The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

What I like: Professors take teaching undergraduates seriously. Most classes are small, and my professors respond to e-mails in less than an hour. UNC is also a sports powerhouse. School spirit is amazing, and on game days, Chapel Hill is flooded with Tar Heel blue. The school is the alma mater of President James K. Polk and former Bulls player Michael Jordan. Oh, yeah, and did I mention the campus is outrageously beautiful?

What I don’t like: Many UNC students were classmates in high school, and they’re mostly from North Carolina. It can be harder for out-of-state students to fit in, but if you make an effort to be active, I don’t think it matters if you’re not from North Carolina.

What you should know about academics: UNC is a little harder than I thought because professors put so much emphasis on undergraduate teaching. There’s very little grade inflation. The Kenan-Flagler Business School is one of the best in the country, so UNC is a good place for business majors like myself. Classes are often small, unless you enroll in Econ 101, which has 400 people. I feel like I learn a lot, and I couldn’t say that about high school.

Social life: There’s lots of parties, but the drinking scene doesn’t pervade campus. Greek life is designated to one section of campus. If your goal is to rush a fraternity or sorority, the opportunity is there. If your goal is to go for a 4.0 GPA, the opportunity is there. Your choice!

Dorms and cafeterias: The two dining halls are quite good for cafeteria food. I’ve seen salmon on the menu at least three times a week, and there are vegetarian selections. Freshmen usually live on South Campus, where there are high-rise dorms. Most classes are on North Campus, so many freshmen face a seven-to-eight minute walk. North Campus has more architecturally-elegant dorms, and South Campus has more modern dorms. I like my suite-style dorm because my high-rise has just been renovated. We share bathrooms, but I’ve never have problems getting into showers in the morning. I live comfortably at UNC.

The type of students who go here are … academically brilliant, but they know how to have a good time. There’s a healthy mix of slackers and future CEOs, but almost everyone is laid-back.

Students should consider UNC if … you’re motivated, want to be in a big family and want to see the basketball team compete for the national championship each year. You also must dislike Duke.

>> Yannan Kang is a 2009 graduate of Lincoln Park