Northeastern over Notre Dame?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northeastern University
1

<p>D (NMF, 2240 SAT) admitted EA to both schools.</p>

<p>Northeastern offers 4 yr full tuition merit scholarship, extra money ($8000) for international co-op/Study abroad, and participation in new University Scholar Program (The Northeastern University Scholars Program) within NEU Honors Program, which would provide special advising, research opportunities, small honors classes, etc.</p>

<p>ND, of course, does not give merit aid, and we do not qualify for need-based FA.</p>

<p>D is leaning hard toward NEU--Boston, Co-op, Honors, etc. She really liked it when she visited as part of the USP weekend. She is interested in biology/marine bio/environmental science, but also likes a myriad of other disciplines.</p>

<p>I am a loyal ND alum, but feel like NEU may be the right call here.</p>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

2

<p>Woah. What are you talking about? That’s the worst advice I’ve ever heard. Picking a school over another where you got full ride, extra money, a great co-op program AND you’re leaning towards it, just because of your parent went there? </p>

<p>If your kid wants to go to Northeastern, then (if finances aren’t an issue) they should go to Northeastern. Just like if they wanted to go to another school and finances weren’t an issue, then they should go there. Since not only are finances not an issue but you even get a full ride and honors/scholars benefits… It seems like the only reason you’re uncomfortable with the idea of them going here is because of your legacy. I can totally understand why (heck, I want my future kids to go to my school and I haven’t even graduated yet), but it sounds like she’ll genuinely be happier here. In my opinion, that matters a lot. Besides, now you can support ND football and NU hockey.</p>

<p>And your wallet will greatly appreciate the decision to not waste a full scholarship in place of paying full amount without any aid…</p>

3

<p>Also- she could use that 8,000 (I imagine) on the Three Seas program. One of my friends did it last year- completely life changing. She’s going to vet school at Cornell for marine bio.</p>

<p>[Three</a> Seas Program | East West Marine Biology](<a href=“http://www.northeastern.edu/threeseas/]Three”>Three Seas - Northeastern University College of Science)</p>

4

<p>NEU 1000%. Absolutely (sorry) crazy to do anything else. For instance…
Take the $200K (+) savings going to NEU, and spend as follows:
$80K Master’s degree
$30K really nice car at graduation
$90K down payment on a condo</p>

<p>You figure it out. Take advantage of winning the college lottery.</p>

5

<p>Uh… Do you go to ND? No. Did you get into ND? No. Do you have any idea what the actual day to day differences are between going to Northeastern and ANY other school, including Notre Dame? No, because you aren’t a student here, and you’ve never been a student at ND. I bet there are plenty of students at ND who DON’T value faith, trust, integrity and community, just like there are students ANYWHERE who don’t value all that. You’re being very naive and simplistic. Out of respect for the original poster, I won’t bring up any specific instances of your idea of ND failing- but a quick google search shows some things similar to the recent Penn State issues. Every school has wonderful “what we value” purpose, and every school does things that poke holes in that vision.</p>

<p>Sure, Notre Dame is a great school. So is Northeastern. In fact, she already said her daughter PREFERS Northeastern. It’s not just money; she actually wants to go here over Notre Dame. The money, honors and kudos are all extra (really great) benefits to going to Northeastern. You’re seriously arguing not just that she should go to ND, but that she’s somehow WRONG for not solely wanting to go there- as if every student who ever chooses to not go to ND no matter the reason is wrong.</p>

<p>And by the way, it is indeed possible to have faith and character WHILE having good grades and a great career. There are students at both schools like that, just like there are students at both schools who drink every night, cheat on exams, trash other schools during sports games, fail all their classes and have no job prospects. That’s why you have to make a personal decision for what school to go to, NOT one based on idealized versions of schools or parental pressure (not that I’m implying the above mother is pressuring).</p>

<p>She wants to go here. Just because you don’t, doesn’t mean she shouldn’t.</p>

6

<p>I agree with neuchimie.</p>

<p>dsterino, please give a valid reason for not selecting NEU over ND, instead of just posting ‘claims’ or ‘beliefs’. Every school has its share but one’s decision should be rational and based on realistic facts (whatever the subject maybe)</p>

<p>mnmomof4, I myself have been admitted to NEU (within the scholars program and also the presidential scholars designation - the ‘extra money’ for co-op/study abroad)
For me and my family with the scholarship a lot of things were considered : in my case ill be on a pre-med track so it makes sense to save money for med school, the co-op opportunities are just great- in fact one of the best, the city and the campus are both wonderful (Boston is a college town!!), can work within other universities like Harvard, MIT etc. along with the co-ops for an embellished resume… Northeastern is the most upcoming university… from 100s to 60 within 4 years (USNEWS) highlights their improvement in all spheres including academics, and I’m sure by the time we graduate it would be edging further… The scholarship and designations are also a type of an achievement/recognition of your D’s achievements… only 50 students are selected from over 44,000 applicants! The benefits of this program are well listed and all seem to have been designed to benefit the student 100%…
I had to cancel my plans for the USP event 2 days prior to it due to a medical emergency in my family but long before I was already convinced to attend Northeastern…
I have already sent in my deposit…</p>

<p>I cannot say much about ND because I had not applied there, but since your an alum you would know the best… </p>

<p>All the best to you and your D, whichever college you choose…</p>

<p>:)</p>

7

<p>mnmomof4 this new Scholars program looks like a tremendous opportunity. </p>

<p>My son is a freshman at NEU and is receiving the full tuition scholarship offered to NMF’s. He also has been given that scholarship for the international coop if he chooses one outside the US. He is in the Honors Program and will be leaving in May for a half semester SA which is going to cost about $1,000 out of pocket since the scholarship covers tuition and the RT airfare, housing, and some meals are going to cost less than $1,000!</p>

<p>He is with lots of kids just like him, smart, hardworking, good kids. He loves being in the city and is already thinking about his first coop which he hopes to be doing next year.</p>

<p>Everything the school has offered has been first class-from advising to classwork to dorms-the whole thing has been pretty wonderful-is it perfect no of course but it has been a great experience.</p>

<p>He has gotten involved in community service and student government. He really loves the place and has made a lot of friends.</p>

<p>His largest class has had 50 people, most of his classes are in the 20’s-and the professors are very accessible.</p>

<p>He also is a Catholic and has been attending Mass on campus. He likes that and has found others who share his values and beliefs-but it certainly won’t be anything like Notre Dame for a Catholic presence-but it is definitely there.</p>

<p>I really can’t think of anything bad to say about it.</p>

<p>I was concerned prior to his attendance that it wouldn’t be challenging enough compared to some of his other choices-well the academics seem pretty darn good to me-he is working hard and learning a lot and he tells me he is amazed at how many really smart kids are there-it really is a wonderful opportunity and I don’t think he could be happier-I know I can’t imagine him doing this well in every way anywhere else.</p>

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<p>Yeah, I have attitude. You tell people things without backing them up, and some unfortunate people might actually believe that you know what you’re talking about. Meanwhile, you don’t go to either school. I’ve a got a problem with people who might mislead people about schools just because of random personal opinions. You didn’t take ANYTHING the original poster said as part of your decision, except that the mother went to ND.</p>

<p>Then you go and accuse me of focusing on money, when I clearly said in my post (that you responded to) that if she wants to go to a school, she should go there. You’re the one who didn’t read the original post well enough, nor apparently my post either.</p>

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<p>again, I repeat my self : every school has its perks, pros/cons… You cannot blatantly say that one school is better than the other…
If you are referring to the various attributes every school has, NO to a few and YES to a few…
ND cannot even compare to Northeastern’s Co-operative Education and Experimental Learning…
Academics : Marginal difference, but Northeastern is steady on the improvement track and it is rising pretty smooth…
Location: NO (I don’t even need to say anything more than: “BOSTON!!”)
Health and Safety: Yes (by a marginal difference)
Weather: NO
Diversity: NO (by a big difference, NEU is very diverse, whereas I have heard that if you are not white you are considered to be an athlete at ND)
Local Atmosphere: NO!
Athletics: ND has irish football, NEU has its Hockey…</p>

<p>and this is not a comparison but you should now about a problem at ND: The smell of ethanol floating through the campus (there is a chemical plant on the outskirts of campus)</p>

<p>And I’m afraid a story never ends…</p>

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<p>Notre Dame is a great school. I think the OP is trying to learn more about NEU rather than hearing about problems at ND-as an alum they probably know far more about ND than anyone posting in this thread.</p>

<p>I prefer to talk about what is great about NEU rather than talking about what is wrong with ND. No school is perfect.</p>

11

<p>My opinion is that ND is a better school, and if cost were equal and ND was a good “fit”, I’d say, hands-down, go to Notre Dame over northeastern.</p>

<p>But the prices aren’t equal. One is free, one is going to cost, what, some 200k?</p>

<p>The reality is that I went to northeastern and am doing, essentially, just as well as any grad from “better” schools. My coworker is a duke grad. We do the same job, and we do it just as well. What got us both the job what what we did while in school, not where we went to school (meaning, we both had good resumes upon graduating).</p>

<p>NEU has plenty of students who chose to go there over “better” schools. They liked the feel of the school, they liked the location, the co-op opportunities, they liked going to a good school for less money. Students who do well at northeastern go on to do good things. They’ve taken advantage of research, co-op, study abroad, and other opportunities an have a good resume. Employers/grad schools see that, and it does make a difference when figuring out what to do after graduating.</p>

<p>I think NEU is the better choice, considering A) it’s free and B) the kid likes the school. I think NEU is a good place for smart kids. They do well, they get good co-ops, they take advantage of the opportunities. ND is also, obviously, a great school, and any kid who goes there and works hard will also do well. Is one better than the other? Probably. But students from either can do just as well in the real world.</p>

<p>(And as an aside, a bio degree isn’t “worth” much, most science majors have to go on to more school. Science PhDs are free but master’s, MD, public health, not so much, so there may be MORE money spent on education down the line.)</p>

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<p>Just wanted to let everyone know that she has decided on Northeastern!! We did a formal admitted student visit at Notre Dame just to confirm the decision, and everyone (daughter, husband and me) agrees that Northeastern is the right place for her. More diverse, great city, up and coming school, fabulous research opportunities and support through the University Scholar Program. Thanks to all for your input.</p>

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<p>Thanks for letting us know her decision!</p>

<p>Welcome to the NEU Community!</p>

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<p>Congratulations!!!</p>

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<p>Yes, congrats & best wishes!</p>

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<p>My child was given a full ride to Notre Dame, and will owe Northeastern $44,000 after four years. This is a no brainer, we are going to look at Notre Dame this week.</p>