101
University 101 and the Freshman Year Experience lay the groundwork for a successful transition to college life. U.S. News & World Report places the University’s first-year programs among its top “Programs to Look For.”
University 101, previously No. 1 among U.S. News and World Report’s “Programs That Work,” helps students make the transition to University life. The course introduces students to academic resources and campus facilities while addressing areas such as time management, communication, research skills, and critical thinking. On the first day of class, students sign the Carolinian Creed, pledging to appreciate diversity, respect the viewpoints of others, and practice personal and academic integrity.
The First Year Reading Experience, begun in 1994, provides the freshman class with a common point of reference through reading and small-group discussion of a selected literary work.
“For a student coming here, it is big, but it doesn’t feel big,” says Cynthia Colbert, a longtime faculty member in the Department of Art and a University 101 leader. “Once you get into your degree program, you really have a home, and it’s the same as being at a smaller place.”
Carolina also offers more than a dozen Living and Learning Communities that group students with similar academic interests into the same residence hall. West Quad, for example, fosters environmental awareness by immersing students in a setting that is as much laboratory as residence. As the world’s largest “green” residence hall, West Quad integrates technology, design, sustainability, and learning experiences under one roof.
Carolina has numerous academic and support services for freshmen: the First-Year English Programs that outline course expectations; presentations and counseling on sex, alcohol, and drug awareness; the Minority Assistance Peer Program that pairs a new student with an upperclassman mentor; and the new Supplemental Instruction Program that offers weekly review sessions for challenging courses, led by students who have previously taken the courses and earned an A.