The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach – they’re sharing their college experiences as well. Michael is a New York City tutor specializing in SAT Math tutoring & ACT Math tutoring, Algebra tutoring, Calculus tutoring, and much more. He graduated from University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics. Check out his review of his alma mater:
VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or safe is the campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike?
Michael: UNCW’s campus is safe and convenient. Since the campus does not have roads running through it, many students easily get around campus with skateboards and bikes.
VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants?
Michael: UNCW is known for having professors dedicated to teaching, rather than research. Thus, the professors at UNCW were always helpful and available. This made class and advising very informative and meaningful.
VT: How would you describe the dorm life – rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students?
Michael: The living conditions get bigger and better each year at UNCW. After living in standard dorms as a freshman, all other on-campus housing offers individual rooms and large living spaces. As for socialization opportunities, the vast amount of clubs, teams, and societies are second to none. There is a club for anything you’re interested in, and every student is involved in something. The dining options on-campus are great and all different. My favorite dining hall was “Dubs,” and my favorite place to stop in was the on-campus Dunkin’ Donuts.
VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study?
Michael: The best-represented majors at UNCW are Business, Marine Biology, Nursing, and Education. But, from my experience, every major was well supported because of the high caliber professors. I studied Mathematics and Education, which both had excellent support and professors.
VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life?
Michael: Meeting people as a freshman was easy because of the students’ participation on campus. At the beginning of each semester, there is a “campus involvement fair” in which you sign up for clubs, teams, and societies. Greek life does not play a large role in campus social life, but it does exist.
VT: How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services? Do many reputable companies recruit on campus?
Michael: The Career Center and student services were helpful with my job search and resume. During the year, there are many career fairs, which big companies use to recruit on campus.
VT: How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious?
Michael: UNCW’s library is great for studying, except during finals period. It becomes over-crowded then. Besides the library, there are plenty of lounge-type areas to get some light studying done around campus.
VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between? To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus?
Michael: The city of Wilmington is a highlight of UNCW. Four miles east of campus is Wrightsville Beach, and four miles west of campus is Downtown Wilmington (located on the Cape Fear River). So, within eight miles, you have endless possibilities that students use frequently.
VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes?
Michael: The student body is around 14,000 students, making for a medium-sized school feel. As a Mathematics major, I was in classes of 20-30 and the professors knew my name. Some other majors like Business have lectures in large lecture halls.
VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most.
Michael: As a junior, I took Modern College Geometry in a small classroom with 22 students. With a great professor and motivated classmates, our classroom became a learning environment with a real team feel. I have never seen such collaboration, participation, and desire to learn in a college class before. During the lectures, the forum was open to discussion and ideas were constantly brewing. After class, there was always a group of up to 10 students who worked on the assignments together. Modern College Geometry was a memorable experience for me and drastically improved my ability to write mathematics proofs.
Check out Michael’s tutoring profile.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.
