For years, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) has been considered a dream school for many Costa students. However, with an 8.2% out-of-state acceptance rate, few Costa students have been accepted to this prestigious university. But in 2025, a group of Mira Costa seniors broke the trend.
Luca O’neill, Shelby Wallis, Willow Edwards, Mac Bedner, Jack Mondello, and Anfissa Pruitt–six students who had worked tirelessly to balance their academics and extracurriculars, knowing every part of their application mattered.
“I opened the acceptance letter while driving to lunch with my two friends, and we all freaked out when the confetti came in the acceptance letter,” said Luca. “I had thought there was no way I would get in because UNC usually doesn’t admit Mira Costa students.” His surprise was shared by many in the group, who had heard of the challenges associated with getting admitted into UNC, especially for out-of-state applicants.
Shelby Wallis also had her doubts. “I don’t know anyone from Costa who had gotten in, so when I got the acceptance, I thought I logged into the wrong portal.”
Willow Edwards shared this surprise, “I was actually super surprised when I got accepted,” she said. “I opened the decision on my phone casually in the car because I thought there was no chance of me getting out-of-state, especially.
Jack Mondello was drawn to UNC for its combination of academics and athletics. “After opening my decision letter I was super happy as UNC was one of my top choices,” he said. “They have great sports and academics while still having a fun, balanced culture.”
For Mac Bedner, managing extracurriculars and academics was crucial. “Time management was the biggest thing for me in balancing my extracurriculars and grades,” he shared. “UNC looks for well-rounded people, so I focused on volunteer work and sports.”
Anfissa Pruitt spoke about her commitment to both academics and extracurriculars. “Balancing extracurriculars and academics was challengings, but it made my application stronger,” she said. “I didn’t have a lot of time for social events, but I felt it paid off.”
These students were inspired to apply to UNC for various reasons, but all shared a common motivation: the strong sense of the community and the opportunities the university offers.
8.2% out of state acceptance rate
Carolina welcomed 5,624 new students as the entering class of 2024. They include 4,641 first-year and 983 transfer students who are ready to grow, learn, and make each other better. Students were selected from 73,192 total applicants.
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