North Carolina State University

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Students Say - Academics
Blending a close-knit community with a prestigious name, North Carolina State University offers "big-school opportunity with a small-school feel." The sheer number of academic options is impressive-the engineering department alone offers 18 different majors. With "plenty of opportunities to study abroad or get an internship," as well extensive opportunities to conduct research as an undergraduate, students say "NCSU is all about developing skills in school that will help you throughout your professional career." A biochemistry student adds, "Professors are often active in research, and there are tons of opportunities for students to get involved in the exciting research that is going on here." Resources are plentiful: "If you need a computer, they've got them everywhere. If you need a camera, you can rent one." Despite the sizable student population, "The way the school is split up into colleges makes it seem less intimidating." Within the colleges, "each department is pretty tight." As one student explains, "With the 33,000-plus students who attend [the school], you wonder where they all are." NCSU professors "are smart, they are funny, and they are accessible. Above all, they love what they teach, and it shows." While "there are lots of students in most freshman lectures," students say that "Even in the larger classes, [professors] strive to engage students and keep classes interesting." More importantly, "most of the professors genuinely care about their students," and "Even the professors whose teaching abilities [are] questionable are still very approachable, friendly, and readily available to the students." Despite recent shake-ups in the administration, "Everything at North Carolina State seems to run pretty efficiently."

Students Say - Campus Life
On NCSU's outgoing and lively campus, students balance academic work with an active social calendar. While they may suffer some sleepless nights, "Everyone has their own way of making academic and social life work." From Greek life to honor societies to "tons of intramural sports," "There are multitudes of organizations and activities to participate in on campus." Boredom is not an issue: "Between theater, music, cultural events, and athletics, there's no point when the campus feels 'dead' or inactive." "Students at NCSU are really into sports," and the whole campus comes out to tailgate before football games. Students also love the "great recreational facilities and gyms on campus," which boast multiple racquetball courts and pools, among other amenities. Socially, "NCSU is a very friendly, social campus," and on the weekends "going to nightclubs is popular, as are parties," while other students like to "just hang out with friends." A cosmopolitan, medium-sized city, "Downtown Raleigh has a lot to offer, from local bands, to Broadway musicals, to art nights, and amazing food." "There are a few independent movie theaters in town, like the Rialto, which plays independent movies or local documentaries." Many students also mention the local music scene, pointing out that "Raleigh is a hoppin' and bop- pin' place, and there [are] always shows and concerts of every kind in the area."

Students Say - Student Body
With strong programs in science and engineering, NCSU "students have a reputation for being very practical," and most are "very driven" academically. With such a large student population, diversity is a given, and "The students [on campus] vary from Southern-born-and-raised crop science majors, to devout Muslims, to 4.0 Columbia-bound premeds, to partying fraternity boys...and sometimes all of these are combined into one." Most students are North Carolina natives, of which you'll get two general groups: city and country. Here, "The city student is typically a Democrat, not particularly religious, [and] very friendly. The smaller town student is typically a religious Republican and is also very friendly." Fortunately, "people of all ethnicities and backgrounds interact seamlessly," though on the whole, "The student body is somewhat conservative compared to other schools in the area." If there's any uniting factor on campus, it's that "Everyone loves the Wolfpack...everyone is very loyal and very passionate about the school's athletic program, no matter how successful or unsuccessful it might be that year."

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