Northeastern University

Date: Mar 04 2009
Major: Political Science (This Major's Salary over time)
Overall, I am very happy I choose to attend NU. There's ups and downs (there always are) but especially after finishing up my first coop, I really believe that my experience here has been invaluable.

The campus is beautiful and completely self-contained, which is unusual for a city school. You can walk across campus within 15 minutes. After your first year, housing is incredible. It's typically apartment style with living-room, kitchen, powder-room, and bathroom. Bedrooms vary by building. I share a large double. Housing is expensive (typical in a city), but there are some cheaper options on St. Stephen's street. NUPD have a strong presence—when the weather is warm they ride bikes around campus. I always feel safe. It is, of course, in the city, so you have to be careful. The school is located in Back Bay which is affluent, but it also borders Roxbury which has a reputation for being dangerous. In the past few years, its been gentrified a lot. You should still be careful.

Making friends in college is really easy for some people and harder for others. I struggled my first semester, but eventually made some great friends. You meet a lot of people, especially your freshman year, some of them drift away, others end up being like family. I'm still meeting new people—you just have to put yourself out there. I met my closest friends at my freshman dorm, in my classes, and a few at parties. Some go to NU, others don't. We're surrounded by schools—in a 2 mile radius you have Simmons, Emmanuel, Wentworth, MassArt, Berkley, New England Conservatory, MFA School, RCC, Harvard Medical, and lord knows what else.

I was looking for a school like NYU—creative, art type students. NU seems famous for a student body clad in Northface, UGGs, and Vera Bradley. Those people exist, but thats not the whole school at all. Most of us are just average, middle-class college kids. Some kids went to private prep schools, some kids are from Dorchester and the Bronx. There is also a strong international presence on campus too. There are all sorts of people to meet on and of campus. I really like to get out into the city and meet people from other schools (you can go to shows, you can go to off-campus parties, you can meet them at off-campus jobs). I had a random roommate sophomore year who still didn't know how to use the T system (our subway). To each his own, I guess. I notice that California kids struggle here. I think its the weather and I have to admit, we east coasters can be a little rough around the edges—you've probably met friendlier :)

Academics are as challenging as you make it. I see a lot of kids complaining that our program is not rigorous. Try and take classes 400+ I find those pretty challenging. Most professors are really nice (they often want you to come to their office hours, I don't go a lot, but when I do, they always want to get to know me). I've had a professor who taught at Harvard alongside an editor from the NYT. She started an NGO in Eastern Europe among many other things. That class was very difficult (I kind of hated it at the time, actually) but it was an amazing experience. I also have had professors who teach at both BU and NU, running back and forth b/w the schools. Some students are really incredible. I recently met a kid that received a grant from the school to go to Spain and study Soviet Era espionage. Husky Express, an NU laundry service, was founded by a student and I heard he just won this global entrepreneurial award. Some kids really utilize the resources at Northeastern—if you're that type of person, nothing is going to hold you back and I think Northeastern really wants to foster this environment.

Administration sucks—I think that is typical of the major private universities. Sometimes the school seems like a money making machine. I really hate how the school president handles things sometimes. Tuition is very expensive. I have a scholarship and I've applied for a few others, but it's rough, especially during this current economic downturn. Tuition goes up every year!! Still, a lot of schools I looked at were in this price range and I think I would have found this anywhere. Honestly, if it wasn't for my coop, I'm not sure it would be worth it.

Coop is great because of the hands-on experience. I'm building my resume through-out college, not after. You don't have to do it though—you can go for four years. You can do it once. You can study abroad instead. You can do a traditional internship. Coop is typically paid and though most of my moneys gone (where, I don't know) you could actually pay for your housing. If you get the excellence scholarship, work as an RA, and use your coop money to finance your time at NU, you save 30,000 dollars right there. I don't know if anyone has done that, I haven't, but I guess it's possible.

I think thats about it. Some other quick things: I think the communications major is silly. It doesn't seem challenging at all. Political Science, English, Philosophy, and other reading and writing intensive majors can teach you how to communicate. International Business seems like a cool program—though I'm really impressed with the business major that much. Pre-med seems rough, I've seen bio, nursing, and physical therapy students struggle. Those are very difficult programs. Engineering is supposed to be great.

Anyway, I think Northeastern is a good school and I think, like anywhere, it's what you make of it. I hope this helps anyone who is considering going here. Good luck!