning
• Civic Life and Leadership
• Communication
• Computer Science
• Dramatic Art
• Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences
• English and Comparative Literature
• Environment, Ecology, and Energy
• Environmental Sciences and Engineering
• European Studies
• Exercise and Sport Science
• Geography and Environment
• Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures
• Global Studies
• Health Policy and Management
• Clinical Laboratory Science Major, B.S.
• Neurodiagnostics and Sleep Science Major, BS
• Radiologic Science Major, B.S.
• Speech and Hearing Sciences Minor
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Latin American Studies
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Microbiology and Immunology
• Military Science
• Naval Science
• Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
• Peace, War, and Defense
• Physics and Astronomy
• Political Science
• Psychology and Neuroscience
• Public Policy
• Religious Studies
• Romance Studies
• Statistics and Operations Research
• Women’s and Gender Studies
• College of Arts and Sciences
• Kenan–Flagler Business School
• Data Science and Society
• Information and Library Science
• UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media
• UNC Adams School of Dentistry
• UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
• Gillings School of Global Public Health
• Summer School
• Digital and Lifelong Learning
• FY-​SEMINAR &​ FY-​LAUNCH
• FY-​TRIPLE
• GLBL-​LANG
• FC-​AESTH
• FC-​CREATE
• FC-​PAST
• FC-​VALUES
• FC-​GLOBAL
• FC-​NATSCI
• FC-​POWER
• FC-​QUANT
• FC-​KNOWING
• FC-​LAB
• Research and Discovery
• High-​Impact Experience
• Communication Beyond Carolina
• Lifetime Fitness
• Campus Life Experience
• Global Guarantee
• Study Abroad
• Undergraduate Research
• Honors Carolina
• Honors Beyond Chapel Hill
• Internships
• Distinguished Scholarships
• Languages across the Curriculum
• Student Life and Leadership
• North Carolina Fellows Program
• Summer Bridge
• Degree Programs
• African, African-​American, and Diaspora Studies
• Applied Professional Studies
• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• Biological and Biomedical Sciences
• Clinical Laboratory Science
• Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling
• Epidemiology
• Genetics and Molecular Biology
• Health Behavior
• Health Informatics
• Human Movement Science
• Journalism and Media
• Maternal and Child Health
• Medicine-​Health Sciences
• Neurobiology
• Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
• Pharmacology
• Physician Assistant Studies
• Public Health Leadership
• School of Law
• Social Work
• Speech and Hearing Sciences
• Toxicology and Environmental Medicine
• Academic Resources
• Certificate Programs
• AEROSPACE STUDIES (AERO)
• AFRICAN, AFRICAN-​AMERICAN, DIASPORA STUDIES (AAAD)
• AMERICAN STUDIES (AMST)
• ANTHROPOLOGY (ANTH)
• APPLIED SCIENCES (APPL)
• ARABIC (ARAB)
• ARCHAEOLOGY (ARCH)
• ARMY (ARMY)
• ART HISTORY (ARTH)
• ASIAN STUDIES (ASIA)
• ASTRONOMY (ASTR)
• BIOCHEMISTRY (BIOC)
• BIOINFORMATICS AND COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY (BCB)
• BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES (BBSP)
• BIOLOGY (BIOL)
• BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING (BMME)
• BIOSTATISTICS (BIOS)
• BOSNIAN-​CROATIAN-​SERBIAN (BCS)
• BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (BUSI)
• CAROLINA HEALTH INFORMATICS PROGRAM (CHIP)
• CATALAN (CATA)
• CELL BIOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY (CBPH)
• CHEMICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY (CBMC)
• CHEMISTRY (CHEM)
• CHEROKEE (CHER)
• CHICHEWA (CHWA)
• CHINESE (CHIN)
• CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING (PLAN)
• CLASSICAL ARCHAEOLOGY (CLAR)
• CLASSICS (CLAS)
• CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE (CLSC)
• CLINICAL REHABILITATION AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSEL (CRMH)
• COMMUNICATION STUDIES (COMM)
• COMPARATIVE LITERATURE (CMPL)
• COMPUTER SCIENCE (COMP)
• CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN STUDIES (EURO)
• CZECH (CZCH)
• DATA SCIENCE AND SOCIETY (DATA)
• DENTAL GRADUATE COURSE (DENG)
• DENTAL HYGIENE (DHYG)
• DENTAL HYGIENE EDUCATION (DHED)
• DRAMATIC ART (DRAM)
• DUTCH (DTCH)
• EARTH, MARINE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (EMES)
• ECONOMICS (ECON)
• EDUCATION (EDUC)
• ENDODONTICS (ENDO)
• ENGLISH (ENGL)
• ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (ENEC)
• ENVIRONMENT SCIENCES (ENVR)
• EPIDEMIOLOGY (EPID)
• EXERCISE AND SPORT SCIENCE (EXSS)
• EXPERIENCED TEACHER EDUCATION (EDMX)
• EXPERIENTIAL AND SPECIAL STUDIES (SPCL)
• EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS (DPET)
• FOLKLORE (FOLK)
• FRENCH (FREN)
• GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (GNET)
• GEOGRAPHY (GEOG)
• GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES (GEOL)
• GERMAN (GERM)
• GERMANIC AND SLAVIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES (GSLL)
• GLOBAL STUDIES (GLBL)
• GOVERNMENT (GOVT)
• GRADUATE STUDIES (GRAD)
• GREEK (GREK)
• HEALTH BEHAVIOR (HBEH)
• HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT (HPM)
• HEBREW (HEBR)
• HINDI-​URDU (HNUR)
• HISTORY (HIST)
• HUNGARIAN (HUNG)
• INFORMATION AND LIBRARY SCIENCE (INLS)
• INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES (IDST)
• ITALIAN (ITAL)
• JAPANESE (JAPN)
• JEWISH STUDIES (JWST)
• KOREAN (KOR)
• LATIN (LATN)
• LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES (LTAM)
• LIFETIME FITNESS (LFIT)
• LINGALA LANGUAGE (LGLA)
• LINGUISTICS (LING)
• MACEDONIAN (MACD)
• MANAGEMENT AND SOCIETY (MNGT)
• MARINE SCIENCE (MASC)
• MATERIAL SCIENCE (MTSC)
• MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH (MHCH)
• MATHEMATICS (MATH)
• MEDIA AND JOURNALISM (MEJO)
• MICROBIOLOGY (MCRO)
• MUSIC (MUSC)
• NAVAL SCIENCE (NAVS)
• NEUROBIOLOGY (NBIO)
• NEURODIAGNOSTICS AND SLEEP SCIENCE (NDSS)
• NEUROSCIENCE (NSCI)
• NURSING (NURS)
• NUTRITION (NUTR)
• OCCUPATIONAL SCIENCE (OCSC)
• OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OCCT)
• OPERATIVE DENTISTRY (OPER)
• ORAL PATHOLOGY (ORPA)
• ORAL RADIOLOGY (ORAD)
• ORTHODONTICS (ORTH)
• PATHOLOGY (PATH)
• PEACE, WAR, AND DEFENSE (PWAD)
• PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY (PEDO)
• PERIODONTOLOGY (PERI)
• PERSIAN (PRSN)
• PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES (PHRS)
• PHARMACOENGINEERING AND MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS (DPMP)
• PHARMACOLOGY (PHCO)
• PHARMACY (NON-​DEPARTMENTAL) (PHCY)
• PHARMACY OUTCOMES AND POLICY (DPOP)
• PHILOSOPHY (PHIL)
• PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES (PHYA)
• PHYSICS (PHYS)
• POLISH (PLSH)
• POLITICAL SCIENCE (POLI)
• PORTUGUESE (PORT)
• PRACTICE ADVANCEMENT AND CLINICAL EDUCATION (PACE)
• PROSTHODONTICS (PROS)
• PSYCHOLOGY (PSYC)
• PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (PUBA)
• PUBLIC HEALTH (PUBH)
• PUBLIC POLICY (PLCY)
• RADIOLOGIC SCIENCE (RADI)
• RECREATION AND LEISURE STUDIES (RECR)
• RELIGIOUS STUDIES (RELI)
• ROMANCE LANGUAGES (ROML)
• RUSSIAN (RUSS)
• SCHOOL OF CIVIC LIFE AND LEADERSHIP (SCLL)
• SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH GENERAL (SPHG)
• SLAVIC LANGUAGES (SLAV)
• SOCIAL WORK (SOWO)
• SOCIOLOGY (SOCI)
• SPANISH (SPAN)
• SPEECH AND HEARING SCIENCES (SPHS)
• STATISTICS AND OPERATIONS RESEARCH (STOR)
• STUDIO ART (ARTS)
• SWAHILI (SWAH)
• TOXICOLOGY (TOXC)
• TURKISH (TURK)
• UKRAINIAN (UKRN)
• UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH (URES)
• VIETNAMESE (VIET)
• WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES (WGST)
• WOLOF LANGUAGE (WOLO)
• Administrative Officers
• Board of Trustees
• Board of Governors
• UNC-​Chapel Hill: An Introduction
• The UNC System
• Academic Calendar
• NCCC Transfer Articulation and Pathways
• Graduate Admissions
• Explore Programs
• General Education Approved Course Substitution Lists
• Registration, Enrollment, and Withdrawal
• Attendance, Grading, and Examination
• Academic Standing
• University Policies
• Transcripts
• Resources: Academic and Research
• Resources: Campus Life
• Resources: Career Planning
• Resources: Health and Wellness
• Resources: Service and Leadership
• Tuition and Financial Aid

About UNC Admissions Resources Policies and Procedures Tuition and Financial Aid Academic Calendar

© 2024-2025 Copyright

Print Options

Print this page.

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

All pages in Graduate Catalog.

All pages in Undergraduate Catalog.

Get the Reddit app

Join the A2C Discord!

r/ApplyingToCollege is the premier forum for college admissions questions, advice, and discussions, from college essays and scholarships to college list help and application advice, career guidance, and more. A2C supports a welcoming and inclusive environment. Harassment, intimidation, and bullying are not tolerated.

I Reviewed My Admissions Profile from UNC-Chapel Hill

Hello everyone,

I recently was accepted to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a full ride scholarship! Consequently, I chose to enroll this year as a first-year freshman.

A few days ago, I got the opportunity to dive into the specifics of my admissions profile. I am aware that others have did the same and posted their experiences as well. However, I believe that every experience is worth sharing, thus I am here to share mine!

Disclaimer: I was unable to take any pictures.

On my admissions file, there was a ranking system for four different categories: Program, Performance, Extracurriculars, and Personal Qualities.

PROGRAM (average ranking: 7): This category essentially focused on the types of classes that appeared on my transcript (AP, Honors, IB, etc). With this category, admission officers use this information to determine if you are prepared for the academic rigor evident at UNC-CH. As the admission officer explained it to me, more advanced courses will allow one to increase their ranking in this individual category. As for the specific ranking system, AOs assign a number from 1 to 10. I received a 10; I had a total of 8 AP Courses, 19 Credit Hours of Dual Enrollment, and 18 Honors Courses.

PERFORMANCE (average ranking: 7): The performance category evaluated your grades in the respective classes that appeared on your transcript. This category seems heavily formula based; since this category is also on a scale of 1 to 10, a 10 is given to an applicant with all A’s. Although one B would bring your ranking down to a 9, the AO explained that with each ranking level, there is some room for “leeway”. In other words, the grade thresholds for each ranking level is appropriately expansive to permit a high rank (9, 8, 7, 6) even if an applicant has a few B’s. I received a 10 on this category because I had all A’s.

(NOTE: For both the Performance and Program categories, classes and grades from grade 9 to grade 11 are taken into consideration. With both categories, grade 12 classes and grades are not considered (this is not saying that senior year classwork does not influence the admission process. Don’t slack off senior year!))

EXTRACURRICULARS (average ranking: 5): This category evaluates your extracurricular involvement. The ranking is influenced by commitment, types of extracurriculars, and the quality of your specific involvement in your activities. Applicants receive either a 1, 3, 5, 7, or 10 as their category ranking. I received a 7 for this category: I had two major leadership activities that influenced my entire district, VP of National Honor Society, and consistently worked 30+ hours a week since grade 9.

PERSONAL QUALITIES (average ranking: 5): The AO leading my admissions profile breakdown explained how this category took the most effort to score. In other words, since AOs spend much of their time evaluating an applicant’s personal qualities, it can be concluded that a prospective applicant should also put much of their time into showcasing their personal attributes. Personal qualities are taken from your main Common App essay and the UNC-CH supplemental questions. Applicants receive a 1, 3, 5, or 7 for this category. I received a 7 (I was very shocked). In order to prevent exposure, I will not go into detail about what I wrote for my essay or supplemental questions. However, one piece of advice that helped me through the writing process was to pretend as if you were having a conversation with someone. You don’t want your responses to mimic a thesaurus. They do not need to be “typical” responses. A human is reading your responses, so ensure that you properly capture your best attributes in a way that affects a human, not a computer.

On some of the other posts about this topic, I have seen that two admissions officers typically read your profile. In my case, only one AO read mine (I was told that for exclusively this year, one admission officer read your profile). His comments acknowledged my perfect grades, leadership capabilities, willingness to overcome adversity, and excerpts taken from my letters of recommendation.

Thanks for taking the time to read this! I decided to make this post to show others that admissions officers truly do look at everything. On this subreddit, it is apparent that others may not believe this to be true. Even if you have plans to attend a school other than UNC-CH, please use this post as a reminder that AO’s know that you are more than your grades and test scores. As a result, for the future high school class of 2023, show these admissions officers what they will miss if they do not accept you! Give it all you got! I believe in each and every one of you!

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

Choose a Reddit account to continue

Choose Your Test

• Search Blogs By Category
• College Admissions
• AP and IB Exams
• GPA and Coursework

3 Tips for Writing Stellar UNC Chapel Hill Supplement Essays

College Essays

If you're applying for admission to UNC Chapel Hill , you'll have to write a total of three essays as part of your application. Your UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays are a great way to tell the admissions committee more about yourself while also showing your interest in UNC and your dedication to your education.

In this article, we'll break down what the UNC essay prompts are, what you should talk about in each, and offer tips for writing great UNC supplemental essays.

What Are the UNC Essay Prompts?

UNC Chapel Hill uses the Common Application for its admissions process. As a first-year applicant, you'll be required to write a total of three essays: one Common Application essay and two UNC-specific essays.

The UNC supplemental essays are two 200-250 word essays that respond to UNC-specific questions. There are a total of four UNC supplemental essays to choose from; you get to pick whichever two you would like to answer.

Here are the four UNC essay prompts:

• Describe an aspect of your identity and how this has shaped your life experiences or impacted your daily interactions with others?
• Describe a peer who is making a difference in your school or community. What actions has that peer taken? How has their work made a difference in your life?
• If you could change one thing to better your community, what would it be? Please explain.
• Former UNC-Chapel Hill employee, community service member, and civil rights activist Esphur Foster once said, “We are nothing without our history.” Her words are memorialized on the Northside Neighborhood Freedom Fighters monument. How does history shape who you are?

In the next section, we'll talk about how to answer each of the UNC supplemental essays.

UNC Supplemental Essays, Analyzed

Each of the four UNC essay prompts asks you to share about something in your life that the admissions committee wouldn't know from reading the rest of your application. The key to writing great UNC supplemental essays is to be personal and specific.

Let's take a look at what the admissions committee wants to know in each prompt.

Describe an aspect of your identity and how this has shaped your life experiences or impacted your daily interactions with others? (200-250 words)

To answer this prompt, you'll have to do three things. First, you need to identify a peer who's active in your community and making a difference. You can interpret the word “peer” loosely here if you want to. It could be someone your age or someone from your school, or just another person in your social group you’ve seen making a difference. 

No matter who you choose, you'll have to briefly explain who they are and what they're doing. This will help your readers contextualize why this person is important! And, as usual, it's even better if you can do this in a story format. Maybe you volunteered with someone from your dance class who also happens to be one of the most outspoken advocates for climate change in your city. Telling a story about your personal experience with them would take your essay to another level.

Finally, you need to be very specific about how the community builder you've chosen has impacted your life. While it's great if you have a close relationship with this person, you don't have to in order to write a great essay! Maybe your school’s student body president organized a group that cleans litter out of neighborhoods. While you don't know her personally, her group's hard work makes your life cleaner, and it helps people have more pride in their city.

Keep in mind that even though you're talking about another person, this essay should still showcase something about you. Pick a person who inspires you or shares your values, and explain why you think their work matters. Don't miss the chance to help admissions counselors get to know you better!

Describe an aspect of your identity (for example, your religion, culture, race, sexual or gender identity, affinity group, etc.). How has this aspect of your identity shaped your life experiences thus far? (200-250 words)

To answer this prompt, you're going to have to do a little introspection. The admissions counselors want you to write about one aspect of who you are , then explain how it has impacted your values, ideas, and experiences.

The good news (and maybe bad news?) is that there are tons of facets to your personality. The prompt gives you a few big areas you can focus on, but the trick is going to be to pick an element of your identity that you can tell a story about.

Let's say you identify as trans. That's probably a huge part of who you are! To write this essay, start by telling a story about how your trans identity has shaped you. Maybe you were elected homecoming queen after you transitioned, and it showed you how accepting yourself was the first step in being accepted by others. Whatever the case may be, using a story will be key to connecting with your audience.

And of course, don't forget to answer the second part of the prompt about how this part of your identity has shaped you as a person. Make sure you're making the connection for your reader! Don't just say you're the child of Palestinian immigrants. Explain how that has solidified your commitment to humanitarianism and economic equality.

If you could change one thing to better your community, what would it be? Please explain. (200-250 words)

While this prompt may seem serious, it doesn't have to be. You don't need to do in-depth research into your neighborhood and your city's politics, but you do need to pick a change that has personal meaning for you.

For instance, maybe you and your neighbors don't know each other well and you'd like to have a greater feeling of community with the people you live nearby. That reason has nothing to do with legislation, but would still make a big impact!

The key here is to identify the thing you would change, then explain why you would make that change. Going back to our example about neighborhood community, maybe the "why" is because it would help you support one another. Your neighbors could help each other with yard work, child care, and maybe even after school tutoring! By bringing people together, not only do you take some of the burden off of individuals, but it would form the bonds that help make neighborhoods happy, healthy, and safe places to live.

The last crucial detail you need to discuss in your response is how you would contribute to this change. Don't be afraid of dreaming big! You can easily integrate your explanation of how you’d contribute into your description of the change that you want to see. 

To the extent that you can, give concrete details about what you’d do to support this change . As much as this prompt is asking about your community, it’s even more interested in finding out how you perceive your role in your community--and whether you take that responsibility seriously. 

Former UNC-Chapel Hill employee, community service member, and civil rights activist Esphur Foster once said, “We are nothing without our history.” Her words are memorialized on the Northside Neighborhood Freedom Fighters monument. How does history shape who you are? (200-250 words)

This prompt is asking you to show your awareness of your place in the world beyond the things that are local to you, like your family, school, and hometown. Understanding how history has shaped who you are helps you be an ethical citizen and member of your communities--qualities that UNC is looking for in its applicants!

But “history” seems a little broad, right? The good news about that is that you can bring your own interpretation of the term “history” to your response here. You could look reflect on aspects of U.S. history, world history, or the history of a set of religious beliefs. You could write about something more personal, like your family history, or something pertaining to your academic interests, like the history of women in computer science!

The key here is to make sure you explain how a specific piece of history has shaped who you are --your identity and your views of the world. To do this effectively, you won’t be able to summarize the entire history of the United States or the legacies of second-wave feminism. You’ll have to incorporate one or two historical details into your story and dive deep into how they have shaped who you are. Because as the prompt says, we are nothing without our history!

3 Tips For Mastering Your UNC Essays

Hoping to write two amazing UNC supplemental essays? Follow these key tips to do so!

#1: Use Your Own Voice

The point of a college essay is for the admissions committee to have the chance to get to know you beyond what's featured in other parts of your application. Your admissions essays are your chance to become more than just a collection of statistics—to really come alive for your application readers.

Make sure that the person you're presenting in your college essays is yourself. Don't just write what you think the committee wants to hear or try to act like someone you're not—it will be really easy for the committee to tell you're lying.

If you lie or exaggerate, your essay will come across as insincere, which will at best diminish its effectiveness and at worst make the admissions committee think twice on accepting you. Stick to telling real stories about the person you really are, not who you think UNC wants you to be.

#2: Avoid Cliches and Overused Phrases

When writing your UNC essays, don't use cliches or overused quotes or phrases. The college admissions committee has probably seen numerous essays that state, "Be the change you want to see in the world." You can write something more original than that!

Each of the UNC essays asks you something specific about your experience or background. Your essay should be 100% you—you don't want the admissions committee to think, "Anyone could have written this essay."

#3: Check Your Work

Your UNC essays should be the strongest example of your work possible. Before you turn in your UNC Chapel Hill application, edit and proofread your essays.

Run your essays through a spelling and grammar check before you submit and ask someone else to read your essays. You can seek a second opinion on your work from a parent, teacher, or friend. Ask them whether your work represents you as a student and person. Have them check and make sure you haven't missed any small writing errors. Having a second opinion will help your work be the best it possibly can be.

Final Thoughts

Your UNC supplemental essays are your chance to show the admissions committee what makes you special and different from the other tens of thousands of students applying for admission at UNC.

In your essays, make sure you are authentic, well-spoken, and polished so you give the admissions committee the best possible understanding of who you are as a person.

What's Next?

Need more help with your scholarship search? Read our expert guide on how to find college scholarships .

Need help writing your Common App essay? Our tips will show you how to write a Common App essay guaranteed to make you stand out from other applicants!

How does UNC's selectivity compare with those of other top colleges? Get the answer in our guide to the most selective schools in the nation !

Trending Now

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Your Free

Find Your Target SAT Score

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing

How to Improve Your Low SAT Score

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing

Find Your Target ACT Score

Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer

Get a 36 on ACT English

Get a 36 on ACT Math

Get a 36 on ACT Reading

Get a 36 on ACT Science

How to Improve Your Low ACT Score

Get a 24 on ACT English

Get a 24 on ACT Math

Get a 24 on ACT Reading

Get a 24 on ACT Science

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

University of North Carolina (UNC) 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Oct 15

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (UNC) 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 2 essays of 250 words each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community , Activity

Short answer prompts: We’d like to know how you’d contribute to the Carolina community and ask that you respond to each prompt in up to 250 words.

Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. this could be your current community or another community you have engaged..

UNC Chapel Hill wants to hear about an aspect of your personality that has enabled you to contribute to a community you cherish. Your answer doesn’t have to be connected to your academic goals in any way, so feel free to let your mind wander. Maybe you’ve always been an animal lover, so you bring your therapy dog to your local hospital once a month to spread joy (and dopamine). How do the patients respond? Which of your personal qualities has made this possible? Perhaps you challenged your fear of public speaking to deliver an address at a town hall to advocate for greener public transportation options. Did your local government leaders take what you said to heart? Are you courageous, determined, or creative? When have you gotten involved for the greater good? Take this opportunity to provide admissions with more information about yourself and your contributions to any community to which you belong.

Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college.

Admissions wants to learn more about a topic that has monopolized your thoughts. When was the last time you went down an internet rabbit hole trying to research something? When were you extremely motivated to solve a problem or create something new? What topic are you hoping to be an expert on by the time you graduate college? Discuss an example of what truly fascinates you—the more specific you can be, the better. For example, instead of saying you’re interested in Biomedical Engineering, can you dive deeper? Perhaps you’re really interested in the future of smart prosthetics. Once you identify a topic that is more niche than general, go the extra mile by researching UNC and building a bridge between the topic you’d like to explore and their academic offerings. You’d also be wise to provide some examples of how you’ve already interacted with this area of interest. Did you attend a seminar about the topic? Have you read every book you can find on it? Do you have a personal connection to it? The bottom line here is to write about something that really fascinates you while also touching on how attending this specific school will help you explore your associated academic goals.

About Amanda Amah

View all posts by Amanda Amah »

We can help!

Contact us for information on rates and more!

• I am a * Student Parent Potential Partner School Counselor Private College Counselor
• Name * First Last
• Phone Type Mobile Landline
• Street Address
• Address City State / Province / Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
• Which best describes you (or your child)? High school senior High school junior College student College grad Other
• How did you find CEA? Internet Search New York Times Guidance counselor/school Social Media YouTube Friend Special Event Delehey College Consulting Other
• Common App and Coalition Essays
• Supplemental Essays
• University of California Essays
• University of Texas Essays
• Resume Review
• Post-Grad Essays
• Specialized Services
• Waitlist Letters
• Private School Essays
• General College Counseling
• School list with priorities noted:
• Anything else we should know?
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

School Stats:

• Agnes Scott College
• Alvernia University
• American University
• Amherst College
• Babson College
• Bard College
• Barnard College
• Baylor University
• Bennington College
• Bentley University
• Berry College
• Bethany College
• Boston College
• Boston University (BU)
• Bowdoin College
• Brandeis University
• Brown University
• Bryn Mawr College
• Bucknell University
• Butler University
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• California Lutheran University
• Capitol Technology University
• Carleton College
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Centre College
• Chapman University
• Claremont McKenna College
• Clark University
• Clemson University
• Coastal Carolina University
• College of Charleston
• College of William and Mary
• College of Wooster
• Colorado School of Mines
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Culver-Stockton College
• D'Youville University
• Dartmouth College
• Davidson College
• Drexel University
• Duke University
• Earlham College
• Elon University
• Emerson College
• Emory University
• Flagler College
• George Mason University
• Georgetown University
• Georgia State University
• Georgia Tech
• Gonzaga University
• Harvard University
• Harvey Mudd College
• Haverford College
• Hillsdale College
• Hofstra University
• Illinois Wesleyan University
• Ithaca College
• Johns Hopkins University
• Kalamazoo College
• Lafayette College
• Lehigh University
• Lewis and Clark College
• Linfield University
• Loyola Marymount University (LMU)
• Lynn University
• Malone University
• Manchester University
• Marist College
• Mary Baldwin University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Meredith College
• Monmouth College
• Moravian University
• Morehouse College
• New York University (NYU)
• North Park University
• Northwestern University
• Occidental College
• Oklahoma City University
• Olin College of Engineering
• Pepperdine University
• Pitzer College
• Pomona College
• Princeton University
• Purdue University
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Rice University
• Roger Williams University
• Saint Elizabeth University
• Santa Clara University
• Scripps College
• Seattle Pacific University
• Smith College
• Southern Methodist University
• St. John’s College
• Stanford University
• Stevens Institute of Technology
• Stonehill College
• Syracuse University
• The College of Idaho
• The George Washington University
• The New School
• Trinity College
• Tufts University
• Tulane University
• University of California
• University of Central Florida (UCF)
• University of Chicago
• University of Colorado Boulder
• University of Georgia (UGA)
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• University of Maryland
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Miami
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota
• College of Mount Saint Vincent
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Oregon
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Richmond
• University of San Diego
• University of San Francisco
• University of Southern California (USC)
• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Tulsa
• University of Vermont
• University of Virginia (UVA)
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Vanderbilt University
• Vassar College
• Villanova University
• Virginia Tech
• Wake Forest University
• Washington and Lee University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Wellesley College
• Williams College
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
• Yale University

Want free stuff?

We thought so. Sign up for free instructional videos, guides, worksheets and more!

One-On-One Advising

Common App Essay Prompt Guide

Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

• YouTube Tutorials
• Our Approach & Team
• Undergraduate Testimonials
• Postgraduate Testimonials
• Where Our Students Get In
• CEA Gives Back
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Private School Admissions
• International Student Admissions
• Common App Essay Guide
• Supplemental Essay Guide
• Coalition App Guide
• The CEA Podcast
• Admissions Stats
• Notification Trackers
• Deadline Databases
• College Essay Examples
• Academy and Worksheets
• Waitlist Guides
• Get Started

First-Year Seminars & First-Year Launches

Description.

First-Year Seminars and First-Year Launches are designed for incoming first-year students with no prior college experience. Students may take either a First-Year Seminar or a First-Year Launch to fulfill this First-Year Foundations Requirement.

First-Year Seminars

These small classes introduce you to the intellectual life of the University. You will make personal connections with distinguished faculty members who are active scholars and accomplished teachers. This small setting gives you the opportunity to engage with your peers and your instructor as you learn how scholars pose problems, discover truths, resolve controversies, and evaluate knowledge, while exploring specific questions or issues in depth.

First-Year Seminars go beyond the traditional lecture and discussion format. They invite you to explore new and old ideas, engage with complex issues, and become an active learner through inquiry, analysis, discovery, and action!

First-Year Launches

You will join a faculty member who is an accomplished teacher in a small class that offers an introduction to a major. This small setting gives you the opportunity to engage actively with your peers and your instructor as you learn the foundations of a long-term sequence of study. You will also fulfill a requirement in your prospective major by taking a First-Year Launch course.

Learning Outcomes

These are the learning outcomes that are expected of students after completing a course.

Fall 2024 Course Offerings

Check Connect Carolina for the most up-to-date information about offerings, meeting times, instructional modes, and availability.

• Seats are limited to first-year students (and transfer students in their first year who completed fewer than 24 hours of post-college class credit at another institution prior to arrival at UNC-CH). Students may only register for one first-year seminar or one first-year launch during their time at UNC-CH.
• Honors (noted by the “H” in the course number) seats are limited to Honors Carolina students until Open Enrollment. At that time, all first-year students and qualifying transfer students are welcome to register for these classes. Honors Carolina students may only register for an honors first-year seminar or honors first-year launch.

See Full Course Catalog

Gen Ed Attribute: FY-LAUNCH & FY-SEMINAR

• UNC Libraries
• Subject Research
• Anthropology Library Resources

Anthropology Library Resources: Home

Before you start.

• Interlibrary Loan Can't find the article, book, or report you need at our library? You can request it from another library through interlibrary loan.
• Open Access Button Browser extension that searches for open access versions of articles you may find behind pay walls.
• Unpaywall Browser extension that searches for open access versions of articles you may find behind pay walls.

Finding foundational readings

• Oxford Bibliographies Online Provides sophisticated online recommendations to the core scholarship on a subject as determined by experts in the field. Each module constitutes a convenient and comprehensive introduction to the essential body of literature that has shaped research on a topic. At the click of a mouse, you therefore have 24/7 access to expert recommendations that have been rigorously peer-reviewed and vetted to ensure scholarly accuracy and objectivity. Each OBO subject database allows you to identify the core authors, works, ideas, and debates that have shaped the scholarly conversation so you can find the key literature. All the bibliographic essays have been peer-reviewed, and the specific entries are linked to full-text content available through the web or the UNC Library. The "My OBO" feature also allows you to create a personalized list of citations. more... less... Access: Off Campus Access is available for: UNC-Chapel Hill student, faculty, and staff; UNC Hospitals employees; UNC-Chapel Hill affiliated AHEC users

Finding articles

A few key databases focused on Anthropology and Sociology may be helpful starting points -- but there are also many more resources that can be found on the  E-Research by Discipline  tab or by exploring other  Research Guides  on the library website. 

1. Aggregators

Commercial aggregators (library pays for these).

Most databases the Library pays for are either ProQuest or EBSCO products. They index articles from a variety of journals and provide full text for some of the content. It is possible to search across all ProQuest or EBSCO databases, which is useful when your topic is interdisciplinary, but can sometimes make for a longer and messier list of results.

Go into any ProQuest database, e.g. ProQuest Central --> Change databases (top menu) --> Select all --> Do your search

• can limit results to peer-reviewed articles
• ProQuest product called Summon, which attempts to search across many of the databases UNC pays for.
• Repository of academic journal content.
• Elsevier product focusing on hard sciences and health sciences, but with continually increasing social sciences and humanities content.

Open aggregators (Library pays for some of this content)

You will need to check whether the Library has access to the content you find here. Request anything you can't access through document delivery/interlibrary loan .

GoogleScholar

Self explanatory, but link it to the Library when off campus for full-text access.

• A "a free and open catalog of the world's scholarly research system". May be the largest open aggregator after GoogleScholar.
• Linked data-based aggregator. Digital Science product.

Semantic Scholar

• Open and free aggregator. Allen Institute for AI product.

Aggregator of open access research papers from institutional repositories around the world.

2. Library Databases

E-research by discipline.

• This is where all library databases live.

Anthropology Databases

Newspaper and news media archives, 3. the "big 5" (library pays for most of this content).

Five publishers have bought up a large portion of academic journals. One benefit is that you can search across journals on their websites.

Taylor & Francis

Finding books.

Discover books, journals, films, primary source collections, government documents, and other materials held at UNC and in the Triangle (you can request materials from Duke, NC State and NC Central) as well as a variety of open access publications.

Joint catalog of materials held at North American and some European National Libraries.

WorldCat has a subscription version  FirstSearch , with more robust advanced search options, but a less modern interface. You can request most titles that UNC does not have through  Interlibrary Loan .

Books will also show up in some of the databases and aggregators above.

Finding dissertations and theses

• Carolina Digital Repository Anthropology Dissertations Theses and dissertations defended at UNC-Chapel Hill.
• CORE A searchable collection of open access research papers and datasets. more... less... Access: No restrictions.
• Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations Dissertation and thesis aggregator pulling from dissertation repositories including DART-Europe E-theses Portal, EThOS e-theses online service (British Library), Theses Canada and others.
• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global Indexes US dissertations from 1861 with full text available from 1997; masters theses covered selectively including some full text. Citations for dissertations from 1980 include 350-word abstracts, while masters' theses from 1988 have 150-word abstracts. Selectively covers dissertations from Great Britain and other European universities for recent years. In addition to this database, the full text of the majority of UNC theses and dissertations from 2006, and all beginning in 2008, are freely available electronically from the UNC Library: Dissertations | Theses more... less... Access: Off Campus Access is available for: UNC-Chapel Hill students, faculty, and staff; UNC Hospitals employees; UNC-Chapel Hill affiliated AHEC users. Coverage: 1861 to present
• Open Access Theses and Dissertations Search engine and access tool to millions of graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. more... less... Access: No restrictions.

Library Data Services

Library Data Services cater to researchers interested in working with data, mapping, texts, visualization, and technology. Many of these services are available online. Davis Library Data Services, located on the second floor of Davis Library, offers:

• A computing lab with specialized software for GIS and data visualization & analysis.
• Walk-in assistance provided by knowledgeable student consultants during set hours . 
• Consultations with specialists for more in-depth inquiries (by appointment).
• Spaces for collaboration and presentation, complete with white boards and external displays.
• Technology workshops focused on working with data (manipulation, visualization, mapping).

Scholarly Communications Services

• Copyright and fair use
• Authors' rights
• Privacy rights
• Open access
• Other information policy issues important to the creation and use of scholarly material

Learn more about Scholarly Communications Services at UNC.

• Last Updated: Aug 15, 2024 12:57 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.unc.edu/AnthropologyResources

Class of 2028 begins Carolina journey at convocation

Chancellor Lee H. Roberts urged students to always be curious and gave them a three-part mission for their first year.

Carolina’s Class of 2028 was encouraged to follow their curiosity at New Student Convocation on Sunday at the Dean E. Smith Center.

Chancellor Lee H. Roberts, speaking at his first convocation, reminded the new Tar Heels how important it is to broaden their horizons as they begin their journey at UNC-Chapel Hill.

“All of us need to be curious, to listen and be ready to learn,” Roberts said. “That is always my goal as chancellor, and I think it’s something that we don’t stop getting better at.”

He then gave students three goals for the year ahead.

“In your first month, get a meal or a cup of coffee with someone from a different city or state than you,” Roberts said. “In your first semester, number two, attend a lecture or event outside of class. Third, in your first year, take a course that deepens your understanding of the world.”

Keynote speaker Erin Matson, Carolina’s field hockey coach and the program’s most decorated alum, led students in a “Tar Heels” chant as she took the stage. She emphasized that Carolina is more than a campus: it’s a team.

“We win together, but we also lose together and grow together so that we can win more,” Matson said. “We believe in each other and support each other no matter who you are, what you believe in and where you come from. Tar Heels look out for other Tar Heels.”

Matson then concluded her speech with two simple words: “Welcome home.”

Other speakers included Provost Chris Clemens, who highlighted the importance of integrity and led the new Tar Heels in reciting Carolina’s academic pledge. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Amy Johnson told students it was never too early to think about life after college and shared a handful of resources that will make their time at Carolina more beneficial. Student Body President Jaleah Taylor also took to the podium to urge students to “take charge of your futures, learn from your classmates and embrace the life-changing opportunity to be a Tar Heel.”

The event featured a welcome video with greetings from staff and faculty, including Carolina head football coach Mack Brown. A montage of various events and opportunities showed what students will be able to participate in over the course of their next four years, set to an a cappella version of James Taylor’s “Carolina in My Mind.”

Finishing out the ceremony was the reveal of the Class of 2028 logo, which features artwork of the Bell Tower, and a rendition of “Hark the Sound” from Tar Heel Voices. Students left the arena bound for Fall Fest in the Frank Porter Graham Student Union, the Pit and Polk Place.

New Tar Heels celebrated their arrival on campus at convocation, FallFest, Sunset Serenade and more.

A message from the chancellor: Happy FDOC, Tar Heels

In an email to campus, Lee H. Roberts wrote about his excitement to be serving as chancellor as the fall semester begins.

First-year students begin new chapter at Carolina

In this video, hear what members of the Class of 2028 are excited about and what they'll miss from home.

SCiLL welcomes 11 new faculty members

The faculty represents a diverse range of disciplines and is particularly strong in political theory.

Chancellor Lee H. Roberts sets ambitious goal for Carolina

“We should be committed to being, head and shoulders above, the best public university in the U.S.,” he said.

New treatment proves safe, effective for tremors

UNC School of Medicine focused ultrasound research allowed patients to play guitar and golf again.

For Aline Awada, being different is a strength

A Lebanese native who grew up in Brazil, the first-year student developed leadership skills through helping others.

First-gen student turns art into business

Entrepreneur and first-year student Alyssa Crane makes and sells paintings and jewelry.

Share on Mastodon