unc chapel hill essays 2023

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UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays 2024-25 – Prompts and Advice

July 26, 2024

Those hoping to enter the Tar Heel Class of 2026 faced tougher competition than at any previous time in UNC Chapel Hill history. To quantify this assertion, there were 57,219 first-year applicants for the Class of 2026 and the overall acceptance rate was just 16.8%—less than half the figure seen two decades ago. North Carolinians continue to enjoy a sizable advantage. In fact, in-state applicants were accepted at roughly a 40% clip while out-of-state applicants experienced just a 10% admit rate. The mid-50% SAT range for North Carolinians was 1340-1500 while the range for out-of-staters was a more intimidating 1400-1540. For all applicants, the UNC-Chapel Hill supplemental essays will be of great importance.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill? Visit our blog entitled: How to Get Into UNC–Chapel Hill for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

If you want to have your strongest shot at donning the Carolina blue and white, you’ll need to stand out on your application. Through its two short answer prompts, the UNC-Chapel Hill supplemental section affords applicants an opportunity to showcase what makes them uniquely qualified for admission. Below are the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill’s supplemental prompts for the 2024-25 admissions cycle. We also include tips about how to address each one.

UNC-Chapel Hill Short Answer Prompts—2024-25

You’ll respond to each of the following two prompts in 200-250 words:

1) 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.

This essay starts with an invitation to share a personal quality that you feel is essential for the admissions committee to know about. Next, you need to take that personal quality, situate it in a true story that involves the larger world, and explain how you made a positive impact on others. You may wish to “work backward” on this one. Think about how you positively helped a community in your life and then try to nail down which quality of yours ultimately had the most impact. This way, the audience will be able to clearly see your favorable quality in action versus you just explaining that you are empathetic, versatile, loyal, trustworthy, resilient, etc.

Additionally, as you consider your approach to this essay, it’s important to look at “community” as a broadly defined concept. Community can encompass anything from your high school, your neighborhood, a place of worship, your family, or even a club or sports team. Some words of warning with this one: this doesn’t need to be a grandiose vision. Be honest about your level of impact.

UNC Supplemental Essays (Continued)

2) 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.

Here, Chapel Hill is asking you to share your story of how you became interested in your selected discipline. You can structure the narrative of this essay as a soup-to-nuts chronicle of your entire journey toward your discipline of interest. Contrarily, you could share one or two vignettes that illustrate your burgeoning passion for engineering, history, French, computer science, business, psychology, etc. As you begin the prewriting phase, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is your first strong memory relating to your future area of study?
• What fills you with wonder?
• What books have you read on the subject?
• Do you consume podcasts or documentaries related to your passions?
• Have certain online or print publications helped to fuel your interests?
• What subtopics of your prospective discipline most intrigue you?
• Did a teacher excite you about this topic or was it a parent/relative or outside mentor?

How important are the UNC Supplemental Essays?

There are eight factors that UNC-Chapel Hill considers as “very important” and the essays are among them. In addition to the essays, UNC-Chapel Hill gives the greatest consideration to the rigor of one’s academic record, standardized test scores, recommendations, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, character/personal qualities, and state residency.

UNC-Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays – Want Personalized Essay Assistance?

Lastly, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your UNC supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote today.

Need additional writing resources? Check out the following:

• Common App Essay Prompts
• 10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples
• College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
• How to Quickly Format Your Common App Essay
• Should I Complete Optional College Essays?
• How to Brainstorm a College Essay
• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topics
• “Why This College?” Essay Examples
• How to Write the Community Essay
• College Essay

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

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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

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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.

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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?

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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...

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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.

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Conquering the UNC - Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

The journey to becoming a Tar Heel starts with a compelling application – a key part of which is the supplemental essays. Here's how you can best approach the UNC-Chapel Hill supplemental essays for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle.

UNC-Chapel Hill Supplemental Essay Prompts

• Tell us about a peer who has made a difference in your life.

This prompt asks you to reflect on a peer's impact on your life. Focus on a specific event or experience and discuss how it influenced your growth or perspective. Show the committee that you are able to learn from others and appreciate their impact.

Example Essay

Emma and I became friends in sophomore year during a school science fair project. She had a relentless curiosity about the world, delving into intricate theories about the universe's origin or attempting to unravel the mystery of black holes. It was her passion for astronomy that kindled an interest in me for the subject. She taught me to see beyond the obvious, to question the nature of things, and to always yearn for understanding. Her profound influence sparked a passion in me for astronomy, leading me to major in Astrophysics, and I hope to bring this enthusiasm to UNC's vibrant scientific community.

• What do you hope will change about the place where you live?

To answer this prompt, first describe the current situation of your community, city, or country, focusing on the issue you wish to see changed. Then, discuss why this change is important to you, the steps that could be taken to facilitate this change, and how you hope to contribute to it.

I live in a small rural town in North Carolina, where opportunities for higher education are limited due to a lack of resources. I hope to see a change in the accessibility of quality education in my town. I wish for more tutoring centers and educational programs that can help students aspire for higher studies and break the cycle of limited educational attainment. As a future Tar Heel, I plan to give back to my community, leveraging UNC's resources and networks to develop educational initiatives that can make a real difference in my town.

• What is one thing that we don’t know about you that you want us to know?

Here, you have a chance to share something that hasn't been covered in your application yet. It could be a hobby, a personal anecdote, a significant experience, or a unique perspective. It should provide further insight into your character or interests.

Something not visible in my application is my love for beekeeping. My grandfather introduced me to this art, and it has since become a cherished hobby. Caring for the hives, understanding the intricate bee communication, and the joy of harvesting honey - these experiences have taught me patience, responsibility, and the importance of environmental conservation. I hope to share this passion with the UNC community and contribute to its sustainability efforts.

• What about your background, or what perspective, belief, or experience, will help you contribute to the education of your classmates at UNC?

This prompt wants you to show how your unique experiences or viewpoints can contribute to the diversity and richness of the UNC community. Discuss your background, beliefs, or experiences and how these will influence your contribution to classroom discussions and the broader UNC community.

Growing up in a military family, I have lived in six different states and attended five different schools. This nomadic lifestyle was challenging but also enriching, as I experienced a myriad of cultures, traditions, and viewpoints. I believe this background has equipped me with adaptability and an open mindset. At UNC, I look forward to sharing these experiences and perspectives, contributing to the diversity and inclusivity of the classroom discussions and the broader UNC community.

UNC-Chapel Hill is renowned for its strong emphasis on undergraduate research, commitment to public service, and vibrant athletic and arts scene. The supplemental essays are your chance to show how you can contribute to this culture. Each response should be well-researched and tailor-made for UNC, revealing a deep understanding of the school's values and offerings.

Take time to brainstorm and outline your essays. Reflect on your experiences, identify what makes you unique, and how your journey aligns with UNC’s ethos. Be honest, authentic, and clear. Don’t try to write what you think they want to hear. Instead, let your true self shine through your essays.

Finally, don’t forget to proofread. Your essays should be free of grammatical errors and typos, ensuring that your brilliant ideas and passion for UNC come across as clearly as possible.

In the world of college applications, there's a Tar Heel born every application cycle. With these tips in mind, you're one step closer to becoming one of them. Good luck!

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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.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | UNC

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We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | UNC’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Community short response.

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.

Academic Interest Short Response

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.

Global Programs Short Response

Why do you want to participate in the global opportunities you’ve selected, and in what ways are you hoping to grow through the experience(s)?

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

The Ivy Coach Daily

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August 24, 2024

2024-2025 UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essays

Previously Published on July 5, 2013:

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has released its supplemental essay prompts for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle . In addition to The Common Application ’s Personal Statement, UNC applicants are asked to respond to two short answer prompts in up to 250 words.

2024-2025 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Essay Topics and Questions

The instructions for the two UNC essays read as follows:

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.

1. 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.

While the United States Supreme Court outlawed the practice of Affirmative Action , Chief Justice John Roberts wrote somewhat of a loophole in the high court’s majority opinion.

As Chief Justice Roberts wrote, “At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.”

In the wake of the ruling, more of America’s highly selective universities than ever chose to pose a “community” essay to applicants to the Class of 2029. This UNC essay prompt is such an example.

The word  community  can, of course, be interpreted loosely. It can be a student’s geographical community. It can be an ethnic community. It can be a religious community. It can be a community of political activists. UNC’s admissions officers wants to see how they’re agitating for change — for the better — within a chosen group of people. 

2. 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.

Ideally, an applicant’s response will relate to their hook since UNC seeks to admit singularly talented students who together form a well-rounded class. What UNC’s admissions committee is  not  looking for is a well-rounded student.

As such, this essay presents an opportunity for a student to showcase how they think about their intended field of study and how they wish to leave their mark on the discipline. Ideally, a student will incorporate an activity — either research-based or otherwise — that relates to their hook. But maybe the research fell short. There may still be questions left unanswered. It’s all precisely what you want to explore more in college.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with UNC Essays

If you’re interested in presenting the most powerful essays possible to UNC’s admissions committee, fill out Ivy Coach ’s consultation form , and we’ll be in touch to outline our college counseling services for seniors. We look forward to hearing from you.

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How to Respond to the 2023/2024 UNC Supplemental Essay Prompts 

Ginny Howey is a former content writer at Scholarships360. Ginny graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May 2022 with a degree in Media and Journalism (Advertising/PR focus) and minors in Entrepreneurship and Spanish. Ginny’s professional experience includes two summers as a writer intern at global creative consultancy BCG BrightHouse. More recently, Ginny worked as a content marketing intern for Durham-based software engineering bootcamp Momentum, where she gained SEO skills. She has also written freelance articles on emerging tech for A.I. startup Resultid.

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Cece Gilmore is a Content Writer at Scholarships360. Cece earned her undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University. While at ASU, she was the education editor as well as a published staff reporter at Downtown Devil. Cece was also the co-host of her own radio show on Blaze Radio ASU.

Cari Schultz is an Educational Review Board Advisor at Scholarships360, where she reviews content featured on the site. For over 20 years, Cari has worked in college admissions (Baldwin Wallace University, The Ohio State University, University of Kentucky) and as a college counselor (Columbus School for Girls).

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the country’s oldest state university. Apart from its star-studded basketball program, UNC Chapel Hill is known for offering top-notch academics. If you want to become part of the next class of Tarheels, focus on crushing your UNC supplemental essays. Your responses should convey your distinct voice and why you are a great fit for the school. Keep reading to learn more about how to best respond to the prompts! 

The UNC supplemental essay prompts

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill wants to know how you’d contribute to the campus community. They ask that you respond to the following two prompts in up to 250 words each. 

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.

Ultimately, this question is asking you to discuss any community service you have done. This could include a wide array of activities ranging from typical community service such as picking up litter around your neighborhood to starting a club at your high school. This prompt also specifies that it can be any type of community that you have engaged in, so feel free to get creative! Some examples of communities can be your high school, your neighborhood, a place of worship or a sports team. Think about any group you have aided and what exactly you did in order to help them. Be sure to pick a story, anecdote or memory that paints you in a positive light and reveals a lot about you as a person! Remember, ultimately UNC asked this question in order to know more about you and your personality so be sure to have it shine through in this response! Once you have described your story and how it impacted your community, take it one step further by detailing how you hope to change your future UNC community in a similar fashion. For example, if you discuss starting a recycling club at your high school, you can end your response with detailing how you hope to start a similar club at UNC to help reduce the environmental impact the university will have. Connecting back to UNC will give you some bonus points with the UNC admissions officer reading over your response! Overall, be sure that you are painting a picture in your response rather than just stating your contributions to a community. 

Questions to consider

• What have you done or participated in in order to benefit your community?
• What do you hope to bring to UNC to help better the UNC community?
• How did helping your community make you feel? Would you do that action again? 

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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.

Upon first glance of this prompt, it seems like the perfect opportunity to dive into why you selected your major and what you are passionate about within that field! However, it is encouraged to discuss your major but it is not required! Rather, you can discuss an interest beyond your major. Ultimately, it is a personal preference on what you decide to write about! When selecting a topic to write about, you should try to be as specific as possible. Do not just say “psychology” rather say “developmental psychology, specifically nature vs nurture in children.” Being specific allows you to truly showcase your passion and can allow you to discuss specific UNC classes, clubs and professors that relate to this specific niche interest in a field. Remember, one of the best ways to describe your passion for a subject is through a story! So, provide a natural and captivating response that details your passion through a narrative. Once you complete this narrative, you should then be connecting back to UNC. Try to choose 1-2 UNC resources you are interested in taking advantage of such as a specific club, research lab or professor’s class that connect to your academic interest. 

• What are you academically passionate about? What are you hoping to major in in college? 
• Why are you interested in this field of study? Is there a personal connection? 
• What resources are available that you are excited about at UNC? 

Final pointers for acing the UNC supplemental essays

To know which essays to choose, consider brainstorming bullet points for each question. Strive to share compelling personal anecdotes and also reveal key pieces of your identity not shared elsewhere in your application. With these tips, you should have a great start on nailing your UNC-CH supplemental essays! 

Additional resources

Once you have completed your UNC supplemental essays and revised them to tell your stories succinctly, read up on how to choose a college. Supplemental essays are just one component of the college application process. Scholarships360 has plenty of resources to help with other aspects, such as our articles on everything you need to know about work study   and navigating different types of student loans.   While you are applying to colleges (and before and after too!), make sure that you apply for all the scholarships you are eligible for! 

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UNC Supplemental Essay Examples

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of the top public universities in the United States.  Many students wonder how to get into UNC. Undoubtedly, the UNC application process is competitive, requiring—among other things—strong supplemental essays. In this article, we’ll provide UNC supplemental essay examples like the ones you’ll need to write.

By analyzing UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essay examples, we’ll provide insight into strategies for UNC Chapel Hill essays that worked. Our UNC supplemental essay examples address various prompts to better prepare you to write your own essays . With some careful planning and thought, you can write UNC supplemental essays that are authentic and compelling.

Does UNC Chapel Hill have supplemental essays?

Located in the charming college town of Chapel Hill, UNC’s rigorous academics , diversity, and relatively affordable tuition attract many of the nation’s best students. Still, UNC’s ranking of #29 in the nation means gaining admission is competitive. Indeed, the UNC acceptance rate is an average of 19%. For out-of-state applicants, the UNC acceptance rate is closer to 10%.

Admissions at UNC is competitive but holistic , meaning UNC admissions officers evaluate you as a whole person, not just by grades. To do this, they use essays. Though there are many parts to a successful UNC application, the essays are a place for your unique voice and experience to shine.  We’ll share UNC supplemental essay examples in this article. But first, we need to situate the UNC essay examples within the entire application. 

In total, you’ll have to write three essays and answer five fill-in-the-blank responses on your application. The first essay is the personal statement, also sometimes referred to as the Common App essay . The personal statement is a 350–650 word essay that introduces you to UNC admissions officers.

School-specific essays

In contrast, UNC supplemental essay examples are school-specific . This means that they are only sent to UNC; they encourage students to think about and express their connections to UNC values . Like supplemental essays for other colleges, these allow students to expand on their personal narrative and make their case.

Lastly, the five UNC fill-in-the-blank responses are intended to provide space to further showcase your personality and have some fun. You can briefly let the school know who you are in response to specific questions. Responses to these questions are limited to 25 words in length, so you must be concise.

In this article, we’ll focus on the school-specific questions. Specifically, we’ll provide UNC supplemental essay examples and describe what makes them strong. 

What are the UNC supplemental essay prompts?

Before we look at UNC Chapel Hill essays that worked, let’s break down the prompts for the short answer questions. First, good UNC supplemental essay examples get specific about how the writer would fit into the UNC Chapel Hill community. All the questions center around the values of identity, diversity, inclusion, and community. As such, you’ll notice that all three of the UNC supplemental essay examples we provide touch on these themes.

There are four possible questions you may respond to for the UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays. You must choose two of them and write 200–250 words.

Here are UNC’s 2023 supplemental essay prompts: 

UNC Supplemental 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?

The prompts can change from year to year. In fact, the UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essay examples we provide do not reflect these exact prompts. However, strong UNC supplemental essay examples still have important lessons in essay writing. Their lessons can help you to write your own highly effective UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays.

Now, you may be wondering which of the four prompts to choose for your UNC supplemental essays. Next, we’ll discuss how to choose which questions are the best fit for you. 

Choosing the right Essay Prompts for You

As we shared above, there are four UNC supplemental essay prompts to choose from. You must choose two of them and write no more than 250 words in response. This begs the question: which two are best to write about? 

The short and simple response is that there are no two prompts that are better to respond to. The right choice will depend on your individual circumstances and the person you want to present in the admissions process. To begin making your choice, try the following approaches:

Notice which prompts jump out at you

Read through the UNC essay prompts a few times. Do you find yourself gravitating towards one? Does an idea or a memory pop into your head? Trust that impulse and don’t overthink your choice. As long as you start early enough, you’ll have time to choose a different prompt if necessary. In fact, ideas or even drafts for one prompt may become material for a different prompt later. Nevertheless, you must choose something to start with.

Choose the prompts that showcase your strengths

The college application process is challenging in part because every student has limited space to showcase who they are. A strong application showcases a student’s strengths with clarity and precision. When you read the UNC essay prompts, do you see a space for your strengths to shine? For example, prompt #3 may be a great fit for a service-oriented and compassionate person. If you’re struggling to think of strengths, look at your activities list, considering skills you’ve demonstrated in your extracurriculars.

Brainstorm and get feedback before you choose

Consider spending 15 minutes brainstorming for each of the prompts. Present those ideas to a trusted mentor, teacher, or friend who has knowledge of the college process. Ask them which ideas are most compelling, and which stories would represent you the best on the page. Getting feedback early in the process can help you write highly polished UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays. These people may also be able to give feedback during the revision process once you have completed drafts.

Whichever essays you choose, make sure you write from a place of authenticity and embrace your unique voice. Later on in this article, we’ll discuss how to respond to each of these prompts successfully.

UNC Essay Examples

In this section, we’ll introduce some UNC Chapel Hill essays that worked. Keep in mind that the prompts for these UNC essay examples are slightly different from the current ones. Even so, there is a lot to be learned from these UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essay examples. Strong college essays all share a few core traits, many of which we’ll explore and explain in this article.

The first of our UNC supplemental essay examples is responding to the following prompt:

UNC Essay Prompt:

Tell us a story that helps us better understand a person, place, or thing you find inspiring., example #1: a story about inspiration.

When I was told that because of a fracture in my spine, I had been paralyzed, at first I experienced curiosity. Why is it that any other cell can be regenerated except for the cells in the spine? 

Slowly, through hundreds of questions and hours of searching through the resources available at the hospital, I learned that the neurons in the spinal cord responsible for delivering messages to the brain are so complex, it is almost impossible for the cells to be recreated by the body. Essentially, the spinal cord is like an electrical cord, delivering electrical signals from the body to the brain and back. During a spinal cord injury, this cord is severed. 

However, through further research and independent exploration, I discovered that what the world had once believed about the nervous system and its ability to regenerate was not completely true. Neuroplasticity, for example, may allow victims of neural injuries to regain function by “training” other sections of the brain. 

The possibilities for discovery, especially in relation to human biology and the nervous system, inspire me. Whenever I get to a point where I think I may understand a topic, a new idea emerges that challenges me to ponder new aspects again. There is so much to learn, and I know I will never stop uncovering new topics. I hope to continue this exploration at Chapel Hill, embarking on an endless path of learning. 

Why this UNC Essay Worked

One feature of all successful UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essays is clearly answering the entire prompt. This prompt asks for a story about something you find inspiring. The writer describes how they are inspired by learning about scientific discoveries because of a severe injury they have. They packed a lot of detail about themselves, their injury, their thoughts, and their future aspirations into a 250-word response.

Secondly, UNC Chapel Hill essays that worked are usually personal, and always individual. That is to say, they talk about the writer’s unique experiences and background, sometimes in a vulnerable way. Strong UNC supplemental essay examples also avoid the trap of talking about someone else and forgetting to showcase the writer. Instead, this author uses their experience of being injured to reveal how they are curious and persistent. The reader can see this writer is resilient, curious, and hopeful for the future.

Effective UNC supplemental essay examples also successfully relate the writer’s experience back to UNC Chapel Hill, even if subtly. All of our successful UNC essay examples demonstrate specific reasons the student is a good fit for UNC. This writer was able to demonstrate how they value UNC’s values of research, diversity, and service. As such, they make a strong case for why they should be admitted.

The second of our UNC supplemental essay examples is responding to this prompt:

University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill Essay Prompt:

What do you hope will change about the place where you live, essay #2: a change in your community.

“Really, surgeries are so much less painful than what I experience every day due to inaccessibility or people’s stereotypes.” 

My friend was paralyzed before she was a year old. She has been through dozens of surgeries, surgeries with the possibility of leaving her blind, even dead. She is the strongest person I know. So, when she told me that the most significant cause of her pain was due to society and not her physical barriers, I was shocked. 

Through my experiences after my spinal cord injury, I started to notice new aspects of the world. Stairs instantly became blockades when I had never even noticed them before. Sometimes, there were cars parked in front of the ramps, making it impossible for me to access the building. When I talk to my peers or school officials regarding issues such as these, I am often met with the same response, “Oh, I never noticed.” 

Repeatedly confronted with these answers, I realized that if I didn’t share my experiences, really, no one will ever notice. In addition to this, if no one is confronted about the stereotypes that one holds against a certain group in society, these biases will continue to be held. 

Today, much of society is inaccessible. It’s just a fact. Also, stereotypes remain a significant obstacle to the development and success of minority communities. However, I hope that through my life, I am able to spread awareness about these issues, helping to bring in greater understanding and accessibility. 

Like all successful UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essay examples, this essay shows, rather than tells, the author’s main idea. Rather than jumping straight into accessibility issues, the author tells us details about their friends’ life and their own life. Through these details, the author gives context for their concern about this issue. 

Despite the prompt asking writers to look outward, this author doesn’t miss the opportunity to share about themself. After all, strong UNC supplemental essay examples really showcase the applicant’s personality, character, values, and goals. In this essay, we get a clear sense that the author is persistent, caring, brave, justice-oriented, and hopeful. These traits make them an appealing candidate for UNC Chapel Hill.

Many impactful UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essay examples open with a strong hook, and this essay is no different. A hook is critical because it catches the reader’s attention, inviting them to stay focused throughout your essay.

While this author uses dialogue, other hooks include setting a scene (i.e., “I stood at the edge of the diving board”). It could be something rare about yourself (i.e., “I’m the only teenager in my class who loves waking up early”).  This essay’s use of dialogue leaves the reader wondering who is speaking, what they meant, and how it relates to the author. Most great UNC supplemental essay examples contain a hook that draws the reader in.

The third and final of our UNC supplemental essay examples responds to the prompt: 

UNC Application Essay Prompt:

Most of us have one or more personality quirks. explain one of yours and what it says about you. , essay #3: personality quirk.

I am a person of more than one personality quirk, some of which can be beneficial and others “not so much.” One of my main quirks, however, is the need for constant movement. Whether it is volunteering to demonstrate a mathematical problem in front of the class or bouncing my knee during a test, I believe that I perform best when I am active. 

Delving further into understanding “my little quirk,” I stumbled upon the label of kinesthetic learner. In other words, I want to experience what I am learning by being a part of the process as opposed to merely hearing about the process. During my high school career, I have found that the knee-bouncing, pencil-tapping, etc. subsides when the opportunity presents itself to participate actively in real life simulations. For instance, as a part of the Academy of Emergency Medical Sciences at Pine Forest High School, I participated in strapping fellow classmates to back boards and transporting them from place to place while maintaining proper alignment of the cervical vertebrae. Of course, when performing this task, my knee-bouncing ceased, and I was completely engrossed in the mission at hand.

My hands-on learning may stem from my more than fourteen years of gymnastics training and dance lessons that required continuous movement to learn. I do not consider this process of learning to be a disadvantage but rather a positive influence. It has allowed me a unique ability to focus, creating a sense of discipline as well as the drive and motivation to succeed. This drive is also evident in my active participation in clubs such as Trojan Mentors and National Honor Society, organizations such as The Dance Theatre of Fayetteville, and community involvement. The enjoyment which comes from working and learning hands-on and helping others is why I am drawn to the field of medicine.

As a kinesthetic learner, I learn what I practice and practice what I learn; therefore, I work well solo and as an active participant in group settings. In my preparation to attend a pre-medicine program, I sense that this type of learning will be a positive attribute to my studies. In a clinical setting, one cannot depend on theory alone but rather the practical application of skills. Although the theoretical understanding of material is of utmost importance, it is during those moments that the knee-bouncing will come in handy, proving “my little quirk” to be beneficial, allowing me to accomplish the task before me.

Without a doubt, these UNC essay examples reveal how you can write about any topic in a compelling manner. Often, when students read essay prompts, they spotlight the most outlandish, rare, and dramatic aspect of their life. In this essay, the student talks about their quirk of needing constant movement. Almost all of us know someone like this, but the student writes about this quirk relative to personal accomplishments and goals.

Secondly, while successful UNC supplemental essay examples don’t necessarily need to list accomplishments, this author folds theirs in seamlessly. Indeed, the Common App has a designated space to list extracurriculars and accomplishments. However, if your activities are thematically coherent and support your essay’s point, by all means, include them. Just be careful to choose accomplishments that relate to your topic and strengthen your arguments, rather than relisting a resume.

A third and final compelling aspect of this essay is the author’s deep understanding of their behaviors and motivations. The writer uses their tapping reflex to segue into an exploration of their passions and dreams. They also reveal that they can turn a challenge into an opportunity, a skill immensely helpful in a college setting. Strong UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essay examples paint the author in detail and in a positive light.

How to answer UNC supplemental essays?

Although these UNC supplemental essay examples don’t respond to the exact prompts used today, they demonstrate the core qualities of good essays. In fact, these students wrote clearly and specifically about how their experiences prepared them to be great UNC undergraduates. They also likely used some key tips to be able to write a strong essay.

Here are some tips for how to write a great essay just like the UNC Chapel Hill essays that worked:

Start Early

Since there are two supplemental essays and five fill-in-the-blank responses in addition to the personal statement, it’s important to start early. The final products of essays usually represent multiple hours of brainstorming, writing, and revising. As such, you need time to process your thoughts and get feedback from many sources.

When planning your timeline for the application season, you should factor in plenty of time, especially if you’re still researching schools. Not only do you need to write several essays , but you should revise several times before submitting. This can mean editing alone, but ideally, you’ll ask trusted friends and mentors to provide feedback.

Answer Authentically and Specifically

As we noticed in the UNC supplemental essay examples above, students wrote about personal experiences that were important to them. To write a successful essay, you don’t have to make up stories or exaggerate your life. You can simply be yourself, and tell stories with specificity. 

For example, in our second example, the student showed how simple everyday tasks like climbing the stairs became impossible after getting injured. Rather than saying “My life got harder,” they showed us how it changed. Narrative details can enliven your writing while still conveying key details. This combination of specificity and authenticity will make your essay shine and stand out amongst the crowd.

Relate Your Experiences to UNC

When students wonder how to get into UNC, they should first understand why they want to go to UNC. Since UNC doesn’t have a “why school” essay, writers must base their essays on experiences, not UNC facilities or offerings. In each of these UNC supplemental essay examples, writers demonstrated how their life experiences and personality traits align with UNC’s values. While they spoke about themselves, their examples ultimately made it clear that they are a good fit for the school. Since the UNC acceptance rate is relatively low, it’s important to make sure your application is a clear fit for the school.

In the next session, we’ll dive into other ways to make your UNC application stand out.

What does UNC Admissions look for?

As we’ve shared, the UNC admissions is holistic in nature. This means that admissions officers are looking at many aspects of your application, not just your UNC supplemental essays. It also means that they are hoping to see whether your whole application shows you’re a good fit for UNC. 

Indeed, the UNC Chapel Hills essays that worked above demonstrate core personality traits like self-awareness and commitment to building community. Other aspects of your application have the potential to do the same. For example, your extracurricular activities are one of the most important indicators of your interests and commitment to growth. A student with a track record of community service and taking on new roles demonstrates not only their compassion but their leadership. 

UNC Core Values

Addressing core UNC values is a good sign for admissions officers. Commitment to community, understanding of one’s own identity, and a passion for learning are strong positives. Effective UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essay examples we provided demonstrate some or all of these attributes. 

Finally, but just as importantly, admissions officers are looking for academic excellence as well. Without a doubt, UNC is looking for high-achieving students who can excel in their rigorous coursework. As such, they have a GPA minimum of 2.5 just to apply. However, the average unweighted GPA is closer to a 4.0—mostly As with some Bs. Strive to achieve the highest GPA possible to overcome the competitive UNC acceptance rate.

Watch the video below for more insight into what UNC Admission wants to see in your essays this application cycle.

Other UNC Chapel Hill Resources from CollegeAdvisor

Hopefully, reading UNC Chapel Hill essays that worked has helped you better understand how to get into UNC. Ultimately, the process is an incredibly individual one and every student’s application will look very different. However, CollegeAdvisor has several resources that can help you write amazing essays like the UNC supplemental essay examples here. 

First, check out this guide to getting into UNC. It examines the UNC application in further detail and provides tips on making yourself stand out on the application. Wondering what SAT scores you’ll need? Curious about when to apply? This guide will outline all of those details so you feel prepared and confident throughout the process.

UNC Supplemental Essays 2022-2023

If you want to read more about the UNC supplemental essay topics, this article discusses each prompt in depth. With this resource, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of what the prompts want, how to approach them, and potential topics. This resource also provides insights into how to respond to the five fill-in-the-blank questions. If you’re trying to hone your strategy for the UNC essays, this article is a great resource.

UNC is one of the top schools in North Carolina. Take a look at our map of other best colleges in North Carolina, below!

Finally, for more examples of successful college essays for other schools, read our article on the best college essays. You’ll begin to see the breadth of types of essays that exist as well as the similarities between successful ones. We also have resources about writing a strong personal statement , essential for any school that takes the Common App.

UNC Supplemental Essay Examples- Final Thoughts

In this article, we dove deep into UNC supplemental essay examples. We looked at what makes these UNC supplemental essay examples strong responses to the prompts. In addition to specific strengths, we offered more general advice for writing effective UNC essays.

Additionally, it’s important to put in the time and thought as the students who wrote these UNC supplemental examples did. Ultimately, your UNC essay can only be written by you—individuality and authenticity are crucial to supplemental essays. Nevertheless, these UNC essay examples may offer inspiration for your own unique, compelling responses. 

Identifying strong essays

Our UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essay examples show there are as many similarities among strong essays as there are differences. The UNC Chapel Hill supplemental essay examples, while specific to UNC, are in many ways similar to many successful college essays. As such, you might choose to use parts of your UNC essays for other schools on your college list . This can be very helpful when trying to meet tight application deadlines . 

Undoubtedly, getting into UNC is an ambitious goal. UNC Chapel Hill is not only one of the best schools in the state of North Carolina but in the nation. At CollegeAdvisor, we have the expertise, resources, and commitment to help you accomplish your dreams and get the education you deserve. Looking for individual support in the UNC Chapel Hill application process? You can take advantage of CollegeAdvisor’s one-on-one application support by scheduling a consultation today.

Senior advisor, Courtney Ng wrote this article. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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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 !

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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.

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The Ultimate Guide to Applying to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

What’s covered:, average stats of accepted unc students, unc college application process, unc college financial aid, what are your chances of acceptance.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill—more simply referred to as UNC or Carolina—is the flagship school of the University of North Carolina system and the oldest public university in the nation. UNC was founded in 1789 and was the only public university to award degrees in the 18th century. UNC is known for both its top-notch academics and athletics—CollegeVine ranks it as the second-best public university in the nation while it’s won 47 NCAA Division I team national championships and 52 individual national championships. 

It should come as no surprise that students accepted at UNC have performed exceptionally well both in the classroom and on standardized tests. 

• Average GPA and rank: 4.42 and 74% graduated in the top 10% of their high school class 
• Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1330-1500/29-34

Carolina is practicing test-optional admissions through fall 2024. This means students aren’t required to submit standardized test scores as part of their application. However, it’s generally considered a smart strategy to submit standardized test scores if they fall within the middle 50% range, especially if they’re on the high end of the spectrum.   

Academics are just one part of the equation of gaining admittance to Carolina and great grades and strong test scores don’t guarantee admissions. Failing to meet UNC’s academic benchmarks may disqualify an applicant for admission. Highly selective schools like UNC screen out applicants they deem scholastically unqualified using a tool known as the Academic Index —a single numerical score that summarizes an applicant’s entire academic performance.  

Planning to apply to UNC? Here’s what to expect from the application process.

Application Overview

Carolina accepts the Common Application. There is an $85 application fee at UNC, however, fee waivers are available through high school counselors for those who cannot afford the fee. 

There are two pathways to admission at UNC: early action (EA) and regular decision. EA is non-binding and applicants do not need to commit to UNC until May 1, the same date as RD applicants. The UNC application deadlines are:

Carolina has an acceptance rate of 19.24%. UNC doesn’t publish their early action acceptance rate, but, typically the acceptance rate for EA applicants is higher than those that apply RD. 

Application Components

• Letter of recommendation 
• Official transcript
• School report
• Short-answer questions (2)
• Fill-in-the-blank responses (5)
• SAT/ACT scores (optional) 

Supplemental Essays: In addition to the Common Application essay, UNC applicants are also required to complete two short-answer questions. Applicants are provided four prompts and are asked to respond to two (in 200-250 words). The short-answer prompts are: 

• Prompt 1: Describe an aspect of your identity and how this has shaped your life experiences or impacted your daily interactions with others?
• Prompt 2: 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?
• Prompt 3: If you could change one thing to better your community, what would it be? Please explain.
• Prompt 4: 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: UNC applicants are also asked to complete five fill-in-the-blank questions (25 words or less). The fill-in-the-blank prompts are:

• 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…

Applicants intent on composing strategic and thoughtful essays that will grab the attention of admissions officers will want to read our article, How to Write the UNC Chapel Hill Essays 2022-2023 , which provides advice on how to handle all of the UNC short-answer and fill-in-the-blank questions. Applicants who’ve already begun composing their responses can get free feedback from other students or paid expert feedback using CollegeVine Essay Review .

Residency Verification: North Carolina residents are required to verify their residency, which they can do through the North Carolina Residency Determination Services .

When Will You Hear Back?

Students who apply for early action at Carolina will receive notification by January 31 and those who apply for regular decision will hear back by March 31. Both EA and RD applicants have until May 1 to make an enrollment decision.  

As a public university, UNC is cheaper for North Carolina residents than it is for those from out of state. In fact, the sticker price for out-of-state students is more than double that of in-state students.

Financial Aid Generosity

The sticker price of UNC for in-state students is $25,258. For out-of-state students, the sticker price is $54,352. UNC offers undergraduates fixed tuition—meaning their tuition rates will not increase over their first eight consecutive semesters of enrollment.

In-state UNC students can expect to pay:

Out-of-state UNC students can expect to pay:

Carolina is one of the few public flagship universities that practices need-blind admissions, meaning they don’t consider an applicant’s financial situation when making admissions decisions. UNC will meet 100% of demonstrated need of its undergraduates. More than two-thirds of Carolina’s undergrads have their financial need met with grants and scholarships. The average debt of graduating Carolina students is 32% below the national average. 

Carolina offers merit scholarships to students based on a number of factors, including academic achievement, leadership qualities, commitment to service, and potential for success. More than 10% of all Carolina undergraduates are Carolina Covenant Scholars—a program for students from low-income families that enables them to graduate debt free through a combination of grants, scholarships, and work-study jobs.

Want to learn more about what it costs to attend UNC? Check out our article, What Does it Really Cost to Attend the University of North Carolina?

How to Apply for Financial Aid

UNC applicants applying for federal aid will need to fill out a FAFSA, while a CSS Profile is required to qualify for need-based university grants and scholarships. The deadline to submit both the FAFSA and CSS profile is March 1. 

UNC is known for its competitive admissions, but the odds of getting into this super-selective school vary from applicant to applicant. CollegeVine can help applicants better understand their odds of admission at Carolina along with hundreds of other colleges and universities across the nation. Our free Chancing Engine uses factors like academics, extracurriculars, and demographics to estimate your individual odds of admission at UNC and provide valuable insight into improving your profile!

Learn more about the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , including its diversity, the majors offered, and how long your application should take.

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UNC Chapel Hill Supplemental Essay Prompts and Advice for 2022–23

Even among public colleges, it is uncommon to find one with an annual tuition sum that is only four digits long. It is even more uncommon to find a university that offers a prestigious undergraduate education along with multiple well-recognized academic programs for such a low cost. One of the best college offerings in the US is UNC-Chapel Hill. Being accepted as a state resident is comparatively simple compared to being an out-of-state or international student, yet you must be at the top of your class to be given serious consideration.

You must identify ways to stand out on your application if you want to have the best chance of one day donning the Carolina blue and white. The UNC-Chapel Hill Supplemental Section still gives applicants the chance to highlight their unique qualifications for admission through its two brief answer prompts and four fill-in-the-blank options. The supplemental prompts for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s 2022–23 admissions cycle are described below, along with advice on how to respond to each one.

UNC supplemental essays: Short answer prompts 2022-23 You’ll choose two of the following prompts to respond to in 200-250 words:

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

Some students may believe that there isn’t anything particularly fascinating about their own identity in any one of those categories, while others may feel that there is a compelling and profoundly personal tale to share about their racial/ethnic identity, sexual/gender identity, or religious identity. Be aware that UNC Chapel Hill leaves the option open for someone to discuss their membership in an affinity organisation as well. Maybe you can’t image your life without your participation in an affinity group focusing on volleyball, chess, drawing, supporting a sports team, or any other activity you can think of. If so, you’ll probably fit right in with this essay.

Just a quick reminder: if your primary Common App essay addressed one of these, don’t repeat the same thing in your supplemental essay.

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?

The majority of college essay questions need you to brag about yourself, which is a task that some people like much more than others. The fact that this essay isn’t primarily about you is a fascinating aspect of this prompt. This is your chance to discuss the traits of a peer you admire and, perhaps, the qualities of a community builder you aspire to. Just remember that the prompt encourages you to discuss a classmate in your neighbourhood rather than the deeds of a well-known adult.

It’s crucial that you respond to the question, which asks how the person’s actions have affected your life. Perhaps this person encouraged you to develop greater empathy and understanding for some social issues or causes. Your account should be authentic, intimate, and indicative of your maturing moral compass.

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

If you already selected the previous prompt, you probably wouldn’t want to select this prompt. Both of these responses deal with steps done to better one’s community, but in this one, you take the place as the main character.

It’s crucial to view “community” as a notion that may be defined in a variety of ways as you plan your approach to this essay. Your high school, your neighbourhood, a house of worship, your family, a club, or even a sports team can all be considered as parts of your community. This doesn’t have to be a grandiose vision, just a word of caution. Keep in mind that the question asks how you would “contribute” to the transformation in your neighbourhood. Thus, you are not required to act as the lone hero.

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?

There are primarily two approaches to writing this article. You can start by discussing how your own personal or family history has affected your present-day life. As an alternative, you may discuss a historical occurrence or period of time and how it relates to your own current situation.

If you choose the first option , you might be talking about your parents, grandparents, or other family members. Make sure, though, that the anecdote still reveals something new about you. Make sure to spend a significant amount of the essay talking about how a historical choice ultimately affected your life. If you choose the second option, the trick is to strike a balance between providing enough background information to ensure that the reader fully understands the story you are telling and still giving yourself enough room to relate the historical anecdote to your current situation.

UNC-Chapel Hill: Fill-in-the-blank responses 2022-23 You’ll complete all four of the following fill-in-the-blank responses in 25 words each:

One family, friend, or school tradition I cherish:

If applicable, this may be a spiritual, religious, or other tradition. It is equally acceptable to discuss a regular board game night, a yearly camping trip, or a silly, original tradition that is specific to your family, circle of friends, or school.

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

What excites you? What is something that makes you tick? What makes you feel alive, in the moment, and in flow? Which interests keep you awake at night? You are on the right road with this essay if you can answer at least one of these questions. The best essays are those that are real and honest about the subject matter, which should be your favourite pastime.

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

Ideally, this response will be somewhat in-depth. This does not imply that to stand out, you must choose a remote location. Instead, your motivations for travelling should reveal something personal about you. Additionally, you have the choice of selecting a historical era or event. It might allude to a well-known incident covered in a standard history textbook. But it might also have a deeper personal meaning for you.

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

Your response to this essay can demonstrate that you are a truth-seeker, a mature thinker, and not someone who is content to adamantly cling to an ideological viewpoint that is firmly ingrained. The problem can have global repercussions or it might be a private or familial matter involving you and another person. It’s important to demonstrate your ability to grow and be open-minded.

People who meet me are most likely to notice, and least likely to notice:

This is a unique addition to the collection of supplemental essays at UNC-Chapel Hill. Consider this an opportunity for introspection. When others connect with you, what do you believe they see? What do you desire additional exposure for? The “least likely to notice” part of the prompt can be rephrased using the latter question.

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Take an inside look at the Writing Center: What Happens During A Writing Coaching Session

The Writing Center is a great place to get in depth help on essays and papers. I come to the Writing Center twice a week to get a jump start on essays so that I am not cramming at the last minute. It helps to get an extra set of eyes on your work. Blake Bozymski

Overcoming Procrastination:

• Don’t let your paper become overwhelming! Break your writing tasks up into the smallest possible chunks and tackle them one at a time.

Editing and Proofreading:

• Read your paper aloud, or get your computer to read it to you using text-to-speech. It’ll change your writing life.

Writing Concisely:

• Eliminate redundant words, delete unnecessary qualifiers, and reduce prepositional phrases.

The Importance of a Good Introduction:

• You never get a second chance to make a first impression. The opening paragraph of your paper will provide your readers with initial impressions of your argument, your writing style, and the overall quality of your work.

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Ways to Study

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Applications are now open!

December 17 – Application Deadline

All application materials must be submitted by the deadline!

Steps to Apply + –

1. Apply online.

2. Upload Unofficial Transcripts One unofficial transcript from each university attended must be uploaded within the application. All unofficial transcripts must be uploaded to your application by the application deadline in order for your application to be reviewed. Please do not mail transcripts as part of your admission application; we only accept unofficial uploads for application evaluation. If you are offered admission, one official transcript for each university attended will be required.

3.Check the status of your application Log-in to the application portal to check the status of your application. In addition, please check your email regularly for any important information.

Transcripts + –

One unofficial transcript from each university attended must be uploaded within the application. All unofficial transcripts must be uploaded to your application by the application deadline in order for your application to be reviewed. Please do not mail transcripts as part of your admission application; we only accept unofficial uploads for application evaluation. If you are offered admission, one official transcript for each university attended will be required.

UNC-CH requires official high school transcripts from students who are admitted to the BSN program. If you are selected for admission, additional details will be provided in your offer letter regarding submission of your high school transcript.

Essays + –

Essays are to be uploaded as your Personal Statement in the Documents section of the application. Because we don’t have the opportunity to meet or interview all of our applicants personally, we ask that you help us get to know you better through the required essays. Please read the questions carefully, and limit your responses to the lengths indicated.

For your essays, please create a single, double-spaced document, with a font size of 11 or higher, with a page break between each essay response. Please include your full legal name at the top of each page and number each essay or identify it with the corresponding question. Please limit your responses to a maximum of two pages per essay, or six pages total. Once you have uploaded your document, you will have the option to view or remove it. Please select PREVIEW to make sure you have uploaded the correct document. If you attempt to upload more than one document (i.e. save a separate document for each essay) only the last document uploaded will be saved.

Each essay question may contain multiple parts so be sure to address all components. Carefully check your essays for spelling and grammar. Your ability to communicate will be evident in your essays. By signing the statement at the end of application, you verify that the essays are your own and were written by you.

• Failure to adhere to the formatting guidelines may result in your application being considered incomplete.
• Failure to submit two to three distinct essays may result in your application being considered incomplete.

Essay Questions + –

• Why have you chosen to pursue a career in nursing and what are your professional goals? What are the skills and talents you possess that will contribute to your future work as a nurse? If you are a second degree student, also discuss why nursing is a better career choice at this time in your life.
• Describe a very difficult and/or rewarding experience you have had, and discuss how you dealt with it. Discuss in detail the way in which this particular experience impacted your life, and how it might influence your future practice as a nurse.
• In 2-3 sentences, please elaborate on what specifically attracts you to UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing, the nation’s pioneering public university, and connect your personal values with our commitment to serving the public good and advancing health equity for all.

Foreign Language Fluency Definitions + –

We often receive questions about how we define foreign language fluency for the purposes of the application. Please see the guidelines below. Definitions are adapted from  American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines.

LOW FLUENCY Speakers at the Low level can communicate short messages on highly predictable, everyday topics that affect them directly. They do so primarily through the use of isolated words and phrases that have been encountered, memorized, and recalled. Low-level speakers may be difficult to understand even by the most sympathetic interlocutors accustomed to non-native speech.

MODERATE FLUENCY Speakers at the Moderate level are distinguished primarily by their ability to create with the language when talking about familiar topics related to their daily life. They are able to recombine learned material in order to express personal meaning. Moderate-level speakers can ask simple questions and can handle a straightforward survival situation. They produce sentence-level language, ranging from discrete sentences to strings of sentences, typically in present time. Moderate-level speakers are understood by interlocutors who are accustomed to dealing with non-native learners of the language.

HIGH FLUENCY Speakers at the High level engage in conversation in a clearly participatory manner in order to communicate information on autobiographical topics, as well as topics of community, national, or international interest. The topics are handled concretely by means of narration and description in the major times frames of past, present, and future. These speakers can also deal with a social situation with an unexpected complication. The language of High-level speakers is abundant, the oral paragraph being the measure of High-level length and discourse. High- level speakers have sufficient control of basic structures and generic vocabulary to be understood by native speakers of the language, including those unaccustomed to non-native speech.

Fall Coursework + –

If you are enrolled in fall semester courses, you have until January 15 th  to submit transcripts showing your final grades. We do not need two transcripts from the institution where you are taking fall courses, so please wait and submit your final transcript once all grades and/or degrees are posted.

International Applicants + –

English Language Proficiency If your country of origin is other than the United States and English is not the official language, you must submit test scores to demonstrate their English proficiency. The official report must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs at UNC School of Nursing by the application deadline or you may upload it under “Test Score Report.” Contact the Office of Student Affairs for information regarding waiver eligibility. Minimum acceptable scores are as follows: TOEFL or TOEFL iBT Home Edition – 100 or higher TOEFL ITP Plus for China – 627 or higher IELTS or IELTS Indicator – 7.0 or higher

Foreign Coursework Applicants who have attended college outside of the United States must submit an official copy of an independently conducted verification of your academic credentials by an education evaluation service. The assessment must include a course-by-course evaluation showing credit hours and letter grade equivalency as well as US equivalency of all degrees earned.

Orientation and Matriculation + –

Mandatory all-day orientation sessions for incoming BSN students will be held on the two business days prior to the start of classes in mid-August.

Contact Admissions

[email protected] 919.966.4260

Information Sessions & Tours

Institutional and Professional Licensure Disclosures for Enrolled and Prospective Students

Institutional and Professional Licensure Disclosures for Enrolled and Prospective Students in one of UNC Chapel Hill’s nursing programs satisfy the professional and/or certification requirements in North Carolina and prepare students to sit for these exams. However, requirements in other states may be different. If you are considering a bachelor of science (BSN) in nursing program that may, would, or could potentially lead to a BSN professional license and/or certification, please note that at this time UNC may or may not be able to advise whether a program meets requirements outside of North Carolina.

This Disclosure is strictly limited to the University’s determination of whether its educational programs, if successfully completed, would be sufficient to meet the educational licensure or certification requirements. The University cannot provide verification of any individual’s ability to meet licensure or certification requirements unrelated to its educational programming, as individual states may change their requirements for licensure and certification.

Prior to enrolling in a BSN program, please make a  pre-professional advising appointment at the UNC Career Services Office  to discuss this important topic with your program of interest.

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2023-2024 North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Thread starter wysdoc
• Start date Mar 21, 2023

Plain-spoken Texan

• Mar 21, 2023

DrRustyShackleford

Full member.

• Jul 17, 2023

deleted967994

Has anyone received a secondary yet? I’m IS and I have heard nothing so far  

Same  

YoungForever

• Jul 18, 2023

xla123 said: Has anyone received a secondary yet? I’m IS and I have heard nothing so far Click to expand...

CarolinaAvocado

• Jul 19, 2023

Can a current applicant who has received the secondary for UNC please post the questions? Or confirm they are the same questions as the most recent cycle? I have a mentee who wants to work ahead a little, and I don't want them to invest in different prompts. Thank you so much! Good luck, everyone!  

CarolinaAvocado said: Can a current applicant who has received the secondary for UNC please post the questions? Or confirm they are the same questions as the most recent cycle? I have a mentee who wants to work ahead a little, and I don't want them to invest in different prompts. Thank you so much! Good luck, everyone! Click to expand...

• Jul 20, 2023

Ok. Thank you!  

goldfishies_

anyone have any idea why unc might be taking so long to send their secondary out? just curious...  

medicine_lyfe

aps456 said: anyone have any idea why unc might be taking so long to send their secondary out? just curious... Click to expand...

medicalstudent79

• Jul 21, 2023

IS secondary received  

NotADoctor1

OOS secondary received  

pumpkinseeds said: anyone have any idea why unc might be taking so long to send their secondary out? just curious... Click to expand...

OreoLover365

@wysdoc Here are the secondary essay prompts: Prompt 1: Describe an experience where you attempted a task and realized during the process that you were not ready for it. How did this experience impact your approach to trying new things? (250 words) Prompt 2: How will your life experiences foster a positive educational environment and benefit your future patients? (250 words) Prompt 3: Discuss your involvement in a service activity that has impacted your understanding of healthcare and your desire to pursue a career in medicine. (250 words) Prompt 4: What motivates you to apply to the UNC School of Medicine? (200 words) ***I do not have access to the reapplicant essay (the portal won't even let me select it to see the question), so it would be great if someone else could contribute that if applicable  

After submitting the secondary application, did anyone get an "application submitted" email or confirmation of payment? (I didn't get either) My portal just says "Application Submitted: July 21, 2023." There isn't any space to check for my LORs or anything else.  

soundofsilence

• Jul 22, 2023

OreoLover365 said: After submitting the secondary application, did anyone get an "application submitted" email or confirmation of payment? (I didn't get either) My portal just says "Application Submitted: July 21, 2023." There isn't any space to check for my LORs or anything else. Click to expand...

soundofsilence said: I cant even log back into my portal. It says my email is not registered into their system for some reason Click to expand...

Rolltidings123

If we did dual enrollment at a community college during high school, should we list that under academics?  

• Jul 24, 2023

pumpkinseeds said: Has anyone else not received a secondary yet? I'm IS and was verified before June 30.. Click to expand...

Notstressedatall

DocFloc said: Also IS, was verified before June 30th, and haven't received it either. A little worried because I am a re-applicant. Click to expand...

Shouli Zhu said: Hi, same status and situation. I wonder if they're just sending reapplicants later? Click to expand...

• Jul 25, 2023

mysteryman020

• Jul 26, 2023

check spam  

Likewise IS and have not received yet. It may be that those on the waitlist will not receive until that officially closes tonight.  

Also IS, no waitlist, reapplicant, nothing yet  

IS secondary received today. Re-applicant, primary submitted on 6/17, verified 7/24.  

• Jul 27, 2023

Did those on the waitlist receive an official rejection yet? I have not received anything, but it's day 2 of orientation so I assume it's coming.  

bronco8 said: Also IS, no waitlist, reapplicant, nothing yet Click to expand...

Any reapplicant not able to select reapplicant on the first page of the seconday menu?  

williewalnuts

raven187 said: Did those on the waitlist receive an official rejection yet? I have not received anything, but it's day 2 of orientation so I assume it's coming. Click to expand...

IS, reapplicant, waitlisted, secondary received today  

123!@# said: Any reapplicant not able to select reapplicant on the first page of the seconday menu? Click to expand...

• Jul 28, 2023

Has anyone not yet received a secondary application from UNC?  

• Jul 29, 2023

raven187 said: Has anyone not yet received a secondary application from UNC Click to expand...

• Jul 30, 2023

wysdoc said: 3. Discuss your involvement in a service activity that has impacted your understanding of healthcare and your desire to pursue a career in medicine. (250 words) Click to expand...

ok-patient said: For this question, I have two service activities that are relatively similar in their takeaway message/impact on my pursuit of medicine. Do you think it'd be alright to include two or should I just focus on one since the question is asking for an activity, singular? Click to expand...

• Jul 31, 2023

Did the reapplicant issue get fixed for anyone yet? I was told by admissions that they fixed it, but my portal still won't let me select it.  

I assume as a reapplicant we have to wait to submit our secondary until they fix it? It kind of sucks that I would have to wait a few days when I already finished it but I don't want to send any false information.  

• Aug 1, 2023

Persica12 said: Did the reapplicant issue get fixed for anyone yet? I was told by admissions that they fixed it, but my portal still won't let me select it. Click to expand...

YoungForever said: I am IS nothing yet Click to expand...

raven187 said: Still nothing? I reached out to them today, no answer yet. My primary was verified at earliest possible date, so am surprised supplementary hasn't shown up yet. Click to expand...

YoungForever said: I received two days ago. Reapplicant and IS, so probably I received later than others. Click to expand...

• Aug 2, 2023

raven187 said: Also reapplicant and IS. Why would we receive later? Click to expand...

pumpkinseeds said: Was anyone's reapplicant selection thing preselected to yes without an issue? I could have sworn that mine was correct, so I submitted, but now idk if I my eyes just glazed over it and I accidentally submitted incorrect info? It won't let me see what I submitted when I log back in, so now i don't know what to do.... Click to expand...

I submitted the sec but no verification emails. Does anyone also have this issue?  

YoungForever said: I submitted the sec but no verification emails. Does anyone also have this issue? Click to expand...

mednerd2000

DocFloc said: I never saw an option to pay. Is there a separate link to pay? Click to expand...

• Aug 3, 2023

DocFloc said: Per the UNC secondary email: "Please note, we do not send emails indicating that your file is complete--your applicant portal will have updates, and you will find the following information on your status page--check it frequently!" Click to expand...

Similar threads

• Apr 22, 2022

• Mar 17, 2023
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North Carolina Criminal Law

A UNC School of Government Blog

Did State v. Singleton Bring a Sea Change in the Law of Indictments?

The North Carolina Supreme Court’s opinion in State v. Singleton , No. 318PA22, __ N.C. __ (2024), brings about a transformation of North Carolina indictment law. The case “ends [a] centuries old saga” in deciding that the “common law jurisdictional indictment rule” is “no longer the law in this State.” Slip. op. 3, 40. My colleague, Joe Hyde, delved into the analysis and history set forth in the 84-page opinion here . This post will elaborate on the potential consequences for practitioners.

As a new lawyer learning about the concept of jurisdictional indictment errors, I thought of the elements set forth in an indictment as links in a chain. If one of the links was missing or broken, the chain failed to hold, and the pleading was defective. To use another analogy, if the State failed to assert facts supporting each element of the charge, the pleading could not hold water, and the court lacked authority to impose a judgment. See State v. Rankin , 371 N.C. 885 (2018). However, after Singleton, these analogies are no longer applicable.

At its core, Singleton establishes that an alleged indictment defect should be analyzed by considering whether the defendant’s statutory rights or constitutional due process and notice rights were violated. It will still be necessary to determine whether the State violated G.S. 15A-924(a)(5) by failing to assert facts supporting each essential element of the charge. But because the question is no longer jurisdictional in nature (except where the indictment “wholly fails to allege a crime”), prejudice must now be considered on appeal. See G.S. 15A-1443.

How does this affect defense strategy?

Prior to Singleton , it was often strategically advantageous for the defense to attack an indictment mid-trial. The defense could move to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction at the close of the State’s case, at the close of all evidence, or really at any time (an indictment could be found “fatally defective” on appeal or in post-conviction proceedings, long after the trial had concluded). The theory was that the court never had jurisdiction to try the case on an indictment that didn’t hold water.

This allowed the defense to take the case all the way through trial, assessing the State’s case and getting a free bite at the apple at a potential acquittal. The State is barred from retrying a matter if the Defendant is acquitted, even where the indictment is jurisdictionally defective ( see Jeff Welty’s post here ). If the defense prevails in quashing a fatally defective indictment before or after a guilty verdict, the State is free to retry the matter, but may choose not to do so. There was rarely an incentive for the defense to move to dismiss prior to trial, as this would allow the State the opportunity to remedy the defect in the pleading before empaneling a jury.

The North Carolina Supreme Court articulates disapproval of this defense strategy in Singleton , invoking a case from 1894 likening the practice to improperly “reserv[ing]… fire,” or sandbagging . See Singleton , slip op. 31, n. 14 (citing State v. Shade , 115 N.C. 757 (1894)). Apparently finding the strategy contrary to the fair and orderly administration of justice, the court disincentivizes the practice by requiring indictment errors to be raised in a timely fashion. The court in fact explicitly urges future defendants to adopt the “better practice” of raising indictment challenges earlier in the proceedings. Slip op. 41. Why? Because under the post- Singleton framework, it is possible to waive an indictment challenge if the defendant does not timely file the motion to dismiss. Further, to prevail on a non-jurisdictional indictment challenge, the defendant now has to demonstrate prejudice. In some circumstances, it may be difficult for the defendant to persuasively argue that he lacked sufficient notice if he waits until after trial has begun to raise the argument that the indictment fails to provide notice. If the defendant really wanted more detail from the State to prepare his defense, why did he wait until the middle of trial to complain? Why didn’t he move to quash ahead of trial, or even better, file a bill of particulars demanding that the State provide additional factual allegations? See G.S. 15A-925.

Of course, where the defendant asserts the indictment lacks an essential element or files a request for a bill of particulars, and the court does not grant any relief, the defendant’s case for prejudice on appeal will be much stronger. But the supreme court states that it will be “difficult to imagine” the defendant meeting the prejudice prong where such mechanisms as open file discovery, see G.S. 15A-903, and a motion for a bill of particulars exist. Slip. op. 42, n. 16.

When must defendants challenge indictments to avoid waiver?

In certain situations involving a potential indictment defect, the defense will be motivated to timely file a motion to dismiss the indictment prior to trial pursuant to G.S. 15A-924(e). Under G.S. 15A-952(c), the motion must be filed within 21 days of return of indictment where no written request for arraignment is filed, and before arraignment where a written request is filed. The same timing rules apply to motions for a bill of particulars under G.S. 15A-925. See 15A-952(b)(6)(c); 15A-952(e); 15A-925(b) (“[a] motion for a bill of particulars must request and specify items of factual information desired by the defendant which pertain to the charge and which are not recited in the pleading, and must allege that the defendant cannot adequately prepare or conduct his defense without such information”).

But doesn’t the court say that both jurisdictional and non-jurisdictional indictment errors are automatically preserved?

A challenging aspect of the opinion is the question of preservation. On the one hand, the court states that where the defendant fails to timely file a motion to dismiss on the grounds that the indictment fails to assert facts supporting every element of the charge, this challenge will be waived. Slip. op. 31-32 (citing G.S. 15A-952(e)). Such a motion now rests on statutory and constitutional grounds rather than jurisdictional grounds, and thus is subject to waiver.

However, elsewhere in the opinion, the court states that Rule 10(a)(1) of the North Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure provides that whether a criminal charge is sufficient in law is automatically preserved for appellate review. The courts says this is the case for all types of alleged indictment defects, “jurisdictional or otherwise.” Slip. op. 41. See also , State v. Simpson , No. COA23-618, __ N.C. App. __ (2024), slip op. 4, ( citing Singleton ).

How can automatic preservation be squared with the idea that the defendant can waive the challenge? Is it the case that the defendant can waive the opportunity to obtain dismissal of the charge at trial, but the statutory violation can still be addressed on appeal? This seems strange in light of the general principle requiring defendants to object and raise alleged errors at trial so the trial judge gets a chance to address issues prior to the appellate court weighing in.

However the dilemma is resolved, what is clear is that on appeal the defendant will have to show prejudice, at least for purely statutory violations. See G.S. 15A-1443(a). As for constitutional violations, if the defendant timely objects and an appellate court agrees that the violation was constitutional in nature, the burden shifts to the State to show the error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. See G.S. 15A-1443(b).

The longer the defendant waits to raise the challenge, the more difficult it will be to demonstrate that the defendant was prejudiced. Slip. op. 43. To fully preserve potential arguments, defenders should consider lodging a statutory objection pursuant to G.S. 15A-924(a)(5) as well as constitutional due process and notice objections under the Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Takeaways for practitioners and issues on the horizon

How should practitioners modify their strategy after Singleton ? For one, it seems clear that indictment challenges, broadly speaking, are less likely to succeed after Singleton . Minor technical misstatements or omissions, such as failing to include the letters “Inc.” after the name of a victim/business in a larceny indictment, will almost certainly be found to be non-jurisdictional after Singleton (this was likely already the case after State v. Brawley , discussed by Shea Denning, here ).

Thus, in many cases, it may no longer be sound strategy to spring an indictment challenge mid-trial. If such an attack is unlikely to succeed, defenders should be wary about relying on the strategy as a trump card.

Whereas the previous remedies for a fatally defective pleading, dismissal or a vacated conviction, were momentous ones, the remedy for a violation brought to the attention of the court prior to trial is likely to be much more modest. The defendant may win a continuance for the State to amend the indictment or seek a new indictment (note that in district court, when the State supersedes a misdemeanor pleading by filing a statement of charges, the defendant is generally entitled to a continuance of at least three working days, see G.S. 15A-922(b)(2), (3)). Alternatively, the defendant may successfully compel the State to provide additional details regarding the allegations (potentially in response to a bill of particulars). However, final dismissal will be a rare outcome. Defenders should consider whether to seek a potentially minimal benefit by raising the challenge pretrial, or wait until mid-trial to raise the attack, despite the N.C. Supreme Court’s explicit advice against doing so.

Even in the face of the court’s urging, there may still be situations where mid-trial attack is preferable. For example, how should a defender proceed where an indictment properly alleges a lesser-included offense, but appears to be missing an element that the State ostensibly meant to include to enhance the offense? Let’s say the caption of an indictment alleges first degree kidnapping, but the body only sets forth elements sufficient to charge second degree kidnapping. It seems odd for the defense to file a pretrial motion inviting the State to add an element. Cases such as State v. Billinger , 213 N.C. App. 249 (2011), state that the language in the body of the indictment is what controls, not the caption. See Billinger (citing State v. Bennett , 271 N.C. 423 (1967)). Thus, a mid-trial challenge might result in the defendant being exposed to second degree punishment rather than first degree, with double jeopardy principles precluding retrial. But after Singleton , will the case law holding that only the body, not the caption, controls be revisited by our appellate courts? Must the defendant object before trial, asserting lack of notice as to what element the State intended to rely on to enhance the crime from second degree to first degree? I don’t believe the answer is clear yet.

The logic in Billinger may have been implicitly overruled by Singleton . Billinger relied on a framework in which the validity of the indictment was determined only by reference to what was contained within the four corners, and alleging the essential elements of the crime was necessary to confer jurisdiction. After Singleton , the analysis is no longer jurisdictional, and our courts must now consider questions pertaining to notice and prejudice that spill out beyond the four corners of the indictment. There is a hint of this new approach in last week’s opinion in State v. Simpson , No. COA23-618, __ N.C. App. __ (2024). In Simpson , the Court of Appeals found no error in the indictment and thus did not engage thoroughly with the question of notice. Slip. op. 4-8. However, in rejecting the defendant’s argument that the indictment for uttering a forged endorsement lacked sufficient precision in describing the check at issue, the court pointed out that the defendant received a copy of the check in discovery. This analysis foreshadows debates to come, as the future of indictment litigation will likely take into account what was provided in discovery, communication between the parties, and analysis of defense strategy. If these are all pertinent considerations in evaluating notice and prejudice after Singleton , the caption and stated charge may very well be included in the analysis.

With the law in flux after Singleton , other questions arise. Chiefly, what does it mean for an indictment to “wholly fail” to allege a crime? Put differently, which errors remain jurisdictional in nature and which errors are subject to waiver? The example the court gives, “wearing a pink shirt on a Wednesday,” is a pretty clear one, but courts will grapple with harder questions in years to come.

As much remains to be seen, prosecutors should refrain from depositing their indictment form books in the dustbin. Even if the remedies for defects timely raised by the defense are potentially more modest, prosecutors are still incentivized to “get it right” in the first place to comply with due process, foreclose potential challenges, and avoid delays that may arise from the need to seek a superseding indictment or obtain an amendment of an existing indictment.

Stay tuned.

Sharon L. James

Ph.d., 1991, university of california at berkeley.

Sharon L. James received her doctorate in Comparative Literature from the University of California at Berkeley, with a dissertation on parents and children in Homer, Vergil, and Dante. She taught at Hamilton College, Bryn Mawr College, and the University of California, Santa Cruz before coming to UNC Chapel Hill in 1999. She is professor of Classics and an adjunct member of both Comparative Literature and Women’s and Gender Studies at UNC Chapel Hill.

Her areas of scholarly specialization are Latin poetry; women and gender in antiquity, particularly women in Rome; New Comedy; and Italian epic. Further areas of general interest include gender in Greek tragedy; family and social organization in Homer; the Renaissance Italian New Comedy of Machiavelli and Ariosto.

Professor James’s teaching interests range from Latin of all kinds and all levels to comparative literature courses and the occasional class on Menander. On the undergraduate level, she offers Latin courses on Vergil, Ovid’s  Metamorphoses,  Latin lyric, Roman elegy, Roman Comedy, Petronius, first-year seminars, and lecture classes on women in ancient Greece and women in ancient Rome. Her graduate courses include Ovid and Literary Theory, Roman Comedy, Roman Elegy, Ovid’s  Metamorphoses,  Menander, a Propertius seminar, and an intensive interdisciplinary graduate course, “Approaches to Women in Antiquity,” team-taught with Professor Sheila Dillon (Department of Art History, Duke University).  In 2021, she was honored with the Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching at the UNC campus. In 2017, the Women’s Classical Caucus awarded her its Leadership Award. In 2013, she was honored with a University teaching award, the William C. Friday/Class of 1986 Award for Excellence in Inspirational Teaching.

Professor James’s current book project, a large-scale study entitled  Women in Greek and Roman New Comedy , has been completed in manuscript form (at 700+ pages!) and is now in revision, before submission to press.  She is also working on a book about the field of study for Women in Ancient Rome, for De Gruyter’s series, Trends in Classics: Key Perspectives on Classical Research.

Future projects include a monograph about how to read Propertius. Her next major research project will be a study of rape and the social meanings of the female body from Greek myth to the contemporary world. She is also organizing a series of translations of the entire corpus of New Comedy (Menander, Plautus, Terence) to be published by the University of Wisconsin Press; volumes I and II are under contract.  She will be contributing translations of four plays.

Most recently, she has edited, and contributed to, a volume of essays on Propertius, Golden Cynthia: Essays on Propertius by and for Barbara Flaschenriem   ( University of Michigan Press ).

With Professors Dorota Dutsch and David Konstan, she co-edited a volume entitled  Women in Republican Roman Drama , published in Spring 2015 by the University of Wisconsin Press.

With Professor Sheila Dillon of Duke University, she co-edited  A Companion to Women in the Ancient World , in which she published three case studies and an article co-authored with Madeleine Henry.  The  Companion  was named a  Choice  Outstanding Academic Title, and received a PROSE (Association of American Publishers) Honorable Mention as a Single Volume Reference in the Humanities & Social Sciences.  Also with Professor Dillon, she edited  Women in the Classical World , a four-volume collection of reprinted essays in the Routledge Press’s Major Works series, published in 2017.

Her 2003 book,  Learned Girls and Male Persuasion: Gender and Reading in Roman Love Elegy (University of California Press), examines the arguments of Roman elegy from the perspective of its preferred love object, the  docta puella .

She has published articles on Ovid, Roman comedy, elegy, Menander, Vergil, literary theory, and teaching the subject of rape.  “Feminist Pedagogy and Teaching Latin Literature” ( Cloelia 39; 2008) was awarded a prize from the Women’s Classical Caucus, for Special Contribution to Feminist Pedagogy.  Recent journal articles include “ Fallite Fallentes:  The Intertextuality of Rape and Deception in Terence’s  Eunuch  and Ovid’s Ars amatoria ” ( EuGeStA  6 (2016) 87-111 ) and “Twenty Years of ‘Ovid and Literary Theory’” ( CW  108, 2015). Published on-line is her 2015 talk at Duke University’s Mellon Humanities Futures conference, “ Ancient Comedy, Women’s Lives: Finding Social History and Seeing the Present in Classical Comedy .” Encyclopedia entries include “Rape” ( Oxford Classical Dictionary On-Line ), and a number of items in the Encyclopedia of Greek Comedy .

In recent edited volumes, her chapters include “Plautus and the Marriage Plot” ( A Companion to Plautus , edd. Dorota Dutsch and Fred Franko), “Women and Trauma in Greek and Roman New Comedy” ( Emotional Trauma in Greece and Rome, edd. Vassiliki Panoussi and Andromache Karanika), “The Life Course of the Roman Courtesan” ( The Roman Courtesan,  edd. Ria Berg and Richard Neudecker), “Rape and Repetition in Ovid’s Metamorphoses : Myth, History, Structure, Rome” ( Repeat Performances: Ovidian Repetition and the Metamorphoses, edd. Laurel Fulkerson and Tim Stover, 2016), and “ Mater, Oratio, Filia:  Listening to Mothers in Roman Comedy” ( Women in Republican Roman Drama,  2015).

With Professors Alison Keith (University of Toronto) and Laurel Fulkerson (Florida State University), she is co-founder of the International Ovidian Society, which has been busy organizing conferences and conference panels, and has plans for many more activities, including an on-line refereed journal.  More information can be found on the Ovidian Society’s website .

In summer 2012, Professor James co-directed, with Professor Timothy Moore (Washington University in St. Louis; UNC Classics PhD., 1986), an NEH Summer Institute entitled “Roman Comedy in Performance.”  This Institute experimented with different versions of selected scenes from Roman comedy ( Bacchides, Casina, Eunuchus, Mercator, Persa, Pseudolus, Truculentus ) Participants produced twenty performed scenes from Roman Comedy, six of them in Latin.

The videos have been viewed more than 35,000 times, in 130 countries. The performances can be seen on Youtube .

Dissertations directed

India Watkins Natterman. “Mismarked Flesh: The Interpretability of the Male Body in Julio-Claudian Literature.” 2023. Sarah Eisenlohr, UNC Chapel Hill.  Current.  “Female Trauma in Ovidian Poetry.” 2023. Hannah Sorscher. “Unconventional Families in Roman Comedy.”  2021. Kelly McArdle, UNC Chapel Hill.  “Laughing at the Brutalized Body: The Political Dimensions of Violence in Plautine Comedy.”  2021. Jessica Wise. “Gender, Speech, Authority: Ovid’s Fasti and Augustan Thought on Women.” 2017. Katherine R. DeBoer. “Death and the Female Body in Homer, Vergil, and Ovid.” 2016. Serena Witzke. “An Influence of Much Importance: Oscar Wilde and Ancient New Comedy.” 2014. Erika Zimmermann Damer. “The Female Body in Latin Love Poetry.”  2010.  Revised version published in 2018 by University of Wisconsin Press ( In the Flesh: Embodied Identities in Roman Elegy ). Hunter Gardner. “The Waiting Game: Gender and Time in Latin Love Elegy.  2005. Revised version published in 2013 by Oxford University Press, UK: Gendering Time In Augustan Love Elegy .

Email: sljamesATemailDOTuncDOTedu Curriculum Vitae

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As students return to UNC-Chapel Hill for fall semester, so do pro-Palestinian protests

Days after a new academic year began at UNC-Chapel Hill, pro-Palestinian protesters returned to the area of campus that saw dozens arrested in the spring — ushering in what could be a tense semester at the university as the Israel-Hamas war continues.

The campus chapter of Students for Justice for Palestine on Thursday evening hosted a “disorientation” event, drawing dozens of demonstrators. They gathered outside of South Building, which houses the offices of newly appointed Chancellor Lee Roberts and other administrators, with a portable surveillance camera overlooking them.

“While UNC performs business as usual in the first week of classes, join us for a Disorientation to the imperialism and violence that administration defends,” an Instagram post promoting the event read. “Admin’s repression of organizing will not hinder the demand for divestment, and the call for a Free Palestine.”

Thursday’s protest marked the first campus demonstration over the war since tensions came to a head in the spring, with a four-day “Gaza solidarity encampment” that saw 36 protesters charged with trespassing after they refused to comply with orders from police to disband the gathering.

All of those charged at the encampment have been offered plea deals ranging from deferred prosecution to a conditional discharge, according to their attorney. They are expected to appear in court, where they could accept or decline the deals, on Monday.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators also protested before and during the university’s graduation speech in May, with some splattering red paint on South Building. UNC police obtained a search warrant for private account information of the UNC Students for Justice for Palestine Instagram account in connection with those events.

But Thursday’s event, which lasted for a little less than two hours, remained peaceful. A handful of organizers stood on the steps of South Building to give speeches on topics from the war in Gaza, to other countries facing similar conflicts, to the history of student activism and protests at UNC. No counter-protesters appeared to be present.

Since the war in Gaza began, SJP has called on UNC to disclose and divest from investments it holds in companies supporting Israel and to end study-abroad programs to Israel, among other demands.

The war started last October when Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, launched a terrorist attack that killed more than 1,200 Israeli civilians, with 240 hostages being taken. The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war as of Aug. 15, Reuters reported.

Jacob Ginn, an SJP member, told The News & Observer prior to the demonstration Thursday that “it’s in the university’s interest to meet our demands.”

“We’re gonna stay out here, and we’re gonna keep protesting and keep pushing the university until they are met,” Ginn said.

University reminds students of free-speech policies

Roberts, who served as interim chancellor during the spring semester and was named to the job permanently about two weeks ago, has taken a different approach to campus protests from that of other college administrators around the country. When protesters pulled down the American flag after April’s arrests and replaced it with a Palestinian one, Roberts led police in restoring it — gaining national attention in the process.

He has repeatedly emphasized, including on the day he was named chancellor, that the university supports students’ right to protest, but they must follow the law and university policy when doing so.

“We have some very reasonable, very easy to follow rules when it comes to protests: Please don’t vandalize our historic buildings. You can’t turn the quad into a private campground. And please don’t threaten, harass or intimidate students, employees or staff,” Roberts told reporters after accepting the job. “As long as everyone can stay within those, again, very reasonable rules, I think we’ll have a terrific semester.”

Administrators in recent days took additional steps to remind students and others on campus of their First Amendment rights, as well as university policies on free expression, sending campus-wide emails with reminders and a link to a new “Free Speech at Carolina” website.

“On this we want to be clear: No one person’s freedom of expression is more important than another person’s right to learn, work or speak free from harassment and discrimination. Civic engagement and peaceful protest have a long and noble history on our campus,” Roberts and Provost Chris Clemens wrote in a campus message Wednesday. “No one has the right, however, to disrupt campus operations, threaten or abuse others or damage public property.”

Ginn viewed the messages, which did not reference any specific stances or groups of protesters, as an effort “to repress the movement for Palestinian liberation and solidarity with Palestine.”

Per policy, universities in the UNC System are required to inform new students of their policies on free speech during orientation sessions each year and “periodically provide this same information to all students.”

While Thursday’s event was the first major protest of the school year, it likely will not be the last.

Roberts and Clemens recognized in their message that “there will be many opportunities this year to debate and demonstrate.”

“As you do so,” they wrote, “we ask that you do so with enthusiasm and respect for the principles of free expression that have been dear to this University for so many years.”

At court hearing for the protesters last month, SJP leaders said April’s encampment “was only one stage of a committed campaign to force” the university to heed the group’s demands.

One organizer, speaking to the crowd on Thursday, said the group “will make this the hardest year” of administrators’ lives.

“Every time you try and shut us down, every time you try and create a new policy to curb our demonstrations, every single time you try and arrest us,” the organizer said, “more students and more people will rise up and take our place.”

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Great Vibes and Big Ideas: Launch Chapel Hill Kicks Off Cohort 25 Demo Day

Student entrepreneurs took the stage to showcase their innovative ideas to an audience eager to witness the future of startups.

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Launch Chapel Hill kicked off Cohort 25’s Demo Day with a vibrant celebration at their brand-new location, the Junction . The event was marked by an enthusiastic gathering of entrepreneurs, students and community members, all eager to hear from UNC-Chapel Hill student innovators. Attendees were welcomed with an exciting atmosphere that blended innovation and camaraderie.

“Demo Day is the culmination of everything we have learned and achieved by participating in Launch’s 25th cohort,” said Daniel Meskill of SolveCircle, a member of the Summer 2024 startup accelerator cohort. “From completing customer discovery to pivoting on our ideas to mastering the art of the pitch, Launch has equipped us with the skills not only for this special night but also for all future ventures we develop. No matter where our entrepreneurial path takes us, it all started in Chapel Hill.”

Created via a partnership between UNC-Chapel Hill, the Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County, Launch Chapel Hill is a startup accelerator program supporting startups in the local community and from the university.  The highlight of Demo Day was undoubtedly the student pitches delivered by the summer Launch cohort. These entrepreneurs showcased their cutting-edge ideas and business models, impressing the audience with their creativity and potential.

“Launch’s Demo Day is a showcase of the incredible student-led ventures that are laser-focused on solving real-world problems,” said Ian Baltutis, Director of Launch Chapel Hill. “These emerging entrepreneurs are not just building businesses; they’re revolutionizing how students learn, how Main Street thrives, and how employees succeed. This is where innovation meets impact, and Chapel Hill is leading the charge.”

In addition to the presentations, the evening was an experience that encouraged mingling and networking. The event not only celebrated the launch of Cohort 25 but also reinforced the strong sense of community that defines Launch Chapel Hill, making it a truly unforgettable evening.

The Class of 2023 Then and now

By Johnny Andrews, University Communications

Four years as a Carolina student can go by really fast.

As the Tar Heels in the Class of 2023 prepare to graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill, University photographer Johnny Andrews invited a few of them back to the spots where they started their Carolina careers to reflect on the past four years and offer advice to their younger selves.

Nasya Richardson

Nasya Richardson arrived on campus as a first-year student a little earlier than most of her fellow Tar Heels in August of 2019 to join Carolina Kickoff, a three-day orientation for students. This semester, Richardson returned to the same spot in front of the Campus Y, where she had started her years as a Tar Heel.

“After my family moved me in, I remember feeling excited yet nervous about this new chapter of my life. When I arrived at the Campus Y, many of my worries went away as I was surrounded by others who were also eager to meet new people and to create new memories. I had no idea what was in store for me at UNC, but I was more than ready to start my journey. “Advice that I would give to the ‘first year on campus’ version of myself would be to always remain confident in everything that I do. I would tell myself that time will go by very fast, so have fun, attend as many games and events as possible, and be open to trying new things. I would tell myself to take more time to discover new interests and the importance of self-care early on and to take advantage of the many opportunities that UNC has to offer.”

Michael Barnes and Charles Jeon

For most incoming first-year students, move-in day is the first time they’ll meet their roommates. It can be an intimidating moment. But for Michael Barnes and Charles Jeon, who met at East Forsyth High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the biggest concern about moving in was trying to get their new futon into their room.

The two first-year roommates returned to Hinton James Residence Hall shortly before graduation.

“To my younger self, I would say, ‘Don’t be afraid of failure and enjoy life.” Michael Barnes “My advice is to please love yourself more, be more confident, be more outgoing, be more open-minded. Everything will be tough at the beginning, so you’re going to have to experience a lot of failures, but that doesn’t mean you’re a failed person. You’re young, and you have four years to go, so please don’t give up early.” Charles Jeon

Diane Gildehaus

Another Carolina Kickoff alumna, Diane Gildehaus, returned to the Campus Y to relive her first day on campus, where she ran through a tunnel of Tar Heels the moment she arrived in Chapel Hill four years ago.

“I remember I was so excited to start college. My parents had just dropped me off at Carolina Kickoff, and I had been torn from my car by the Carolina Kickoff counselor without a moment for a tearful goodbye. I was a little nervous, and I remember as I was running towards the Campus Y telling myself to just go for it and live in the moment. Looking back on it now is a reminder to my senior-year-self to finish strong with the same kind of optimism and enthusiasm I began college with. “It is true that all good things take time. Be authentic, be true to yourself and go take chances on the things that fill you with excitement. Failure, quitting and the rejection of perfectionism are all signs of strength. Don’t train yourself to be miserable. Value joy and peace, and seriously consider what a life worth living looks like to you. Are you living that truth at this moment? What are you waiting for?”

Junead Khan

Eager to begin his time at Carolina following tradition, Junead Khan waited in a long line to take a sip from the Old Well on the first day of classes on Aug. 20, 2019. From his first sip to graduation day, Khan says he’s learned a lot about himself as a Tar Heel.

“The advice I’d give myself as a freshman is: ‘You’re in a place where the people are as smart, curious and driven as yourself. Don’t be intimidated by others, be inspired by them, but still remember your worth.’”

Jada Burroughs

Jada Burroughs didn’t waste much time getting to work at Carolina. By Aug. 27, 2019, the Tar Heel had already staked out a space in the Robert H. House Undergraduate Library. Four years later, she returned to her first-year study spot.

“Breathe. Four years goes by so fast. Please give yourself grace and realize that change is inevitable, no matter how hard you plan. Allow yourself to see the bigger picture and realize the millions of possibilities there are to accomplish just one thing.”

Grace Hoover

The first time Grace Hoover met her classmates at Carolina Kickoff, she wasn’t sure how she’d fit in at UNC-Chapel Hill. But when she returned to the spot of her first day at Carolina four years later, the Tar Heel did so with more confidence.

“I remember showing up to campus feeling completely unsure of my potential and feared that I may slip through the cracks when trying to thrive at this big new school. Over my four years at Carolina, I learned how to stand up and stand out. I found the most wonderful community who truly taught me how to grow into my own skin in this big world. “As you go into these four years, never be afraid to speak up and fight for the things you want. Do everything you do with an ounce more confidence and power than the day before. Be bold, kind, aware and never be afraid to laugh at yourself.”

• Prepare for Commencement

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• CENTERS & INSTITUTES

School of Social Work welcomes new MSW students

Posted on August 21, 2024

by Chloe Yopp and Chris Hilburn-Trenkle

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work celebrated the start of a new academic year with a week of gatherings welcoming faculty, staff and new and returning students to the School. On Friday, Aug. 16, the festivities concluded with orientation for more than 100 incoming 2-year and 3-year MSW students. The event included breakfast and lunch, a student-led panel, welcoming remarks from Dean Ramona Denby-Brinson and more.

Faculty, staff and students gathered in the Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building at 8 a.m. on Friday to enjoy breakfast before orientation kicked off with speeches from several leaders at the School of Social Work, including Vice Dean Robert Hawkins, Interim Associate Dean for MSW Education Andrea Murray-Lichtman, and Assistant Dean, Recruitment, Admissions and Financial Aid Sharon Thomas.

After Thomas welcomed the new students to the morning’s orientation, Hawkins and Murray-Lichtman shared words of inspiration for the next generation of social workers.

The first session of the day was led by Clinical Associate Professor Travis Albritton, who facilitated a discussion reflecting on the class’ summer reading — Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond. After Albritton left the stage to loud applause, NASW-NC Director of Membership and Communication Seth Maid presented a short PowerPoint about his organization, and later current 2- and 3-year MSW students led a panel that offered advice to the incoming students as they start their time at the School. Before pausing for lunch, students also got the opportunity to meet with their faculty advisors in breakout sessions.

Denby-Brinson greeted the audience in the afternoon with words of empowerment, noting the world was in a better place because of the more than 100 future social workers in the auditorium who would lend their skills and expertise to help individuals all over the world.

“You’re going to be the change maker, you’re going to be the one to enter into communities locally, all over our state, all over our country, and many of you even internationally,” Denby-Brinson said. “You will be that individual that shows up for children. You’ll be that individual that shows up for families. You’ll be that individual that challenges systems, that asks the tough questions, that says, ‘No, that’s not okay. We’re not going to accept that. We’re not going to accept that people continue to live in poverty.’ That’s how I know the world has gotten better.”

The week’s festivities concluded with Clinical Associate Professor Laurie Selz-Campbell and Albritton sharing their presentation, “Exploring Justice in Social Work Practice.”

“I’m so excited about this year and everything that awaits us … Thank you for choosing social work and thank you for choosing Carolina,” Denby-Brinson said. “I hope you have a wonderful year.”

Incoming MSW students by the numbers

• Average Age: 26.8 
• Age Range: 21-58 
• 23% identified as students of color 
• 14% noted CMPP (community, management, and policy practice) as intended specialization 
• 10 dual-degree (one Master of Public Administration, four Master of Divinity, five Master of Public Health) 
• 18% are first-generation college students 
• 30% have moved to North Carolina for graduate studies 
• Four international students from Canada, South Korea, Rwanda and Sri Lanka
• 17% multilingual in languages including Arabic, Korean, Japanese, Swahili and American Sign Language
• Seven AmeriCorps volunteers, three Teach for America members
• Two college advising corps members, two Fulbright Program members
• Two Duke-UNC Rotary Peace Fellows