<p>I know this post has been on the NU and Chicago boards, but I'm really in a grind and need to hear some more perspectives, so I hope some of you who don't frequent those boards will be able to help me out here... Any recommendations? I'm totally undecided on a major (but if I went to NU, I'm in the journalism school), from San Francisco, have an older brother who's a junior at NU. financial aid is not a factor (same from both).. neither school has given me any reason to choose it over the other yet! Please Help.</p>
<p>What would you major in at Chicago? If you want to be a journalist, Medill is a top program. Does it bother you to attend the same school as your brother? You probably know a lot about the academics, social scene, etc. at NU. The weather is the same at both schools.</p>
<p>NORTHWESTERN</p>
<p>I don't know much about the schools themselves, but I know much about where they are, especially UofC. They're of different characters, I think. They are both intense, but I think Chicago students tend to be more interested in discussing ideas and stuff (at least from my perception, which could be way off and created from college propaganda, mind you), while NU tends to be more career-oriented. Again, they could be the opposite depending on who you meet and what professors you get, etc. UofC is in the city, a neighborhood called Hyde Park which is very nice but is surrounded by ghetto. Kind of like Penn. Evanston, NU's locale, is a suburb just north of the city, which is aslo nice, similar to Hyde Park, but much more of a traditional college town. The city is equally accessible to each, both being close to the train and bus lines, though there is a train that runs RIGHT through evanston. But you won't be going into the city that often anyway with both of these schools. NU has better sports teams, though they got owned in basketball this season. Both are near the lake. I grew up on the UofC campus and I love it, it looks just the way I think a college campus should look. Hyde Park is very eclectic, as is Evanston. I live 5-10 minutes from Evanston now. Both schools are very highly regarded in this area, though Chicago, I think, holds more weight in academic circles. I'm glad you're looking at chicago schools, this city ROCKS!!</p>
<p>thanks all... keep it coming. And yes, Chicago does indeed Rock, I established that long ago, thats why I applied to both schools. I just hadn't planned on them both accepting me.</p>
<p>Just for info, take it as you will...dd applied and was accepted EA to Chicago. The GC discouraged her from looking too hard at Northwestern and Penn as he said it didn't fit her personality. He said they were for rah-rah school types and more conformist types. He said she is an outside the box person and should choose an outside the box school.</p>
<p>My sister heard from a friend that visited NW that the atmosphere was so professionalish that she felt like she was visiting someone's office. </p>
<p>I know a young woman who was very happy at NW, she is applying to grad school now at Chicago. She said the Chicago undergrads were thought of as they think they are a bit superior. She said she knew some who were just asses.</p>
<p>The journo school at NW is unparalleled I believe. They also are huge and have many pre-professional programs (hence the businesslike atmo?) Also your frat party party types.</p>
<p>But Chicago is much smaller undergrad school, only 4,000. Classes are seminar style and very small, most are only 18. It is supposed to be intense and intellectual. They have exceptional access to profs in the famed grad schools for research. The undergrad school prides itself on theory vs. applied studies.</p>
<p>thank you very much bettina. NU is definitely more pre-professional geared. Although I don't know exactly what that means for journalists, because the competition is so fierce, anyone, regardless of where the went to school, is going to be working for next to nothing for a few years before they get a leg up in the field.
Which is why im considering dropping it entirely.
But a Medill j-school education would open tons of doors for me, even outside the field of journalism.
then again, so would a chicago education.
Argh</p>
<p>I live a few towns over from Northwestern. Evanston itself is fantastic, and if it were a few hundred miles farther away I would have loved to be there. Lots of great things happening, fantastic resturants, etc. University of Chicago has always had a reputation as a "work hard, work hard" school around here. Several grads I know absolutely hated it, although they all admit to having great educations. I doubt you'll find anything approaching the academic intensity of U of C in the Midwest, so if that's what you're looking for, go for it.</p>
<p>Yes, I have heard that jouno is very insiders jobs where you need rich daddy supporting you so you can take unpaid jobs just to get experience. But you don't need to major in journalism to get unpaid work in it either. I think Chicago is the academic powerhouse here personally. Medill has that name, though. To be a good newsperson you might consider an undergrad program like UCHI where you will get a comprehensive undergrad edu, then go for Medill for grad school</p>
<p>Do you ever read Romenesko? I remember advice given to ppl who could not get jobs despite master's. Hunt around poynter.org.</p>
<p>I'm a Medill grad. It's important in journalism to develop a portfolio and you will have that opportunity at NU. Medill alumni connections are strong. There is an alumni association in New York and a couple of other cities as well. If you are serious about journalism as a profession, go to Northwestern.</p>
<p>I think you mean 'bind', not 'grind'.</p>
<p>U of C >> Northwestern.</p>
<p>Unless you are absolutely sure you want to go into journalism (since Medill is a top program), take University of Chicago.</p>
<p>The "Life of the Mind" is where it's at for the University of Chicago - always has been and - hopefully - always will be. When UC boasts about the 70 or so Nobel Laureates that have walked through its quadrangles at one time or another, it is not an idle boast but an integral element of what the University offers. If that is you, then you can't beat UC. </p>
<p>Here is some of my personal experience at UC for what it is worth. When I attended UC in the middle '70's the University already had a considerable history of "Life of the Mind" achievements and Nobel Laureates, but what interested me as a young college student was what was available and happening now. Now at UC in the '70's included Saul Bellow (English Department), Gary Becker (Economics), Milton Friedman (Economics), and a Physics professor (whose name escapes me at the moment) who did tornado research. All were eventual Nobel laureates representing different facets of human inquiry - the Life of the Mind.</p>
<p>In fact, I recall vividly one of my dorm floor conversations (a chill is going up my spine as I recall this) with an Economics student who did research with Gary Becker and predicted even then that Becker would eventually win the Nobel Prize. And he did.</p>
<p>UC is an intense cauldron of bubbling, surging thought that is almost unique in America for its single-mindedness. UC has produced incredible ground-breaking achievers in every decade of its existence, which - if you go there - I believe you will certainly have your own "personal stories" to tell as well years later.</p>
<p>Dont listen to these people; we Northwestern students are not a bunch of career-driven conformists. Yes, the University of Chicago is a good school, but of the two, I chose Northwestern and would do so again in a heartbeat.</p>
<p>thanks KK.. my brother is an NU student, and i certainly wouldnt describe him as career driven...</p>
<p>the Journo program at NW is definitely tops. NW also has D-1 sports, an active greek system.....</p>
<p>Chicago is also a lot more rigorous- so a Chicago degree is a lot more prestigious. Also, wouldn't you prefer being in Chicago, rather than outside it?</p>
<p>Evanston borders Chicago and has much to offer in walking distance to NU. Downtown is just an El away. Evanston is a mini Chicago with fine dining, shopping, trees and stately homes--and killer beaches.</p>
<p>bummmmp for more posts</p>
<p>Socially, Northwestern and UChicago are quite different. As far as I know, Northwestern has much more greek life (though it's not an uber-party school).</p>