Northwestern University Top Questions

Purple pride is huge. we always lose but we're always proud anyways. Plus we have some of the best, most pretentious cheers... all meant jokingly of course. Evanston's nice. but everything closes by 8 except BK and Kafein. Chicago's only an hour or so away by public transportation though.

The best thing about Northwestern is it's proximity to Chicago. Sure, Evanston is a nice town. But there's no Midwestern city quite like Chicago. You may feel like Northwestern is a large school, but you will constantly run into people you know when you go out or eat in the dining hall or whatever. Go check out Kafein, a little coffee shop in Evanston. It's the place to go if you're tired of chains like Starbucks. Good food, nice staff, cozy atmosphere. Great place to study. My friends at other schools told me that once I was in college, I would get to be a total slob and wear whatever I wanted. Definitely not true at Northwestern. Girls wear heels and nice dresses even when they're just going to class. When I tell people I'm going to Northwestern, they either are really, really impressed or have no idea what school I'm talking about.

The best thing about NU is that, for the most part, the students are smart but unpretentious. Everyone cares about their grades, but they're laid-back and have a sense of humor about it. It's not like Harvard, where it's cut-throat and people sacrifice their social lives for their GPAs. People are really involved, and they make fun of themselves for being dorks. That's good. I'd change the housing available for sophomores who want to stay on campus but don't want to join a frat or sorority. My roommate and I basically got the last room in Bobb, which was lucky, but we were nervous about the lottery. It's like being punished for not being Panhellenic. School size is just right. I wouldn't want to go to a small school like Davidson. The school is big enough that I still meet new people every quarter, but small enough that I run into my friends every day. I'm from Florida, so a lot of people didn't know what Northwestern was when I told them I was going there. Someone even said, "I thought you were going to a smart school." But people who know what it is usually say, "Good for you" like they're all impressed. People who know what NU is, they think you're smart if you go there. I spend most of my time on the 2nd floor of McTrib (the McCormick Tribune Center) editing for North By Northwestern. I start editing at 6, Sunday - Thursday, and usually am there until 2 in the morning. I've kind of stopped doing my other homework. I spend a lot of time at Cafe Ambrosia on Orrington. And of course I hang out and sleep in Bobb. It's the best combination of college-town-but-not. All of my friends go to UF in Gainesville, FL, and it's too much of a college town. Every business is named Gater something, and it's just such a bubble. I would hate that. Evanston caters to the NU community with Wildcard discounts and fun coffee shops, but it isn't intended exclusively for students. I like seeing residents and their kids walking around. And I know Evanston's supposed to hate us, but I've never really felt any of that. The administration is pissing me off because they keep trying to get my friends' frat kicked off campus. Why? They're not doing anything that students aren't doing elsewhere anyway. College students drink. They party. Get over it. The biggest recent controversy? Dean Lavine possibly fabricating quotes. The provost said all was good, but come on. At NBN we're getting the 29 students on record, and no one said the quote. Plus, it's a quote that clearly supports his IMC/Medill agenda. So I don't think he should be pardoned so quickly. If I did that in one of Lavine's classes (not that he teaches classes), he'd give me a Medill F. Hell, he'd just give me an F. I don't know about school pride. No athletic pride. But I mean, people who go here often love it. I'm proud to say I go here, anyway. The unusual thing about NU is how preprofessional it is. So many people are on the fast-track to jobs and stuff. Like, journalism, theater, SESP, engineering - students have an unusual sense of their life directions. Motivated kids. I'll always remember when my freshman floor did a secret santa where we dressed up like the person we were giving the gift to. It was a hilarious way to reveal - especially since I was dressing up like the resident Catholic/"slut." Frequent student complains: Lack of a dating scene, lack of good housing, student center out of the way, dangerous sidewalks in the winter, too much construction, Medill classes fucking suck, Evanston hostile, overpriced meal plans, the Daily sucks... etc.

I guess the best thing about Northwestern is the academics--in the history department at least (where I have had many classes as a major) there are so many wonderful lecturers and courses, and really I've enjoyed most of my classes here at NU, even though they are lots of work. But I also love the school's gorgeous campus (though it was more gorgeous before there was so much inconvenient construction obstructing things and cutting off convenient pathways!), esp. how it's on the lake (which is so beautiful in the spring and fall, with views of Chicago across the lake and everything!), which I've grown to really love while here, and how it's a contained, real campus, yet not in the middle of nowhere--it's next to Evanston, an urban area with pretty much all I could want (I don't drink)--movie theater with mainstream and artsy films, restaurants and food chains, shops (including a Barnes and Noble AND a Borders!), a library, etc. Then on top of this there's a world-class city accessible with public transportation in an hour or so! And I like the residential college system (special themed dorms with more of an established community and close ties to certain faculty members, whom you socialize with outside of the classroom) and variety of dining halls and options on campus as well. Basically almost everything about NU (except the weather!) is just right for me, and I'm definitely glad I came here--it was the right choice! I spend most of my time on "South Campus," the southern portion of the campus, where most of my classes are, as well as my dorm, the library, etc. I think there is a lot of school pride, very evident at certain football games for example, when people turn out even though our team sucks. When I tell people I go to Northwestern they are usually impressed or say, "That's a good school" if they're familiar with it--which not everyone back home on the east coast is (sometimes people confuse it with Northeastern for example). Unless they're from UChicago (our rival), who think they're better than us, or one of our rivals in the Big Ten who deride our poor football and basketball teams.... The Northwestern Administration is okay I guess, but I'm really annoyed at their recent alarming of the side doors in the dorms 24/7 (they used to be alarmed only between 8 pm and 8 am before, but accessible at all other times), because not only is it really inconvenient (I have to walk way out of my way to go through the front door when approaching the dorm from behind from Evanston, which is rather counterintuitive when it's dark out before 8 pm), but also really stupid and unhelpful security-wise--because who breaks into the dorms during the day?! I'd like to know their figures, to justify alarming the doors during the day (and honestly, as far as school shootings go it wouldn't prevent the person if they knew someone in the dorm during the day, as was the case at VT)! In fact, it's less safe in that it makes "tailgating" (coming in behind a resident) easier during the day since everyone is funnelled in through one door, which is opened more often now--and if an intruder were to get into the front door they'd have a lot more access to the dorm and places to hide (the entire basement and much of the first floor) whereas if they came in through the side door they'd have access to a stairwell, with all doors going onto the floors locked....that's my biggest pet peeve! I remember lots of students complaining about it last year too, esp. the first quarter when they alarmed the doors....The other new security measures like the security guards at night are good however (though this time last year the side doors would have been locked whenever the guards were around anyway!). The biggest recent controversy on campus I think is the Journalism school much-disliked Dean, Dan Lavine's, having been caught making up positive student quotes in an alumni newsletter to get support for an unpopular program of his. One experience I'll always remember is when Stephen Colbert was in our homecoming parade--see below in the "social life" section for more details....one unusual thing about Northwestern in the Quarter system, which is different from most schools, and mean that we have three terms each year instead of only two--as a result we have the opportunity to take a greater variety of classes and don't have any homework over spring break (which is nice), though it's also much more stressful and hectic b/c things have to move at a greater pace when each term is only 9 weeks....I can't believe it's already the end of Winter Quarter for example, it feels like I only just started it a few weeks ago!

The best thing about Northwestern is the overall atmosphere. The campus is really pretty, and there are enough nice people and professors to make one feel at home. I would change NU's shuttle service, and have it make more stops (such as at specific dorms and the library). I also wish the library was open later on weekends. The size of the school feels just right for me. I spend most of my time in the library on campus. It's a nice place to be - I occasionally spend my entire afternoon and evening there, and eat in the Cafe. I don't think NU is a college town at all, and that's why I love it! I like to be in a city where actual people and families live, not just students. It makes me feel like I'm living a real life, and not just spending a temporary time at a school.

the best thing about Northwestern is being close to Chicago; I would make the school a little bigger; I spend most of my time on north campus; the administration is confused

Chicago is one of my favorite things. It makes your later years when you start getting bored with campus bars more entertaining. There are so many greats bars downtown. The beach on campus rocks too. I would change the structure of the campus and divide it more from the evanston community. A more college campus feeling would be better. The town doesn't really gives the impression that there is a college right there. No signs in the window for NU sports or any enthusiasm at all. The size of the school is great. It not a small liberal arts school but not an overwhelming state school either where classes are 600 people. I love the reaction I get from people when I tell them I go to NU, they say "wow, so you're pretty smart" It's a great felling to feel like you go to a distinguished university. I think the sports aspect of school pride is lacking. The teams that are popular on campuses, basketball and football, are just not good here, especially compared to the rest of the big ten. Plus we are smaller then the rest of the BT so are student section is unimpressice. A

The best thing about NU is the location. I would like a larger social scene. It's close to the right size, but a few more social kids would make it a good time. Most people are generally impressed, unless they're idiots. In my fraternity. What college town? The NU Admin feels very detached from the actual student body and student experience. The Medill Dean is getting in trouble for incorrectly quoting someone in a magazine article that he wrote. No, there is not a lot of school pride. There isn't much unusual about Northwestern. Getting hammered on the beach in the spring. Students usually complain about the weather.

The best thing about Northwestern is its academics. The teaching is usually superb and the quarter system allows for a very diverse and plentiful set of courses. The size of the school is perfect: medium-sized - not too small, not too big. People are generally impressed when I tell them I go to Northwestern, but then again I come from a small river town. I'll never forget how my roommate's and my room was so dirty that we never noticed the cup of poop that our friends put in our room as a prank.

I think one of my favorite things about Northwestern is that we have Evanston kind of meshed in along with campus. Downtown is literally across the street, which is nice for late night Burgar King runs and such. There's everything- theatres, clothing stores, restaurants, bookstores. Just don't expect anything to come cheap other than fast food.

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.

Northwestern is very well-rounded. Many academic departments are strong on campus, though NU does suffer a bit from the "jack of all trades, master of none" syndrome. Chemistry, History, Psychology, Journalism, Film, Theatre and Economics seem especially strong however, along with Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering for the more technically inclined. NU requires most of its students to complete a very broad and extensive set of liberal arts distribution requirements. This can be both a blessing and a curse, as the undecided types are exposed to a variety of classes and styles of thinking, whereas many students with strong interests in one are often feel distro requirements impede them from specializing early on. Socially, there are many options at NU. Many students hit up frat parties on Friday and Saturday nights, however there are plenty of theatre and music events, guest speakers and just general dorm horseplay to keep those who don't want to party entertained. Chicago and Evanston also offer many diverse opportunities for fun, and Evanston provides many opportunities for students looking for a good meal with some friends after a week of dorm food. Most students aren't limited to "one" type of social activity, many will for instance go to a party then see a play, or eat dinner in Chicago but then come back and spend the night chatting with friends in a dorm hallway. People tend to be fairly friendly and most NU kids are rather social and open to many different forms of entertainment.

NU is everything I hoped it would be. I like that it is huge in numbers, but you still feel like you have your little family within the undergrad schools. College town, but not tooooo much. Very organized administration. Most of the people here are glad to be here, and work very hard.

The people are the best I'd change the adminsitration's relationship with the students, and the shuttle system. No wait, the quarter system sucks too. And I think there is a complete disconnect between the two. Moreover, the administration is very conservative in a lot of respects. NU sometimes seems very small; you see the same people are everywhere. People think you're smart when you say you're from Northwestern too. I spend most of my time in my sorority house or my boyfriend's apartment. I guess the Keg of Evanston and the 1800 Club constitute our college town. There's school pride that is not always attached to sports. Northwestern is unique in the fact that it has a great location near a big city with tons of opportunities, but it also has a campus and college atmosphere. It has some legit big time D1 sports and yet its a private school that does feel small at times. It also gets a mixture of students from around the country.

Northwestern is awesome. The size is perfect--big enough to have everything a university could want, but small enough to have small classes. People here love it. They complain about the cold, but it's because complaining about the cold brings us together. The best part about Northwestern is the teaching. I've had only amazing teachers. My Chinese teacher freshman year took me to the Chinese consulate in downtown Chicago one night to drink rice wine. I'll never forget it.

I LOVE the spring here, but the winter stinks! I can't get used to the wind, even though I come from a cold state (MA). The size is perfect, the town it's in is perfect, I just wish it was somewhere warmer. When I tell people I go to NU, they usually think I mean Northeastern in Boston or they think I'm really smart for going here. There's a lot of academic pride and people wear Northwestern gear all the time, but there's very little sports pride, for obvious reasons. The one major thing I'd change is the quarter system. I was told I would learn to love it, but I've been here over a year and a half and I still loathe it. There's at least a midterm or major paper every week, and I feel like everything is rushed because we have many weeks less than other schools.

The best things about Northwestern are the proximity to Chicago, the lakefront, and the great reputation of the school. I would make the entire campus wireless. The size is almost just right, could be a little bit larger though. People from home have no idea what Northwestern is. But many educated people are very impressed when they find out that I go to Northwestern. I spend most of my time around my res. college (Willard), in Dearing Library, and outside. Evanston is a college town, but too strict on alcohol and parties. Northwestern's sports aren't very good (except girl's lacrosse) yet most athletes act like they win all the championships. Interesting...

The best thing is the student body. It seems as though everyone is a very intelligent, involved, down-to-earth, passionate person. The school does a good job at picking a very well-rounded student body. Northwestern is the perfect size. It's small enough so that I don't feel as though I'm insignificant and large enough so that I feel there is a large variety of new people that I am constantly meeting. People usually react very positively when I tell them I go to Northwestern. Adults are always very impressed and make sure comment like "Oh! We've got a smart one over here!" However, I have noticed that some people don't know the school and it's reputation. When I was on the East coast some people confused it with Northeastern and others would ask where it was located in the United States. Evanston is a great college town. It has a very nice, upscale downtown with great restaurants and a few good clothing stores. Being on the lake s great too. The path that runs along the shore is perfect for runs, walks or bike rides. And in the fall and spring it's fun to study outside on the beach or lawns. There is a lot of school pride, as many people I talk to are very happy at the school. However, attendance at sporting events and knowledge of our athletic teams isn't great. The football games are still a lot of fun though. I think Northwestern's location is unusual. It is so perfectly situated. The campus runs right up to the lake and downtown Evanston and is close enough to Chicago so that we can reap the benefits of a large city but far enough away so that we don't feel overwhelmed by it. One experience I will always remember is during New Student Week when some new friends and I went and jumped in Lake Michigan and hung out on the beach. I already felt so comfortable and happy here, and we were already having so much fun together.

Best thing about Northwestern? Northwestern has a gorgeous campus. Whether it is snow covered trees or a playing frisbee on the beach or lakefill next to the mesh of old traditional buildings and modern scientific research labs the campus is bound to awe. One thing I'd change? Housinng. The system is terrible. If you are not a freshman and not in a res college, it is really a toss up if you will even be able to live on campus. Northwestern is just the right size. It is small enough where you can really get a feel for the different things going on around campus academically, socially, and administratively. But it is big enough where you know you can always find a new hidden treasure on campus. Whether it be the gated gardens by the library or the ESW(engineers for a sustainable world) group that has tons of cool projects going on internationally and locally or just a new person. When I tell people I go to Northwestern, people usually seem to be pretty impressed. Although, it depends on who you talk to, because if they are not in the academic world, they probably won't know what Northwestern even is. I spend most of my free time on campus either in my dorm with my friends or on the gorgeous lakefill just chillin. Evanston is not really a college town but it is great for college students. The part of Evanston Northwestern is in is kind of like a mini Chicago. Trendy and interesting stores but still navigable. However, things in Evanston are a bit pricy. Also, housing close to campus has a significant students presence. Northwestern's administration...iffy. In general, Northwestern students have a lot of school pride. They go to every football game and get really into it. Basketball is also pretty popular. Sometimes it is even kind of obscene. But overall it creates a nice atmosphere when you see that everyone else is proud to be at Northwestern.

It bothers me that most people don't realize that NU is actually an incredible school... people think I'm going someplace like Northeastern, as opposed to one of the absolute best schools in the country. Evanston is great, except that the sky is orange most nights from Chicago. Lots of people live off-campus after freshman year, because it's really easy to do here and not too expensive. A lot of complaints are about services not being what they should be--the school is so expensive, but the food at the student center isn't open nearly as much as most of us think it should be, and the student theater groups could use more support. The best thing about NU is its AMAZING theater program! The size of the school is just right, especially if you're in one of the colleges. Big enough to meet a new person every day, but small enough so that you can really stand out if you want to.

Best thing= IM SPORTS! It's a great system and brings together Greeks, Non-greeks, Res Life people, etc. Some people are like "Ohhh whoa smarty" when you tell them you go to Northwestern, and some have never heard of it. I like this reputation because it means that NU is respected among smart people, but not seen as a stuck-up Ivy League. One thing I could change= more school spirit! The turn-out at football games is okay, but if you've ever been to a basketball game you know that the student section is noticeably bare. It'd be easier to get people to come if we were good, of course, but if there was more pride about just being a Wildcat in general, attendance would be higher, fan participation would increase, and maybe the team would share some of our energy and actually win.

BEST: People. Hands down the best coolest brightest kids you will ever meet. Its not pretentious here, everyone is normal, but well rounded and ridiculously smart. The Professors are incredible too and get involved with their students. The Administration treats you like shit. You get nickeled and dimed for every last thing in the name of growing the all-mighty endowment. Printing costs, movies cost, any amenity up for consideration is always paired with the corresponding rise in tuition that would accompany it. Every residence doesnt have wireless. Every move is motivated by liability and not by interest in the students. During the first week this year when freshmen experimented with alcohol for the first time, some were scared to seek out authority when they were sick, unfortunately with reason. Evanston Rocks. The El is close for big city antics if you take the initiative to go out into the world. Theres also a free shuttle on weekdays. Evanston itself is a much more manageable livable city with plenty of food and a great movie theater. Once you move off campus for housing though its a little expensive because you're competing with Chicago young professionals for living space

Northwestern is a fantastic balance between a large and a small school. It gets to the point where you recognize a lot of faces, but it's impossible to know everyone on a campus this size. The school is also small enough that you don't get lost in the shuffle in terms of the administration, teachers, etc. Class sizes are good (especially for journalism), and most teachers I've come across are extremely knowledgeable and practically begging to be approached with questions. I spend most of my time on campus in Norris (especially at the Norbucks). There's great food, comfy chairs, and an excellent outlet for my caffeine addiction. I also spend a lot of time in Evanston. It feels like a college town - most restaurants and cafes offer WiFi so you can sit there all day studying, eating, and/or talking to friends (because you will see a ton of people if you spend a Saturday afternoon in town). There's also a good number of stores and tons of delicious food options. People who know Northwestern know its a great school, but in California, most people have never heard of it or get it confused with Northeastern. There is almost no school pride when it comes to athletics. Football and basketball games are very sad, especially when the opposing team has more fans in the stands than we do. My biggest complaint is that it is COLD. So damn cold.

Evanston really feels like a college town because of all the restaurants, bars, cafes and shopping. Housing is expensive, its nice to have a campus that feels knit together.

Best thing about Northwestern is that it's going to get me a good job (I hope!) and the students here are smart--no annoyingly stupid questions get asked in class. School's a little small for me, but at least its large enough so that you can meet new people often. Most people don't know Northwestern in New England, but when people recognize it they assume I'm smart. I spend most of my time in the dorm. College town. I think NU's administration has some problems to work out, like miscommunication between departments, and the advising system for freshman is terrible. Mary Desler needs to find something better to do than try to get the fraternities and sororities in trouble...she needs to realize that perusing facebook is a pretty lame thing to do for someone her age. Frequent complaints are that midterms are almost every other week...and the intro classes are just as hard as other classes, which makes very little sense.

I love the size of the school and love how big the Greek scene is here, but I really wish our football and basketball teams were better, it would help foster more school spirit. We already have a lot of school spirit, but it would be nice to see it represented at these games. Having Chicago so close but not being right in it is great. Evanston is a great town, but I wouldn't necesarily call it a college town. The experience I will always remember was ow much fun I had in the homecoming parade on the float that we made. The weather is really what makes parts of the school year tough. People have less insentive to go out, so the weeks are always great times to go out, but the weekends are really lame, which is tough for me since I can rarely go out during the week

I feel like NU is the perfect in-between school, meaning you can make it whatever you want it to be. It's mid-size--as big or as small as you want it. The more involved you become the smaller the campus feels. There are tons of activities available to students here. It is the perfect compromise between bubble school and urban--Evanston is a college town, and Chicago is close by. You can get anything you need. Sadly, however, NU isn't very politically involved. There are political groups on campus, but they aren't a huge presence. I always thought of college as these revolutionary places full of staged protests and people in search or political justice. That just doesn't happen. I think the last time Sheridan was blocked off was in the 70s.

It's got all the right things, its a good size, it has incredible academics, its in a great city, its a beautiful school, etc. I would change how difficult it can be to get a class you want when you're a freshman, especially when you want to take a class that you want to major in and aren't able to. People are like wow, you're smart. I spend most of my time around my dorm, in tech, and up north around the frats. I spend alot of time at CVS and small cafes in evanston. I dont know much about the administration, i dont know controversies on campus, There is school pride but we're kind of down on our athletics, im still making memories, bad dorms.

The best thing about NU is that you are constantly surrounded by intelligent people who like to be challenged. At the same time, I would change the students' attitude. There are a lot of people on this campus who believe that their way is the only right way. People need to be more open. It is definitely not a college town. Evanston is a typical suburban town. School pride is an issue. Since academics are the main focus, the athletics department could use some work. Maybe people would have more pride if the athletic teams were more successful. Even so, the lax team is amazing but doesn't have enough support. There should be organizations on campus to promote school pride.

I love the people at NU and the great academic programs and extracurriculars. Theater is awesome and seeing shows is a great opportunity we have. I like Evanston and NU's location. I'd change dining hall hours to make them open more. There's a decent amount of school pride, but I'm not really into that that much anyway. The dorm bathrooms should get cleaned on the weekends.

I love Northwestern and I cannot imagine going to school anywhere else (except maybe Europe, but that's a bit unrealistic). I'm pretty satisfied and I can't think of anything significant that'd I'd really change, besides maybe better food in the dining halls. I think it's just the right size, so that you can take a lecture with 100+ people or just 12, and walk around campus and occasionally run into someone you know. Most people are either really proud that I go to Northwestern, or they've never heard of it (in my hometown, most people go to community college). Evanston is definitely not a college town. It's kind of hard to go out and have "legal" fun, as the only real entertainment within walking distance is the movie theater. I think that Northwestern's administration, while it does some stupid things sometimes, actually cares about what the students think. For example, with setting the alarm on the side doors of dorms, eventually the administration changed their minds when the students presented their side of the problem. I think there definitely is a lot of school pride, from going to football games and seeing everyone decked out in purple to DM.

Personally my favorite thing about Northwestern is its ability to provide the best of both worlds. It is not so big that one feels lost, insignificant or lacking community, nor is it so small that one feels suffocated and bored. Moreover, it has a beautiful, private and "homey" campus situated right on Lake Michigan, but only minutes away endless adventures and opportunities await you in Chicago. If I could change one thing about NU, I would desegregate the student body. There is a bit of divide between the theater world and the Greek world. Of course, there are some kids who do both - but in general they tend to keep to themselves. Those who don't do either are referred to as "indies" and who knows what happens to them! School pride is not necessarily abundant in the usual sense (aka sports), but in my experience, most students are still extremely satisfied with their experience at Northwestern and love being here. When I tell people I go Northwestern (especially the journalism school) they are generally impressed. That is, if they know what the school is. Back home and on the East coast in general, Northwestern is just not as well-known as the Ivy Leagues and Duke. In the Midwest, however, people are very impressed. At school I spend most of my time in one of three places: my sorority, my boyfriend's off-campus apartment and the library (widely known as campus' number one social scene). I also go to the gym (another place to see people) and the Norris University Center almost every day. Other than that, you can find me at the Keg or the Deuce (two popular local bars)! Two controversies have arisen as of late. First, the dean of Medill was caught by a student in his own school for potentially fabricating quotes. Second, the administration has come down hard on Greek life recently. Several houses have been placed on probation, and the oft-considered "top" frat was kicked off campus. Students complain about many things - school is too expensive (obviously); there is no 24-hour study space; wireless isn't available everywhere.

Northwestern fills a unique niche in the college spectrum. Northwestern rivals the Ivies on an academic level, battles midwestern state schools on the field, and challenges small liberal arts schools with specialized programs like theatre and journalism. There are about 8,000 undergrads at NU. 8,000 = perfect size! There is always someone new to meet but usually there is a familiar face wherever you go. Whenever I say I go to Northwestern, first I have to correct the person and say.. "Nope NorthWESTern, not NorthEASTern.." After we get over that little hurdle, they usually are impressed by the academics and then tell me, "Well you know, its cold in Chicago." Yes, thanks for that information I answer sarcastically. There is even a facebook group called, " Yes, damnit, I KNOW Chicago gets really cold, now shut the hell up about it!" Evanston has what you need for everyday things. It has some nice retail stores, cool coffee shops, great restaurants, and a couple of college bars. It is known on campus that "town-gown" relations are strained but I really don't notice it! It would be nice though to get some more 24 hour places to eat and hang besides the BK Lounge. And if you ever want something more from a city, Chicago is just an El ride away. ( Chicago is really an awesome city.) Out of a 1-10 scale, school pride is at 7.5. People are proud to go to Northwestern and often don purple sweatshirts but don't have crazy "Wildcat fever." It is a nice balance.

The best thing about Northwestern is that whatever you love or whoever you are there is a place for you to express yourself. I'm a crazy Arabic-loving, opera-singing Journalism and Middle Eastern Studies major, and there are people here who love all the same things I do.

The best and worst thing about Northwestern is probably its size. Classes are small enough that professors will remember your name if you introduce yourself. It's relatively easy to make a few good connections within your first few months. But in a school of 8,000, where Greeks dominate the party scene, chances are there's no avoiding the mistake you woke up in bed with last weekend. If you party a lot, you will keep running into the same people over and over, which can be either really fun or really awkward (depending on the circumstances of previous encounters). Northwestern is located in Evanston, a cute little town often described as a mini-Chicago. There are lots of restaurants and great shopping boutiques. Northwestern students spend a lot of time and money in Evanston. Since living on-campus junior and senior years is so totally uncool, most upperclassmen live in Evanston apartments. Clashes between Evanston residents and Northwestern students are common. We annoy them, but we're the greatest thing this town has, so they can't honestly complain. The biggest recent controversy has been Dean John Lavine's alleged made-up quotes in an article he wrote for an alumni magazine. Upon becoming head of the Medill School of Journalism, Lavine changed the entire program and caused a huge uproar in the Medill community. The accusation of his made-up quotes hasn't exactly earned him popularity points. There's a lot of whining about the heavy workload and the (lack of a)dating scene. One may question whether the two problems are correlated...how can you establish a meaningful connection with another human being with if your life consists of eat-study-sleep-repeat? Needless to say, Northwestern students are more actively pursued by campus squirrels than they are by each other.

Beautiful campus- the location, Illinois sucks- just right, it's small enough that you can always feel like you know someone, while still retaining some anonymity- Generally people ask if that's the school in Mass., nobody in NY seems to know NU, Most of my time on campus is spent at SPAC (Sports pavilion, Aquatic center)- college town- I've never felt more exploited in my life than by the NU administration, it feels like they are trying to suck every last dime out of us while we're here and couldn't actually care less about our collegiate experience- Mary Dessler cracking down on the Greek scene's drinking, putting many of our best houses on probation (unfairly)- There's a moderate amount of school pride- The rock is unusual- I will always remember being brutally hit by a bike my second day here- students complain most about the weather and how relentless the quarter system can be in terms of work load.