Northwestern University
Reviews

Love the Quarter System

We have some amazing classes here, and the quarter system allows you to take advantage of them. You take fewer classes at a time, so you get to devote more attention to your classes, but by the time you graduate you have typically taken many more classes than the average semester-system school. It makes it incredibly easy to double major and/or minor and still have leftover room for a few random electives. The quarter system is well worth the oddly-timed breaks and faster-paced classes.

Cold....

It's Evanston. There's a lake right there. The cold here is not a joke, and it can snow a lot. If your classes are far from your dorm, then that really sucks.

Enjoyed Dorm Life Much More Than I Thought I Would

Cost is a bit high (like everything at Northwestern), but there are a bunch of options for freshman dorms, and I've definitely enjoyed dorm life. South campus is very close to downtown Evanston and humanities classes, while North campus is closer to science classes and also the better gym. Residential colleges provide a nice sense of community, although I know a lot of people perfectly happy in res halls as well.

Too Expensive

The food isn't terrible, but considering what you pay to eat it, it makes more sense to move off campus and make your own food. Sometimes I feel like you're better off being a vegetarian, because the meat can be terrifying, and should usually be avoided. Toward the middle of the year I went on the waffle diet. It was a great decision. I do like that each dining hall is slightly different. It's still exciting to go to Willard every once in a while because they have a really cool buzzer system that makes you feel fancy.

Evanston and Chicago Are Great Cultural Resources

The Northwestern Evanston campus is definitely not a closed off campus. Although there is a distinction between the campus and the rest of Evanston, it blends in nicely. Downtown Evanston is very accessible from campus, and it has many quaint bookstores, boutiques, cafes, and restaurants, as well as more upscale options. There are a plenty of eating options, and a lot to explore if you keep an open mind. Evanston is very well geared to the typical college town, serving the needs and the tastes of college students. If Evanston runs out of things to do, Chicago is only an El ride away. Chicago, needless to say, is amazing. There are so many things to do on campus, though, that you have to remind yourself to get out a little!

Frat Parties on Weekends and the Keg Dominate Scene

Northwestern is by no means a "party school" but finding big parties is easy on any given weekend. Most of the on-campus party life is based in the frats, but there are almost always parties thrown by theatre groups or at off-campus apartments as well. The party scene may seem tame compared to larger state schools, and rarely gets dangerous or out of hand. In the winter, it dies down a bit, because nobody wants to go out in the freezing weather. People go out to bars (particularly The Keg) on Monday and Saturday nights, and almost everyone is underage. The shuttle system is convenient for getting to downtown Evanston or up to the frats. Northwestern nightlife definitely exists on the weekends, and it's enough for many people, but is not anything special.

Inside Scoop

I came to Northwestern because it has a perfect balance of everything I wanted in a school. Great location (Evanston is a great city and Chicago is 15 min away), amazing academics (especially for journalism), awesome athletics, and manageable size. They also gave me the best FA offer of any school, which was huge for me. I know Northwestern is going to put me in the best spot to achieve in the future and I am going to have an amazing four years in the process. Isn't that what it's all about?

Athletics

We are in the Big Ten, which is awesome for a school of Northwestern's academic caliber. However, you are never going to mistake us for a Michigan or Ohio State. We aren't big enough to fill a 100,000 person football stadium, nor have we been good enough.

That said, football and men's basketball always draws big crowds for big games and NU football has been on the cusp of national ranking for a few years. Our women's lacrosse team is legit too.

NU athletics are great and if you are huge sports fan like me you will still love it here, but because of our size and academic level, sports aren't as big here as other Big Ten schools

The Only Thing Wrong

The food at Northwestern is, for the most part, very tasty. There are many different dining halls scattered all around campus, each one has excellent things about it and not-so excellent things. There is a salad and soup bar at each one. There is a pretty good variety of options at all of the as well. The only thing wrong is that on the weekends they only keep two of the dining halls open, so it tends to be longer lines and farther walks.

Love

the people here are so diverse and its a very college town with tons of stuff to do.

Evanston Rocks!

There is ALWAYS a new place to try, and Evanston is known as the food hub of the North shore so it definitely doesn't get better than that!

Some Available, but Bring Your Own

Everywhere on campus has WiFi, even outside, so anywhere you bring your own computer you will have access to anything you need. There are some computers for use in labs around campus, but they tend to be on the slow side and are far enough to make it inconvenient.

Great Accessibilty

Great system with NUIT. People are both knowledgable and clear in articulation. Makes you actually want to give a good survey (offered after every phone call).

Community of Tolerance

People are generally very accepting of different beliefs or lifestyles. Most kids are liberal and there is a pressure to conform to progressive ideas about all topics. For instance, the scandal in 2011 when a teacher decided to exhibit a live sexual demonstration in the Human Sexuality Course, the majority of students were vehemently defensive of the professor's right to do so. Being a dissenter in that case, as I was, was to be labeled a believer in censorship.

Engineering at Northwestern

Overall, I think the engineering faculty and curriculum at Northwestern is excellent. Every freshman in the engineering program is required to take a course called Engineering Design and Communication. It allows freshman to work in teams and develop an actual product prototype for a client. As a part of the class, I learned about how a product is developed, how to communicate effectively with a client, and how to contribute to the success of a team. I think this class provides freshmen with relevant experience that will prepare them for work in the engineering field.

Walking Is Good

Luckily, the dorms and most housing are located fairly close to the campus. However, during winter, Northwestern sets up a shuttle service that will take you to school, which is a nice gesture on their part.

I Live Off-Campus

I have never experienced anything that could be related to the Drug Scene at Northwestern University

really good

I've yet to meet someone without a netbook or a laptop, so I can't really vouch for the actual quality of computers because honestly most people really need to have their own here (and they usually do). It's just part of the student culture. If you ever need something specialized though, it's easy to get it at the library. NU owns subscriptions to every research database I've ever needed. Wireless is EVERYWHERE now, and it's usually really good and functional, very few calls to IT.

not great. not even good

Evanston is not a shining example of a safe town, despite the amount of self-righteous people who inhabit it as full time residents. My street has had a number of robberies this year, and assaults happen. It is sort of unwise to walk alone here, especially if you are a girl. The fact that most off-campus students are limited to pretty faraway housing and often enter their places through dim alleys really doesn't help, but most people know this when they move next to Chicago. People travel in packs. To be fair, our health services are actually pretty good.

So Far So Good

I have no real complaints but the diversity at northwestern is limited in almost every aspect. Not just race.

All-Star University

It's filled with all-stars, and it has all-star amenities. Close to the greatest city in the country, picturesque and on the beach, tons of athletic events that actually receive national attention, more diversity and cultural enrichment than anywhere else, and let's face it: People work extremely hard. You will meet the most interesting and driven people you ever have, and chances are, you're one of them, too!

Don't Tell

Most people have and use the money to do drugs - the Dorm Advisors can't do anything unless they catch you directly. Most people in my dorm go to frats to drink, though you can drink in the room if you keep the door closed. the whole lax policy drives me nuts - I'm here to study. Though honestly, it's probably better than you'd find at most college: I just got landed with a partygirl as a roommmate.

Girls Hotter Than Guys...But Thats OK

There's tons of beautiful girls here, and I'd have to say the guys aren't quite as attractive. However, you go to Northwestern, which seriously ups the chances that someone you're interested in is smart, interesting, and passionate, which is a huge plus.

Not Perfect, but Everything I Could Have Hoped for

I absolutely love Northwestern. While it does have its drawbacks (notably the quarter system's break schedule), NU's positives--unparalleled academics and location by Chicago, community feeling, Big Ten sports, beautiful campus, social and intelligent students--make up for them, and I can't imagine going anywhere else.

Perfect Combination of Evanston and Chicago

Northwestern offers you everything you could want in terms of location. Campus is located in Evanston, which is an awesome suburb that has amazing dining and shopping and feels very "homey." However, Chicago is about a 30-40 minute ride away via El, CTA, or shuttle, which--as the 3rd largest city in the country--can provide you with absolutely any cultural experience or entertainment you could imagine. I can't imagine going to college anywhere else--Northwestern provides the perfect detached collegiate setting with a big city experience.