Northern Illinois University

Date: Mar 26 2013
Major: Engineering Department (This Major's Salary over time)
I am actually making a second review, I made one earlier in 2012 with both negative and positive comments and at the end concluded that

NIU was the best choice for me

Well, although I do feel that the engineering program here is great, it's essentially guaranteed employment in your field when you graduate, I am transferring because of one thing. It's been my fear since I got here back in 2011, the engineering graduates end up working for mainly no-name companies in Rockford. The only bigger name company that heavily recruits us are Catapillar or John Deer, again in Rockford. Don't get me wrong, those are two outstanding companies to work for, but I personally have greater ambitions. Our career fairs are pretty much ghost towns, a good portion of the employers don't show up or leave early, or they're the nearby retail stores looking for assistant managers.

Personally, after two years of being here, I'm sick and tired of corn fields and a dead college atmosphere and looking towards a future in the city of Rockford. I feel that I am getting a good education here, but for my emphasis (health systems engineering) there is no employment around NIU besides really small local hospitals that even the nursing students try to avoid, even more, in order to find a decent paying position in my field, i would have to get my masters degree as well at NIU. I don't know if I could put up with another 3-4 years of this place.

I've made some great friends here, got into a good routine, it's very affordable, but just as i was discussing earlier with a group of friends,

NIU is great for it's price, but at the end of the day it's a school where you get what you pay for.

You're not getting a cheap education, but you're getting a cheaper future. We get alumni all the time to discuss their engineering experiences in the civilian world. the majority ended up having to settle with a no-name starter company, or a company that isn't going anywhere.

Even graduate students end up going to no name companies.

I would honestly stick around but I seriously don't want to end up working around here, I grew up in a crappy town I don't want to have a future in one as well. I'm transferring to UIC, essentially the same quality of education, slightly better actually, around the same price for greater name recognition, and it's in the city! All the top tier research hospitals in the midwest are right outside my room! Can't beat that