For students who want to attend one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the South, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke offers a cultural melting pot, along with strong academic programs.
Located on 153 acres in rural Pembroke, North Carolina, the University of Pembroke is known for its Native American history and its long-standing education program.
| Overall Score (about) | 82.1 |
| Total Cost On-Campus Attendance | $17,088 |
| Admission Success rate | N/A |
| ACT / SAT 75%ile scores | 21 / 1080 |
| Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty | 17 : 1 |
| Retention (full-time / part-time) | 74% / 36% |
| Enrollment Total (all students) | 7,137 |
What is now the University of North Carolina at Pembroke was established in 1887 as the Croaton Normal School, a teacher training school for Cherokee Indians in Robeson County.
The school moved to its present location in 1909, and changed its name to the Indian Normal School of Robeson County in 1911, and later to the Cherokee Indian Normal School of Robeson County. By 1926, the school had become a two-year college, and by the late 1930s became a four year college and later changed names again to the Pembroke State College for Indians. In the 1940s, the school began offering bachelor’s degrees other than teaching degrees and became open to Native Americans of all tribes. The college later became Pembroke State College and opened admission to students of all races.
In the late 60s, the college became Pembroke State University and began offering master’s degrees in the 70s. In 1996, the university had yet another name change, becoming the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke has a strong liberal arts tradition, and offers a number of majors designed to appeal to a diverse cross-section of interests.
The university offers 41 bachelor’s degrees and 17 post-bachelor’s degrees. Graduate students may want to check out the college’s various programs in education. Popular majors at the university include:
With a student to teacher ratio of 16-to-one, students at Pembroke have ample opportunities to get individualized instruction from professors.
One cause for concern may be the university’s graduation rate, which at 15 percent is considered low.
U.S. News and World Report ranks UNC Pembroke as the No. 89 regional university in the South, and the No. 46 public school in the South. The university has also been frequently praised for its diverse student body, its small student to faculty ratio and its affordability.
The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which accredits schools in Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Texas, and American schools in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke has a selective admissions policy, however, nearly 75 percent of all students applying to UNC Pembroke are accepted.
Students applying to the university are required to submit high school transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, documentation of civic or community involvement, character references, class rank, and extracurriculars.
Most UNC Pembroke students have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and SAT scores of 830 or higher.
The deadline to apply to the university is July 1.
As of Sept. 2011, the university has a $40 application fee.
Students applying to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke are eligible for federal grants and student loans. There are also a number of grants and scholarships offered by the state of North Carolina, the college and other organizations that students may be eligible for.
The college’s website has a comprehensive list of scholarships and other programs, such as loans, students can use to attend class at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
UNC Pembroke students receive about $20 million in financial aid annually.
The college’s office of financial stands ready to help students find other grants and scholarships they may be eligible for. About 73 percent of University of North Carolina at Pembroke students receive financial aid of some type. The average financial aid award is around $6,200.
UNC Pembroke has more than 6,000 students and is an ethnically diverse campus. The school is about 40 percent white, 34 percent African-American and 14 percent Native American. The student body is predominately female (62 percent).
The college offers more than 60 student clubs and organizations, including professional and academic groups, religious organizations, special interest organizations, recreational clubs and Greek fraternities and sororities. There are 11 fraternities and nine sororities and about seven percent of UNC Pembroke students are members of a Greek fraternity or sorority.
The college’s water feature and ampitheatre is a focal point of student recreation and social activity on campus. Also, the university’s Native American roots are proudly displayed in a number of ways, including artwork at various points throughout the campus.
The school offers a fitness center with exercise equipment and other amenities to students.
The university has a campus newspaper, The Pine Needle and a student radio station WNCP.
Located about half an hour from Fayetteville and an hour from Raleigh, UNC Pembroke looking for an urban getaway can go enjoy the added cultural and entertainment opportunities of larger cities fairly easily.
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is an NCAA Division II school and competes in the Peach Belt Conference in most sports. The school competes as an independent in wrestling and football.
The university offers men’s football, basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, soccer, track and field and wrestling; and women’s basketball, softball, cross country, golf, soccer, track and field, volleyball and tennis.
The men’s football team is a relatively new addition to the university, having started in 2007. In 2011, the men’s basketball team won the Peach Belt Conference Championship and played in the NCAA Division II tournament for the first time in university history.
Pembroke teams are known as the Braves. School colors are black and gold.
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