Hi! Right now my top two choices for college are Northeastern and UMass Amherst. I am planning on being a Biology major with a pre-med track.
I was wondering what y’all think on which is best to go to for pre-med. I love both campuses even though one of them is in the city and the other is more rural. I got my financial aid packages from Northeastern and UMass: Northeastern is going to cost around $15k while UMass is $12k, so money will be about the same. I also got into Amherst’s honors college.
I would love any thought on what y’all think is best and why (classes, grading, opportunities, research, etc). Also, if y’all have any insight on campus life and things like that, that would also be great, but I can always just look through all the threads on other people made on the campus. Thanks so much
I actually think that it comes down to which one you like better or click with. I think UMASS is actually a very good state school but being at Northeastern gives you closer proximity to the Hospitals/Cambridge silicon valley for things like internships etc
I agree with the above. Given similar prices and similar quality of programs, I think it comes down to fit, how you like co-op, Boston vs Amherst, etc.
I’m a current Northeastern student with friends at UMass if you have any specific questions!
Thanks for the offer! We are trying to compare between these colleges. Both offered scholarship (similar amount). If you are ok, can we contact you if we’ve questions? Thanks
@PengsPhils Hi! I was wondering if it’s true that Biology majors get more research co-ops while public health and Bouve students get more clinical co-ops, because I am really interested in the co-op program, but I don’t want to do mostly research.
Also, for co-ops, since you’re not taking classes at Northeastern, it doesn’t count as a semester right? So you don’t need to pay tuition?
Finally, seeing as you are a Northeastern student what do you see as pros and cons of being at Northeastern instead of at UMass like some of your friends (opportunity, classes, curriculum, campus, etc.)?
@PengsPhils Any thoughts on how friendships are maintained w/ people taking different semesters off for co-ops? Do you feel like administration gives you all plenty of support? I think Northeastern is the school that my D applied to that has the least “hand holding” (i.e. no multi-day orientation to start the school year; it’s the largest of her schools) and I just am concerned she might fall through the cracks. And I do wonder about peer relationships at NU, w/ everyone off doing their own thing vs. all on campus for the full 4 years (minus, say, a study abroad for summer junior year).
NU alum- can’t answer all questions but @abcd24680 you do not pay tuition when you are on co-op.
@MomOutWest The first year of school you stay in school- so bonds are formed. Some stay in Boston for co-op some head home, some other places, just depends on what you want to do, but our friends (husband also alum) stuck through the years especially in our majors.
@MomOutWest wanted to add and it may have changed, but my husband’s co-op matched his classmates so everyone in his year went on co-op at the same time and were in school at the same time. I was a transfer, so I went to a traditional 4 year first and I didn’t notice any difference with relationships.
I think the biggest weakness of NU is their inability to explain co-op! I took a tour with my daughter a few years ago and I would have been lost had I not been an alum!
Thanks for your feedback! I guess I am also imagining all of these students (11,000 undergrads) and all of these co-ops and how do students know what all the options are, and are they getting best advice… just seems to me that NU kids need to be independent and self-starters. People who will advocate for themselves to make the most of their time at NU and the co-op opportunities.
I’m sure @PengsPhils can answer this more fully, but there were co-op counselors for us, who met with us, helped build a resume and would ask what kind of job you are looking for. The school has a lot of agreements with companies around Boston and beyond. They would hand you some companies with openings that fit your qualifications and you picked which ones you wanted to apply. Then go on interviews.
Our friends son is currently at NU- most of his co-ops have had other NU students at the company as well. He went out to JPL with 5 other kids from NU, had an amazing experience.
@MomOutWest, campus friendships can be affected by co-ops – especially if those co-ops are not in Boston. Otherwise, students still see each other, but in the evenings rather than during the day on campus. The school supposedly has less handholding, and a reputation for bad bureaucracy, for a private. However, when my daughter attended she had no problem with the administration or any lack of support. But your insight into NEU kids being “self-starters” is correct: they know that as early as their sophomore year they will be working full-time. Which by definition means they are far more professionally-oriented than at many other schools.
@abc24680 – you do NOT pay tuition while on co-op. However, you DO pay for your housing – which in Boston is A LOT! If you’re counting on your co-op salary to help with tuition, you need to take into account Boston’s very high cost of living.
I can’t speak to Bio vs Bouve (I’m a CS major), but if you want a co-op that isn’t research that can absolutely be a part of your search process, and you won’t be forced into one particular area for co-op.
As mentioned, no tuition, but you’ll need housing on co-op. The general best practice for FA planning is to assume that your co-op pay covers cost of living, more or less. Anything extra should be considered just that, though some majors tend to often have a good chunk extra (CS/Engineering/Business).
Co-op is a huge pro in terms of opportunity. 50% of grads get a full-time job offer from a co-op, which is a staggering number when you think about what that means - you not only have a full-time job offer, but you’ve already worked there and know what it’s like!
Boston is another big pro. I’m a huge city lover and I personally am much happier with the location.
Classes and curriculum vary by subject and department, but generally these I think will be comparable experiences.
As mentioned, for the first 3-4 semesters, everyone is on campus together. Most people also tend to stay in Boston for their first co-op to get things down, venturing out on their second/third. So for the first 2-3 years, most people will still be local. Once you go on co-op outside of Boston, you’re still around Northeastern students as well! There’s a co-op connections office that helps students in any city find others, help with housing, do events paid for by the school, and more! I was in LA for a co-op and got to go to the LACMA for free via Northeastern.
I have friends now that I met on the west coast, even some from trips to SF. Because everyone is in the same boat, the community understands. Clubs run by semester, not year. My friend group from sophomore year was all in different places for about 6 months but we all still hang out now that we’re all back. It’s also not uncommon for friends to sync up their co-op cycles to help with all this. Co-op certianly has an effect, but it’s not a big deal in the end, just different.
One untalked about benefit is that since most people are on 5 year patterns, sometimes you get more time with your college friends in the end too which is nice
First, we actually do have a multi-day orientation over the summer!
That said, I see where you’re going with this, and understand.
I think Northeastern’s typical student is pretty self-driven, practical and more or less guides themselves. I think the school offers much more as “resources” than “support”. It’s all there, but it’s on you to utilize it. We have a top career center, but you’ve gotta make the appointment to workshop your resume or go to the Linkedin info event. You have both an academic and co-op advisor, but you have to stay on top of your own co-op process and make meetings as you need them. We do have a co-op prep course specifically tailored by major, so that is something you can’t miss which is nice, but the process is generally more self-driven after your first co-op.
If you’re looking for more detail on the co-op process I’d be happy to go into it, just let me know!
Personally, I love that. I’ve always valued my independence and think the school does a great job of fostering that. The resources are certainly there if that counts as support to you though. But you’re right, it’s much more a self-starting approach.
I’d think of it two ways: while some are self-starters when they get here, others also learn it and the feature is amplified through the years. You don’t have to go in knowing how to go through an entire job application process, but any graduating student knows it like the back of their hand by graduation, as well likely a lot more: what 40 hours a week feels like, how to deal with finding housing in a new city, how to do an apartment search, and so many more of those life skills that you don’t realize you know. The co-op model really fosters that, and your peers being in the same boat again helps too.
A lot of people see Northeastern as pre-professional, but I think it’s very much pre-life: you get to really picture what your future looks like, try new cities, jobs, subjects, the whole shebang. You get to actually have confidence in being happy with your career and beyond instead of the uncertainty that often comes with the traditional model. It also tends to be more of an incremental transition than all at once.
I can’t speak to how all this compares at UMass in much detail, but hopefully that paints a good picture of what Northeastern is.
Ha, lol. We call this the “NU Shuffle”. It more or less translates to sometimes going through 3 people to get the person you want for something. It can be annoying but that’s it more or less. The professors, students, and advisors generally are incredibly caring and interested in their subjects / students / peers and their happiness, which easily outshines the beauracracy in my experience. I have a friend who is considering graduating early, and they’ve met with 5 of their professors just to talk about if it’s worth it and even more generally just life questions. One of the professors is someone my friend never even had a class with.
@PengsPhils I appreciate your thoughtful answers. That is just how my daughter’s GC described NU and its students, “practical.” Which could also describe my kid. I’d love it if she ends up there because I grew up in NH and would be so happy to visit her in Boston–a fave city–regularly. Best to you!
