It’s probably the wrong forum to ask, but just wanted to get other’s opinions. Cost is about the same to attend both. Engineering major. Thanks!
I don’t know what if any benefits the UConn Honors program offers. In my opinion, UConn isn’t known as being particularly strong academically whereas I think most employers are impressed with NU. The co-op program here is amazing; look into it if you haven’t already, but 2-3 experiences of 6 months of real world work experience in your field by graduation is hard to beat. 12-18 months relevant experience on a resume of a new grad vs. any other grad with maybe a summer internship? Yeah, I’d take the NU kid. Don’t forget… they’re paid! (And engineering pays very well).
Other considerations, are D1 sports/school spirit important to you? UConn wins easily there; while people here have immense pride about Northeastern (as I displayed above), it’s often shown through us talking up the school and our students, not cheering on the hockey team. Personally, you couldn’t pay me to live in Storrs, CT when BOSTON exists. Absolutely freaking fantastic city with so many opportunities, places to go, foods to eat… I love this place. The partying scene is different in a city than in the middle of nowhere if that matters, but yeah.
@novafan1225 Thank you. You pretty much voiced what I was thinking. Co-ops are a great deal, I’m thinking I can get summer internships at UConn but that’s not the same thing as paid co-ops, even if it takes an extra year at NU. Not much into sports so that doesn’t come into play, but like to see good hockey once in a while. About the partying -city vs middle of nowhere…please elaborate! At any rate, NU is a bit cheaper (scholarship) to attend than in-state UConn, believe it or not. Appreciate your insight.
@screenname17 You can almost certainly get internships, but it’ll be much more of an uphill battle and you will likely only get one the summer before your senior year. That’d probably be 10 weeks, possibly unpaid? Whereas NU will be 12-18 months of full-time well-paid experience. About the extra year though…
NU can be done in 4 years if that’s a consideration. It will be 8 semesters regardless, or the same number of credits, but you can take summer half semesters either May/June or July/August (depending on when you’re not on co-op) during your summer. If you come in with 0 AP/IB/DE credit, this means you will need to take both summer semesters after freshman year, and your non-coop summer semester after sophomore and junior year. Keep in mind summer semesters are also offered as “dialogues” if you choose to do so- 2 months of living and studying abroad, typically for 2 related classes/around a theme. If you bring in credit, you can reduce your number of required summer semesters. For example, I brought in over 30 credits and will not have to do a summer session at all.
Here’s a good visual of what patterns can look like.
http://www.northeastern.edu/camd/academics/advising/4yr5yr/
Finally, what I mean is that I’m assuming UConn has a relatively active Greek life, lots of drinking (because what else do you do in Storrs?) in traditional frat type parties where there are big houses, or in bars because everyone has a fake. In Boston, as you can imagine, it’s pretty hard to “hide” from the cops in a city where everyone is on top of each other, so your stereotypical frat parties don’t really happen. When we try, they’re busted by cops usually within an hour. There’s no “Greek row” at any of our schools or anything. Additionally, fakes are a lot harder to use in Boston and as a result it’s really not common for underclassmen to go out to bars (this seems to be the main scene for my friends at rural schools). So our social scene is generally smaller house parties, crowded frat basements, etc. until 21 and then bars/pubs are a thing. Compare that to a D1, rural school that’s going to be more of your typical keg party in a big house, tailgating, etc. It can be really difficult for guys under 21 to party in Boston; because we’re already shoved into tiny spaces and houses, the frat guys running the door aren’t going to want to let in guys who take up valuable real estate over the girls they want to get with, lol. Pretty much the only sure bets for guys are to join a frat, or play a club sport that parties (lax, rugby).
Sorry I just wrote so much… let me know if you’re confused!
I don’t have any experience with NEU but I am at UConn currently and applied to NEU to transfer. I thought that with basketball and the student body size that a rural school would have enough to do but I haven’t personally found that. I feel stifled here in Storrs because it is so limiting and boring. Yes, games are fun, but they only exist for part of the year. The parties get shut down faster than you would think actually and usually occur in dirty frat basements. I would suggest NEU if the finances aren’t a problem because the academics and the far superior location of Boston (hence why I’m transferring)…
@lauren88f Thank you for your take on things. Very interesting. I hope NEU has everything you’re looking for. Offered full tuition at NEU so it’s hard to turn that down. Not a big sports person anyway so thinking Boston would give a better experience than rural UConn, plus the job experience at NEU is supposedly awesome. Attending accepted student day at NEU and will make a final decision. I hope it doesn’t disappoint (like to visit Boston but not sure of actually LIVING there…) Good luck to you.
@ScreenName17 good luck to you too! I hope you enjoy wherever you end up! And congratulations on your full tuition at NEU. That’s absolutely incredible.
Northeastern hands down. It is cheaper for you " congrats on your scholarship", you get to live in Boston, strong engineering program, and awesome co-ops. This is from and old UConn alumni. We are in state in Connecticut too and I have a senior who applied to engineering schools. He did not apply to UConn but he did apply to Northeastern.
@Asil65 Thanks! Interesting that you’re an alum of UConn and yet your son didn’t apply there? May I ask where else did he apply (maybe we overlap here) and what his final decision will be? Been accepted to other schools as well but not with aid packages as good as NU’s. Good luck to you and your son!
@ ScreenName17- Pretty sure my son will be going to Lehigh in the fall. We were all very underwhelmed with the open house program for engineering at UConn. Son came away knowing he did not want to go there. We felt the same after that visit. Accepted at VT, Purdue, NUin Northeastern- dealbreaker, Lafayette, Lehigh and Umass Amherst. He loved NE but the expense of the Nuin program and the conditions required made him choose elsewhere. If you have a great package to that school you should go there. Boston is awesome.
@Asil65 Thanks! Before attending a summer program at UConn, it wasn’t on the radar, but it became a consideration. Did not go to accepted student day. Was accepted at Drexel, UConn, RIT (all honors), VT, WPI, RPI. I heard about the NUin program…I’m reading either people like it or dealbreaker, I can see that. Also toured at UMass Amherst but, as you put it, underwhelmed for some reason so didn’t apply. Lehigh is a great choice! Have fun!