I am definitively torn between BU and Northeastern. In terms of pros and cons of NEU and BU, as a general theme, I like the academics better for Northeastern, and the actual college experience better for BU. Now Im not really sure how I should decide which one of those is important.
Feel free to add to my pros and cons list!!!
Northeastern
Pros:
Music industry program (eventually what I would like to go into as of now)
arguably better academics
rapidly rising reputation
COOP program is a definite plus in my opinion, and I feel like it really prepared you for employment out of college
Cons
less school spirit than BU
COOP causes disunity in campus and lack of community
less focus on acapella
lack of party culture (I want a work hard-play hard school, and I have heard NEU doesnt have much of a party culture)
BU
Pros:
more of a traditional college experience
Stronger community/school spirit
stronger acapella
liked feel of campus better
More “work hard play hard”
Cons:
no music industry program
reputation isnt rising nearly as quickly as NEU
doesnt seem as academic as NEU
I agree that finances override all your other issues, if money is a concern at all.
If they’re equal on that front, it seems like Northeastern is a better option. You definitely seem to see it as a better academic fit (particularly having music industry), but less of a culture fit. In a lot of ways, they’re pretty culturally similar. BU does have more of the traditional football/frat culture, but there’s school spirit to be found at either. Also, it’s Boston; there are going to be parties everywhere you turn on a weekend, especially if you know the right people. I understand wanting to party/enjoy your college experience, but it’s also to prep you for your future. Both schools have strong academics and plenty of social life, but if you’re really committed to music industry that seems to be a pretty big factor. (If you’re not entirely certain on that front, that might change things.)
What aspects of social life? Someone asked about parties and I responded here: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19492349/#Comment_19492349. In general, a lot of the social life ends up built around your dorm, classes/major, and the groups you join (clubs/sports). From my experience, most people finding a core group of friends from one of these places (for me it was a science club…).
BU is down the street, MIT is also very close. There are 300,000 college students in Boston. You will not have trouble with a social life. Its funny, in another thread recently on the NEU section a parent was saying that their kid stayed overnight for a revisit and thought there was too much partying at NEU and BU was quieter. There are THOUSANDS of kids at NEU… you will have parties if you want them.
Edited to add- this is the thread about the student who thought there was too much partying at NEU:
And school spirit is what you put into as well. My sister went to BC and never went to a football game, getting annoyed at traffic instead. My husband and I enjoy hockey so we enjoy Northeastern games more than my D. She however, did join a sorority, enjoys their social functions and mixers as well a professional organizations and presentations.
I would say there is actually (or could be) more unity with the coop schedule. Sort of “we’re all going through the highs/lows” of interviewing, getting offers or not, navigating housing, knowing what a middler is etc.
