It’s decision time for high school students and transfers who are considering UNC Greensboro. Early spring is an introspective season not only for prospects, but also for current students who are taking inventory of their college experience with a “how it started and how it’s going” critical eye.
University accolades and alumni success support what prospective students are deciding and what current students are realizing. Here are a few reasons why UNCG is the right place for you.
Bang for Your Buck
As a UNC System university, we are an affordable institution for North Carolina residents seeking the academics and resources expected of a system university. And when tuition is out of reach, UNCG financial aid steps in with customized options such as grants, scholarships, and flexible payment plans. It’s a system with proven results that currently serves the Pell-eligible students who account for 57% of our undergraduate student body.
A UNCG degree is a life-changer, especially for half of our students who self-identify as first generation. When these students graduate to earn more than their parents did before them, their careers serve as ladders for future generations. This effect of higher education, which improves the futures of families and communities, is called social mobility. UNCG ranks first in the state for social mobility, with alumni who are testaments to the value of their educational investment.
“Because of UNCG, not only am I able to give a better life to my wife and my children, but to my mom who sacrificed for me,” Dr. Trey Bateman ’08. “It’s hard to measure the value of the way UNCG promotes social mobility for people, but it is something they are doing better than so many universities out there.”
No matter your financial circumstances, UNCG works to put you in a better one
Culture of Care
This year, UNCG was named the top performer of all the UNC system universities. The accolade was based on graduation rates, credits earned, degree efficiency, cumulative student debt at graduation, university expenses per degree granted, and external funding.
Our performance is a direct result of our culture of care. Rather than being just a number, Spartans are supported in every step of their academic journey. Advisors work with students who need tutoring, advice on majors, and ways they can augment their studies with service and leadership opportunities. It’s support that drives them to graduation and beyond.
“My one word to describe UNCG is ‘opportunity,’” says Janae Wofford, biology student and Goldwater Scholar. “No matter where you are, there are people looking out for you and pushing you forward.”
Alumni often credit advisors for helping them turn their passions into careers. At UNCG, faculty and staff help students consider majors that fit their interests and strengths, and then give them the tools to succeed.
Come as you are and we’ll take you farther
Ready to Work
In today’s competitive job market, UNCG students have an advantage. They not only graduate with degrees, but most also have hands-on experience in their fields thanks to internships, leadership in student organizations, and service-learning opportunities.
Advisors and faculty are always thinking about career preparation for their students. All Bryan School students take professional development classes to polish their résumé and presentation skills. And Career & Professional Development (CPD) connects employers like Reynolds American Inc. with students like Ashanti Evans.
“I went in with nothing because they tell you that you don’t need a résumé draft to meet with their advisors,” Evans says. “They set me up for success. Without the CPD office, I would not have a full-time position prior to graduation.”
Your Success is Our Success
Family Support
When students are asked what they like most about UNCG, the typical answer is the welcome they find here. Some arrive straight out of high school, and some come to us after other life experiences. Among honors students, commuter or online students, and student-athletes are learners who identify as:
Pell eligible (57%)
Students of color (56%)
First-generation (52%)
Transfer students (38%)
Hispanic students (18%)
Military-affiliated (10%)
They arrive from various backgrounds to thrive in a community that celebrates their differences and encourages how they can learn from each other. Although many colleges claim to do this, UNCG does it without leaving families behind.
From the first tour at UNCG, families of prospective students are engaged. Tours are conducted in English and in Spanish. Later, families discover that Spartan orientation isn’t just for students. Special sessions with language translation services are designed for guardians from around the globe to learn what to expect when their student goes off to college. And homecoming is always a family affair at UNCG with alumni, current students, and families of both joining in the fun together.
Angela McNair joined her daughter for homecoming festivities and raved about the support she found at UNCG: “Those first few weeks of school, there were challenges adapting to living on her own, but she has overcome all of that. I’m grateful that UNCG has been here to meet her needs along the way.”
First-generation family members particularly appreciate UNCG’s efforts to keep them informed and included. A new connection tool for families is the guest access portal for student accounts. It gives supporting family members protected access to their student’s records so they can keep tabs on tuition balances, credit hours, class schedules, and grades.
Residence hall drop-off and commencement shouldn’t be the only times families can share in their loved one’s college journey. At UNCG, they are a crucial part of the ride.
Our Spartan Family Welcomes Your Family
Campus Living at its Best
Facts aside, most students base their college decision on the feeling they get when they step on campus. It’s a feeling that has as much to do with the aesthetics of the campus as it does with the staff they meet and resources they find along the way.
The wide green quads, stately arbors, and brick sidewalks exude classic higher education. A walk through campus makes students feel worthy of the academic expectations they find here. Residence halls can be found in historic buildings and updated mid-rises, giving students a range of room types that appeal to our diverse students. Eighty percent of our first-years live on campus, and unlike some of our sister universities, there’s space for Juniors and Seniors to live on campus too!
Find Your HOme Away from Home
The city of Greensboro also offers reasonably priced off-campus housing in a community that gives students opportunities for internships, part-time jobs, and career networking. It’s a city that isn’t too large but isn’t too small, conveniently located right in the middle of the state.
Within the comfort of campus facilities, students find an active student life with over 250 organizations representing a range of service, social, professional, and cultural groups.
“We’ve got 17 Division I sports teams, an esports arena, and an award-winning dining hall, but UNCG has a personalized feel,” says Joel Lee, Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management. “As students walk across the campus, it’s easy for them to find a community and feel like they’re part of something.”
Opportunities can be found everywhere, but staff prioritize students’ mental health and lists like Princeton Review’s Mental Health Honor Roll are taking notice. Whether students are looking for a cozy, Zen, or inspirational environment, it’s all within reach at UNCG.
Young alumni, current students, and committed prospects agree: there are many numerous answers to the “Why UNCG?” question. Take a visit to our campus, ask questions, feel the vibes, and join the ranks of UNCG’s Spartan nation.
Story by Becky Deakins, University Communications.
Photos by Sean Norona, University Communications.
