The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) is a top-ranked public university with a long-standing tradition of academic excellence, school spirit, and a strong sense of community. Known for its strengths in fields like journalism, public health, business, and the sciences, UNC is incredibly popular with our clients, especially those out of state. And if you’re reading this, chances are you already know that, because one (or both) of your parents were Tarheels, and now you’re hoping to follow in their footsteps (pun very much intended).
Legacy admissions have become a national talking point, and at UNC, legacy status is not a formal admissions factor. But that doesn’t mean your connection to the university doesn’t matter. It just means you’ll need to make an even stronger case for yourself through your academics, activities, and personal story. So, let’s talk about what it takes to stand out as a UNC legacy.
What’s up with Legacy Admissions?
After the affirmative action Supreme Court decision, legacy admissions are the next up on the chopping block. According to Forbes, a lot of colleges have undertaken this on their own, with schools utilizing legacy admissions decisions being cut in half over the last decade. Even still, some states like California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia have introduced legislation to either ban or highly restrict legacy admissions.
UNC claims to not consider legacy in their admissions decisions, but the hot goss around town is that at least 20% of their student body is made up of legacy students. Now, we could look at that and say, “Well, maybe most UNC grads stay in North Carolina after graduation, and their kids are just applying to the best public university in the state.” But we’re a little more cynical than that. Legacy students, typically, are able to pay for college outright, and that factor matters more than you might think, especially for out-of-state applicants.
The fact of the matter is, the majority of legacy applicants, at any school, are not getting into their parents’ alma maters. But whether UNC cares about your legacy status or not (or secretly cares), our advice to you will be the same. Let’s dive into what you can do to stand out as a legacy applicant.
What Can You Do?
Look, even if UNC did reaaaally care about legacy, you would not get into UNC if you had a bad resume and applicant profile. Our advice to legacies, whether the school officially counts it or not, is to have an application that could get into UNC regardless. You need to have an undeniable profile, so let’s get into what that means for you.
Grades
At UNC, legacy status doesn’t guarantee anything – but we think it’s fair to assume it does set certain expectations. When admissions sees that your parents are alumni, especially if they’ve used their UNC education to become successful, they’ll assume you’ve had access to strong academic support, whether that’s elite schools, private tutoring, or other educational advantages. That’s why nearly every legacy applicant we work with has close to a perfect GPA. To compete, you need to be doing more than just “well” in school – you need to be taking the hardest classes available and excelling in them.
Acceptance Rates for the Class of 2028
Scores
UNC is remaining somewhat test optional for the future:
“For students applying for the 2025-2026 academic year, students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above (on a 4.0 scale) are not required to submit a test score. Students with a weighted GPA below 2.8 (on a 4.0 scale) are required to submit either an ACT or SAT score.”
Our note on this is that according to last year’s data, 0% of applicants with a 3.25 GPA or less were admitted. That does not mean it is okay to not submit scores. You should always submit test scores when you can, because it adds another undeniable factor to your application. Also, you may notice that UNC’s middle-50 data is lower than you might have thought, but we know from experience that for out-of-state students, you need a 34 or 1500+ to be competitive – even higher for their most competitive majors.
Extracurriculars
Having a leadership title or joining a handful of clubs might look good on paper, but it’s not enough to impress UNC. If you claim to be passionate about public health, journalism, or computer science, your application needs to show it. That means taking action outside the classroom: think research, community involvement, internships, personal projects – something that backs up your interests with real experience. This applies to every field, from the humanities to STEM. For legacy students especially, we recommend starting early, freshman year if possible, to build a focused, authentic narrative that highlights both passion and follow-through.
Apply Early
UNC does not offer early decision, but they do offer early action. If you’re serious about UNC, you need to apply early. Note to the wise: they are one of the first applications due every year, typically on October 15th. While this decision is not binding, it does signal to UNC that you a) have the drive and initiative to get their app done first and b) that you have a heightened level of interest in the school.
Stay Involved
Let’s talk to the parents for a second. If UNC is where you once called home and you're hoping your child will do the same, simply checking the alumni box won’t do anything for you. What we’ve seen work time and again? Families who stay actively engaged – volunteering, attending events, mentoring, or otherwise staying connected to the Carolina community. Even though legacy status isn’t part of UNC’s formal admissions criteria, that kind of meaningful involvement can help reinforce your family’s genuine connection to the school. If you're serious about UNC, it’s worth showing that commitment, loud and clear.
If you're a UNC legacy and truly aiming for admission, your application has to be exceptional across the board. Rigorous coursework with top grades, a strong academic record, and a track record of involvement that reflects real initiative are non-negotiable. With tens of thousands of applicants and limited spots, especially for out-of-state students, there's no room for weak links. Legacy or not, your application needs to stand on its own.
If you need help crafting an application that helps you stand out among the crowd, reach out to us today. We can help.