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College Prowler

Guys & Girls

There are a lot of country guys and girls. Also a lot of frat guys. They all wear North Face jackets and Sperrys. In my opinion, the majority of guys aren't attractive, but there are a few. They're definitely outgoing. There are a lot of different types of students, so it is hard to describe a typical one.

Local Atmosphere

There are a couple other universities nearby, like Meredith College and Peace College; UNC Chapel Hill and Duke are also decently close. UNC and Duke are our rival teams. The atmosphere is alright, and there are many things to do here. Overall, it's a good city to go to school in. The best things to do are going to games, shopping, and hanging out with friends.

Nightlife

Parties are always awesome. Brent Road is always big on the weekends. There are tons of bars downtown and right by campus. Check out Flying Saucer, Ugly Monkey, Old Bar, Pantana Bob's, and 5 O'clock.

Off-Campus Dining

The good restaurants are probably a 10- to 15-minute drive from campus. Cameron Village is a decent place to go that is close. Cookout is not too far, which is great because I am a huge fan. But if you decide to go at about 2 a.m. on a Friday or Saturday night, expect to wait in a huge line.

Off-Campus Housing

NC State has made on-campus housing available at almost all levels. I think that, although University housing is available, it is not always the most desirable place to live. Off-campus housing, thus, is readily available for students wishing to live off-campus.

Overall Experience

I love being at NCSU. I would probably do my freshman year over agian just so I wouldn't be fighting for my GPA now. I have tons of memories in Raleigh that I don't think I would have experienced anywhere else.

Parking

Parking is not bad, but it is difficult to find parking if you don't have a permit. The city will ticket you if you park for too long on nearby side streets. Freshman can't bring cars, but they are allowed one if they choose to pay extra to stay at the off-campus dorm called University Towers.

Safety & Security

NC is very safe, and the security measures are overdone if anything. We have campus police everywhere and emergency alerts and stuff like that all the time. That is not to say that we have a lot of crime. I hear about an incident about once or twice a month at the most.

Transportation

Public transportation at State is very convenient. I loved how we could ride for free. Plus, the buses run very often, so if I missed one there was always another in 10-15 minutes. It's not far from the train station, either, which was a good way to ride home.

Weather

We experience hot humid summers, droughts, rain, hurricanes, and cold---sometimes snowy---winters. Pack seasonally if you're visiting home more often. If not, bring just about all types of clothing and definitely an umbrella.

Academics

With every school, you are going to get some teachers that are absolutely amazing and some that are pretty ruthless and boring. For the most part at NCSU, I have had really good teachers. Always check the grade distribution and ask people around you about certain teachers. The workload is doable; just plan and maintain a schedule and the hardest part: stick to it. The administrators and teachers are amazing. They don't treat you like children and cut out the busy work.

Athletics

Varsity sports are a big part of campus life. Football and basketball seasons are huge, and students get majorly involved in the games. The gym is one of the largest I've been to in the state, with any kind of weight training or athletic equipment you could want. I never played any intramural sports, but the selection is fairly versatile from soccer to lacrosse.

Campus Dining

I don't care what everyone says---I loved Fountain dining hall. Of course, Case was always better for lunch because of the athlete eye candy, plus better service, but fountain had a greater selection of cereal.

Campus Housing

Central Campus is the best place to live, especially the tri-towers. The dorms are coed so you meet a lot of people. It's also in the heart of campus, so you can get anywhere pretty fast.

Campus Strictness

The campus police is pretty strict about alcohol and drugs. After a first offense, from what I understand, the student must talk to Student Conduct and depending on how serious their infraction is, they must then do some kind of class or work to make up for it. If it is extremely serious, they may get expelled or suspended from the school.

Computers

Just about everything dealing with computers here is good. I can usually find a computer in a lab or in the library if I need one. You can also borrow a laptop from the library for a few hours if you need. Although, in the middle of the day, the library is usually pretty packed, and you can't find a computer in the commons, so you have to go upstairs and look.

Diversity

As an Asian Indian being born and raised in Raleigh, I can say that our school is pretty diverse. The free expression tunnel, which people are allowed to paint and write pretty much anything on for thousands of students to see, is definitely our campus' shrine to freedom of speech. With all the organizations and clubs, as well as the large student body, NCSU is as diverse as it gets.

Drug Scene

I don't think the drug scene is big at State, but the drinking scene definitely is. I knew of a few people smoking pot, and once in a while I heard of people doing hard-core drugs, but it was few and far between.

Facilities

The facilities at NC State are incredible. Our athletic facilities are expanding and accommodate almost every activity students want. Our library is the largest public library in the state and has an excess of resources for students. We have a decent array of fast food facilities spread all over main campus. Our facilities might not look extraordinary on the outside, but inside they are exceptional.

Greek Life

I'm not really sure what their role at NCSU is. It's such a big school that if you're part of a frat or not it doesn't really matter. I know they host parties and community service events, and some of the academic frats offer scholarships or other benefits. However, I'm not really interested, and it has worked out great for me.