I will be a freshmen at NU next year, so I’ve started thinking about buying a new coat. Any recommendations for a good, warm parks? Is Canada Goose worth the cost? Should I go with North face? What do most students wear?
You sound more concerned about showing off the labels on your clothes. Any brand coat will keep u warm.
Well, @GMTplus7 I doubt that “any” coat would keep her warm. 
@CollegeGirl2015 Buzzfeed had a great article on that very topic…my D (thinking of Boston as well) looked at this for inspiration! http://www.buzzfeed.com/maitlandquitmeyer/cool-winter-coats-that-will-actually-keep-you-warm
I’m not stupid about cold weather. I went to school up north. My kids are in northern schools. There’s nothing magical about the BRAND of the coat. In fact most manufacturers sell coats in different weights. Just use your common sense.
@GMTplus7, I don’t know much about winter coats, having grown up in GA and now living in VA, so I am curious what kind of fill you recommend - is goose down warmer than the poly fills? And if certain poly fills are more insulating, then what specific kinds of fills should we be looking for? If goose down is warmer, what is the difference between 800 goose down and, say, 650 goose down? Does one keep you warmer or is this just something to try and make you buy a more expensive coat? And you say that most manufacturers sell coats in different weights, which makes sense, but in looking at coats online it seems like a number of the goose down coats talk about how light they are, but does that mean they are less warm? Or do they just charge you more because their coat is lighter weight but still just as warm? I don’t care about brands or labels at all - I just want to know that my Southern S won’t freeze to death if he ends up in college in the Midwest, so I am trying to learn what to look for!
I have 2 boys in cold clime schools. One is label conscious & one is not.
The label conscious one pleaded that he needed the same expensive label coat other kids around campus were wearing. I bought the eye-wateringly ridiculously priced coat only to get subsequent request from him for a supplementary layer because status coat wasn’t warm enough. This is why I say the brand means nothing.
The other son (non status consious) has a closet full of jackets in different weights, but traipses around campus in the freezing cold w whatever outer garment is closest to grab from his dorm room floor. His favorite one seems to be the light-weight, cheap-O down one, that I would freeze in.
My learning in all of this as a parent is not to over-science and not to over-spend.
Wow @GMTplus7, who peed in your coffee this morning? If a lot of kids on campus are wearing a certain brand of coat, I assume it works pretty well. Sorry to offend you with my “materialistic” ways…
@Collegegirl2015 I think the point GMT was trying to make was that a lot of people wear North Face and the like as a status symbol not because they are necessarily better (I’d argue it’s a bit of both). But there’s really no need to spend too much, and while Chicago gets cold it’s not too bad at all. Just make sure you have some quality hoodies for spring and fall and a decent jacket for the winter… North Face is fine if you don’t care about expense, same with Columbia, but you could also go to Burlington Coat Factory or even Costco their Kirkland heavy jackets will be more than enough. I don’t know much about different fills, I doubt it’ll make a massive difference; living in NY, you get used to cold fast so even just a thick hoodie is often enough for 30F days… Anyway, I’d recommend getting a cheaper jacket at first, seeing how things go- it’s always easy to get another coat if you need it, and certain people feel colder than others…
@Saj, thank you for paraphrasing. If only kid1’s coat was as cheap as a North Face…
Congratulations on your NU acceptance! And since you’re smart enough to get into NU - you’re smart enough to figure this out. 
I have 2 kids go to NU - and we live in the Chicago area also…and the key to staying warm is really layers - and what you need the coat for.
I have no problem with “label” coats - but even a label coat needs the right stuff underneath - and it also depends on purpose of use. R U just walking around campus - or are you gonna run/walk/jog or participate in an outdoor sport? (And that includes spring sports in the Midwest)
Some of the coldest times I have ever endured has been time spent cheering/watching “Spring” softball, baseball, rugby and ultimate! I can tell you that there is a line of kids waiting to “borrow” my ultimate playing son’s Columbia coat with the reflector lining - as they switch lines in the game. And “coldgear” is not an option - it’s a necessity if you do play spring sports. Good luck - and B Tough
With all the weather in Boston these days it’s amusing to see all the “concern” about how one will handle Chicago weather. Funny no seems to worry about that when contemplating Harvard or MIT!
Not according to the Canadian Geese, I’m sure. But, no one ever asks them.
The best insulated gear is labeled with temperature ranges, and my experience is that the most reputable manufacturers label those pretty accurately.
I attended grad school in Chicago. It’s true that average winter days won’t require a coat made for extreme temperatures, but there are usually a few days when you’ll be glad to have it. Some years you may get a solid week or two where the temps barely rise above zero.
The alternative is to wear two pairs of sweatpants over your jeans and everything in your closet on your torso. Which is in fact how I survived my first year (grad students live cheap).
Whatever you buy, cover your butt. Literally. Jackets may look cute, but a freezing butt during a long wait at a bus stop is no fun.
Indeed. You can always layer, so any cheapo coat will do if you pile on layers.
In any case, I never had a problem with my upper body freezing; only my hands, legs (and if you’re standing in freezing water for some reason, feet), so make sure you get good gloves, boots, and thermal underwear (or corduroy pants)
Purple Titan - Yes, CYA IS always good to do - and is a tried and tested philosophy favored by many!
I’ve always been fine with a mid-thickness North Face. You don’t need anything super fancy in my opinion.
My daughter is enduring her first Chicago winter (and her first winter living someplace with snow). When she came home for Christmas she asked for a warmer coat and ended up with a Columbia coat with reflector lining like the one @nugraddad mentioned above. She’s happy now. We found it at a Columbia outlet store at a reasonable price. Start with the minimum you think you need and add to your wardrobe once you get there and have a better idea of what works for you.
A Northface and a sweatshirt tend to work at least for me for the cold weather (especially with the chilliness magnified by the lower lake-effect temperature), though I wouldn’t claim it’s the brand that makes it warm, that just tends to be one of the more common types of jackets people wear around here. They’re plenty of brands-- the best solution is go to a store and just find something you like that’s matches the degree of warmness you want within your price range, and if that doesn’t work you can always buy something a little more pricer if you find your still freezing walking around campus. Everyone wears something different, so it’s stupid to buy something to fit in unless you try out a certain brand and actually like it quality-wise.