Northeastern vs UMass Amherst Honors College?

College Search & Selection
1

Finances are not really a factor as both offered me sizable financial aid and merit but I will be going for chemical engineering with a focus on material science. I like Northeastern’s co-op but I feel like UMass has a better name. Thoughts?

2

I’m not sure about the better name thing, NEU has come a long way and may have a better rep than UMass at this point, though I think you can’t go wrong with either one.

I’d consider these things:

  1. How hard is to get into the major you want or if already accepted to it, to stay in it or to change to a totally different one?
  2. What GPA do you need to maintain to keep the merit scholarships?
  3. Do you like the idea of being in the heart of Boston, or in a classic college town like Amherst?
  4. Can you do summer internships with UMass to get a similar experience as the co-ops at NEU?
  5. Do they actually cost the same thing? Your parents are good with either one?
3

I am in a similar boat with ChemE in the honors college at UMass, but didn’t apply to NEU. I think it is important to consider that although the honors college sometimes feels like a smaller school you still are at a large state school and is a completely different feel then NEU. I think that UMass exaggerates the greatness of the honors college because 1 you are not guaranteed honors housing 2. You still take most classes with people not in the honors college and 3 Really are not given preferential treatment in any way. I think that UMass has come along way over the years from not being a complete party school, but future employers might not know this. All in all assuming money is no object I think NEU is a great school, but you can receive a comparable education at UMass for 30k less.

4

In the OP’s case, it seems like the prices are equal. A much harder choice.

I agree with the general point so far: the environments of the school are the biggest difference here.

UMass doesn’t have a better name than Northeastern, though they are comparable usually. In engineering, generally Northeastern is known very well, particularly in the region but in the industry nationally as well.