ECU vs UNC

[misspiggy]

Hey would anyone pick ECU over UNC? I know that this thread's already been posted but I just got into ECU today and Dean Peden actually called me himself, which was nice and added a personal touch which is the thing that I really liked about ECU in the first place. Does anyone have any suggestions or input? ECU is like half the cost of UNC but what about the reputation? UNC is a top 25 but I really liked the ECU small class size and the friendliness there. I would prefer to live in Chapel Hill over Greenville though any day. Greenville is such a small town and there's not nearly as much diversity as there is in Chapel Hill. I'd appreciate any feedback! Thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[GreenBeret]

Hey Miss Piggy..this is Kermie. 🙂

A guy from Duke came to speak at my school (NCSU)...he was a med school student there. He said if you're looking for no residency in particular, ECU is the place to go. If you want a top residency, then UNC. The thing is: Since UNC is considered a top 25, but not a TOP TOP school, the competition is cut-throat to get into the top programs, since only a SMALL few from UNC will do so (as opposed to him and his classmates at Duke, who are not competitive, because they ALL get what residencies they want). Plus, I agree, Greenville bites, and the diversity of the school is lacking, but even more important, the diversity of your patients is lacking too. UNC is more urban with Chapel Hill and all, and the folks are more liberal...the patients more diverse.

I will say I've heard nothing negative about ECU, probably because the people who go there understand what they are getting: an incredibly cheap, excellent education for being a future physcian, without the worries about getting a competitive residency, because they almost all choose a primary care field.

UNC, on the other hand, attracts more gunners, so I've heard some isolated negative comments about the 'family' there. But what are you going to expect in a class of 160, as opposed to 72? 🙂 BTW, have you got into UNC too, or just ECU, and you are waiting to hear from UNC? 🙂 I'd like to talk privately about your experiences, as I apply next year, to both schools. 🙂

 

[misspiggy]

Yes, I'm already in at UNC. Which is one of the reasons that I got called by ECU bc they knew that I have been accepted at other places too!

 

[banannie]

hmmmm . . . i really think that you should take anything that a Duke med student says about UNC with a grain of salt. my experience, from talking to students at both Duke and UNC, is that the students at one school don't need much encouragement to trash talk students at the other. i think that these 2 institutions compete for a lot of students.

anyway, i know this doesn't really enlighten your decision between UNC and ECU, but personally, i think that UNC is great, a wonderful place to live, and has lots of interesting, friendly students. i didn't get the gunner vibe at all from them. then again, i was only talking to 1st-year students, so maybe 3rd and 4th years are different . . .

good luck with your decision!

 

[pathdr2b]

I attended graduate school at Chapel Hill and I can tell you that due in large part to the "gunner" attitude I will not be applying there for 2004. I figure if I have top deal with gunners, I may as well apply to Hopkins or Harvard and make dealing with these types of situaions really worth it (UNC's rep doesn't appear to be that well known outside of the south). I aslo have family "issues' and don't find the medical school staff to be all that family freindly. The diversity on Chapel is just OK but better than ECU.

I'd say that if you want a research career, go to UNC. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with ECU. Just be aware that UNC students REALLY turn their noses up at ECU students.

 

[triathlete411]

I am a fourth year UNC student and a "gunner." However, most of my friends are not gunners. I think the atmosphere at UNC is very collegial. The biggest competition is with yourself, not other students.

And, I have never turned my nose up at an ECU student - Greenville, yes, but the students, no. Several of my friends from undergrad went to ECU and are excellent people.

I'd go to UNC because it opens more doors for you than ECU does. You may think you want to do primary care, but you can't know until you experience other branches of medicine. Sure, you can be an orthopedic surgeon if you go to ECU, but it will be easier if you go to UNC.