🍦 Today's Scoops Aug 30: UC vs Common App Activity List

Good morning folks! Here’s what we have today:

1. School of the Day: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2. Admissions Blueprint: Key differences between the UC and Common App Activity List

3. Friday News Focus: MIT’s Class of 2028 Profile

SCHOOL OF THE DAY
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Every day, we cover a different school, helping you learn something new about your favorite schools or find a new school that could end up being your dream school.

📍 Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
🎓 Undergraduates Enrolled: 20,681
📊 Acceptance Rate: 17.1%
📝 Average SAT/ACT: 1450/32
💸 Tuition: $8,998 (in-state), $39,338 (out-of-state)
📅 Admission Options: October 15th (Early Action), January 15 (Regular Decision)
🏆 Top Ranking Programs: Clinical Psychology (#2), Healthcare Management (#3), Political Science (#12) (US News)
📈 Most Popular Majors: Social Sciences (15%), Biological and Biomedical Sciences (12%), Computer Science (8%) (US News)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill) is one of the oldest public universities in the United States and has earned a reputation for academic excellence, vibrant campus life, and strong school spirit. Here’s what you should know if you’re considering becoming a Tar Heel.

Some positives

🚀 Top-Tier Academics: UNC Chapel Hill is renowned for its academic rigor and offers a wide range of strong programs, particularly in the fields of public health, business, and journalism. The Gillings School of Global Public Health and the Kenan-Flagler Business School are consistently ranked among the best in the nation.

🌳 Picturesque Campus: The campus is known for its beauty, featuring iconic spots like the Old Well and the Coker Arboretum. The historic and natural elements of the campus provide a serene environment that students love.

🏀 Strong School Spirit: UNC Chapel Hill has a rich athletic tradition, particularly in basketball. The Dean Smith Center is a hub of school spirit, where students passionately support the Tar Heels. The sense of community and pride in UNC’s athletic achievements is palpable.

🎨 Diverse Student Life: With over 800 student organizations, UNC offers something for everyone. From the Carolina Union Activities Board to cultural and service-oriented clubs, there’s no shortage of ways to get involved and make the most of your college experience.

💼 Excellent Career Resources: The University Career Services at UNC Chapel Hill provides robust support for students, including internship placements, resume workshops, and networking events. The strong alumni network further enhances students’ job prospects post-graduation.

🧬 Cutting-Edge Research: UNC is a major research university with a strong emphasis on innovation and discovery. The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Institute for Global Health & Infectious Diseases are just a couple of examples where students can engage in impactful research.

Some negatives

📚 Competitive Atmosphere: While the academic environment at UNC is highly regarded, it can also be quite competitive. The pressure to perform well in a high-achieving student body may be intense for some students.

🏙️ College Town Size: Chapel Hill is a charming college town, but it’s relatively small compared to big cities. While this adds to its close-knit community feel, students looking for a more urban experience might find the town’s offerings limited.

🎓 Large Class Sizes in Intro Courses: Like many large public universities, UNC Chapel Hill can have large class sizes, especially in introductory courses. This might make it harder to get individualized attention in those early, foundational classes.

ADMISSION BLUEPRINT
Key differences between the UC and Common App Activity List

When it comes to college applications, the activity list plays a crucial role in showcasing your extracurriculars. However, the University of California (UC) system and the Common App have different formats and requirements for listing your activities. Here’s a quick breakdown of the key differences you need to know:

📝 Word Count Limit:
The UC Activity List allows up to 350 characters per entry, giving you more room to describe your activities. In contrast, the Common App limits each entry to just 150 characters, so you’ll need to be more concise.

📅 Number of Entries:
The UC system allows you to list up to 20 activities, giving you more space to showcase a broader range of experiences. The Common App, on the other hand, only allows for 10 entries, so you’ll need to prioritize your most significant activities.

🎯 Focus and Content:
For the UC Activity List, it’s important to focus on both your role and the impact of your activities. The Common App also values impact but often requires you to summarize your role more succinctly due to the character limit.

🔗 Additional Information:
The UC application includes a section called “Additional Comments,” where you can elaborate on activities if needed. The Common App doesn’t offer this, so be sure to make every character in your main list count.

🔍 Detailed Description:
The UC system encourages a more narrative style, where you can describe your responsibilities and accomplishments in detail. The Common App requires a more bullet-point approach due to space constraints, focusing on key achievements.

FRIDAY NEWS FOCUS
MIT’s Class of 2028 Profile: shakeup in racial diversity of freshman

In this last week, MIT released a report on the new Class of 2028, the first class following the Supreme Court’s ban on affirmative action. The biggest news from the report is that the percentage of black students enrolled dropped to 5% from 15%, and the percentage of Hispanic and Latino students dropped to 11% from 16%. Here is what you need to know.

The significant drop in the enrollment of Black, Hispanic, and Native American students at MIT highlights the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action. Historically, affirmative action policies allowed universities to consider race as one of many factors in admissions, helping underrepresented groups gain access to elite institutions. With its removal, MIT’s Class of 2028 shows a stark decline in diversity.

The Numbers Speak Loudly
This year, the percentage of historically underrepresented minorities at MIT dropped from 25% to 16%. In contrast, the percentage of enrolled Asian American students rose from 40% to 47%, reflecting a shift in the demographic composition of the class. These figures underscore the challenge of maintaining diversity without the tools affirmative action once provided, which allowed universities to actively seek out and admit students from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.

What This Means for MIT and Other Universities
MIT’s experience may serve as a bellwether for other universities, which now must find new ways to promote diversity. Previously, affirmative action helped schools craft diverse classes by considering race alongside factors like academic performance and extracurriculars. Now, MIT is shifting its focus to economic, geographic, and educational diversity while expanding recruitment and financial aid for low-income students from all backgrounds.

What This Means for Applicants
For applicants, this change means a shift in the admissions landscape. Without affirmative action, the emphasis on academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, and unique personal backgrounds becomes even more crucial. As universities adjust their criteria, it’s essential for students to showcase not just their academic prowess but also their diverse experiences, perspectives, and contributions to their communities. The competition will likely intensify, so highlighting what makes you stand out in other areas will be more important than ever.

LINK LOUNGE
Key Resources & Scholarships

In the Link Lounge section, you can find links to great resources such as scholarships during the college application process. These links can be really helpful and will be updated every Wednesday, so be sure to check back frequently!

Inside the Yale Admissions Office - This podcast by the Yale Admissions Office gives great insights into what goes on behind the scenes at many selective admissions offices. A great listen, especially if you’re interested in applying to Yale!

Federal Student Aid Guide on Finding Scholarships - This website by the Federal Student Aid program (a government program!) provides steps to prepare yourself for finding scholarships for college. It also includes many links to other great resources.

MathGPT - Not so much college-related, but a great tool for high school or college, that lets you create Khan Academy-style videos on any math topic or to answer any math question you might have.

DAILY DEADLINE UPDATES
Important testing dates are coming up!

In the Daily Deadlines section, we will keep you updated on upcoming deadlines in the college admissions world. Remember to not procrastinate and stay ahead of these deadlines!

September ACT: Saturday, September 14
University of Texas/UNC Chapel Hill Early Action Deadline: October 15
Most ED, REA & EA Deadlines: November 1

THE ARCHIVE
Looking for past mailings?

You can view all our previous posts at our website at https://scholarscoops.beehiiv.com

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