<p>Has anyone gone through this program or one of the other pre-orientation programs, or is anyone planning to sign up? Any comments/recommendations would be helpful- I am trying to decide between doing this or just chilling with my friends in Madison/Minneapolis, since all of them are leaving like a month before me. Thanks</p>
<p>im planning to apply for Pwild. I have similar questions, and reasons for wanting to go a week early. </p>
<p>does anybody know about how competitive these programs are to get in to? do they admit just like, everyone who shows a genuine interest, or what?</p>
<p>I already signed up for PWild because it sounds like an awesome way to challenge myself and also meet new people and engage in team-building activites while hiking for 7 days. I don't know much about the admissions process but it sounds like it's basically first-come-first-serve.</p>
<p>I just finished my first year at Northwestern University and I, as well as a few of my friends did pre-programs at Northwestern and I can honestly say that it's quite an advantage and generally a lot of fun.</p>
<p>Reasons why I liked it:</p>
<p>-The programs are the best icebreakers for entering a new school (especially if you're like me, and aren't going to know a soul going there). So instead of going through the awkward "Hi, how are you, what's your major, i'm from blah blah blah blah, and i like goldfishes" crap New Student Week, you get it all out of your system via pre-programs.</p>
<p>-This leads into the fantastic advantage of being comfortable already with the concept of constantly meeting randoms and conversing with them, because you've had a whole wonderful week of doing that crap. </p>
<p>-You make a ton of friends...pre-programs are pseudo-cultish (in a good way) in the beginning. So when you walk around campus New Student Week, a bunch of your pre-program friends are saying "hi" to you. You're mistaken for a hot and popular sophomore and suddenly, you're just one hell of a well-known kid because so-and-so knows you, and so-and-so will introduce you to their dorm buddies...and so on and so on. It's one hell of a social plague.</p>
<p>-Most importantly, as cheesy and hallmarky as this is going to sound, doing Pwild, FUP and all those other pre-programs calls for fun times and great experiences. I mean, pooing in the woods with Timmy the dance major and blah blah has got to be unique in some sort of pleasant or unpleasant way that'll forever start off another four years of your life interestingly enough.</p>
<p>-Also, I'm going to sound a bit cold, but you'll see your friends at home come break, and frankly, one week isn't going to make a difference with the whole separation melodrama, as you've had the entire summer for that.</p>
<p>-Plus, a lot of my friends are counselors for these programs. And although I'm biased, I find them to be pretty chill and funny people.</p>
<p>Okay, I've served my time being the nerdy counselor. I haven't done charity in a bit, so I figure this would count.</p>
<p>Oh and for ADMISSIONS....I'm not quite sure as to how selective they are, but there is a limit as to what each program can take. So they fill up fast...but I don't recall knowing anyone who hasn't gotten in.</p>
<p>Hope that helped. :)</p>
<p>thanks dude that helps a lot; I already had pretty much decided I was going to do it. it wasn't really about seeing my friends one last time, more about partying, and I decided I would probably go to hell if I passed up the community service in the inner-city for getting ****ty with my friends for a week</p>
<p>cereal you make a very good argument to apply. I finished mine yesterday. NU starts so late, all my friends leave middle of August, beats being home by myself.</p>
<p>i'm applying. =)</p>
<p>can someone give details on what each of the pre-nu programs are like?</p>
<p>well i don't go to NU, but my friend does and here's the link for the pre-orientation programs <a href="http://www.northwestern.edu/orientation/firstyear/prensw.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.northwestern.edu/orientation/firstyear/prensw.html</a>
and just as a side note my friends from college have told me that it's good to do pre-orientation programs b/c not only do you meet people sooner, but you get to move into your dorm before anyone else which is helpful...
I signed up for FUP, tho it's at MIT, b/c i think it's a good idea to get to know the area you're going to be living in for the next four years, but that's just me...</p>