Hi all! I was lucky enough to be admitted to both of these institutes but now I’m having trouble deciding where to go.
The main things I’m deciding between are the fact that I love UCLA’s social life. I believe that college is the time to learn as well as have fun and learn about yourself and UCLA’s thriving social life is due to their top athletics and just overall student it attracts. I also plan on going greek. Not that I’m saying Northwestern is a ghost town but it surely can’t compare to UCLA. I also plan on working on either coast and I’m not sure what NU’s reputation is in the East but considering UCLA is on the west coast, there is more knowledge of it here. I am hesitant because I visited UCLA this weekend (during their spring break) and did not love it/see myself there. Hopefully it’s just because there were no students!
The reason why Northwestern is still in my mind is because I THINK it’s higher ranked and trust me I know rankings mostly mean nothing but I was wondering if anyone had any insight into whether the difference in rankings between these two would make a difference for my future employer or if it’s negligible. The other reason is because I’m from San Diego and going to NU would just allow me to experience new things whether it’s new people or weather. The intimacy of a private, smaller school is also really appealing.
Can anyone here attest to UCLA and finding employers, their social life/greek experience, or campus life in general it would be very helpful!
I can tell you that Ucla Greek life is great and the Ucla name helped me get an internship this summer. It truly makes for an unforgettable experience. Feel free to PM me for more details.
I’d say NU has a pretty good reputation. For the class of 2017, 13% work in CA and 25% work in the east coast (excluding southeast).
https://issuu.com/nucareeradvance/docs/beyond-northwestern-digital-2017
What do you plan to study at each school ?
If it costs same for you, I would suggest NU.
@Publisher at UCLA majoring in Global Studies and Northwestern majoring in Economics with international studies or communications. Either way I hope to go in business administration or law haven’t figured it out yet
@AJLimom any reasons why?
@IWannaHelp I definitely agree NU has a good reputation but I’m saying if I stayed in Southern California, going to UCLA would have more connections
I recommend Northwestern. Overall, great school…you can always go back to LA, and it will be at least as respected as UCLA (and more so in other parts of the country).
You can check the QS employability survey for 2018 to answer your question about the relative strengths of UCLA vs Northwestern in drawing employer interest.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2017/sep/11/graduate-employability-ranking-the-best-university-for-getting-a-job
Northwestern’s Econ is top-shelf. Northwestern is also strong in a large number of other areas, so if you changed your mind, you’d still be in a high-quality major. You’ll tend to have smaller classes too, especially during your first two years while taking survey courses to fulfill distribution requirements.
But UCLA is a fine school too and if there is a large cost discrepancy in its favor, or if you feel that their location and social/sports scene is very important, choosing it could make sense for you.
I will say this: Evanston is a nice suburb and you are a fairly easy trip away from Chicago, which is a great city. So while Northwestern’s teams aren’t usually as good as UCLA’s, they do play in the B1G and there are cultural/fun activities available.
Follow your heart. You only live once!!
@prezbucky thank you for this well thought out response!!
@MrMontana thank you Mr. Montana !!!
First of all - congrats on getting accepted to two great schools! When I was applying, Northwestern was my first choice, and UCLA was my second. I didn’t get into NU and so I ended up at UCLA. And I have to tell you, I am so glad it worked out that way. The vibe on campus when class is in session is absolutely spectacular - SO alive and full of energy. Westwood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood - your backyard is second to none.
As far as “rankings” go, UCLA is on the rise in a major way, and I think outranks NU in all of the “international” rankings FWIW.
Bottom line - pick the school that feels right. If you have the opportunity to trek back to UCLA for an admitted students day before making your final decision, I highly encourage it.
Best of luck!