It may come as a shock, but for students from outside the state, it is more difficult to gain admission to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill than to Duke, or in some cases even Harvard. In the class of 2007, 11,000 out-of-state students applied for 635 spots at UNC-Chapel Hill. However, the North Carolina Board of Governors is currently considering a proposal to increase the number of non-North Carolinians admitted to UNC-system schools from 18 percent to 22 percent. The Board of Governors should vote to recruit more high achieving out-of-state students. These individuals will enrich the experience of the entire student body, while increasing the national prestige of a UNC degree.
The increased presence of out-of-state individuals will have several immediate benefits. First, it will increase the diversity of backgrounds and experiences students are exposed to during their four years. Each class would contain a greater geographic distribution of admitted students, as well as more international students. These individuals bring with them unique perspectives, ideologies and regional and cultural traits that might be absent otherwise.
Second, due to the highly competitive nature of the out-of-state application process, admitted students will tend to be strong in the classroom and very active outside it. This will facilitate a more intellectually challenging environment for the entire student body. It would also increase UNC-Chapel Hill's national reputation, and could help draw notable faculty to the institution in the future. A degree from UNC would carry greater weight.
Further, the University would benefit financially from the increase in out-of-state enrollment. Tuition for North Carolina residents is $13,088 per year, versus $25,436 for non-residents. The extra funds would reduce the financial burden placed upon the state to fund public education. However, since the number of non-resident students would not increase significantly, this should be a secondary, rather than primary consideration.
While many people find these arguments compelling, support for the increase is by no means overwhelming. Many North Carolinians adhere to the notion that the UNC-system's first responsibility is to state residents, and fear for those individuals who would be denied admission in favor of non-residents. It should be noted, however, that while the quota increase technically affects all 16 UNC-system campuses, the policy will be directed mainly at UNC-Chapel Hill, where the vast majority of non-resident students apply. There is more than enough room throughout the rest of the UNC-system for these displaced individuals. Further, the admissions increase will go hand-in-hand with a physical expansion of the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, so the displacement of resident students will not be drastic. These individuals will not be denied a college education, and the benefits brought by high achieving out-of-state individuals outweigh the displacement of less qualified applicants.
The North Carolina Board of Governors should vote to increase the number of non-resident students admitted to the UNC-system. They would be increasing the quality of education for resident student and non-resident students alike.
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