<p>Gatsby11-
Please don’t be offended by my last statement. I am a huge fan of both schools, and I don’t claim to have the expertise to be a judge. I was just passing on what I’ve been told by some knowledgeable academics whose opinions I respect.
I would have been thrilled to have my daughter go to either school.</p>
<p>Ooops. I didn’t mean to tease that I knew so much about these two schools and then disappear. Remember, whatever I know is just anecdotal. Both are terrific schools and I’m thrilled my kids have chosen them.</p>
<p>First, the reason why they’re not at the same school: DS2 wouldn’t have it. NU is “his” school and it was just healthier for them to make their own mark. For DS3, he wanted a top school for pre-med and I encouraged him to visit WashU one weekend. After that, anything else was second fiddle. It just so happens that they are very similar in so many aspects.</p>
<p>My sense is that NU is very “pre-professional”. By that I mean they are not promising a liberal arts degree, but a degree that will be useful after college. I have seen this in action mostly in the many clubs that my son is involved in. I read his resume and it is darn impressive. Leader of this, president of that. I think they make a point to encourage kids to join and lead. (I say that b/c my son wasn’t like that in hs, but he sure is like that now.)</p>
<p>Some other things: NU has a very large fraternity presense. i didn’t realize that before. My son isn’t “into” frats, and it was somewhat hard for him at first, but he now has his niche. NU is also very much a Big-ten sports school. That means lots of school spirit.</p>
<p>WashU: what a wonderful school! As a parent, they have done a terrific job of keeping us posted on their psyche. I appreciate that, even if this is my youngest child attending. They have also involved me as a parent more in various activities. One of my concerns, as a parent, is how they manage with their daily needs: eating and sleeping. Well, let me say that WashU is tops for their dorms and for their dining. My other two kids nearly starved, but DS3 comes home with stories of good dishes he has enjoyed. My DS3 is a pre-med student there and boy it is serious. I’m certain he is really learning, but I’m also quite certain he is working his tail off. But, he has also had lots of fun. Kids are great, they have fun themed parties. They don’t have as strong a frat presense as NU and their football is not in the big leagues. The most amazing aspect about this school that I so enjoy is how friendly and outgoing all the students seemed. I don’t know how the admissions team did it, but what a great group of kids!</p>
<p>It’s true that Evanston (the restaurant capital of the country) surpasses St Louis, but its importance is all dependent on the student. Being near Chicago was important to DS2, but being near a big city was less important to DS3.</p>
<p>I hope that sharing my experiences can help you decide.</p>
<p>–lima</p>