<p>Before I start, I'll say I don't grudge you the basic set of questions being posted on all the forums ;)</p>
<p>What can you do on Campus?
Yes to every single one of your first set of questions, and more. There are shows almost every weekend, acapella performances, dance shows, various different concerts, and Improv Shows. The Block Museum is a great collection and is open to students free (and potentially the public too). There's 3 gyms on campus, Patten up north (heavy weights), the Richard Crown Sports Pavilion and Aquatic Center (SPAC) up north with all around facilities (pools, indoor track, etc.), and Bloomquist on south campus (mostly aerobic machines and some freeweights). There are art studios for use in Norris (the student center). There are a ton of clubs and activities as well, and obviously the Greek Scene will keep you busy if you're part of that.</p>
<p>What can you do off campus?
Evanston is a slightly upscale North Shore sub-urb, known as the dining capital of the world. I've heard htat it has more restaurants per square mile than anywhere else in the world. So there's a ton of dining establishments of all qualities (Burger King is the only 24 hour facility). There is some decent shopping, though some of the better stores are a bit of a walk (the main stretch is pricey). There is also the Old Orchard Mall, with a HUGE variety of shopping, a short bus-ride away. Obviously there is a plethora of sightseeing opportunities in Chicago, including 2 zoos and a botanical garden to the north, as well as the Sears Tower, Navy Pier, and all the accouterments one would expect of the 3rd largest city in the USA.</p>
<p>How big is your work load?
This really breaks down to how smart you are/ are you a grinder or a genius slacker. Many people party every weekend... and every night of the week. Some people (such as the poor guys in ISP) rarely have time to party at all. Of course there are exceptions to every rule even then. The workload can be either heavy or light depending on your program, but either way you can likely party a satisfactory amount.</p>
<p>Fraternity parties are mostly open to everyone. Generally they'll be set invite lists, but they're not enforced, except for certain parties or certain fraternities. Registered parties, ostensibly dry dance parties, are generally open to everyone as a rule.</p>
<p>Do I personally have time to play intramurals, be active in a few clubs, party, and maintain my grades? Yes (though replace sports with a long term girlfriend). However, that's me. Everyone is different- I happen to be towards the upper end of the student body in terms of academics, so I have more time. In general, the best students I know are also the most involved on campus. If you want to, you're likely able to do all that. But it takes discipline and hard work to pull it all together. </p>
<p>Teachers and Office Hours
Teachers have a lot of office hours, and they're easy to talk to for hte most part. Obviously there's some variation in teachers, but I've enjoyed talking with many of my professors in general. I've even been to one's house for dinner- and I'm not the only one who's had that happen. To add to your questions, I have been very, very pleased with all of my professors so far- all but a small fraction have been exceptional pedagogues and well versed in their field and interested in those that weren't their own. I've of course been vetting my professors with the incredibly robust CTEC system (CTEC's are course and teacher reviews that you must fill out to have continued access to the system at the end of each quarter).</p>
<p>Transport?
Cars are expensive to keep, and almost entirely unnecesary. The campus is 1 mile long by 1/2 mile wide (more or less), so everywhere is close together, and downtown Evanston is right on the border of the south end of campus. A bike is a very useful tool for those who need to transit campus in a hurry, and there are El (Chicago's mass transit system) stations along campus at intervals. There are shuttles at regular intervals (more frequent in the evening, and more so still in the winter). Among the shuttles are ones that go to the Chicago campus (Free ride to the so called "magnificent mile" shopping district of Chicago). And there are CTA bus stops on campus too.</p>
<p>People?
People are generally very nice and friendly, much mroe so than in the Northeast (as you'd expect from a predominantly Midwestern school). I even found myself, a brash yankee, made nicer by the environment. People have been very willing to help me out when I needed help (not so often) and I've helped others out on more than one occasion. I've worked with people I've barely known or not known at all on problem sets and brainstorming papers. Other than the science classes (especially pre-med), people are not intensely competitive or cut-throat. The general feeling is one of joint suffering or joy, depending on the class.</p>
<p>Do you like it here?</p>
<p>Obviously this is just my opinion, but I genuinely believe Northwestern is the ideal collegiate experience. It was not even on my radar till I was basically stuck with it, but when I looked at it I realized it was everything I could possibly want. Top-notch academics, a strong (if not Harvard calibur, and anyone who tells you so is lying) student body, specialized programs to suit your every need, the quarter system allowing you to take a ton of classes, and helpful and friendly academic culture, the academics are great. If you need to find an intellectual conversation, its not hard to find, especially if you live in a residential college- I regularly lunch with Professors (who've become my friends).</p>
<p>Outside of the classroom, there are cultures on campus to suit everyone- from the Theater kids, to the Jocks (Big Ten Athletics are exciting even to those who know nothing and care nothing for sports), to the Fraternity quads to the Intellectual havens of south campus, there is a niche (or multiple) for everyone. The Greek scene, it should be noted, is huge, but not at all like any other universities- its Nerdwestern after all- even the frattiest frat is still full of a bunch of nerds.</p>
<p>I'll add more later if I can think of anything.</p>