im about to graduate from UNCW. lots of frat guy d-bags but there are also an abundance of hot avalible females if thats what you're into. Being part of the UNC system makes us reputable. Surf is hit or miss, sometimes you'll surf every day for 2 weeks but dont see a wave the entire month of july. I would do it again if i had the choice. im heading west for grad school.
Im a senior I'm a senior at uncw from New Jersey. Go. It's awesome. Waves kinda are mush burgers but it's nice to surf in warmer water.
you ask good questions. Imo, it's not that UNCW's degree's are worthless...it's that college degrees are becoming worthless. I know you're 18 or so and in this country you've only got 3 or so viable exit from HS strategies available to you. 1- college (requires one to take on debt) 2- military (no taking on of debt required, but one is asked to be cool with killing people and for taking orders like a robot) 3- get a job somewhere that has potential for upward growth and that will help train you to start your own business (no taking on of debt required- and its a way to teach a man to fish etc) Is it any wonder that the first 2 options are the ones pushed like a drug on kids your age, assuming your 18ish? I can explain more...but just kinda wanted to throw my larger world view in there to backup my advice to just learn a trade or something. Im a graduate and it did help me get a job...but unless you really like to read and write about your subject, college is gonna be a drag and a very costly one. You don't need to go to a pricey Univ to learn about programming or any computer related thing either, and thats where the last of our economy is going
All in good fun man, I'm sure you'll be cool. UNCW has a really good business school for undergrad and Masters as well as marine science and some other sciency things. They're making a push into more medical-related majors now too. A buddy of mine got his masters in Creative Writing there, so their liberal arts programs are fairly robust if that's the way you want to go. It's a good school.
Brah, your going to love it down there- specially in the winter... no more 5/4 and 38 degree water. They get waves, I have had many great times down there... but a different type of wave. its all sand bars- no jetty - so your surfing all over the place. they have a few piers. Your probably going to miss the jersey juice- the waves in NJ - specially in BELMAR,NJ- tend to have more power and are more top to bottom... that said you can go either way with it... sometimes its good to have a break from heavy top to bottom BELMAR,NJ waves... IF the school has a degree that you want- go for it... just don't be stupid- its a lot of time and money to waste to just go to a school that has surfing and warmer weather. you might as well go to Hawaii then... oh ya, stay away from the party life- you will be stuck in it for years - then when your a single old waiter at 40 - just trying to make ends meet, youll wonder what happen... then think back to your glory days back in BELMAR, NJ... and move back to obtain your new career at Djais... seriously- go for it., youll love it
It is not that college degrees are worthless but gone are the days you party through wasting your parents money and then expect to get a job when you leave. I have many examples of recent grads who have all done very well with their degrees but they are all mature and responsible and they took a proactive role in their education. A big part of college is making connections for jobs when you leave. If, for example, you are interested in the film industry there is a lot of opportunity in Wilmington for that. I'm not sure what your Jersey school is but if it is Rutger's for example you would have an opportunity for making a lot of good connections in the greater NY area. If you do well your first two years at UNCW transferring to Chapel Hill is pretty automatic and there again you will have access to all kinds of opportunities in the triangle. If your goal is to making surfing your top priority in life you shouldn't bother with the east coast. Go to Hawaii or better yet live off the grid in Nicaragua and sell beans to tourists.
It's amazing that I can get more information from a surf forum than all of my school/guidance counselors combined. I seriously appreciate all the insight from you guys (good and bad). I get what you're saying, but for some reason my parents (and most others) are more willing to help pay for an enormous college bill than loan out some money to get started with a trade/business. I'm definitely interested in a few academic fields though so I think college is the right choice for me. I was also thinking about transferring, but then I would just end up landlocked for 2 years which is what I'd be avoiding by picking UNCW over University of Vermont. I figure I might as well go one way or another now and just stick with it. I know UVM is a better school but by how much? Would living in VT instead of NC for 4 years really give me more options and advantages after I graduate? So basically I can go to UNCW which I prefer location wise, or pick Vermont which is a better school but lacks the ocean and climate. Or start UNCW assuming I'll transfer to UNC Chapel Hill, but switching schools sounds like a pain and isn't guaranteed.
Don't go to Chapel Hill unless you fit in well with stuck up rich "hipsters" and an overwhelming number of frat boys. That said, having access to RTP is golden if you are going into an engineering, computer, science or medical field... but UNCW has many of the same cooperative extensions. If you want to get into marine science, UNCW has the best and fastest growing cooperative facilities in the Southeast and soon to be the East Coast. If I could go back and do it again and if UNCW had the same aquaculture program back then as they do today, I'd do that. Aquaculture is the future man, people are wising up to the crap we are importing from Asia and are looking for responsible ways to address farming seafood.
cool beans bro, I wish you luck wherever you end up. I wouldn't trade my experience going to school with 30,ooo other hellyuns for all the tea in China. You'll do alright as long as you stay as hungry for knowledge and good grades as you are hungry for waves! peace!
