North Carolina State University at Raleigh Top Questions

What are the academics like at your school?

Brian

The teachers and professors here at NC State truly care about you success while at school. I am in a lot of 200 student plus classes, but every professor tries to know our name and help us with anything we need. The teachers are more of a mentor to students, helping us in and out of the classroom. You automatically get accepted into the school of your choosing here at State. That makes life 10 times easier. So now you can solely focus on your major and what you want to do for the rest of your life.

Alyssa

The academics are a very high standard at my school in the reading and math departments. The english, history, and social science classes aren't as well known though. They aren't bad classes but they are often over shadowed by the other departments.

Ryan

Academics at North Carolina State are very challenging, but rewarding. Sometimes, I feel like my science classes are downright impossible. However, my professors have always been willing to help me after class hours. The tutoring center has been a great help in my academic career. Most of my classes are pretty big, as in 200-300 kids. This is only because I am a freshman though. Some of the tougher classes I am in are smaller, as in 25-50 kids. State is very competitive. You have to work very hard to be in the top 10 or 20 percent. I am majoring in Human Biology. I love my department. They look out for me. They send me information on scholarships and various jobs or internships. I think NC State does a good job of teaching you to get a job, which in our economy right now, I think is most important. However, the professors want you to learn for your own enjoyment. They try to make the longer and harder classes enjoyable and most of the time, they succeed.

Abby

academics is taken very seriously, professors know my name because i make an effort to get to them or ask them for help, class participation is more often in a smaller class like 100 or less versus in a 250 person class, students are very competitive and form study groups to stay ahead

Casey

The best thing about State are the people, they have been so welcoming and friendly. I found it easy to find a good bunch of friends to spend time with and study with despite my initial fears. Initially I thought it would be difficult because I was coming to the south and I currently still live in New York. One thing I would change would be some of the teaching staff. Sometimes you end up with a teacher who you really struggle with. Almost all of my teachers have been great teachers, helpful, clear, and friendly, but occasionally you get a teach or two who cannot seem to teach anything well. Although State is a very large school, I feel it is just right. It doesn't take long to find your way around. It's very nice to be able to see new faces every day, giving me the opportunity to make a new friend. People are usually surprised when I say I go to State when they know I am from New York. They often ask, "Why did you choose State? Why not a New York school?". Other people that have asked, that didn't know my hometown, were impressed with my decision to attend State. On campus I spend most of my time in the dorm or, when the weather is warmer, out in the Court of Carolina or Tucker beach. The campus is beautiful and I love to be outside enjoying the weather! I don't spend much time off of campus. I am not a big party person, and rarely go out to clubs or other places of the sort. Despite this, I would consider State to be located in a relatively good college town. Downtown is not far, you can walk, bike, drive, or take the bus into Downtown where there are museums, parks, clubs, and restaurants. Hillsborough, which borders campus offers several restaurants, a bank, bookstore, bowling and various other small shops and places to gather. The school administration is very reliable. They are willing to help me achieve my goals and have been very helpful in making sure I am finding it easy to acclimate to college. My advisor has been helpful in suggesting classes to make my course load as manageable as possible while still graduating in four years with a double degree. The biggest recent controversy on campus was a non violent hate crime in which a few students defaced the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender) Community Club board. The students and administration quickly addressed the behavior and rallied in support of the GLBT Community supporting them in the face of discrimination, letting the GLBT Community know that no matter their sexual preference, they were more than welcome to be a part of our Wolf Pack. There is a lot of school pride, Red and White, Wolf Pack all the way! One experience I will always remember was my first year at State. The girls in my suite were amazing! We had such a wonderful year together and grew quite close. I still keep in touch and see the girls on a regular basis. I met one of my closest friends in that suite. I also decided to room with my roommate again because we got along so well last year. We did a random roommate application, and I could not have asked for a better roommate! The most frequent student complaints are generally about physics and statics actually. I haven't found too many people who enjoy those classes, but it's all personal preference.

Kai

Our School is big so many classes are lecture style. The professors will know your name if you want them to. What I mean by that is that if you go to office hours, and ask the teacher questions he will know your name and your grade will reflect as such. if you sit in the back of the class and joke around then he wont know your name.

Kaitlin

In my time here I have found that student to professor ratio here varies drastically by your class and department. As a freshman, I had some small classes and some overwhelmingly large classes; it really depends if you are in your core classes or starting to be in the upper level courses. When you get into your junior and senior years, classes become more concentrated towards your focus and therefore the class sizes are smaller. I would say NC State is very prestigious and I have noticed that there aren't that many students who slack off or never do their work. Mostly you only see successful students around campus and they all owe it to their own hard work. Currently I am in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and my major is Biological Sciences with a concentration in Human Biology and a minor in Health. The degree is not an easy one to attain and I would say that it is a very competitive area as most of us are planning on going to medical, dental, or some form of graduate school. Although we know we are all competing against each other for the slots at our next destinations, I have never come into contact with a classmate who is unwilling to help when they are asked!

Sakinah

Academics at our school are very relatable and research based. Most students take their academics seriously and are here to learn.

BryanHum

Academics are very strong here at NC State University, because with a faculty to student ratio of 17 to 1, there are ample opportunities to stay ahead. Almost every professor is a PhD level professor and are required to hold office hours twice a week. Access to professors and an abundant tutorial center, students are never left out in the cold when it comes to academics. Students feel challenged with coursework and feel that they are given enough work to allow for a social life. With my double major in international studies and political science, my college makes it very approachable to graduate within 4 years. I have never felt stressed or rushed to take courses, so it is a very comforting environment to major in whatever you desire.

Joan

The academics here at NC State are not extremely hard, but you do need to keep in mind that NC State is highly competitive institution. Therefore, you do need to do your work in order to pass your classes with good grades. You cannot rely on grade curves to improve your grades.

Jasmine

Within NC State’s College of Textiles, I have received a hands-on, personal education. With smaller class sizes, it is very common for professors to get to know students on an individual basis. Professors and other academic counselors take time to make students successful during and after their college career. Inside the classroom, students have the opportunity to use resources not available to most college students. As an undergraduate student in the College of Textiles I have been able to create my own fabric and garment designs for class projects. In my business classes, I have had an incredible amount of practice with group projects and presentations. Both skills will be invaluable when I enter the workforce. With career fairs and leadership workshops, NC State is committed to producing successful graduates.

Ranya

Academics here are pretty challenging, but enjoyable! Even in large classes, you still have a chance to get to know the professor and build a relationship with them. They offer office hours, TA's offer office hours, and we even have a university tutorial center. I personally spend a lot of time at the math tutorial center, it's tons of help. The graduate students take shifts working there and they can help you with anything from calculus 1 to abstract number theory. Although I do spend a good amount of time everyday studying and working on assignments, there's still plenty of time for me to spend time with my friends and get a good amount of rest.

Jackie

If you want to challenge yourself, don't go anywhere but Raleigh. Professors, are absolutely amazing and will learn your name when you put the effort to get to know them. Calculus has always been my favorite course and class participation is always good. Granted, those 8 am's may not have 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} participation, but you know, we're in college. I'm in the Nuclear Engineering Department and absolutely love it. The people are smart and want you to push yourselves, both faculty and students. One of my professors caught me coming out of class one day and gets my attention. He wanted to see how I enjoyed class that day and if it was useful or a complete waste of time. Isn't that amazing? They are there to educate as well as create a relationship with their students. The curricula is geared for both the workforce as well as the material itself. Today, in my Nuclear Operations course, we learned about voids and positive reactivity about the core of a reactor. But, we also learned about Chernobyl. Even though we can learn about what went wrong and how to fix it, we talked about the timeline of when things went wrong. That won't necessarily help me on how to build a nuclear reactor, but it's interesting stuff and I'm glad I learned about it.

Hampton

Since there are 12 different majors at NCSU and my experience has been limited strictly to the Poole College of Management, it is difficult for me to speak collectively for all the majors. It is well know at NCSU, however, that class sizes, admissions statistics, course loads, etc. almost make each major feel like its own university.

Maria

I think NC State has great academinc programs. Even though we have a large student body we have a great faculty to student ratio. The professors are always willing to help you and we have great tutoring services.

Megan

The academics at our school are very challenging. Classes require a lot of studying and dedication if you want an A. The professors are amazing and I never once had a bad professor. My favorite class I took at NC State was Social Psychology and I recommend it to all my friends. The best part about the class was the professor, Dr. Narcoste, who was incredibly creative and inspiring in his teaching style. The library on campus is constantly filled with students studying for their classes and trying to focus. Students are very competitive for good grades at our school, especially in the science and engineering majors. My major is biological sciences. I have to take a lot of biology and chemistry classes, which all require labs. I have enjoyed all the classes I have taken, but as I am about to end my second semester of Junior year, the science classes are becoming more difficult and more demanding.

Justin

All of my courses at NCSU have definitely been rewarding challenges that have really tested my ability to take charge of my education. Gratefully, all of my professors have been accessible outside of class, the Undergraduate Tutorial Center has been a great resource, and I have fostered great relationships with all of my lab teaching assistants and professor's assistants. You can really take pride in every grade you have earned because there is no doubt that an education from NC State University is second to none.

Vyanh

I feel that the professors at NCSU are there to actually help students. There have not been a time where I find myself disliking a professor. The teacher offers us very good advice and when teaching, they want to make sure that the students learn. Yes, there are going to be some very hard classes but in the end, the only person that has control over your grades is yourself. You can't really blame the professor for your bad grades. Many incoming college students fear that they will never got to know the professors but that is not true. The professor are required to have office hours therefore it is up to the students to meet and greet with the teacher.

Christina

Even though the school is large, it is still easy to get to know your professors. Each professor is required to hold office hours, and there are multiple ways to receive free tutoring in the basic 100 and 200 level classes for Chemistry, Physics, Math, and there is even a writing and speaking tutorial center. I study frequently for my classes since my course work is very rigorous. My major is Biological Sciences with a concentration in Human Biology and a minor in Nutrition. There are several challenging classes that are required for this major, but I never feel overwhelmed with what I have to do. I enjoy my classes, and I am always able to seek help through the tutoring center, or Supplementary Instruction tutoring. The academic requirements are challenging, but always manageable. Depending on the type of class, the participation of students varies. Students are always welcome to ask questions or seek help with the professors. The most unique and enjoyable classes that I have had would probably have been my gym classes. I think it is great that each student is required to take two gym classes because it keeps us active, and it provides a good break from the average lecture course. The gym classes range from swim condition and horseback riding to badminton and yoga. There is something for everyone. The education here at State prepares students for careers in the future through the career center to job fairs.

John

We don't get the Academic rankings we have by not being a difficult school. The classes are hard, but are more than worthwhile. And our classes prepare us for the outside world much better than classes at MIT and Carnegie Melon. I am still in lower level classes with a lot of students, so most of my professors do not know my name. However in my physics class and in my graphics class, both of my professors know my name, and my TA for my FORTRAN class knows my name, so at NC State you aren't a number. To quote a former coworker of mine, "You are only a number at NC State if you want to be." I am in Aerospace Engineering, which is part of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department (MAE) at NCSU. My department is the largest in the College of Engineering, but my degree is one of the smaller ones, because of its difficulty.

Sharon

Like any competitive school, the academics at NC State are challenging but definitely not impossible. I have found my class sizes to be about the same size as high school, and I have about the same relationship with my professors as I did with my teachers in High School. I find myself being challenged by my professors and my peers with new ideas and concepts that I had never before considered. The classroom has been an opportunity for me to challenge myself and look at things in a new perspective.

Kidist

Courses at NCSU can be challenging but never impossibly difficult. I would highly recommend studying for all courses, some more than others, because the material may not be too difficult in a class but exams are entirely different from high school tests. I have taken several challenging courses at NCSU but I was able to do well in them due to the resources I had available such as the tutorial center, study groups, and my professor's guidance. There are also courses that I was able to take that I very much enjoyed. One course that I took was Interpersonal Communications, which I found to be very interesting and had me considering a minor in Communications.

Jimmy

While the workload is different among courses, I would NOT recommend any incoming student to North Carolina State University to think they can get an 'A' in any class without studying or attending the lectures. I had many different type of classes at NCSU. I took the standard mathematics class, followed by a class on weather and climate, or a history lesson right after my german poetry lecture. But my personal favorite class at NC State is by far 'Insects and People', or Entomology I. This class covered part of my science requirements and not only was fun, but allowed me to know a LOT about insect, which believe it or not, can be very interesting. Other courses might be more challenging, for instance my current Macro Economics class, for which I spend more time studying out of class then in actual class time.

Sandhya

Academics are NC State University are geared towards student success. Although the university is known for being an engineering and agricultural school, it also possesses strong foundations in the humanities, as well as other areas. The faculty at NC State is determined to make sure that their students succeed and offer lots of help outside of the classroom. To this day, I still have professors that know my name and that I keep in contact with. Every student is responsible for maintaining a certain GPA to stay at the university and I feel as if this is very fair because there are so many academic support programs for students, such as the Undergraduate Tutorial Center that promote student success.

Justin

All of my courses at NCSU have definitely been rewarding challenges that have really tested my ability to take charge of my education. Gratefully, all of my professors have been accessible outside of class, the Undergraduate Tutorial Center has been a great resource, and I have fostered great relationships with all of my lab teaching assistants and professor's assistants. You can really take pride in every grade you have earned because there is no doubt that an education from NC State University is second to none.

Alyssa

NC State University has thousands of faculty and staff and thousands of students on its campus. That being said, students have to take the initiative to get to know their professors, understand when to ask for help, and seek out resources and opportunities. When students take the time to be engaged with faculty and use all of the resources available, NC State University is an extremely valuable place for students to flourish and prepare for the professional world. NC State University has resources such as D.H. Hill Library, the Undergraduate Tutorial Center, the Career Center, and Supplemental Instruction with Teaching Assistants that can be accessed by all students. The courses at NC State University are challenging and engaging, but they are also relevant to the current research and technological advancements. NC State University has exceptional access to technological resources for students in the library, labs, and classrooms that make learning hands-on and engaging in every subject of study. There are resources all across campus that can help students study and learn more in every topic.

Lindsay

Once I got into my majors I began enjoying classes a lot more. I would definitely not recommend starting out in First Year College as I did because I really felt like it was a huge waste of time. I'd suggest starting out in a major that you're somewhat interested in and go from there. Changing majors really is not very difficult. Once you get into your major classes you'll start having more of the same teachers and I've actually developed relationships with some of my professors on a level of going to grab a cup of coffee occasionally or something, which I like a lot. One of my favorite classes at State was Public Speaking. I actually took it before I got into the Communication major and I think it's a really applicable to class to any student. Teachers LOVE class participation and a lot of them tie it into their grading scales, which I think is kind of stupid, but class participation always helps. I was a Communication-PR and Spanish major. I loved both of them, but would definitely say the Spanish department is very laid back, which has its pros and cons. Overall, I think NC State's academic requirements are not so terrible. Obviously if you suck at math and don't plan on needing it with whatever major you choose, it's kind of a pain to have to get the general education requirements out of the way. But, I will say I think State's main goal is for every student to learn and the secondary goal is to get a job. On that note, the Career Center is really, really helpful in developing resumes and helping with job searches.

Caitlin

Academics at NCSU are tough, but there are many ways to survive. Academic advisors are extremely helpful with all decisions from which classes to take to which extracurricular activities to join. Not only do they like to help you with academics, but they like to have an idea of how your life is going and they're always there when you might just need someone to talk to. At first, it takes a while for most students to figure out HOW & WHEN to study but once you figure that out, everything becomes a little easier. Although some classes are huge, professors will still take the time to help each & every student who asks. There are also TA's in the majority of classes, which are grad students who are required to help teach a class before graduating. TA's are great because when there's something you just don't understand in class, if you go to the TA for help, they can usually explain it in a different way which may be easier to you to understand.

Cam

Im in business and so far most of my classes have been pretty big but I dont tend to mind too much.

Andy

Academics are very difficult. You can't expect to not study and make good grades.

Chris

Academics at NCSU is pretty average. Depending on the class, professors usually know your name. My favorite class was Sociology Research Methods (SOC 300). Though this class is the hardest research class at State, professor Stiffler makes it easy. My least favorite class is Calculus, which is a personal thing. Students study on a regular at State. Being that our library is conveniently open 24 hours, students are able to study at any time. More so often during midterms and finals, the library is packed. Depending on the teacher and the class, class participation can be very common. Most teachers encourage class participation. The most unique class that I've taken was USC101D, a class to prepare african-americans to college success. This class was basically a cheat sheet to surviving and excelling throughout your college career. My major is currently Poltical Science, however I will be double majoring in Sociology and minoring in Biological Sciences in the fall. In addition, professors are always willing to help you outside of class during their office hours. NCSU's academic requirements are average. The education here is geared toward getting a job.

alicia

Lots of classes with hundreds of students, but once you get past gen ed they're usually fairly small (20-40). Most teachers are eager to help in and out of class and have office hours that can be very useful! As a computer science major, I have found my department to be very helpful, and I highly recommend Mrs. Miller for Java classes.

Owen

Academics at NCSU vary for every major. Some majors are easier than others, while some majors seem impossible to complete. During my freshman year, I had a mixture of terrible professors who I could not learn from and teachers I wish I could learn from the rest of my life. Every class may have a good professor or bad professor. I am a pre-med zoology major, which is in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In my opinion it is a challenging major, because the competition to get into medical school is fierce. I spend most of my time studying or going to class. I enjoy the challenge though, and the classes I have taken thus far for my major have been tough but worth taking.

Carey

In civil and construction engineering, students are very close. We pass down notes and homework solutions and tests to each class below us, you just have to know who to ask. I don't think any other major has such a close-knit group of people that knows how to network with each other so well. We're all friends and we study together often.

Erin

Academics are good. As an Biological Engineering major I spent a lot of my time doing homework on WebAssign. You are very dependent on a computer to do your homework. Sometimes the classes are big (especially Chemistry classes). All my professors have been very willing to help me. As a Freshman I think the classes were easier then the more advanced classes I will be taking later in my college career. There is a lot of "weeding out" of engineering students with Chemisty and Physics. If you study, do your homework, and try to understand everything that is taught to you, you will succeed.

Steven

The academics here are pretty good. I can't speak for much besides the college of engineering, though... our engineering school is one of the top 25 in the world, and the computer science school within engineering has an excellent reputation. The education here is really geared toward whatever you want. There are plenty of opportunities just to learn for the sake of learning, but there are also tons of resources towards getting a job in the future. Being part of the research triangle park, there are plenty of technical jobs open, too. There are a mix of large, 200-person classes and smaller more personal classes. NCSU maintains good academic standards while allowing students a good amount of room to recover.

Lindsey

Teachers work to get to know the class. Many of my professors knew me by name or at least recognized me. They are always available for help. Classes are very hard but not impossible.

Laura

For the majority of my classes, as long as the students ask questions and are involved in their classes instead of skipping and only showing up for test day, the teachers know their names and care about their progress. Now in classes that have 300 people, that isn't possible for the teacher to know every student, but I've never had a teacher who wasn't as helpful as they could possibly be. My favorite class was a COM112 course, Interpersonal Communication. I liked it so much first because I find that topic extemely interesting, and second because I had an amazing teacher, who has now unfortunately left teaching and is working elsewhere. I don't really have a least favorite class because I've never had one that I particularly didn't like. Students study more than I ever could have imagined. There are people who literally sleep in the library because they spend so much time in there studying. The girls in my dorm and I will spend the whole day in the study loung preparing for tests or doing homework. It was a little overwhelming at first but you have to do it to keep ahead. Class participation is very common, students have always been very interactive in all the courses I've taken. Students have intellectual conversations outside of class but no more or less than other people do I suppose. There is a bit of a competitive nature amongst students in regards to academics, but it is good, it keeps students working as hard as they can. I've never taken a class that was particularly unique, but I hear that beekeeping is pretty strange. I spend time with professors outside of class at their office hours, or I'll e-mail them to see when they're free and drop by for some extra help if I need it. I feel that the academic requirements are hard, but not so hard that it is particularly difficult to get it. They were just right for me.

Catherine

Depending on the class, and my personal interest, some teachers know me by name. I have despised literature classes all my life until my freshman year at NC State. I was really inspired by my teacher, he often complimented my work and helped me grow as a writer. Ever since then, English as been my favorite subject- which blows my mind.

Hannah

I really enjoy academics at NCSU. I have had a really good experience so far with all of my classes and professors. Im taking two online courses this semester and although attending a class probably teaches you more in the long run, i have learned alot in my DE courses so far. The nature of academics and NCSU is definitely competitive. Students compete every day for grades and GPA's in order to be accepted into a certain college or department. The education at State is really dedicated to teacher you information that you can take with you throughout your life, and are geared towards setting career goals for yourself, to improve your future.

Bobby

NCSU has a huge array of classes, majors, minors to choose from! Just because NCSU is so large, DOESN'T mean that you are just a number. I have many professors that are willing to help and know my name when they see me, inside or outside of the classroom.

Paige

People think that State is only good for two things, engineering and design. This is not true, I have found that my public relations courses are taught by very smart, helpful teachers. Although we have those big lecture classes where the teacher never learns your name, we also have small, participation based classes, especially once I got into my major.

sarah

Big lecture classes in the lower levels and common classes. Class size gets smaller the higher level class you take. Teachers are usually easy to work with and care about their students.

Claire

Some teachers are very, very unfair about grading and I do not agree with the way they grade. It's like they need a class on how to be fair, they take more points off one paper than the other for two people who made the same mistake and that really makes me angry but they tell us not to compare papers which means they don't want us to know we are getting lower grades than others with the same answers.

Alison

In my experience, its been hard finding a job. I wish that career counselors in CALS were more open to helping out with this difficult process.

Hannah

most of my professors know my name, i love most of my classes. i feel that i get a good education here.

Cody

The academics at NCSU are very top-class. The professors are extremely helpful, and yes I do know their names, and almost all of them know my name as well. I can always find someone in one of my classes who will help me if I need it. The class selection meets almost all interests (ex: bee keeping), and the education I am receiving at NCSU will help me get a job.

Katie

Well most of my classes have been ok. I did lovee my American Lit class. I had Marvin Hunt who was an amazing teacher. It was probably the only class I looked foward to going too. I think teachers that are very passionate about what they are doing really make learning a fun experience instead of a chore.

Katie

work on smaller classes and more field trips

Maureen

Although UNC may have the name for being the top in the sciences, NCSU's classes are definitely more rigorous and thus prepare you more for where you would like to go in life.