Northwestern University Top Questions

Smart, nerdy, little social life

I think some stereotypes are that Northwestern is a bunch of kids who didn't get into Ivy League schools so they had to settle for here. There is also the "Nerdwestern" stereotype that students here don't go out, don't party, aren't attractive, and don't have sex. I think there may be kind of a stereotype that everyone who goes here is from the Midwest too, or Jewish and from New York.

We are the nerds of the big ten.

unfriendly, cliquey, career-oriented, self centered, mean

Northwestern is stereotyped as incredibly pre-professional, frat-dominated, a party school, academically challenging, grade deflated and prestigious. Northwestern students are stereotyped as the "work hard, play hard" types and have a reputation as very social individuals who are also at the top of their game academically and extracirricularly.

We're all spoiled and rich.

Spend too much time studying, worried about grades and jobs, don't go out that much, notoriously bad dating scene, the University does not care about the undergraduate students very much But, people are generally nice, friendly, very intelligent, very active on campus, passionate about something, and when they can spare a moment, do enjoy having a good time

Study too much, ugly, bad sports fans

Northwestern students are perceived by others as being either pretentious and elitist (by other state schools in the Big Ten) or stupid and overly Greek (by its Ivy League competitors)

We are SO intense! Also, very very preppy.