More than 6,200 candidates from a record first-deadline pool of 17,149 were offered admission to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Fall 2015 entering class last week. The pool was 1 percent larger than last year, marking the third year in a row that Carolina has set a record for the number of first-deadline applicants. Early action applicants from North Carolina increased by 3 percent over last year.
A total of 31,929 students (first and second deadline) have applied for first-year admission, setting the tenth consecutive record of first-year applications at UNC-Chapel Hill. Decisions for second-deadline applicants will be released by the end of March. The University expects 4,000 new first-year students to enroll in August.
“Every year our admitted students amaze and inspire us through their accomplishments inside the classroom and far beyond,” said Stephen Farmer, Vice Provost of Enrollment and Undergraduate Admissions. “The personal qualities of our admitted students are as impressive as their academic credentials, and we look forward to working with them to make a difference in the life of University and the lives of the people of North Carolina, the nation and the world.”
Accomplishments by the 6,235 admitted students include:
- Winning regional, state, and national awards for debating, acting, writing, mathematics, science and athletics
- Conducting research at other leading national universities and publishing work in national journals
- Earning rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scout Gold Award
- Founding organizations to educate schools and communities about environmental sustainability
- Inventing a hand-held detector for blood iron (patent pending)
- Leading chapters of Future Business Leaders of America and Distributive Education Centers of America and placing in local and national competitions
- Founding entrepreneurship and investment clubs at schools
- Launching online businesses such as the delivery of all-natural snack foods
- Leading efforts to educate classmates about gender equality, diversity and anti-bullying
- Founding mentorship program in community for at-risk nine-graders
- Creating an organization to educate senior citizens about new technologies
- Raising $132,000 in three years for local charities
- Starting library for homeless children
Eighty-four percent of all admitted students who reported a rank are ranked in the top 10 percent of their class. Half of all admitted students are ranked in the top 10 students of their high school class.
The first student to enroll, just fifteen minutes after decisions were released last Wednesday, was Daniel Wang of Charlotte, N.C., an Ardrey Kell High School senior, who plans to major in Business Administration. “I made my decision to enroll at Carolina the summer before I applied,” said Wang. “Being accepted into the Kenan-Flagler School of Business would be a dream come true for me. The connections I will make here will lead me to great opportunities, and down the road I hope to find great opportunities for others.”
Through the Common Application students report their extracurricular activities by category, which allows the admissions office to collect and report more detailed information on how applicants spend their time outside the classroom. For example, the top ten most common activities of admitted students are in the following categories (in order): honors; athletics; community service; work; academic club; student government; religious; art, drama and dance; science and math clubs; and career-oriented.
Admitted students hail from 96 North Carolina counties, 47 states and 30 countries (including the United States). Thirteen percent will be the first generation of their family to graduate from college. Of those who reported race or ethnicity, 33 percent identified themselves as students of color, including 16 percent who identified themselves as American Indian, African American or Hispanic. One hundred seventy-one are international students.
“While we’re delighted by the increased interest in UNC, this interest makes our decisions more difficult every year,” said Farmer. “If we may help the students we have disappointed in any way as they complete their college searches, we will be honored to try.”
Since July 2014, the admissions office welcomed more than 37,000 visitors (prospective students and family members) for an information session and student-led tour. During this same time period, recruitment staff attended 185 regional college fairs, 110 local high school visits, and 40 national college events across the state, nation and ten additional countries across the world. The office also launched several social media campaigns to engage prospective students online.
Published February 4, 2015.