The people you grow and learn with will be a big part of your Carolina career, just as you’ll be part of theirs.
Meet our newest class of Tar Heels and get to know the students who call Carolina home.
New Students
5,340Carolina welcomed 5,340 new students as the entering class of 2022. This includes 4,440 first-year and 900 transfer students ready to grow, learn, and make each other better.
Students hail from…
86 countries
49 states
98 NC counties
40% of all NC students are from rural counties.
18%
of Carolina’s newest students will be the first in their families to graduate from college.
213
first-year students graduated from schools served by the Carolina College Advising Corps.
36%
of enrolling transfer students most recently attended a North Carolina Community College.

They’re dedicated.
Meet Adam Sherif
For many people, the early days of the pandemic opened their eyes to the importance of caring for their communities and each other. Inspired by his father’s work as an ER doctor, Adam organized a vaccine clinic to reach underserved members in his community. In eight months, the clinic vaccinated close to 30,000 people.
Now that he’s at Carolina, Adam wants to continue making a difference. He plans to pursue a career in public health.
“There’s a strong emphasis on community service at Carolina, and you can see how the students are creating real changes in their community and around the world. I don’t want to come to school just to study and get good grades. I want to make a difference while I’m doing it.”
74%
contributed to a cause they believe in.
80%
plan to continue their education after earning an undergraduate degree.
They’re complex and unique.
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top Activities
- Service 74%
- Sports 64%
- Part-time Work 59%
- Arts & Music 45%
- Internships 17%
- Family 11%
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Rank in High School Class
of the 66% of enrolling first-year students who reported their class rank:
- 12% — 1st or 2nd
- 42% — top 10 students
- 74% — top 10 percent
- 92% — top 20 percent
success on examinations
3,363 students submitted 23,937 Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate scores.
85% of scores demonstrated subject matter mastery.
SAT and ACT Scores
These score ranges represent the middle 50% of students’ highest reported scores. ACT scores have been converted to SAT scores. Convert your score here.
North Carolinians
1340-1500
All Students
1360-1500
Out-of-State Students
1400-1540
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- American Indian or Alaska Native — 1%
- Asian or Asian American — 22%
- Black or African American — 10%
- Hispanic, Latino, or Latina — 10%
- White or Caucasian — 65%
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Languages other than English spoken by enrolling first-year students:
- French — 3%
- Hindi — 3%
- Korean — 1%
- Mandarin — 5%
- Spanish — 15%
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- Biology
- Business
- Psychology & Neuroscience
- Computer Science
- Political Science
Excludes 5% of students who are undecided.
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I just always wanted to come here, and I’m so excited that I get to.
Paige Court, unc ’26

They have high hopes.
Meet Alexis Tchakarov
This four-time taekwondo world champion thinks Carolina blue will be the perfect complement to her black belt. She trusts that the belief, self-esteem, and discipline she’s learned from taekwondo will help her make the most of her time in Chapel Hill.
“I’m excited to use those elements to really succeed here,” she said. “As a first-year at UNC, I’m really excited to have new opportunities, different from what I’m used to, and really make those connections that I’m going to use for the rest of my life.”
95%
want to get better at leading, serving, and working with people from different backgrounds.
81%
chose to attend Carolina for its welcoming and inclusive environment.