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Does anyone have any firsthand (or secondhand for that matter)knowledge about real college experience associated with the Morehead Foundation Scholarship at UNC? On paper, it certainly appears to be something you just don't turn down.

My son was admitted EA to Yale and is a finalist for the Morehead. The most recent winner from our area is currently a senior at UNC and turned down Harvard to accept the Morehead but we think is under a gag order about talking to finalists, especially from their own school.

My son's first choice school has always been Yale but if he is fortunate enough to win a Morehead, we would certainly have some difficult decisions to make.

Any real knowledge about the Morehead experience, specifically, life as a Morehead Scholar at UNC,would certainly be appreciated.

By Voigtrob (Voigtrob) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 02:02 pm: Edit

IMO, he really ought to choose Yale. He'd be surrounded by students of his calibre on all sides - the stimulating academic and intellectual environment that he would get from Yale, and that everyone who goes gets out of it, is really the most important part of the experience, and I think it's something he might miss out on in some ways at UNC.

By Haithman (Haithman) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 03:00 pm: Edit

ARE YOU SERIOUS?
Yale without a doubt.

By Sid_Mathur (Sid_Mathur) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 03:12 pm: Edit

well, UNC is like heaven in the south. To get everything paid for AND a laptop AND a free vacation to another country is just priceless. I had a friend that got the morehead and I would much rather get that than an acceptance to harvard or yale. But then again, this is my opinion.

Also, if ur worried about school reputation, UNC has a great reputation. The first public university in the nation and definitely one of the best.

By Tsdad (Tsdad) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 04:56 pm: Edit

I'm with Sid. You can always go to Yale for grad school.

By Sac (Sac) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 05:10 pm: Edit

We investigated this in theory when my son's school wanted to nominate him for the Morehead. He opted not to apply for it after exploring his areas of interest and discovering those particular departments were not UNC's strengths. The decision might have been different if he were headed to biological sciences, journalism, business, or some of the other areas in which UNC does excel, and if it were a part of the country he would have been interested in exploring otherwise. He opted to focus on applying to schools with stronger departments in other areas and with what might be a more intense intellectual atmosphere (like Yale's).

On the other side of the equation: During our investigations, we did discover how really prestigious the scholarship is through the South, that UNC is an excellent public university with more of a private university feel, and were told such honors in general often lead to more faculty attention at schools. It's a fantastic opportunity financially, of course.

Congratulations to your son both on his Yale acceptance and on getting so far in the Morehouse competition. It's great you're trying to collect information -- there is something to be said for both opportunities. If I were you, I'd keep trying to find some people who received the Morehouse (maybe someone who has graduated and so is not under the suspected "gag order") so that you can determine whether the students experience everything it promises, as well as talking to other students at UNC about their experiences.

By Gal23 (Gal23) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 05:42 pm: Edit

eadad, i know exactly what your son is feeling. i'm also a finalist for the Morehead, but-- and i'm not trying to be cocky-- i have some decent chances, i THINK, at harvard. i know your son probably doesn't want to give up on his dream. the first thing i'd think about is what he wants to study. i want to be a journalist, so it makes my own choice a tad easier.

while yale is a wonderful undergrad experience, i got the impression that Morehead recipients went above and beyond what they would have expected of themselves because of the group of students they was associating with.
i realize that yale kids are also outstanding, but your son will have the chance to explore his interests (free of charge!!!) with the help of a personal advisor, and some of THE MOST outstanding students in the country.

i have to admit, i know nothing about him.
but as of right now, he is just like every other yale kid. and there are only 40 Moreheads.

By Musefinity (Musefinity) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 05:43 pm: Edit

I'm also with Sid and Gal23. UNC is a great school. My friend's brother won Moorehead and it's a pretty huge deal, so your son would be "a big fish in a small pond." Only UNC isn't exactly a small pond. Like I said, it's a great school. [Personal Bias:] Especially if he's interested in journalism.

Plus financial reasons! But if he absolutely has his little heart set on Yale he shouldn't feel too bad about turning down Moorehead, if that's something you guys can afford. He might just become another Yale kid, but then again it might be the better experience for him. I'd say UNC offers a better social environment though, with its diversity. Where are you guys from?

Gal: Where are you from? I want to go to UNC for journalism, too.

By Carolinatarheel (Carolinatarheel) on Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 03:07 pm: Edit

UNC is a great school, but I question the diversity statement. I am a minority student here and there are millions of problems with racism and diversity on this campus, but besides that, the school is ok. If you are a miniority, it is a totally different experience and Chapel Hill and Carolina gets boring and tired after a few.

By Whopper (Whopper) on Friday, February 06, 2004 - 11:34 am: Edit

Diversity???? UNC is not very well regarded for its strength in diversity!! What, are we talking over 70% of the student body hailing from N.C.?

By Jje (Jje) on Friday, February 06, 2004 - 01:40 pm: Edit

UNC, id love to get morehead.

By Meredith (Meredith) on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 10:24 pm: Edit

The one Morehead recipient I knew was more Dartmouth-Duke-Williams level than Yale level. Southerners have more respect for a Morehead than northerners, so it depends where you are from. If he is headed to grad school, it is better to graduate with honors from UNC than be bottom of the class at Yale. UNC kids are party oriented compared to the more intense Yalies. Analyze your son's personality. It is definitely worth talking to some Morehead recipients, and not just those living in the South.