Northeastern University Reviews

Greek life is growing at NU! It's...

Greek life is growing at NU! It's more than people think, and the stereotypes aren't true. It's not just about partying but community, networking, volunteering and more. There are so many amazing opportunities.

You definitely don't need to do...

You definitely don't need to do drugs if you don't want to. Probably the most popular is pot, but it doesn't impede on any part of campus life.

Residence halls have RAs on duty,...

Residence halls have RAs on duty, so if they hear something, they'll see what's going on. You can have alcohol if you're 21. I'd say the drug policies are pretty strict, but since I don't do drugs, I'm not sure. But, it seems like freshmen especially get caught if they have drugs.

Parking on campus is barely worth...

Parking on campus is barely worth it—it is expensive, and everywhere I go, I take the T anyway. Boston also sucks parking-wise, so it's not easy to drive if you are going out. Parking passes are readily available, though I don't see the point unless you have to drive for work or something.

The T is super convenient for...

The T is super convenient for getting around off campus late at night, and buses run until 1 a.m. or later every night. There is also a shuttle that runs hourly that will bring you anywhere within one mile of campus all night and an escort system that will bring you from any location on campus to another place on campus anytime.

It is hot for the first few weeks,...

It is hot for the first few weeks, then we dive right into the long fall. It usually doesn't snow before winter break but always be prepared for the crazy New England weather. After that, it is bitter cold through March and will start to get warmer—but not hot!—by April, when we get out of school. If you stay for the summer, it will get hot eventually, with July and August routinely being from 80 to 90 degrees.

Varsity sports are picking up...

Varsity sports are picking up steam, with men's hockey on a roll. We have sold out our on-campus arena, Matthews, a few times, and the school spirit is overwhelming! Men's basketball is also doing very well. Football isn't as big here—as with many urban programs, it is hard to sustain a football program, but the games are fun to go to. IM and club teams are fun. They are a lot less pressure than playing D-I like the varsity teams. We have a ton of different IM options, including crazy sports like broomball and coed leagues.

If you are looking for a big...

If you are looking for a big "brand name" university, then you will be let down by the number of people who think we are a state school or a university in Illinois that almost shares our name. But, NU really has so much to offer that I have never questioned my decision to come here. I've been able to get involved in so many different student activities, meet a ton of amazing people, live in Boston for four years, and work at two very well-known finance companies. My work experience is much more impressive than any other college grads I know. Right now, while you are looking at schools, you may think that a fifth year or spending some of your summer at school is weird, but trust me: They are some of the most fun times I have had here, and I would not change anything in my program! There will be times when you have a lot of work, but, overall, campus is a lively place to hang out year-round. The best part is that if there isn't something you want to do on campus, you can always venture out into the city, as well!

Res Life and NUPD are really...

Res Life and NUPD are really strict about drugs and underage drinking because they have to be—Boston is incredibly strict about those things. When you are over 21, you can have alcohol on campus, and if you are underage, you usually can, too, as long as you aren't too loud or ridiculous. The RAs will give you a warning before you get written up. Some RAs are really strict and some aren't strict at all, so it is really a toss up.

It's very convenient, but we have...

It's very convenient, but we have great on-campus opportunities for upperclassmen.

It's Boston—c'est la vie!

The cool thing about Northeastern...

The cool thing about Northeastern is that we're right in the middle of the city, so it's never hard to find somewhere to go to eat. The Prudential Center/Newbury Street is about a 10-minute walk from campus, and there are a ton of restaurants over there. Our meal plan comes with dining dollars each semester that work in a lot of those restaurants, as well. It's also easy to jump on the T and within 20 minutes you can be in the North End with all of the Italian restaurants and pastry shops. Boston also has a lot of good seafood restaurants—the Harbor is also only a 20-minute train ride away.

Coming from a suburban town...

Coming from a suburban town outside of Boston, my high school was far from what you would call diverse. So, when I came to Northeastern it was really refreshing to see so many different types of students. There are students from all over the world and all over the country. There are student groups for many different cultures, religions, and attitudes. It's been really cool—especially when taking classes to learn about different cultures—to walk around campus and see different kinds of people or ride the elevator in my building and hear all the different languages being spoken.

The only drugs I've ever heard of...

The only drugs I've ever heard of on campus are pot and cocaine. The rich kids who can afford cocaine usually only do it when partying and don't talk about it often, so people don't really hear about it. Pot is much more popular. All of my friends smoke pot, and I really don't know any Northeastern student who doesn't enjoy smoking a blunt while walking around in the Fens.

Greek life is amazing, but it only...

Greek life is amazing, but it only stands out if you are in it. The sororities are really competitive but very fun. The fraternities throw awesome parties and have the hottest guys in them. Obviously, I am in a sorority, so I may have a biased opinion, but I would recommend to any girl coming to Northeastern to rush. It makes campus a smaller community and feels good when you can recognize people walking around campus.

Dorm life varies greatly. Freshman...

Dorm life varies greatly. Freshman dorms that rock are Stetson East and West, obviously because they have the cafeterias. Speare is good, too. The rest are too far away, so people forget about them. The best upperclassman dorms are all of the West Villages.

The only sport worth going to is...

The only sport worth going to is men's hockey. These games are filled with drunk Northeastern fans who have their faces painted and noise makers. Students who sit in the "Doghouse" will be surrounded by these crazy fans but are guaranteed a fun time. Intramural sports are good, too, but they are not as well known on campus.

It's not a dry campus. Campus...

It's not a dry campus. Campus police aren't anything to be worried about, but Boston PD will get involved in off-campus parties. Campus policies are definitely livable, and, for anyone who gets in trouble, the campus can laugh about it in our weekly crime log!

I love Northeastern. You have to...

I love Northeastern. You have to get involved here, and you have to be a little outgoing. I am in a sorority, as well as three other student organizations, so I live in the student center from Monday through Friday, but I love it. NEU is up and coming and the best choice for a real education.

Boston is a college town where we...

Boston is a college town where we secretly all like to be better than the other colleges. But, Boston is also a city, so buy the Frommer's Guide to Boston as a freshman and do everything in the book there is to do.

Parking is okay if you have a...

Parking is okay if you have a parking pass, which is a few hundred a semester. You can park on the street if you want to feed a meter. Parking is manageable, though. Freshmen can have a car, but don't bother—that's what your two feet and the MBTA are for.

My typical Thursday, Friday, and...

My typical Thursday, Friday, and Saturday have about five parties going on each night. Connors and Pour House are great for 21+, but there are tons of apartment parties. Once you get used to partying in the city with its small apartments and being buzzed in, it's a good time.

It's a very apathetic campus,...

It's a very apathetic campus, where it seems 50 percent of the student body runs 100 percent of the University. People are relatively relaxed and laid back. There is zero pressure to dress up for class, although no one looks at you funny if you do. By the time you're a senior, you have already worked in the "real world" for about a year, so students know how to handle themselves as professionals. There are definitely good-looking guys and girls. I think it's a relatively outgoing campus, and there is always some one to hang out with.

There is always a good eating...

There is always a good eating establishment within a close walk. The best part about campus is that there are so many places to eat that you should never have to eat in the same place day after day. No one even bothers to drive for food because everything is so easily reached by foot! For pizza, there is Cappy's; for sandwiches, there is Temptations; for sushi, Symphony Sushi is a must; and for Thai, go to Pho & I. The options are endless, and you can spend $5 or you can spend $50. Everything is in walking distance, and if you want to go a little fancier, there are always options for that, too.

The dorms are all pretty decent. I...

The dorms are all pretty decent. I was in a forced triple as a freshman, but it's not much different than most of the other schools I've seen. Upperclassman housing is excellent—it's spacious and safe! My one suggestion is to obey the dorm rules—they are very important. Freshman year, the guys directly above our room left their window slightly open over spring break, so temperatures plummeted, and the pipes in their room froze, burst, and flooded their room, our room, and the room directly below us. It was miserable—I had to come back early from spring break to deal with it. However, NU was very responsive and helpful with the problem. They reimbursed me and my roommates for everything that was damaged in the flood and had our room fixed—new carpet, furniture, and walls—and good as new by the time classes resumed. So, read the posters and the fliers, and follow the rules.