<p>To Alums, Why Northwestern?
Hi, I realize on these forums you commonly see posts "Will I get into _<strong><em>" or "What are my chances for _</em></strong>". I have a completely different question.</p>
<p>Why did you go to Northwestern? When you got there what stood out to you? (pros and cons)</p>
<p>And lastly what differentiates NW from other top universities?</p>
<p>Thanks, and fyi I am a good student, just trying to decide which schools I will be applying to.</p>
<p>Why is this question posed to alumni and not current students? I don’t understand.</p>
<p>Isn’t it telling that you have to ask other people for pros and cons of Northwestern? Perhaps its a sign that NU doesn’t stick out to you… but I must ask how would we know what differentiates NU from other universities if we don’t go to other universities o.O</p>
<p>As a parent of a recent alum…my interpretation of your inquiry stems from more of a desire to include snippets into your your NU essay than it does about the “whys” or the strengths of earning a degree from NU.
All of the schools you are seeking input from; MIT, John Hopkins, CALTech, UChicago, and CMU, are fine universities. You are talking about 6 colleges-which many concede as the number one should apply to, in order to increase the students chances in to getting accepted to one or more.
IF you were to ask a more specific question…ie…I plan to study X, and have read Y and wanted to know if you agree or disagree.
~APOL-a Mum</p>
<p>well, since you want to know, I am going to be applying to 3 Ivies, Stanford, and some of the schools whose forums I posted in. (I’m trying to decide which of them will be on my final list since I am not loaded, hence the questions)</p>
<p>I have looked online on each colleges websites, and I have my own opinions, I am just trying to be open to others. And, I think the responses you get really show the type of school a place is. The Caltech thread had a few nice posts, the MIT one was really engaging, and this NW one, my wording was criticized (alumni vs current students), that this is to get tidbits for a better college essay or that I “have” to ask people for pros and cons. If you want to try to sell NW you just failed</p>
<p>I transferred from WashU and went to Stanford for my MS. Here’s my two cents:
<p>Hi qwertylp-
Please forgive. The general assessment Sam Lee has shared is indicative of the strengths of this university.
I can say…my DD was hired in her field right out of college. Both she and her boyfriend graduated early. He went onto a Phd program at CAL.</p>
<p>Maybe because it’s Sunday night and I don’t want the workweek to restart or maybe in my older age I’m becoming crotchety, but I feel no compulsion to “sell you”.</p>
<p>You came onto a board with a thinly veiled attempt at beefing up your “why Northwestern” essay. Why I respect that you care enough to ask others, you will get far better responses if you actually show the people you’re asking that you did some research beforehand. It gets a better reaction (and that’s true outside of CC, too).</p>
<p>If you are going to base your decision on whether or not to apply based on how many anonymous cyber profiles help you with your essays, then I’m not sure NU is right for you.</p>
<p>Before I get rightfully criticized by other NU students, parents, and alums who want everyone to apply, I want to apologize. I shouldn’t write the above and discourage people from applying or asking questions but the above is ridiculous. I will not be held hostage by someone who can’t ask a detailed question so we can get one more app. Our fair alma mater will do just fine either way.</p>
<p>^CerebralAssassin, take a chill pill. I remember you from when I was applying to Northwestern and you were rude back then too. Left a sour taste in my mouth.</p>
<p>To the OP:
It’s completely okay if this was inquiry was in fact for your Why Northwestern essay. Obviously, you wouldn’t want to copy our own reasons for choosing NU but I do think it’s helpful to get some perspectives from those who’ve experienced it firsthand.</p>
<p>Honestly, it was based on my gut reaction that I would like it there. As David Brooks will tell you, our instincts can be very valuable. I already knew Northwestern was strong academically, especially in the majors I was considering so that wasn’t a concern. I also knew my mind could change in college so I took comfort in the fact that it was strong in so many different areas. When I visited and experienced the atmosphere firsthand, it just clicked for me. The variety of students, the energetic vibe around campus, its beauty (in an imperfect way) and location altogether left a very strong impression on me. </p>
<p>Its prestige also helped a lot. In particular, the reputation it had in my school as the go-to school for smart popular kids was appealing. I was a bookish introverted anti-fashion type but athletic (didn’t play sports though) and pretty mainstream in my pop culture tastes. I thought Northwestern’s environment would stretch me and help prepare me for the real world, which it did (extremely well). Having the opportunity to socialize with so many different kinds of people (artsy types, establishment and anti-establishment types, mainstream types, fraternity/sorority types, or a combination of the above) made me much more adept in dealing with different kinds of people and in handling life’s curveballs in general.</p>
<p>Wait…why is it wrong for the op to incorporate the opinions of people who actually went to Northwestern into his why nu essay? It’s no different than researching the school in any other way on the internet. In fact, it’s a great way to figure out why you’d want to attend a university and there’s no reason why that information shouldn’t be included in his essay. He’ll just extract the points that are most important to him and use them in his application. But anyway, I think SamLee sums it up perfectly.</p>
<p>I have not gone to, nor currently attend NU, but it’s my top choice. I think that the main reason people attend is that it’s a school with very few trade-offs. Great Academics (top 15) but Big 10 so great sports (was #24 until loss to Penn St. I believe). Suburban area close to the third biggest city in America. I could go on and on, but basically it’s the best of both worlds (Why’d hannah montana have to ruin such a great phrase :-)</p>
<p>How is the party scene at Northwestern? I went there with my cousin for a night football game last year. We wanted to at least see what was going on after the game (I was 17 and, as a prospective student, curious; my cousin is 21 and just wanted to party haha). However, everyone kinda brushed us off and acted annoyed when we asked about parties. Also, I couldn’t get into the bars of course, but when we walked by it looked like more alums than students were there. </p>
<p>I know when I have gone to Wisconsin with my brother who is an alum, there are a million places to go and everyone seems welcoming. I don’t want to make my college choice off parties by any means, but it is going to factor into my decision a little. Any advice?</p>