UVA vs. Northwestern

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're very close with two young gals that recently graduated from Northwestern and their experience seemed far more state school than elite private. If it weren't for US News, the crazy tiger parents from the coasts wouldn't be anywhere near so obsessed with it. It's a good college if you're in the Chicago burbs or in the Midwest and your kid can take a train there and back -- but it's truly not anything to obsess over.

And it also lacks cachet. Nobody really cares about Northwestern.

[Anonymous]

OP, I loved my years at NU. It’s a solid, well-rounded school, and it being in the Midwest softens the intensity somewhat (although it’s absolutely there if you want it). I’m so glad I spent formative years off the East Coast, even though I returned and am raising my kids here. There are so many options for pretty much everything, given the proximity to Chicago. I’d be thrilled if my kids choose NU when their time comes.

Allison and Bobb PPs—I spent my freshmen year in the former and sophomore year in the latter! SESP, and I remember when it was just CAS. Fond memories all around

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're very close with two young gals that recently graduated from Northwestern and their experience seemed far more state school than elite private. If it weren't for US News, the crazy tiger parents from the coasts wouldn't be anywhere near so obsessed with it. It's a good college if you're in the Chicago burbs or in the Midwest and your kid can take a train there and back -- but it's truly not anything to obsess over.

DP. OP, as you see here and in some other posts, people have odd provincialism about colleges. This one says NU is merely a middling midwestern school that's no big deal. Others say UVA is just a southern school of good ol' boys and sorority girls. I think you already know to discount this kind of stuff. Look at the programs, majors, internship experiences etc. that your DD wants. These college threads always end up hijacked by posters focused on "prestige," rankings and ratings etc. What actually matters is whether a particular college has the majors and programs that the student wants and needs. Second to that is whether the student wants to live in that place for four years. Rankings, eliteness, blah blah--all just noise, posted by people who didn't attend, or didn't have kids who attended, these colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're very close with two young gals that recently graduated from Northwestern and their experience seemed far more state school than elite private. If it weren't for US News, the crazy tiger parents from the coasts wouldn't be anywhere near so obsessed with it. It's a good college if you're in the Chicago burbs or in the Midwest and your kid can take a train there and back -- but it's truly not anything to obsess over.

DP. OP, as you see here and in some other posts, people have odd provincialism about colleges. This one says NU is merely a middling midwestern school that's no big deal. Others say UVA is just a southern school of good ol' boys and sorority girls. I think you already know to discount this kind of stuff. Look at the programs, majors, internship experiences etc. that your DD wants. These college threads always end up hijacked by posters focused on "prestige," rankings and ratings etc. What actually matters is whether a particular college has the majors and programs that the student wants and needs. Second to that is whether the student wants to live in that place for four years. Rankings, eliteness, blah blah--all just noise, posted by people who didn't attend, or didn't have kids who attended, these colleges.

You're exaggerating what PP said. It's a fine school. Is its undergrad college anything for a CT family to obsess over? No, it's really not. What would even be the point of a CT family choosing a school in the northern burbs of Chicago? Unless mom or dad is an alum or the kid for some reason dreams of living in Chicago after college, it's obviously driven by a US News rankings fixation, which is just silly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're very close with two young gals that recently graduated from Northwestern and their experience seemed far more state school than elite private. If it weren't for US News, the crazy tiger parents from the coasts wouldn't be anywhere near so obsessed with it. It's a good college if you're in the Chicago burbs or in the Midwest and your kid can take a train there and back -- but it's truly not anything to obsess over.

See PP, this person's con list consists of things she hears from "gals" who went there.

And clearly she knows a lot because she thinks kids take trains there and back.

Hint PP: This poster has never been to NU but has some weird east coast grudge against a great school not on the east coast. Not does this poster have anything to say about UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're very close with two young gals that recently graduated from Northwestern and their experience seemed far more state school than elite private. If it weren't for US News, the crazy tiger parents from the coasts wouldn't be anywhere near so obsessed with it. It's a good college if you're in the Chicago burbs or in the Midwest and your kid can take a train there and back -- but it's truly not anything to obsess over.

DP. OP, as you see here and in some other posts, people have odd provincialism about colleges. This one says NU is merely a middling midwestern school that's no big deal. Others say UVA is just a southern school of good ol' boys and sorority girls. I think you already know to discount this kind of stuff. Look at the programs, majors, internship experiences etc. that your DD wants. These college threads always end up hijacked by posters focused on "prestige," rankings and ratings etc. What actually matters is whether a particular college has the majors and programs that the student wants and needs. Second to that is whether the student wants to live in that place for four years. Rankings, eliteness, blah blah--all just noise, posted by people who didn't attend, or didn't have kids who attended, these colleges.

You're exaggerating what PP said. It's a fine school. Is its undergrad college anything for a CT family to obsess over? No, it's really not. What would even be the point of a CT family choosing a school in the northern burbs of Chicago? Unless mom or dad is an alum or the kid for some reason dreams of living in Chicago after college, it's obviously driven by a US News rankings fixation, which is just silly.

Actually what is your fixation on repeating the same thing about a school which you know nothing about except what you have read in US News? Awfully weird PP and you add zero to a really good conversation about TWO schools. Clearly you have never been to NU. Thoughts on UVA? No idea about that one either me thinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I loved my years at NU. It’s a solid, well-rounded school, and it being in the Midwest softens the intensity somewhat (although it’s absolutely there if you want it). I’m so glad I spent formative years off the East Coast, even though I returned and am raising my kids here. There are so many options for pretty much everything, given the proximity to Chicago. I’d be thrilled if my kids choose NU when their time comes.

Allison and Bobb PPs—I spent my freshmen year in the former and sophomore year in the latter! SESP, and I remember when it was just CAS. Fond memories all around

When did Allison switch? I think I was there when it was all female too -- though as a Bobb dweller my brain is still a bit pickled. Jarvis was still delivering to the dorms when I was there. The original Drizly!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're very close with two young gals that recently graduated from Northwestern and their experience seemed far more state school than elite private. If it weren't for US News, the crazy tiger parents from the coasts wouldn't be anywhere near so obsessed with it. It's a good college if you're in the Chicago burbs or in the Midwest and your kid can take a train there and back -- but it's truly not anything to obsess over.

And it also lacks cachet. Nobody really cares about Northwestern.

Where would this leave UVA, then?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're very close with two young gals that recently graduated from Northwestern and their experience seemed far more state school than elite private. If it weren't for US News, the crazy tiger parents from the coasts wouldn't be anywhere near so obsessed with it. It's a good college if you're in the Chicago burbs or in the Midwest and your kid can take a train there and back -- but it's truly not anything to obsess over.

DP. OP, as you see here and in some other posts, people have odd provincialism about colleges. This one says NU is merely a middling midwestern school that's no big deal. Others say UVA is just a southern school of good ol' boys and sorority girls. I think you already know to discount this kind of stuff. Look at the programs, majors, internship experiences etc. that your DD wants. These college threads always end up hijacked by posters focused on "prestige," rankings and ratings etc. What actually matters is whether a particular college has the majors and programs that the student wants and needs. Second to that is whether the student wants to live in that place for four years. Rankings, eliteness, blah blah--all just noise, posted by people who didn't attend, or didn't have kids who attended, these colleges.

You're exaggerating what PP said. It's a fine school. Is its undergrad college anything for a CT family to obsess over? No, it's really not. What would even be the point of a CT family choosing a school in the northern burbs of Chicago? Unless mom or dad is an alum or the kid for some reason dreams of living in Chicago after college, it's obviously driven by a US News rankings fixation, which is just silly.

Actually what is your fixation on repeating the same thing about a school which you know nothing about except what you have read in US News? Awfully weird PP and you add zero to a really good conversation about TWO schools. Clearly you have never been to NU. Thoughts on UVA? No idea about that one either me thinks.

I grew up 10 miles away from Evanston, many of my friends are NU alums. I cited the two young gals because they're recent graduates. I don't really have an opinion on UVA. It seems like a fine rah-rah public school if that's the experience your kid wants and you can afford OOS tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're very close with two young gals that recently graduated from Northwestern and their experience seemed far more state school than elite private. If it weren't for US News, the crazy tiger parents from the coasts wouldn't be anywhere near so obsessed with it. It's a good college if you're in the Chicago burbs or in the Midwest and your kid can take a train there and back -- but it's truly not anything to obsess over.

See PP, this person's con list consists of things she hears from "gals" who went there.

And clearly she knows a lot because she thinks kids take trains there and back.

Hint PP: This poster has never been to NU but has some weird east coast grudge against a great school not on the east coast. Not does this poster have anything to say about UVA.

Last I looked, the bulk of the freshman profile were in-state and Midwest kids -- in other words, kids who can take a train home for breaks. Northwestern undergrad is respected in the Midwest but it's not like you're going to get anyone fawning. So if there's a lack of prestige for it in the Midwest, why would you think there's any on a coast? There's just not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're very close with two young gals that recently graduated from Northwestern and their experience seemed far more state school than elite private. If it weren't for US News, the crazy tiger parents from the coasts wouldn't be anywhere near so obsessed with it. It's a good college if you're in the Chicago burbs or in the Midwest and your kid can take a train there and back -- but it's truly not anything to obsess over.

DP. OP, as you see here and in some other posts, people have odd provincialism about colleges. This one says NU is merely a middling midwestern school that's no big deal. Others say UVA is just a southern school of good ol' boys and sorority girls. I think you already know to discount this kind of stuff. Look at the programs, majors, internship experiences etc. that your DD wants. These college threads always end up hijacked by posters focused on "prestige," rankings and ratings etc. What actually matters is whether a particular college has the majors and programs that the student wants and needs. Second to that is whether the student wants to live in that place for four years. Rankings, eliteness, blah blah--all just noise, posted by people who didn't attend, or didn't have kids who attended, these colleges.

You're exaggerating what PP said. It's a fine school. Is its undergrad college anything for a CT family to obsess over? No, it's really not. What would even be the point of a CT family choosing a school in the northern burbs of Chicago? Unless mom or dad is an alum or the kid for some reason dreams of living in Chicago after college, it's obviously driven by a US News rankings fixation, which is just silly.

Actually what is your fixation on repeating the same thing about a school which you know nothing about except what you have read in US News? Awfully weird PP and you add zero to a really good conversation about TWO schools. Clearly you have never been to NU. Thoughts on UVA? No idea about that one either me thinks.

I grew up 10 miles away from Evanston, many of my friends are NU alums. I cited the two young gals because they're recent graduates. I don't really have an opinion on UVA. It seems like a fine rah-rah public school if that's the experience your kid wants and you can afford OOS tuition.

Ahhhhh -- you didn't get in. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're very close with two young gals that recently graduated from Northwestern and their experience seemed far more state school than elite private. If it weren't for US News, the crazy tiger parents from the coasts wouldn't be anywhere near so obsessed with it. It's a good college if you're in the Chicago burbs or in the Midwest and your kid can take a train there and back -- but it's truly not anything to obsess over.

I think there is some truth to it.

What about UChicago? How does it compare to NU?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're very close with two young gals that recently graduated from Northwestern and their experience seemed far more state school than elite private. If it weren't for US News, the crazy tiger parents from the coasts wouldn't be anywhere near so obsessed with it. It's a good college if you're in the Chicago burbs or in the Midwest and your kid can take a train there and back -- but it's truly not anything to obsess over.

And it also lacks cachet. Nobody really cares about Northwestern.

Where would this leave UVA, then?

Quite a bit lower on the cachet scale except for a pocket of provincial rubes in and around Virginia. To the rest of the country it’s simply another public state school.

[Anonymous]

Between the two schools, which one is stronger in Computer Science and subsequent job prospects?

[Anonymous]

And it also lacks cachet. Nobody really cares about UVA.