Advice to Consider

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northwestern University
21

So if you are deadset on a track where GPA is very important like pre-med or you are deadset on engineering and you’re in CA/MI/TX/GA/IN(/VA/WI/MN), paying in-state costs may be the way to go. NU would offer more flexibility, though (as well as special programs like MMSS, the Kellogg certificates, and an opportunity to get a masters from Kellogg); you’d rather be an arts history grad from NU than from Purdue.

BTW, I think you’ll find that any top econ department that aims to prepare its students for PhD programs (Cal, MIT; pretty much any top econ program) will be heavy on theory.

22

OP - I am sorry you have had a bad experience. Since you were smart enough to get into NU, I am sure you realize that with an undergrad class of 8,000 - there will be 8,00 different experiences, and looking at the undergrad experience overall, a normal distribution will probably resemble a bell curve in grading the experience of attending.

I have 2 normal everyday kids, one is an engineering alum, one is a currently attending engineering student, and they have vastly different reports than you. They have both commented favorably about the collaborative environment, and the FinAid allowed both to go to NU for less out of pocket than UIUC, Purdue & Iowa State. My D still meets up with her core group of engineer buds at least once a year on the east coast, and current student met his girl-friend at a study group.

I don’t want to go all parenty on you - but If this is a real bother to you - do some reaching out to some of the counselors - and don’t stress! You were smart enough to get into NU - you’re smart enough to figure it out.

23

I wonder if the OP thought at all about whether NU was a good fit before making his college commitment and investing his family’s money.

It is my understanding the NU has had the quarter system for quite some time, the weather in the Chicago/Evanston area has always been on the colder side, and emerging elite universities such as NU did not get their ascending reputations by being easy academically. Additionally, ALL elite private universities are expensive, this is not a secret either.

Is it possible the OP chose a school that was a poor fit FOR HIM? Perhaps he should read Malcolm Gladwell’s David and Goliath. This is advice to consider.

While this is a little off topic, I do think for those 17-18 year olds WHO KNOW THEY WANT TO BE A DOCTOR, in-state public universities are the most efficient path to medical school. The rationale is, a local public university is definitely less expensive, should be easier to achieve a higher class rank/GPA and the less competitive environment should allow more room for personal growth.

On the other hand, I don’t know many 17-18 year olds who are knowledgable enough to know (yet) what they want, or are willing to commit their lives to. At this age is okay to change your mind on your career/life goals. For these aspiring college students, surrounding themselves with the best and the brightest peers and faculty to allow for the wonderful melting pot/pressure cooker that is elite education should not be missed. These students will be the better for these rare opportunities and for experiencing it together.

By starting this thread, the OP is obviously very unhappy. Most HS and professional college counselors tell their students that school fit is more important than school reputation/prestige. Perhaps the OP should read David and Goliath, and reconsider the path he has taken.

24

Ascending universities ascend in different ways. Vandy plays up the social aspects. WashU has spent gobs of money on amenities. NU has done some of that as well, but its quite apparent that, while all 3 get high-stats impressive kids and compete with each other for students, NU stresses academics to a greater extent than at least Vandy. Another poster has looked at the rigor of science classes at various elites, and he deems NU to be more rigorous than Vandy in all fields he looked at (WashU is just as tough in life sciences and chemistry). However, this shows up in alumni achievements. When it comes to placement in to the top business, law, and med schools as well as production of leaders in business, government, arts, and sciences, NU is just as good as the non-HYP Ivies and a clear tier above both Vandy and WashU.

Fit is extremely important. If you want to just have fun and get easy A’s at a school that still sounds impressive, NU is not for you. If you want an education just as or more rigorous than you’d get at an Ivy that gives as much opportunities and produces alums that are as high quality as an Ivy (and with weather just as bad as all those Ivies in New England and upstate NY and costs just as much as an Ivy) but with all that comes with being a B10 school in Chicagoland, then NU is for you.

I believe that Morty has said that the 2 schools that NU competes most with for students are Cornell and UPenn.

25

Note that Duke also ranks quite low in the Princeton Review Quality of Life rankings (about as low as NU). And, other than locale and weather, it is probably the closest school to NU by characteristics. Like NU, it is also a top-rated private powerhouse research university with rigorous academics and very successful grads and is a target for top banks and consulting firms that is equivalent to the Ivies by any academic or alumni success metric (but isn’t HYPSM). However, it also has big-time sports and a student body that has a large percentage in the Greek system and tends towards being pre-professional with a work-hard/play-hard reputation (like the better state flagships).
Maybe that combination causes NU and Duke and ND (which I consider a near-Ivy but also has big-time sports) to rank lower by that metric? In terms of academic rigor, NU is about the same as UChicago, but UChicago gets kids who are drawn in by that “where fun goes to die” mentality.

26

I’m a rising junior in McCormick studying CS, at NU and I’ve generally enjoyed my time at NU. Yes, engineering is hard. No question about it. Especially at a very pre-professional school like NU, the pressure to perform well in and out of class can be tough. As far as class time goes, intro-level classes tend to be longer, so you may start with ~20 class hours and then drop down to 15ish. I’ve found my classes have gotten much more interesting and engaging the deeper I get into my major. The grading also seems to be kinder, especially in project-based courses. Basically, the academic pressure decreases a bit as you go, letting you focus more on learning.

We may not be as well known for our engineering, but I find that our professors are extremely impressive and accomplished in their fields. As a large research university, finding research opportunities is very doable.

The students I’ve met here are all talented, intelligent, and motivated, which I really like. Many classes have collaborative aspects and I’ve seen no cut-throat competition. Most people are nice and very willing to work together. Through the rough times, my friends and classmates help me stay sane.

For computer science specifically, I know that NU does not have the same reputation as other schools like MIT, UIUC, or Purdue, but we still get plenty of recruiters on campus. At the engineering career fairs, CS majors were the most sought-after of the engineering majors, with companies like Google, Microsoft, Groupon, and GE, as well as many smaller, Chicago-based companies in attendance. At the same time, I found it difficult to find an internship as a freshman. I ended up working at a local company back home to build experience. For sophomore year, I managed to snag an internship much more easily, as did many of my peers. Many engineers, especially Industrial Engineers, choose to go into consulting or finance, where NU has a good reputation. Chicago is a city with a lot of great job opportunities.

I’m from the Midwest and winter sucks, but it’s bearable. Get a decent pair of snow boots and a warm coat.

This post has rambled a bit, but the gist of it is this: Northwestern is not a perfect school in many aspects or a perfect fit for everyone. We’re in a period of growth and experiencing the growing pains. The negatives are bearable and the positives are great. Make sure to visit, talk to students in your intended school/major, and attend accepted students programs to make sure NU is a place you’ll do well in.

27

Has the OP (@7rytn4fgd5) left the building?

28

We have two extremely happy Wildcats in the family, one a Junior in ISP (rumored to be the most rigorous major on campus) and a recent Theatre and History grad. I agree with others who have said the OP seems to be an outlier, and I hope he/she investigates a transfer if they are as unhappy as they seem. I would also add that we are middle class and found NU’s financial aid great and also very consistent over our 5 years to-date. Life is short, and your undergrad years should be challengng but fun!

29

This thread is helpful. thank you! I am thinking of applying ED to NU. I have visited the school and have spoken with students there. They seemed really happy and excited to be part of NU. I am not a genius, however I do work hard for my grades and have done well. @PurpleTitan, do you think I would be able to handle the engineering program. I have taken AP Calc and am in Multivariable Calc. I have taken all AP Physics, AP Chem, AP Computer Science, AP Lit, AP World History, AP US HIstory. I have done well on the APs some 5s &4s and couple of 3s

SAT Math 800, CR 650, WR 760
Math 2 760
ACT will take next week - looks like I am scoring in the 32-34 range for some practice test.
GPA - 3.98 (got 1 B in sophomore year)

I am a female wanting to go in engineering. I do work hard but seems like the “smart” kids find the school overly difficult. If I get in (which I am not sure I will), will I be able to handle it?

30

@wabell, if you put in the work, I would say “yes”.

So long as you don’t expect your college GPA to be as high as your HS GPA (but then, no one else would either) and stay disciplined, you’ll be fine.

31

thank you @PurpleTitan, now I have to get in:)

32

College, especially engineering in general, is pretty difficult. If you are worried about rigor, you’re looking at the wrong major.

33

I had to make an account to chime in here. I’m a 2011 McCormick graduate with a degree in ChemE with an additional biological engineering/biotechnology degree certificate (so I basically had to compete for grades with insane/possibly autistic premed kids in many classes).

First off, OP sounds like a big baby. By now any prospective engineering student should know that getting the degree is going to take a lot of work and a lot of late nights. The professors at NU, and McCormick in particular, are excellent, but with engineering and a few hard sciences the work is what it is. Regardless, in my time I still managed to have a girlfriend, party most weekends, secure an internship every summer, watch and attend plenty of football/basketball games and play two different club sports.

With all that I finished with a 3.4 GPA, had job offers from 4 different Fortune 500 companies and had several other interviews at consulting firms/finance firms (admittedly I received no offers here). I also made some great connections and gained close friends who come from very wealthy/prestigious families (I am from a lower middle class family and grew up on the Southside of Chicago in the city. I’m also white btw in case you were wondering). It is all very doable, and I can honestly say that I hardly ever felt stressed out and/or overworked (maybe 1.5 quarters during my entire time), and I wouldn’t consider myself a super genius or a very hard worker during my time at NU.

Yes, the weather sucks, that’s true, but nothing you can do there. And yes, the school is expensive, but if you’re premed or in McCormick you shouldn’t be worried about this. The parent who is crying about paying for their engineering student kid at McCormick should tell their kid to grab some loans if it’s such a pain. I had very very little financial support during school, came out with >$80k in loans to pay back by myself and I am currently 3 months from being debt free. I can undoubtedly say it was completely 100% worth it.

In the end, just stop whining. I’m not saying NU is the school for everyone, far from it for certain personality types, but it can be an amazing experience. There are simply way too many kids out there who were big fishes in little high school ponds, and they have a hard time realizing that there are actually people smarter than them when they come to NU. If this is your attitude and you aren’t looking to have a total university experience (we have a top 20 ranked football team for God’s sake!!!) then NU probably isn’t the school for you.

34

One other thing to add…Always remember that NU is not a regional state school with 10k students in the incoming class. It’s national and fairly small so the alumni network is very strong and willing to connect with one another. Don’t underestimate that fact.

I’m from chicago but live on the east coast now and I can’t even count the number of times I’ve been wearing a NU tee and had an alum come up to me and start a convo. And these are people with good jobs in powerful positions. As well, my dad is in chicago and always wears an NU ball cap. He constantly has people, many alums, come up to him to talk abt the school or football team.

This strong brand and supportive alumni network can be a HUGE advantage when looking for jobs and positions later in your career.

35

Wildcat3b: thanks for writing. As a parent of a prospective student, I feel good not only with the experiences you shared, but also from the fact that NU has students with such a positive attitude!.

36

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37

I have heard this for many top institutions for higher learning and I’m coming to think it’s (A) overrated and (B) nothing really special, or rare, as it’s deemed to be. But that’s for another day.

italics: Wow. Only on CC.