College Lingo
Major and Minor
Majors are primary fields of study, and minors are secondary concentrations that may or may not be related to your major
Extracurricular Activities
Anything that you are doing outside of the classroom- jobs, sports, family responsibilities, clubs, etc.
Federal Work Study
Provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the student’s course of study.
Website: https://studentaid.gov/
Stay Connected
Demonstrated interest can help with the admissions process at UNCW! Please stay connected with your admissions counselor (via email, phone or by coming for a campus visit). We log everything on your record!
UNCW is the only school in the US that has a bachelor's degree in Coastal Engineering
First Year Seminar
The purpose of the First-Year Seminar (FYS) is to support new students as they integrate into UNCW and into the college experience. This highly interactive classroom fosters a sense of community, with no more than 25 first-year students per class, and offers an environment conducive to academic and personal development.
Academic Rigor
How a student challenges themselves in the academic classwork (accelerated, Honors, AP, IB and dual-enrollment)
Types of Financial Aid
Grants, Scholarships, Loans, Work Study
Seahawk Saturday
UNCW Traditions
Beach Blast, Wagsgiving, Hawk-In, Midnite Madness, Oozeball, Convocation
Common App
allows high school seniors to apply to multiple colleges and universities with one online application. It helps gather all supporting materials including essays. There is a fee to submit to each college that can be waived for low-income students
Recommendation
Letter of Recommendation can be written by a high school teacher, counselor, employer, coach or community leader. Someone who can shed more light on who you are as a person and a student.
Cost of Attendance
Cost includes tuition (cost of classes), fees (fees associated with facilities, etc), room and board, health insurance, and other expense estimates (transportation, books, supplies, etc)
Major Exploration
At UNCW, you do not choose your major until you are a sophomore. During your freshman year, you have the flexibility to take a variety of different classes before you choose.
Beach Town
15 minutes from Wrightsville Beach
Cross City Trail runs through campus all the way to beach- you can walk, run, ride your bike
Credit Hour
Each course is assigned a certain number of credit hours, usually corresponding to how often class occurs and how long classes are, as well as the course difficulty. Many classes earn a student 3 to 4 credit hours. To be considered full-time, a student must be taking at least 12 credits per semester.
Test Optional
SAT and ACT are optional up until Fall 2024 (current juniors and seniors)- it will not be required for submission
FAFSA?
Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Before each year of college, apply for federal grants, work-study, and loans with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form. Your college uses your FAFSA data to determine your federal aid eligibility. Many states and colleges use FAFSA data to award their own aid. After submission, you’ll receive your Student Aid Report.
Research
Research, research, research different colleges!
Filming
Screen Gems filing studio is located in Wilmington, NC. Many tv shows and movies have been filmed on our campus (Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, the Conjuring, the Summer I Turned Pretty, etc.)