Northwestern - where fun goes to die?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With a few Northwestern students earlier today.

They said the school is materially less fun than University of Chicago these days. I was shocked. Some NU kids go to Hyde Park for parties?!?

They said Evanston is dead; Greek life dead; there ads no parties; the busiest place on a Fri/Sat night is the library (the main one plus the tech library)…..some students had regrets choosing Northwestern (over schools like Vanderbilt; Rice; Michigan; Dartmouth; Cornell) but others said it was what they expected and they didn’t come to college for “fun”.

Anyone have recent exp with either school? general student experience? Regrets?

It’s well known there that Asian students think of the libraries as their turf, and other students are more than happy to surrender that turf on Friday & Saturday nights.

[Anonymous]

NW students and school leaders are just happy to be back ranked above Chicago again! The more usual pecking order historically is back for undergrad. They are also probably wondering how Chicago will try to game a rankings rise this time!

[Anonymous]

Students seemed to be having a good time at a recent basketball game I was watching. Northwestern should make the NCAA tournament!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m curious about this - have a junior touring both Northwestem and Chicago later this month

Took my kids earlier this month. Very different interests and strengths, but they both preferred UC. I think it’s because Chicago clearly articulated its vibe - smart, intense kids who take joy in intellectual pursuits in and out of the classroom. NU just seemed all over the place, from the architecture to … well, everything, really.

[Anonymous]

NU alum. Visited recently with my junior.

It’s not the same place that i attended. and there’s no central backbone/mission/purpose or unifying motto/idea/way of life you see at other schools.

As somone who is south Asian, I was shocked by the sheer number of Asian students (felt like UCLA in that regard and not a Midwest school). East Asians appeared to outnumber white and other kids in every class or setting. And a LOT of international kids. Good, but also a distinct vibe shift.

Kids go downtown a lot. The rich Asian ones (of which there are a LOT) have social clubs and restaurants and bars they frequent that Are pretty exclusive.

The social domestic kids go to certain DePaul bars downtown; and yes go to University of Chicago for parties.

UofC (which I had badmouthed to my kid based on perceptions from 3 decades ago) was soooo different on our tour. Very unified feel; even the student body seemed less gloomy and more “open”? If that makes sense?

I’m truly sad at what I saw at Northwestern - compared to what I personally experienced in the mid-1990s. I know things change but everything seemed soulless. Hard to describe unless you are there?

Curious if others know what I mean?

[Anonymous]

My senior hated the UofC tour. Didn't even apply. It was so boring.

NU had a student panel and vibrant tour guides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NU alum. Visited recently with my junior.

It’s not the same place that i attended. and there’s no central backbone/mission/purpose or unifying motto/idea/way of life you see at other schools.

As somone who is south Asian, I was shocked by the sheer number of Asian students (felt like UCLA in that regard and not a Midwest school). East Asians appeared to outnumber white and other kids in every class or setting. And a LOT of international kids. Good, but also a distinct vibe shift.

Kids go downtown a lot. The rich Asian ones (of which there are a LOT) have social clubs and restaurants and bars they frequent that Are pretty exclusive.

The social domestic kids go to certain DePaul bars downtown; and yes go to University of Chicago for parties.

UofC (which I had badmouthed to my kid based on perceptions from 3 decades ago) was soooo different on our tour. Very unified feel; even the student body seemed less gloomy and more “open”? If that makes sense?

I’m truly sad at what I saw at Northwestern - compared to what I personally experienced in the mid-1990s. I know things change but everything seemed soulless. Hard to describe unless you are there?

Curious if others know what I mean?

When were you on the NW campus?
Did you see a lot of MS students maybe? International MS students have become a big moneymaker for NW and several peer schools.

[Anonymous]

Chicago should feel different. Rather than nerdy kids passionate about learning, they get the same kids targeting an Ivy education or the highest ranked school they can lock in. Considering how many DC private school kids are now deciding to apply to Chicago early, many ED2 after not getting in to Ivies, it isn't surprising that Chicago had a different feel versus when you were at Northwestern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My senior hated the UofC tour. Didn't even apply. It was so boring.

NU had a student panel and vibrant tour guides.

PP from 16:24. We agreed that the tour and tour guide at NU were objectively better, but my DCs still liked U Chicago and not NU.

There wasn’t an info session the day we visited Northwestern, so maybe we missed out on having a professional tie everything together, but it sounds like the PP who posted right after me had a similar takeaway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NU alum. Visited recently with my junior.

It’s not the same place that i attended. and there’s no central backbone/mission/purpose or unifying motto/idea/way of life you see at other schools.

As somone who is south Asian, I was shocked by the sheer number of Asian students (felt like UCLA in that regard and not a Midwest school). East Asians appeared to outnumber white and other kids in every class or setting. And a LOT of international kids. Good, but also a distinct vibe shift.

Kids go downtown a lot. The rich Asian ones (of which there are a LOT) have social clubs and restaurants and bars they frequent that Are pretty exclusive.

The social domestic kids go to certain DePaul bars downtown; and yes go to University of Chicago for parties.

UofC (which I had badmouthed to my kid based on perceptions from 3 decades ago) was soooo different on our tour. Very unified feel; even the student body seemed less gloomy and more “open”? If that makes sense?

I’m truly sad at what I saw at Northwestern - compared to what I personally experienced in the mid-1990s. I know things change but everything seemed soulless. Hard to describe unless you are there?

Curious if others know what I mean?

NU might be having trouble adjusting to new leadership. The previous guy was quite dynamic & had been there a while. He’s a tough act to follow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NU alum. Visited recently with my junior.

It’s not the same place that i attended. and there’s no central backbone/mission/purpose or unifying motto/idea/way of life you see at other schools.

As somone who is south Asian, I was shocked by the sheer number of Asian students (felt like UCLA in that regard and not a Midwest school). East Asians appeared to outnumber white and other kids in every class or setting. And a LOT of international kids. Good, but also a distinct vibe shift.

Kids go downtown a lot. The rich Asian ones (of which there are a LOT) have social clubs and restaurants and bars they frequent that Are pretty exclusive.

The social domestic kids go to certain DePaul bars downtown; and yes go to University of Chicago for parties.

UofC (which I had badmouthed to my kid based on perceptions from 3 decades ago) was soooo different on our tour. Very unified feel; even the student body seemed less gloomy and more “open”? If that makes sense?

I’m truly sad at what I saw at Northwestern - compared to what I personally experienced in the mid-1990s. I know things change but everything seemed soulless. Hard to describe unless you are there?

Curious if others know what I mean?

What was the unifying motto/mission when you attended?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With a few Northwestern students earlier today.

They said the school is materially less fun than University of Chicago these days. I was shocked. Some NU kids go to Hyde Park for parties?!?

They said Evanston is dead; Greek life dead; there ads no parties; the busiest place on a Fri/Sat night is the library (the main one plus the tech library)…..some students had regrets choosing Northwestern (over schools like Vanderbilt; Rice; Michigan; Dartmouth; Cornell) but others said it was what they expected and they didn’t come to college for “fun”.

Anyone have recent exp with either school? general student experience? Regrets?

I went to grad school there in parent times.

I get accused of being an anti-Northwestern troll, because I hated the place. Some of the professors were just so insanely mean. I had a group project with Kellogg MBA students, and they were just so mean and so stupid.

I never saw anyone have any kind of fun remotely related to the school. I can’t remember hearing anyone there talking outside of classroom discussions about consuming any kind of media of any kind.

In the department I was in, many of the professors seemed to have a hard time grasping that there was a world outside Chicagoland.

And that was the only place I’ve ever been in my life where people objected to me missing a class or work because of a Jewish holiday (Rosh Hashannah).

I can believe that the place isn’t much fun for undergrads.

On the other hand…

The classes were truly excellent, well-designed classes. My degree from that place has been extremely useful. My classmates who seemed as if they were competent mostly have great LinkedIn entries.

Evanston is safe and beautiful.

Being in Chicago is great.

So, it’s the perfect place for kids who love Chicago and care more about the quality of classes than about niceness.

[Anonymous]

You know where the fun really goes to die: Wisconsin. The fun stops when students realize they aren’t competitive for any job thanks to having Wisconsin on their resume. My kid went through the business school and said no Chicago finance firms ever came to recruit. They all just recruit Michigan Ross/Northwestern/Notre Dame people. So no, Northwestern can be very fun and you get a good job at the end.

[Anonymous]

At least UChicago still owns the motto: When hell freezes over

[Anonymous]

Lots of intense students, so yeah not much fun