Son trying to decide ED engineering between Northwestern and UVA. Absolutely loved NU campus and engineering department. He loves the setting and does not mind the cold. He is leaning toward NU but is wondering (1) whether NU kids seem to have fun - is there a buzzing social scene? (2) He is also wondering if the four term system makes school a grind that affects student well-being. Would really appreciate input!
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You might have him reach out to admissions or engineering and ask to speak to a student ambassador. They’re usually very honest in answering questions.
Maybe not related to engineering per se but you might also look at Niche reviews.
Good luck.
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A friend’s daughter attends NW. She is very happy and loves the school. Not engineering though. Truth is engineering programs that are ABET accredited are all pretty intense but if your kid is good enough to get into NW or UVA, then he will be probably ok.
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I would reach out to real students on Facebook etc. Their culture is also something to ask about. I am sure there are happy students but it can be a pressure cooker also. Their quarter system makes it harder for many.
the real question is: how likely is your son going to be happy (enough) if he attends NY (or another school)?
to answer this question, I would ask the kid to outline several perspectives that affect his happiness level, such as work load, social life, me time, food, gym, weather, etc., and set a weight for each perspective he can list. Then from each potential college/university, you’ll find several students who are highly similar to your son - same major, similar skill level, similar background, similar interests, etc., and ask them about their experiences on the perspectives your son lists as contributing to his happiness. From there you can get a close estimate on how likely he will be happy where.
Broadly speaking, students are very happy at both University of Virginia and at Northwestern University. The quarter system at Northwestern University means that there is little to no wasted time.
Freshman retention rate at Northwestern is extremely high (about 98%) as it is at the University of Virginia (about 97%). Retention rates are an indicator of student satisfaction with their school.
Yes, students at Northwestern University–even undergraduate engineering students–know how to relax and have fun, but if looking for fun, the University of Virginia might be a better option if seeking “a buzzing social scene”.
Northwestern University students are serious about academics. The South Campus is more relaxed than the North Campus as South Campus is home to theater & humanities students whereas North Campus is home to most engineering students.
Chicago is one of the most unappreciated and under-rated cities in the US–it is outstanding for entertainment & dining.
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US News ranks undergraduate engineering programs.
Northwestern University undergraduate engineering is tied at #13 (same as Virginia Tech, Johns Hopkins, & Texas A&M );
University of Virginia undergraduate engineering is tied at #37 (alongside Vanderbilt, Yale, N’eastern, Colorado School of Mines, Brown, & Case Western Reserve).
P.S. After looking over the US News rankings for undergrad engineering programs, I was a bit surprised that Princeton engineering was ranked at #12 one place ahead of #13 Northwestern, Va Tech, JHU, & Texas A&M. Really surprised that Princeton’s undergrad engineering program would be ranked that high. Otherwise, the US News undergraduate engineering rankings look to be very reasonable.
I’d say almost as a rule, the Northwestern people I have encountered want you to know it was an intense academic experience, but they generally really loved it. I think it is one of those smart people schools that prides itself on also being Midwest nice and collaborative–and there is nothing wrong with that!
For non-academics, it is in fact a Big 10 school, Chicago is a global-class city, there is outdoor stuff to do, and on and on.
I think for schools like this, you have to be comfortable with being challenged academically. But if you are, then you will very likely also find your people, you will find your activities, you will find your fun. Because it is all there to be found.
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Thanks everyone for the insights and to one kind person for the dm. Any more thoughts would be welcome!
There is a saying at Northwestern that the hardest thing is getting in.
He is leaning toward NU but is wondering (1) whether NU kids seem to have fun - is there a buzzing social scene?
I find this a bit concerning. There are college students for whom the weekend starts Thursday afternoon with happy hour at lively local pubs and continues thru enjoyable weekends spent exploring nearby cities such as Chicago for NU students. Then there are majors like engineering where Thursday nite is a headstart on the problem sets you’ll be doing on Friday and the daylight hours on the weekends differ from weekdays because you don’t have to go to class in the middle of studying.
I’m intentionally painting a bleak picture, it really isn’t entirely monasticism. But nor am I recklessly exaggerating. Engineers can have fun and go to parties, it’s just they need to pick specific times such as Friday nite to do so rather than anytime they hear a group of kids on the hall getting together. Immersion in a “buzzing social scene” is inimical to engineering, it just is.
A rule of thumb is 3 hours or more outside of class (studying, problem sets, etc) for every class hour in math/science/engineering so it’s easy to have 40+ hours/wk outside of class in addition to going to class. And the cumulative nature of the classes, both inside each semester and as the semesters accumulate, means that if you fall behind it can be difficult to get back up to speed.
I suggest having a few discussions with your son about just how he envisions spending his time in college. Or, better yet, have him talk to the older siblings of some of his friends who are sophomore level or higher in engineering to hear right from the source about the workload.
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I agree with this. NU engineering is grind-y, with many students who are serious about their studies and grades. I’m not saying that necessarily makes them more competitive than collaborative tho. IMO. I expect engineering is grind-y everywhere.
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This is very accurate. Some kids can walk on water and are built different. My son is in Bama as an engineering major. Getting his a$$ kicked on a daily basis.
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Glad it wasn’t just mine.
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