Northwestern - where fun goes to die?

[Anonymous]

Np. Northwestern is nothing like it was 20 years ago and barely anything like it was 10 years ago from the perspective of the student body.

Walk around campus these days. It is not a fun social place. The vibe reminds me of university of Chicago in the 1990s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is interesting because the kids going to Chicago from our private school next year are "popular kids" per my son who is a junior.
They are very strong students but they are also in the party-going, main stream popular crowd.

Interesting. Same at our private. Extremely social kids.

[Anonymous]

We toured in November so I guess we have the same kind of anecdata you do. Kid has friends there from his high school so he spent the night.

They all seem pretty happy. They characterize it as serious kids who are studying a wide range of things (in the group he was hanging out with there were actors, history/journalism, engineers) who can also have fun. Sports is big, access to chicago, Evanston and beach are nice. Planned stuff by school first two years. Some greek. A lot of social life happens in apartments junior and senior years. One said something like it's not a drinking/drug crowd - easy to do things in a city without that or only with some of that - but apartment life ramps up the drinking. Which seems normal to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I talked to current students.

My son was introduced to a group (through friends from our private school) and hung out all evening with them at bobs pizza in Evanston.

Reported back their discussion- and some of the kids personal regrets. They seemed totally normal but not so thrilled with their decisions.

I think some of these students go to northwestern expecting some amount of school spirit (big 10 sports) and college socialization (1 party night a week?) and its not the reality bc the school has climbed into the T10 and there are no bars on Evanston and Greek life diminished. Will read up about the school on those other links that were posted here abut Dartmouth.

Oh well. Still on my kid list but def not a top choice.

[Anonymous]

It would not surprise me at all, if the social culture at both of those schools has flipped in the last two decades.

Esp, based on the college kids, I personally know, who now go to those two schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is there now. There are not a ton of huge parties but there are some. There is usually at least one fraternity party most weekends. And kids also hangout in smaller groups and have their own parties. My kid at Northwestern has a very active social life. No, it’s not the party all the time atmosphere like at Bama or Tulane. But most kids do socialize plenty. My kid is very happy there.

Is your kid in a house?

Yes, but Greek like is only part of social life. Still also hangs out with friends not in Greek life. About 25-30 percent of kids join fraternities and sororities. And there is at least one bar in Evanston that doesn’t look too closely at IDs that the kids go to. If your kid wants a party atmosphere, NU isn’t it. If your kid wants an academic school that has a lot of social kids and BIG10 sports, NU is a great place. My kid and her friends all seem very happy and have very active social lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would not surprise me at all, if the social culture at both of those schools has flipped in the last two decades.

Esp, based on the college kids, I personally know, who now go to those two schools.

I have kids at two different private schools.
The kids getting into Northwestern are top of the class kids who are generally academic gunners--super serious, intense. It's because these are the only kids who get in. Plenty of others try but are rejected.
The kids going to Chicago are the rung below: very smart, top but not perfect grades, a bit more balance between academics and social life.

There are only so many hours in the week. With some exception the kids at the very top of the private school classes do not have super active social lives. They are busy studying, interning, volunteering, etc. The ones attending parties, socializing on the weekends, etc. are generally a rung below. When NU only takes the tippy top kids, they're going to primarily get the ones that do not prioritize socializing.

This is no judgement call--the world needs both types. Just an observation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fake post

I’m a parent with a prospective junior kid. Tour yesterday. My kid Sat in on a class yesterday.

But ok, sure. I’m fake.

I have heard similar mediocre reviews from the parents of 4 very different male students who currently attend, fwiw.

[Anonymous]

A lot of schools that haven’t become very hard to get into have shifted socially. The kids at these schools are now grinders as opposed to the smart, popular kids. It happens. The regular smart, partying type kids have shifted to a tier below and are going to schools like Boston College, Wake Forest, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Np. Northwestern is nothing like it was 20 years ago and barely anything like it was 10 years ago from the perspective of the student body.

Walk around campus these days. It is not a fun social place. The vibe reminds me of university of Chicago in the 1990s.

NU alum here and from what I hear from friends with kids there, it’s a completely different place. Stressed out kids who are working all the time nowadays. We enjoyed our classes and weren’t stressed out, had great discussions with peers, studied but also had fun either at frat parties or small parties/hangouts.

[Anonymous]

Hey, why are they stealing University of Chicago's motto?!?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would not surprise me at all, if the social culture at both of those schools has flipped in the last two decades.

Esp, based on the college kids, I personally know, who now go to those two schools.

I have kids at two different private schools.
The kids getting into Northwestern are top of the class kids who are generally academic gunners--super serious, intense. It's because these are the only kids who get in. Plenty of others try but are rejected.
The kids going to Chicago are the rung below: very smart, top but not perfect grades, a bit more balance between academics and social life.

There are only so many hours in the week. With some exception the kids at the very top of the private school classes do not have super active social lives. They are busy studying, interning, volunteering, etc. The ones attending parties, socializing on the weekends, etc. are generally a rung below. When NU only takes the tippy top kids, they're going to primarily get the ones that do not prioritize socializing.

This is no judgement call--the world needs both types. Just an observation.

Did not seem to be the pattern I have seen at my kid's school. Really top kids apply to both; I still saw the more intense ones drawn to Chicago not Northwestern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would not surprise me at all, if the social culture at both of those schools has flipped in the last two decades.

Esp, based on the college kids, I personally know, who now go to those two schools.

I have kids at two different private schools.
The kids getting into Northwestern are top of the class kids who are generally academic gunners--super serious, intense. It's because these are the only kids who get in. Plenty of others try but are rejected.
The kids going to Chicago are the rung below: very smart, top but not perfect grades, a bit more balance between academics and social life.

There are only so many hours in the week. With some exception the kids at the very top of the private school classes do not have super active social lives. They are busy studying, interning, volunteering, etc. The ones attending parties, socializing on the weekends, etc. are generally a rung below. When NU only takes the tippy top kids, they're going to primarily get the ones that do not prioritize socializing.

This is no judgement call--the world needs both types. Just an observation.

I think it's nice to be serious and intense. I appreciate having conversations with people who aren't drunk. I appreciate not having to pretend to like beer and wander around with it in my hand so I can look normal. Many would consider me to be a gunner but I just want to get to know people and find out more about them and be able to connect through shared interests. I am not interested in sports or drinking. So, this is still a problem in my career.

I do not know why the world needs people who regularly get ****-faced on weekends but I accept that most consider it normal. In fact, it's been normal since the modern university got started in medieval times in Europe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would not surprise me at all, if the social culture at both of those schools has flipped in the last two decades.

Esp, based on the college kids, I personally know, who now go to those two schools.

I have kids at two different private schools.
The kids getting into Northwestern are top of the class kids who are generally academic gunners--super serious, intense. It's because these are the only kids who get in. Plenty of others try but are rejected.
The kids going to Chicago are the rung below: very smart, top but not perfect grades, a bit more balance between academics and social life.

There are only so many hours in the week. With some exception the kids at the very top of the private school classes do not have super active social lives. They are busy studying, interning, volunteering, etc. The ones attending parties, socializing on the weekends, etc. are generally a rung below. When NU only takes the tippy top kids, they're going to primarily get the ones that do not prioritize socializing.

This is no judgement call--the world needs both types. Just an observation.

Agree with this but very recent phenomena? Maybe last 2-3 years?

[Anonymous]

My kid is going there next year. Had a great time visiting and staying with a friend who is a current student.
That said my teen does not really drink and is not at all interested in big frat party type scene. Very social but prefer hanging out with friends, going to shows or see music, going to games that are not football/basketball, etc. they are trying to get into one of the residential colleges because of the social factors. I guess I can report back in a year or two but my sense is that the kids there are social and nice but it’s not a party school.