Northwestern University Top Questions

The best thing about Northwestern is how many different types of people with different interests there are here. I think its unfortunate that we tend to get holed up within a certain group and forget about this. The campus feels small because of social circles, like the Greek scene, which can be nice, because you always feel like there's someone around for you. At the same time, it feels segmented, and it becomes easy to forget just how many people there are here. I think Northwestern's reputation is pretty strong and most people have positive thoughts on it. I spend most of my time on campus at my sorority house, my boyfriend's house, friend's houses, or in downtown Evanston. We definitely have a town, but it's not only ours, there are definitely more people who live in Evanston. The Northwestern administration mostly stays out of your way, but unfortunately when you do have to contact them they can get a bit pompous. The biggest recent controversy was when Medill's administrator published an article without placing sources to his quotes. Though I think most people love Northwestern from whom I've spoken to,we don't have that much traditional school pride in the "we attend football games in all of our gear" way.

The best thing about it? If you came to be challenged, you came to the right place. But if I could change anything, I'd make the winters warmer. It's the right size for me, but if you're looking for someone to hold your hand through the whole college experience, you need to go smaller. When I tell people I go here, they either have no idea what it is, so they just nod and say "that's...great..." OR, if they do know, they tell me I must be extremely smart. Neither reaction is easy to respond to. Evanston is a college town, but only for a few blocks. As far as Northwestern's administration goes-- I'm pissed at them for raising tuition. It was already disgustingly high. Other than that, I don't know a damn thing about them. I think there's a lot of school pride. Let me put it this way: Stress brings people together. Bad sports teams bring people together. Frigid winters bring people together. Awesome school colors...bring people together. The best thing I can say is don't lump the entire population into a single category. There is no unifying personality characteristic that each person possesses. You don't like some people you meet? There's about 7,000 more that you might like. But you have to put in the effort to find them, because they won't come to you.

I would change how student-friendly the campus is - right now it's not at all. Very inaccessible. I would also make everything less expensive, like food at the student center. I think the fact that we have to pay to play the games there is ridiculous. Isn't it our student center, that we've paid for in tuition?

The one thing I would change at our school is the Dean of Students, Mary Desler. Desler has a reputation for cracking down on underage drinking, especially on campus and as it is related to Greek life. Fraternities are constantly in trouble, worrying about whether they're going to be put on probation or kicked off campus, rather than just having a good time and enjoying college. Our size is pretty good, with 8,000 undergrads there are enough people for you to constantly see people you've never met, without feeling overwhelmed. Especially within larger social scenes within dorm buildings, classes, and student organizations, you carve out several good groups of friends within which everyone for the most part knows who everyone else is. Since I've pledged a frat I now spend about 90{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my time at the house, when I'm not sleeping that is.

I love Northwestern. The campus is gorgeous in every season and Evanston has plenty to keep you entertained on the weekends. The Starbucks in Evanston is open until midnight on weekdays which is perfect when you are pulling the all nighters. The classes are interesting and I have yet to have an awful professor. If your lecture is large, you will have small discussion groups to help you understand the material. There is school pride but it is in different places than other schools. Northwestern supports their student groups but are generally not big into the sports teams.

best thing: the people- i respect them because they work hard, i can have intellectual conversations with them then go out with them on the weekend. one thing to change: more vibrant campus atmosphere- more excitement about sports, events, school pride. size: just right. peoples reactions: impressed, regard as snobby private school. spend most of my time in some type of library atmosphere (library, office hours, sorority house library). not really a college town. not a lot of school pride.

I love Northwestern because I get a positive feeling all around campus. Everyone is working hard while still enjoying themselves, and people know how to balance their school work with their social life. When you go out you almost always recognize people that you know.

I honestly love it here at Northwestern. The one thing that I'd change is that it's FREEZING here. Sometimes when I'm doing the walk of shame in the snow wearing high heels I wish that I was still at home in California. I love that we have a beautiful campus that feels very "academic" but are also only 30 minutes away from an amazing metropolitan city. What I like most about this school is that every person you meet is really fucking interesting. Sometimes it's intimidating but usually it's just really sweet. Everyone is smart but that's only the basic level. You'll find out the guy you're hooking up with wrote a book, or one of your friends was in the Asian XGames. People don't have skeletons in their closets, they have really fucking cool secrets about the unique things that they've done. I think that Northwestern is also unusual in that it has such high academic standards but no one is very competitive. Everyone is so helpful and really works together in classes. People want to help each other out, share studyguides, let you borrow their notes, etc. When I tell people I go to Northwestern in California they usually don't know what it is. I can tell who intelligent people are by whether they know my school or not.

I love Northwestern for the diversity of the students I have made friends with. I wouldn't change a thing! Northwestern is a great engineering school, but also is good at everything else. This way, we have students who are passionate about what they do, no matter what it is. Everyone I've told who knows a thing or two about the competitive schools has been thoroughly impressed that I am a Nothwestern student. I spend a lot of time in Tech because my classes are there, and we can usually find an empty room to study in. Evanston is a really nice small downtown area with great food. Northwestern's administration is really willing to help you with any need that arises. Right now, the primaries are getting a lot of talk about Obama vs. Hilary. Northwestern students have amazing school spirit- we are here because we love it. We have a 99{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} freshman retention rate and plenty of transfers who are totally committed to Northwestern as their university. Northwestern has given me the opportunity to have many groups of friends- not just a single clique. I will always remember singing the national anthem at our basketball game against Wisconsin. It was a game that was sold-out to the public, and I have not sung in front of an audience since middle school. So many students complain about the weather- cold winters aren't the best weather for walking across campus to class. However, our autumn and spring are wonderful, and in the bigger picture of things, 1- at least we have seasons, and 2- at least our campus is only about a 15 minute walk from top to bottom, which is not far at all compared to a lot of other schools.

The best thing about Northwestern is the name - it will help you get a job eventually. Other than that, the school is terrible! No one cares about anyone else, classes are boring and huge, etc... I'd change everything/strongly recommend transferring to anyone interested. It isn't too big or too small, it's just no one in administration cares about the undergrads, so the academic experience is not good. When I say I go to Northwestern most people are like "that's a really good school" to which I respond that it is and try to avoid further questions about it, since people don't want to hear that you've hated the past three years of your life. I spend most of my time at school trying to do anything and everything possible to distract myself from the fact that I'm there. That means going to all sorts of group meeting and presentations, going out and studying all as much as possible. I try to avoid down time. Definitely a "what college town." Evanston is cute, I guess, but townies generally hate the school because of the tax exemption it has (they ignore that that is where all their sales taxes come from). Further, Evanston is actually dangerous... crime on campus is a problem, though it is underreported because that would certainly scare away applicants. The Northwestern administration is good at one thing - taking your money. Other than that, they are entirely incompetent and generally pay no attention to undergrads. Biggest recent controversy was the dean of the journalism school making up quotes. There isn't much school pride, people tend not to go to sporting events or pep rallies and instead identify with cliques. Northwestern is fairly boring - though it does have a pretty campus. I'll always remember lots of really awful experiences and just spend the rest of my life thankful that I made it out. Frequent student complaints: bad administration, bad classes, pressure, unfriendly people.