Northwestern University Top Questions

Diverse - you can get a great huge lecture (ex. Human Sexuality with J. Michael Bailey) which will have amazingly interesting material taught by leaders in the field, while at the same time having small seminars of 8 or 9 on Hebrew literature. The main point is that you should always be able to find something you're looking for. Interesting classes. Classes you don't have to go to. Fun classes. Challenging seminars. Easy distros. Discussion based. Single exam classes. It's all here.

Academics are no joke here. You will find that a large part of the student body takes school pretty seriously, and teachers tend to expect that of us. There are certainly easy A classes that are great as general education requirements, but be prepared to work. You can't slide by at NU with no effort, and the people that try usually figure this out fairly quickly.

While the academics are difficult, they are most definitely manageable. Since NU is full of bright students, we all challenge each other to try out best.

Engineering is tough here. The professors aren't the most personable, and the required classes are annoying. However, when you take more specific classes for your major, things get a little more interesting.

I was surprised to see so many classes with TAs that grade papers and such. Very few of my classes do the professors get to know any of the students, let alone grade their papers. I enjoy meeting people here because I know they're smart--otherwise they wouldn't be here, so conversations are more intellectual than I would have at home. There are real competitive students who are used to getting straight A's from high school.

The classes are fairly small with fairly good attention to each student. The students are uber competitive which makes life more stressful. The best and most interesting class I have taken was a freshmen seminar on the search for extraterrestrial life in the galaxy.

It really depends on what school you're in and what major you have. A lot of my friends have been to their professors' apartment or had a meal with them. I, for one, have met with a Professor maybe once out of class. No matter what their major, people are pretty studious and ambitious in what they want to do. You'll see everyone at the library - film kids working on their projects, theater kids memorizing scenes, econ students trying to grasp graphs and models, engineers doing really hard math, pre-med students learning how to save lives, basically everyone doing some sort of work. I don't feel it's uber-competitive though - people share notes and have study groups and mostly don't even talk about grades. Sometimes I wish my classes were smaller but I guess that's what I get for being an Econ major.

The Pre-med curriculum is quite rigorous, with several 'introductory' science classes attempting to weed out those that can take the academic rigor and those that cannot. This does not necessarily lead to the best students succeeding. Professors are rather approachable, but only in classes that are fewer than about 50 people. Most classes at NU tend to be smaller like this, and I have found a handful of professors that I have made connections with, albeit not incredibly strong. Professors really encourage people to step out of their own disciplines, and try to meld their specific interests with other courses/topics. Education is not necessarily geared to getting a job, but some professors try to reveal the big picture.

HArd as hell. professors know your name if you go into office hours. Students study 24/7..the only break is reading week and thats when we let loose. Students are way too competitive b/c when they get here, we are all equal, and you are no longer "the best" anymore. Academic recquirements are good here because hey, if your not intelligent,I guess you dont belong here. and wow, northwestern students are pretty well rounded and the academic life encourages that.

Impressive, but too self pleased. The process through which one applies to study abroad is like a seminar of how aledgedly great nu's academics are.

Whenever I say I go to Northwestern people are impressed and say "you must be smart." The academics here are remarkable. I often here students complain about the professors- that they are too old, don't speak english, or are just boring. But then there are those who rave about their professors. Many of the professors here actually wrote their textbooks which is so cool to see, but also hard to question the book! The professors are really accessible and are willing to help students in any way possible. My only complaint is that registering for classes is a pain at this school. There should be a shopping week where people can see what classes they want to keep, drop, or add. I just had to add a class late which was a pain!

The classes are challenging but not in a way that I find conducive to learning what interests students. Most of the courses are taught in lecture form that is not efficient for students to retain the information they received. Most importantly, the quarter system makes studying and classwork almost unbearable at times due to the constant testing.

Pretty tough academic scene. We definitely work significantly harder than almost every other school in the nation. ITs competetive and students are highly motivated. There are no easy classes and requirements are strict. I haven't had time to take many elective classes. In fact, the only class I have ever taken that was not required in some way was Public Speaking (besides 2 classes during my study abroad). I was able to graduate 2 quarters early which is nice to save some money.

I love academics at northwester. Almost all my professors know my name, if not them, then the T.A.s do for sure. My favorite class was Intro to Fiction, Jules Law was amazing, I also am in Love with my Earth 101 Class (most unique class). I don't really have any bad experiences, I guess my first freshman seminar How to become an expert was really hard? But its made every other class feel really easy. I study all the time, like every day at least a couple hours outside of class. I think that goes for most of my friends. Well cass participation varries on size of class, the smaller the class the more the people participate. Yes, i've had many conversations about abortion, religion, politics...ect. My friends and I love sharing interesting stuff we learned about in class and it sparks conversation. YES! Students are really competitive. And i wasn't expecting that. When i get back from breaks, everyone asks "how'd you do" which means, "did i get more A's than you?!?" I haven't had much experience in my department yet. I haven't spent too much time with professors outside of class, mostly just in office hours, which I like to go to, because I can't imagine being on the professors good side is a bad thing. I like NU's requirement system. I don't know much about the job part because I am only a freshman, getting distrobutions out of the way!

Every once in a while in class there's still that token person that you wish just wouldn't open there mouth, but the academics are still infinitely more interesting than high school.

In your first couple of years, don't be afraid to take higher level classes, because they aren't that much harder and they are much more interesting. Once you are an upperclassman your classes are small, your professors are engaged, and it's generally just a better academic experience. It's a tough school, but it's not impossible to put up a good GPA if you try hard. The one thing that is different about NU is that we are on the quarter system. At first, I hated it because our breaks never align with semester-school kids, but by now I have come to like it. You get to take more classes, and if you don't like a class it goes by much faster.

Size of classes depends on your major: lots of big classes in science, many small classes in other majors. Lots of studying. Many professors make the effort to get to know students' names and to make themselves available during office hours and via email.

I love that students take school seriously and are challenging themselves, yes people go out but they also want to achieve something great in their lives as well.

NU professors are a diverse group and all really smart and entertaining.

My favorite class was Enterprise Reporting in Diverse Communities. The Medill class was based in Chicago, so it was amazing to be able to go out and interview people outside of Evanston and the campus community. The professor was invested in the class, made an effort to know the students personally and even invited us over for dinner one night for pizza and to listen to a speaker.

the professors are generally really great here. if youre looking for great academics in the sciences and engineering youve come to the right place, although it's no walk in the park. however the language departments could definitely use some work.

Classes are difficult, but manageable. People are not competitive with each other, they are competitive with themselves.

The school is a factory for I-Bankers and Consultants... if you want to make a lot of money in one of these fields, come here because all the best firms recruit on campus and Chicago is a central location for these industries. If you know you want to go to law or medical school, you might be better off saving your money and racking up a good GPA at a state school because classes can be kind of difficult. I major in Social Policy, which is very good for its advising and connections to professors in the policy institute. I also minor in Political Science, and the classes are kinda (up to 120 people in some) big but still very interesting. There are programs that allow you to work in the city for credit, and that can help you with connections. It's really easy to do this, and the school is great about helping you get internships.

50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of your class will be people you never see outside of class. They live in their dorms and study. As such, class is competitive. However, if you got in to NU you're proabably smart and will be able to handle your time well enough. Ironically, they have lots of "liberal arts education" talk for a highly motivated student body. Most people are here to become investment bankers, doctors, journalists, or engineers. They aren't here to study math and work for NASA or become professors. Thus its pretty suprising NU doesn't have a business school or a dedicated pre-med major.

Northwestern University is a rigorous, academic-minded school. The quality of teaching is outstanding. You really can't complain when you are being taught by a professor who has written some kajillion books on his or her subject and is considered a leader in the field. The professors care about the students and are even more involved in student work when you reach higher level classes.

The best part of Northwestern, in terms of academics, is that most everyone is shy and anti-social. This means that people like me who have the most important and correct opinions, get to share more than at other schools. Whenever I have a discussion section for a Northwestern course, every other student seems too reluctant to speak a word. So, I take the silence as an opportunity to express my opinions and influence others. In the end, because of my eloquent speeches and infallible logic, everyone else in the class ends up agreeing with me and adopting my views. At no other school are student's as nervous and reserved as at Northwestern, which gives talkative students like me a grand opportunity to speak their mind.

the academics here are tough and you are forced to work hard, but you learn eye opening things constatly

I think professors at NU are generally good. Some classes for Freshman and Sophomores are a little too large and so there could be more student-professor interaction.

Like every college, it depends on the class and your major, but yes, academics can be very challenging here. Not really that big of a surprise though.

Academics are the main reason students choose to attend Northwestern. Lacking is the Ivy League "kill or be killed" mentality and the ensuing arrogance. However, despite the lack of Ivy League ostentatiousness, the students still challenge themselves and each other, and competition can be fierce. The professors are mixed, as they are with every school, but on average they tend to be very capable and there are certainly more impressive professors than there are terrible professors. The quarter system, as a foil to the semester system used at most universities, is incredibly fast-paced and rigorous, but any student accepted to Northwestern is capable of pumping out good grades; effort is the only real decisive factor.

My biggest gripe about Northwestern is that the faculty to student ratio is a little decieving. During tours, prospective students are told that it's a 7:1 ratio and that all professors of the school HAVE to teach a class, which with their logic means that they WANT to teach students. In reality, you will find professors who are only teaching because they have to. I've had several classes where the only thing the professor does is lecture and make the tests. The rest is taken care of by graduate student TA's who lead discussions and are responsible for your entire grade in the class. This makes it really difficult not only to get to know professors, but for them to get to know their students and the type of effort students are giving and whether they are actually learning.

Professors at Northwestern (in Weinberg) are very approachable and committed to teaching their students. Students study a lot, and seem to discuss learned topics outside of class constantly. You have the opportunity to make your academic experience here what you want it to be.

Northwestern students do hold intellectual conversations outside, but I do think that as many people as there are that do that, there are many who just wanna get wasted and don't care.

The variety of classes Northwestern offers is great, and I rarely feel limited to what I can take. If you are set on getting into a class that is filled up, keep trying and chances are the professor will do anything he or she can to let you in the class. Ironically, Medill classes have been the least flexible - they are too long (three hours a day for two days a week) and make it difficult to take other classes.

While there may be many differing opinions about the "Northwestern experience," one consensus is that this is a schools where academics are not taken lightly, by students and professors alike. The quarter system keeps students on their toes- I feel like I am constantly studying for a major exam or am in the aftermath of a major exam. Science classes, especially those taken by pre-med kids are highly competitive, as are the students themselves. Professors here are fantastic and most love meeting and interacting with students who are exicted and passionate- i have had professors take me and fellow students out for coffee and others who express genuine joy when talking about teaching. Nonetheless, it is a mixed bag and while most professors are great, there are some that aren't memorable.

Academics are great. There is amazing assistance if so desired. Class sizes are perfect once entering into higher level classes. Most importantly, the professors genuinly care how their students perform and what they learn in class. Almost all of the classes are geared towards obtaining a broad education, which is so important in today's world.

I do have intellectual conversations out of class. I am naturally drawn to these conversations. It really helps when I surround myself with people who enjoy talking about issues as mush as I do.

Classes at Northwestern are no where near as challenging as I expected college courses to be. The quarter system makes it very possible to blow off classes and reading and then read EVERYTHING right before the test (so it is fresh in your mind) and get an A. That being said, I am not in orgo or any MMSS classes, so I doubt I understand the intensity NU classes can have.

In small classes, professors know our names. I hate Chemistry, it's so hard. Students have to study a lot. Students are competitive, especially in Chemistry. The most unique class was People and Plant Interactions. I am Pre-Med, but probably a Psych major. I go to a ton of office hours and have gotten to know many of my professors.

students all want to do really well, but it's not competitive to the point where students won't help each other out in classes. we always study together and share notes and ideas.

Students at Northwestern study WAY TOO MUCH. Everyone is too competitive, and tries to do well just for the sake of doing well... not to ACTUALLY learn. I never feel like our campus is very "intellectual". Just overachieving, overstressed "tool-bags". :)

While many students groan over it, I think that the Freshman Seminars really are a good idea. They give freshmen a chance to get used to writing college essays in a safe environment. In addition, in Freshman Seminars the professors get to know the students, which isn't necessarily true of the other classes freshmen are taking.

Professors, again, mostly teach because they have to in order to get their research grants, not because they want to. I had more bad experiences with profs than good; it didn't help I was pre-med. Those are the hardest courses to do well in. The worst class ever is organic chemistry-if you don't have to take it at NU, don't, because you will fail. The best classes are those classes that have nothing to do with your major, so make sure to look outside the science box. I was psych/premed, and my favorite classes I ever took were Intro to Music and Intro to the New Testament. Northwestern's requirements are not unreasonable for any of schools, but sometimes I feel like I wasn't focusing so much on learning as I wason trying not to fail classes. Psychology is a great major at NU though; the classes are not guaranteed A's by any means, but the psych department is huge and options for classes and research opportunities are endless. If you like social psych, get into Finkel's lab-he is the most interesting and down to earth prof in that department. Premed courses are always hard, but they are ten times as hard at NU, so be ready.

In general I find that Northwestern professors are amazing~!! Almost all of mine have known my name and have a passion for teaching and hoping that you learn. It is really great to continue learning in an atmosphere where it seems the teacher cares about your own individual success. It encourages enthusiasm and learning-- which is very hard to find being a current college student.

In distribution classes (classes you are required to take), the class size is usually very large, usually a hundred students or more. Professors that teach these courses will only know your name if you make the effort to meet them during study hours. However, when you reach upper level courses, you will usually get to know your professors on a more intimate level because class sizes can be as small as seven students. My favorite class was Taiwanese-Americans because I had the opportunity to learn about my ethnic background, learn about my home country's history, and eat great food. My least favorite class was probably Statistics for Political Science. This class was a requirement for my major. I personally found this class incredibly boring and dry since the subject material did not interest me at all. I would say that students generally study quite a bit at Northwestern. You don't go to this type of school and have your parents dish out 44K a year for you to slack off and be a bum. Class participation is common in discussion sections. In a huge lecture hall of 150+ people, class participation is less common. However, professors will usually involve students by asking them to raise their hands to see how many students agree or disagree with a certain case/problem that is being explained. Northwestern students will have intellectual conversations outside of class because they are pretty nerdy. I find a lot of students discussing politics and debating on current events. Students are competitive, but I would not say they are cut-throat. They are not the types that will go to the library and rip out pages from a library textbook so that other students in the class cannot get their hands on necessary information. I have heard of "horror" stories like this at UC schools because classes are based on a bell curve. At Northwestern however, the curve will generally help you. The most unique class I have taken is Modern Cosmology with Professor Smutko. He is an amazing lecturer, the material is intriguing, and you can actually use Northwestern University's huge telescope to view objects of study. When I went to use the telescope, we had the opportunity to see Saturn and Orion's Belt. Overall, this class is very fun and interactive. My major is Political Science (with a focus on Asian politics) in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences (WCAS). I have spent time with professors out of class, usually at office hours to discuss certain topics I was having trouble understanding. Northwestern's academic requirements are quite rigorous. Try and come into the school with as many AP credits as possible so you can get rid of many distribution requirements. The academic requirements also vary by major. Engineers have it worst because they are required to take the most credits. In contrast, I have heard that students in the School of Education and the School of Communication are graded the easiest at Northwestern. I would say that Northwestern's education is geared towards learning for its own sake. I am part of WCAS, the liberal arts department of Northwestern. The Dean of WCAS basically told me that he wants students to learn from as many different subjects as possible because when you leave Northwestern, you should be a more "well-rounded individual" that has a breadth of knowledge in all different areas. From what he told me, he basically wants students to graduate feeling like Renaissance people - those that have an understanding of many areas of study.

-Half of engineering proffesors don't speak english -Engineers study all day -Very little class participation -In one of my lectures, there are 60 students, and only ~10 show up because the professor doesn't teach anything. -Engineering school gaurantees job right after graduation.

Most professors do not know your name, nor do they care to know your name, as they are too busy to remember it and probably won't see you again after one quarter anyway. This is generally true for any math/science/engineering/humanities course here. Language, film, and music classes are different for the most part, because they tend to be smaller. Students study a lot here. too much in my opinion, because the grades they receive are generally not worth the amount of studying they put in. the students are pretty competitive, but usually in a positive way. I am a film major. I haven't gotten to know any professors outside of class yet, but i'm still taking the big lecture classes, so i figured most professors wouldn't care to know me anyway. NU's academic requirements are kind of laborious and pointless in my opinion. They are not bad for film majors, because they are so loose that you can pretty much take whatever you want. For the arts and sciences school, though, people take classes that they don't like in huge lecture halls with over 300 people and end up getting bad grades anyway, so i just think that is stupid, but whatever- it's their choice a lot of the education is geared toward getting a job. there is a lot of concern about grad schools here, which is such crap because even freshman worry about their grades more than they have an urge to learn. It's like high school all over again

In big classes, no way. In small classes, only if you make an effort./I like my law-related classes. The science classes are really hard for me./Always./Well, it's part of our grade./Yes. Often hilariously./I've heard there's competition but I haven't experienced it./Sociology: Capital Punishment is fun./Chemistry... hard./Nope./It's a hard school. It's not a lie./Depends on the person.

Professors teach every class; you will never be stuck in a lecture with a TA (they lead discussion sections). Students are competitive in that grading curves in many classes are tough, but there is none of the note-stealing or sabotage that you hear of at MIT, Cal Tech, or Harvard. Professors are very available if you take the initiative to go to office hours. Classes are very challenging and the pace is quick because of the quarter system, but you will learn a lot.

Russian Literature is great if you take it with Gary Morson. Phenomenal lecturer. Don't take journalism classes unless they are required for your major. They can be fun, but take up major amounts of your time. Students definitely have intellectual conversations outside of class. I was sitting in the dining hall on a Friday evening with some of my friends and they started talking about the economics of the housing market. Northwestern's professors are great. Don't be afraid to approach them- they're all very enthusiastic about their subject and want to help you.