As you can tell by my username, I’m trying to help my daughter (HS senior) decide where she should go to college. Unfortunately, she’s torn between two schools – Northeastern and UCSB – and our ability to visit either of them is restricted due to time and the pandemic. Disregarding cost, I would love it if some people could provide their opinions.
Just so everyone knows, she wants to be an author when she gets older, and she would study English at both of these schools (with a Creative Writing or French minor).
NORTHEASTERN
Pros:
Closer to home (roughly a 4 hr drive, which would save on travel expenses if she wanted to visit).
Amazing global experience opportunities/study abroad. She has always wanted to travel the world and Northeastern might equip her with the best tools to do so.
School with a campus in the middle of a major city. This is basically her ideal setup. She was rejected from Barnard (her dream school) but liked it for that very reason. And I’ve heard that Boston is great for college students.
Co-op program. Obviously this is probably the #1 draw for anyone that attends Northeastern, but my daughter in particular really wants to be able to find a job because she understands how difficult it is to make it as a fiction author. She wants to graduate with nice job prospects so she can earn a living while she writes her book. Additionally, earning money and establishing professional connections is a huge plus. The main point of college is to help you find a job in life, so I think this is a very important factor.
Diversity. We’ve heard that Northeastern is a hub of international students and kids from all over the country. She wants to be able to meet new people and broaden her horizons.
Cons:
The weather, to begin with. Boston is COLD, and my daughter has always hated the cold weather. I am trying to tell her that temperature should not be her final deciding factor, but I do understand that she is much, much happier in warmer weather. Just something to keep in mind.
A “less traditional college experience.” Obviously, with people coming in and out for co-ops, study abroad, etc., my daughter is worried that she’ll miss out on the typical college experience. She’s pretty social, but she’s also nervous about sustaining friendships and really being able to find her “group.” I honestly think she could thrive in a more pre-professional environment, but if anyone could talk a little bit about this, that would be great. She would also have to do NUin Boston if she were to attend Northeastern, and I have heard mixed reviews about acclimating back to the regular campus for spring semester.
My daughter is 100% certain that she wants to graduate college in 4 yrs. I know that it is definitely possible to graduate Northeastern with a four-year degree, but we have heard that a LOT of people take the five-year track because co-op makes it difficult to earn the required amount of graduation credits. She’ll probably have to take some summer classes, which she’s sort of “meh” about but will do it anyway.
And, lastly, Northeastern is #49 on US News Ranking while UCSB is #30. My daughter honestly does not care for rankings, as she always preaches that they are very subject to change and it’s all about “student fit,” and while I’m thrilled she has this mindset, I feel that it’s my job to include this to make sure we aren’t overlooking any factors.
Next:
UCSB
Pros:
Santa Barbara is GORGEOUS. We haven’t visited in person but we’ve watched some online tours and the campus is right on the ocean. Just the thought of having an ocean view and being able to take walks on the beach made her smile. Living in that sort of climate is certainly not an everyday opportunity.
Traditional college experience. I know UCSB has amazing parties and school spirit (despite the lack of a football team). She’d definitely have the four years of tailgates etc., and there’d be no chance that it would take her more than 4 years to graduate.
Ranked #30. That’s pretty impressive.
She was THRILLED when accepted. After Barnard, UCSB was probably her second choice, though she’s trying to keep an open mind.
Cons:
Very far from home. We’d be all the way across the country, and plane tickets are expensive. Not to mention the fact that she wants to be able to visit when she wants, and an airport would put a hitch in that plan.
Is it worth paying OOS tuition for a public school? I don’t know much about this.
Job opportunities – at least with Northeastern, I feel like the cost is more justified because it will help her in her life (through co-op program). I feel like we are paying for something beyond just a typical college education. If she chooses UCSB, wouldn’t she be just as well off as a local state school? How favorably do employers look upon UCSB?
I know that SB is basically a city of its own, but is there a chance she could “outgrow” it? Boston certainly provides more stimulation/opportunities for young people to explore and grow. I feel like SB could eventually feel pretty isolated, and she might miss out on more study abroad opportunities (even though I know she’d definitely go abroad her junior year).
California weather? Fires/earthquakes etc? Not sure if this is more LA-area or if this reaches SB – would need to do more research.
Anyway, we are very conflicted, and I would love if other people could weigh in. Thank you.
FWIW, here are my thoughts. (Context: I attended UCSB for 2 years in the 80s but then transferred. My sister and brother in law are both graduates. Santa Barbara is probably my favorite place on earth. And my daughter is currently deciding between Northeastern and USC, which also has a higher ranking than NEU.)
I don’t think 30 v 49 is significant given how many colleges there are in the U.S. Also, I have read that NEU’s ranking is lower than some because of the number of students that take longer than 4 years to graduate. But that is largely due to co-ops, where they are getting real-life experience, not paying tuition during that time, and many are earning money.
As you note, the campus culture/location probably couldn’t be more different. UCSB is always on the list of top party schools. But it’s not a “spirit school” like UCLA. They have sports, but it’s not a big part of the culture. (Things may have changed, but there were no tailgates in my day.) Same for Greek life: it’s there, but not prevalent. Also, the campus is not in Santa Barbara. It’s about 10 miles north of Santa Barbara. So you need a car or to take a bus into town. Students don’t spend a lot of time there. Most of campus life surrounds Isla Vista, which is an an unincorporated community adjoining the university. It has a storied past. But now is home to most of the (extremely expensive) beach front/adjacent off-campus housing and maintains a hippie vibe. It is also party central. A bike is a near necessity.
As far as the education goes, UCSB (and all of the UCs) are grounded in theory. They teach students how to think and prepare them for graduate school. There are many large lecture classes where most of the interaction is with a graduate student. Most classes are not practical but rather encourage “deep thinking.” (That said, UCSB does have a writing program of some note, but I’m not familiar with the details.) Personally, that was the reason I transferred to Cal Poly SLO. I wanted to study business and UCSB offered “business economics,” which was very theoretical. I wanted to study, finance, marketing, human resources, etc. I also wanted to be employed right after graduation. NEU’s experiential learning model reminds me of Cal Poly’s “learn by doing” philosophy. Except NEU has all of the resources of Boston.
They are both great schools. So I think it really is a matter of personal preference, both in culture and type of education. (Not helpful, I know, especially when you can’t visit. We are having the same issue with NEU v USC. Although thankfully we visited NEU pre-COVID. Good luck!)
I agree with @SoCalEsq in that I wouldn’t read anything into USNWR rankings. They are measuring things (ex. social mobility) that might not matter to your daughter.
I am a UCSB alum and I also would not use the word “tailgate” to describe the parties in Isla Vista. Google “Deltopia” or “Isla Vista parties” and you’ll see that it is more of a house/block party type of scene.
UCSB is 20+ minutes north of Santa Barbara which is not what I would consider a “major city” compared to Boston. Isla Vista is 99% college students with an average age of 21 years old - again, not a big urban campus.
I joke that UCSB invented the five year plan. If you aren’t ready for the real world, double major or pick up a minor and spend another year in paradise. If your daughter changes majors or picks up a minor, she could be there for more than 4 years. If money is a concern, I would let her know in advance that you are willing to pay for 4 years max.
The Greek scene at UCSB has grown a lot since the 80s. According to the school, approximately 11% (2500) of UCSB students are involved in UCSB Greek life.
UCs admit OOS students to earn money for the system. As a CA resident I both welcome and encourage your non-deductible $120K contribution to UC!! Send your daughter on out! As to whether it’s “worth it”, only you & your family can decide if the benefits are worth $120K.
@SoCalEsq Thank you for all the clarification! May I ask why you transferred back when you attended? And congratulations to your daughter for having such wonderful schools to choose between.
@lkg4answers I took your advice and googled the Isla Vista parties – you are completely right that they are different than what I was picturing, but it’s not an unwelcome surprise at all. That is also very good to know about the majoring and minoring; I will certainly have a conversation with her, because 4 years is the max we can pay.
As a Northeastern grad, I’ll just back up that @SoCalEsq hit the nail on the head that the ranking difference doesn’t really matter here and this essentially all comes down to fit. You’ve got California’s coastal life and the “traditional” college experience versus the northeast city school with the nontraditional model. Both will offer solid educations and in the end, similar post-grad lives. Again I know not helpful, but I guess my conclusion is this: let her trust her gut and know there’s no “wrong” choice here. It’s just two different paths that can lead to equal happiness in various ways.
English, BA | Northeastern University Academic Catalog is the Northeastern English major 5-year plan, which includes 7 full semesters of courses and 2 summers of courses, along with 3 co-ops. Trying to cram it into four calendar years likely means taking overload semesters, and perhaps fewer co-ops and more summer courses.
The 4 year / 2 co-op plan requires no overloading and would use Summer 1 freshman and sophomore year for classes. This is true for all majors at Northeastern. It’s also worth noting that AP/IB courses can cut down the needed classes by a semester or summer. Given Northeastern’s 4 credit x 4 course schedule, overloading is nearly impossible to do and highly discouraged, especially given the flexibility of summers.
@ucbalumnus@PengsPhils Interesting. I have seen the sample schedules on Northeastern’s website, but I am looking at the link provided by ucbalumnus and I only see the five year plan here. I might have my daughter call admissions in the morning to ask.
It’s just an example for illustrative purposes and is by no means the only pattern. You can see here for example that the Journalism and English, BA < Northeastern University only has a 4 year / 2 co-op plan only listed, despite even being a combined major. Both require the same number of credit hours. You can do them with Fall or Spring cycle co-ops as well.
Any major at Northeastern can be done with 5 years / 3 co-op’s or 4 years / 2 co-ops, both using a summer session or more as is typical for Northeastern.
Northeastern announced yesterday that they are bringing back the Challenge Exams to allow an opportunity for incoming students to test out of some classes. That should help many students save time and money. Challenge Exams
All students enrolling this admissions cycle have the opportunity to earn credit through Northeastern-designed Challenge Exams, offered in a dozen different subjects, as well as through AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment credit. This advantage can accelerate your degree and create added flexibility in your studies—plus you’ll be part of the most powerful learning model with Northeastern’s more than a century of practice with experiential education.
I’m a student at NU so i can try an address the cons that you have listed. Yes, the weather can be annoying, but when it’s nice, it’s NICE. Yes, it’s a less traditional college experience, but 1) that’s what I love about it, and 2) you do still get a lot of the “traditional” college things. Parties, some fun sports events, fun university events, and traditions, traditional freshman experience, etc. I’ve had the same solid group of friends since freshman year, so it’s not hard to maintain friends. Can’t speak to NUin Boston but if she wants to study abroad NUin might be a great experience for her to study abroad and create a solid friend group. She can absolutely still graduate in 4 years with one or two co-ops.
About rankings, yeah it doesn’t matter too much but understand US News Rankings place more emphasis on graduating in 4 years, which yea around 50% of students will do 5 years and 3 co-ops, so it makes sense it may be placed lower.
My son is also deciding between UCSB and NEU. He has been to NEU twice and loved it. We offered to take him to see UCSB (we live in NC) but I know once he sees that campus it will be game over for UCSB. He does not know what he wants to study. Help!