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<p>Sounds like course credit to me…and fwiw, most selective colleges expect their students to learn this stuff during their free time, i.e., outside of the classroom!</p>
<p>It is a very practical one credit course (which you are not charged for since it is part of a regular load for that semester) that is definitely better than “learning the stuff in their free time” </p>
<p>Yes, Northeastern might not be the typical college experience (with year round attendance and 2-3 6 month coop’s as part of your college time), but it is a practical and successful one with graduates landing great jobs.</p>
<p>I also think the OP feels that being in the scholars program is what will give him more resources and opportunities, since it is a very exclusive program with special connections to professors, research, etc.</p>
<p>I think we just have a different idea of what a college should be. Why wouldn’t you teach your undergraduates skills in career development, interviewing, and such? To expect students to do this on their own not only risks misinformation and more trial and error but also a portion of the students to miss out.</p>
<p>You say you wouldn’t pay the room and board, but as I previously said, students tend to turn a profit on co-op from their income. It should if anything take money off the overall price. As a parent, you could even call and ask for money back! :-c</p>
<p>I don’t think a 4 v 5 year college makes too much of a difference if the price is the same, the class time is the same, and you use the extra year to add a whole extra dimension to your education.</p>
<p>It’s not about academic credit given or not given, it’s about the value of the experience in your major and the connections you build. To me, Northeastern is all about practicality, and I think that philosophy is what is causing it to rise in the ranks. In today’s world, a degree with prestige doesn’t automatically land you a job outside of Ivy Tier and its many at the same level. It is hard for some to see schools ranked above it historically as the second option, but I would honestly pass up NEU for few schools in a pure 1 to 1 comparison. Probably a lot of the Top 20, and a few select schools from there. I chose NEU over 2-3 colleges ranked above it, in the same range as BC.</p>
<p>Now I realize I have a decent deal of bias as someone who fits well with the school, but I think it is silly to use rankings as a main standard of comparison. Especially with NEU rising in the ranks so quickly, you see such a wide range for its rank.</p>
<p>I guess this is a bit of a rant, but I just think we need to remodel our higher education, and I prefer NEU’s model to many others. The point of higher education (for most) is to get students a good job in the field they want to set themselves up for the rest of their lives happily and comfortably. Why would you want to exclude experiential skills, application of academia, and professional skills in favor of pure academia? Unless you are there for the sole purpose of higher learning, then this philosophy just seems to be the most logical one. Even as someone who thoroughly enjoys learning, I think its foolish to ignore these crucial parts of the real world. Yes, you have the resources available at most colleges, but in the end so few students use them, and then wonder why they can’t get a job out of college. Work experience in your major helps a resumé and creates the potential for a job offer upon graduation in an environment you are already familiar with!</p>
<p>/rant, sorry. Lots of built up frustration with the education model we have generally in colleges and even high schools.</p>
<p>Doing a 5 year program at Northeastern will not set a student back financially for be a waste of time. I personally know quite a few people who went to prestigious colleges and spent four years earning a degree in a subject only to later find out that they hate their field. Then, they either spend years of their lives stuck in a job they aren’t happy in or spend another $60k/year to go back to school and get a degree in something else. Northeastern allows you to experience real world jobs in your major. If you find you love it, then great! You know you’re on the right track. If you hate it, then you know early enough to do something productive about it.
Besides, if you take AP credits in high school and do well enough, you can exempt out of enough requirement classes to allow you to do co-ops and still graduate in 4 years.</p>