Drexel vs. Northeastern

Colleges and Universities A-Z Drexel University
1

<p>Northeastern is #2 on my college list (rejected from #1). But I've just received my decision from Drexel. Drexel was safety for me and I wasn't very interested until...</p>

<p>Drexel gave me a $21,500 merit scholarship and an invitation to the Honors program (I don't know if this is for 4 or 5 years, I'll use 4 years for the rest of this post). And I'll find out how much need-based aid I'll receive on February 2 (I'll assume $5,000 for the rest of this post).</p>

<p>Northeastern didn't give me any merit money nor an invitation to the Honors program. And offered me $18,000 in need-based aid.</p>

<p>I know Northeastern is ranked 56 while Drexel is 83 by U.S. News. My major falls into the Business schools of both universities and Drexel is not ranked by Business Week.</p>

<p>I also prefer Northeastern's semester system to Drexel's quarter.</p>

<p>Any inside information on Drexel? Depending on the need-based aid I receive I will go to admitted students day in March to tour. What are career prospects for a degree in Finance from Drexel? I know Northeastern has co-ops at major investment banks, insurance companies and consulting firms. How does Drexel's co-op compare?</p>

2

<p>Some advice:
The USNews ranking system is the most unhelpful reference in terms of ranking schools by their educational quality (it’s not even part of the ranking criteria), so if you value educational quality over school spirit quality or anything like that, you should consult other sources of information. Unfortunately, I don’t know anything to recommend other than this site itself and finding students who came out of schools you’re looking at.</p>

<p>I don’t know how Northeastern compares to Drexel, but my sort-of-mentor (a successful video game/TV composer by the name of Andrew Aversa) went to Drexel instead of his close other choice, Northeastern, and he didn’t regret the decision at all.</p>

3

<p>There is no doubt in my mind that if you had the same financial situation between Drexel and Northeastern, you should choose Northeastern. So basically assuming that Drexel gives you the same aid Northeastern gave you (20k), your situation is paying 20k to go to Drexel and 40k to go to Northeastern. 4 years your debt will be 80k at drexel and 160k at Northeastern. Northeastern is in the city of Boston, and you will make numerous connections and experiences at great centers and businesses. My friend who goes to Northeastern says that business students have been able to find CO-OP jobs that pay 30/hr. </p>

<p>If it was up to me, I would choose Northeastern over Drexel. Not only will you have a better experience in the City of Boston, the intellectual environment at Northeastern is definitely greater than that of Drexel. You’ll make connections through its great CO-OP program and hopefully land a decent job out of graduation. Sure you’ll have more debt, but in the long-run its definitely worth it. </p>

<p>I applied to both the schools as well. Drexel gave me 18.5 k in scholarship, and I have yet to find out my situation from Northeastern (Regular Decision). Goodluck in your decision!</p>

<p>*If you plan to go to grad school for business that changes the situation by the way. Because it’s really the last degree on your resume that counts, the debt wouldn’t be worth it. If you plan to do grad. school I’d choose Drexel.</p>

4

<p>Thank you for your advice and good luck on Northeastern. I definitely feel Northeastern has better co-ops for Business majors. If my major was engineering I would have jumped on the Drexel boat as soon as I was accepted.</p>

<p>Unless Drexel’s total package is >10k per year better than Northeastern’s I will 100% be going to Northeastern. The connections I already have in Boston and the fact that Boston is only 2 hours away by train from my home factor into this decision.</p>

5

<p>I have the same problem! Northeastern has always been my number one for over a year now. I love Boston, it’s close to home, the campus is beautiful, they have an excellent computer and electrical engineering program, and I feel at home there. </p>

<p>My problem is NU gave me 14k in merit (let’s just say I only get about 4k in financial aid anywhere) and I wasn’t admitted into the Honors program, and Drexel gave me 22k in merit and is cheaper. I really love NU but Drexel has a co-op program as well, but it’s obviously not in Boston. I’m confused because I don’t want to exit college with a lot of debt.</p>

6

<p>Choices will depend on many factors, including how close you want to be to home. But if US News is important you might want to take into account that Drexel is No. 3 on its 2012 list of “up and coming” universities while Northeastern is No. 7. Drexel is working very hard to be a better university with a higher academic caliber of students - which is why they are waving all this money at applicants like you with strong test scores, GPAs and ECs. </p>

<p>However, I think I would quibble with the notion that one will find an “intellectual environment” far more stimulating at Northeastern than at Drexel. Harvard, yes; Northeastern, no. There’s just not going to be that huge a gap between the average Drexel student and the average Northeastern student. You will find some pretty impressive Drexel students when you visit campus.</p>

<p>Finally, I hope you and your parents seriously think it through if you are contemplating something like $160,000 in debt for any school. Northeastern and Drexel are both expensive private schools. Work through all the numbers once you get your FAFSA results back and make sure you know what you are getting in to.</p>

7

<p>My son is interested in both of these schools too. He is considering computer science and/or engineering. One of our concerns is that Drexel used to be somewhat of a suitcase school. Can anyone speak to whether this is still the case? Thanks for the insights.</p>

8

<p>I was admitted to Drexel as well, with Merit Based scholarship. I am an International Student, so no need based Financial Aid for me :frowning: … I applied for TRANSFER from a Community College.</p>

<p>I have heard many great things about Drexel being an “engineering focused” University. They put a lot into their Engineering Programs, Also one of the most respected coop schools out there! Also, many undergrads, thanks to their Coops, ended up in Ivy league schools for their masters.</p>

<p>I know Overall, the Student Body in both schools are very similar, both academically and socially. In both schools, Student Body type depends on the Major. I am currently at a CC near northeastern, and i can confirm that Business Major students are much more party oriented than Engineering students, mostly due to the Academic Workload difference in Freshman and Sophomore years. </p>

<p>Both schools have similar percentage of students on Business Majors (around 22% for both), while on Engineering students compose 19% for Drexel and 13% for Northeastern. Both schools have similar Student Body Sizes and similar Class sizes. Although the Student-Faculty Ratio on Northeastern is much higher (bad).</p>

<p>Another thing, 72% of Drexel Students live Off Campus, while only 47 % in Northeastern. But that does not mean there is not College life at Drexel, you would be surprised, most students still live a road block from Drexel on surrounding apartments. for Northeastern, most off campus students live at their homes and sometimes only come to school for studying. I know students do not talk much in between class or while waiting for a professor at northeastern. i never experienced Drexel so I cannot tell Sorry.</p>

<p>The two schools are very similar when you compare their academics, reputation and Student Body, so at the end like mentioned in earlier posts, it all comes back to the life outside school, things such as the City or the Weather. Again, both are in new England, Philly is a bit warmer, but you wont notice the difference in winter… Phily is Boxy, grid made city, while Boston is modeled out of a city typical of England. The city wont change anything given that most of your time will be on campus or on a coop.</p>

<p>Another thing, Drexel has much more Engineering Majors for you to choose from. while Northeastern is restricted to the basics, they do not have BioEng., BioMed Eng., Materials Eng. Architectural Eng. , Environmental Eng., Computer Software Eng. … All of which are proposed at Drexel.</p>

<p>I personally did not appreciate the response-time provided by the Northeastern Admissions Office. their e-mail responses take more than a week, and their on-Campus officers give information that you already know and can already read on the website. Also, I mailed them Documents on mid-December, my Application Status Check page shows that they haven’t received it yet, which probably means it was received but not processed. I e-mailed but i did not receive any answer back. it has been two months now since I mailed these Documents; they were mandatory to have before the admissions Office can even start considering my application.</p>

<p>Drexel Admission officers answered me quickly nearly the same day I sent the e-mail. The Admission counselor had my Files checked and confirmed which documents were received and not processed and even gave me an estimation of when I would be considered and when I would receive a response. </p>

<p>For Transfers, Drexel Admits around 50% while Northeastern around 30% of applicants. keep in mind that a lot less people applies to Northeastern for Transfer (surprising I know).</p>

<p>Personally, if Northeastern does not offer me Admission, its okay, because Drexel is a Great School with a Big “up and coming” reputation, and is better rank in the “best Engineering schools” on USnews. It is Also very well positioned in terms of Coops, all your Dream employers are always present at Coop Events, and know Drexel Students perform well from what I hear. their Campus is getting new looks, and is expanding.</p>

<p>Read Student reviews for both schools,and DO NOT READ OLD REVIEWS only read review from 2011 until 2013, older posts do not show the current school, as they change every year.</p>

<p>thank you,</p>

<p>My sources: me, Friends studying at northeastern, and Usnews.</p>

9

<p>

</p>

<p>Uh, no…</p>