UVA vs. Northwestern

[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

I am one of the Allison Hall alums. I was there freshman year but got a low lottery pick and ended up in Bobb my sophomore year. Also SESP. I am a 93 grad, though, so you are probably much younger than I am. I loved my time there (but don’t think the current price tag is justified).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

I am one of the Allison Hall alums. I was there freshman year but got a low lottery pick and ended up in Bobb my sophomore year. Also SESP. I am a 93 grad, though, so you are probably much younger than I am. I loved my time there (but don’t think the current price tag is justified).

Pickled brain alum. I was in McCulloch at the same time you were in Bobb. I was a year behind you. I had a connection room my Sophomore year.

[Anonymous]

I went to grad school at Northwestern and spent a summer with someone who was a grad student at UVA.

I think they’re pretty comparable in terms of overall quality.

Neither is Harvard, but both are fine schools, and both are fine for most career purposes.

Evanston is more compact that Charlottesville, but, otherwise, they’re both lovely towns.

Evanston is right by Chicago, but Charlottesville is a long bus ride from Washington, and that might be useful for a poli sci major.

Northwestern is better for someone who wants to live in Chicago and might be better for someone who wants to work for a big company.

UVA might be a little better for someone who wants to end up in Washington or go to law

In the age of Covid-19, maybe Charlottesville would be a little more quarantine-friendly than Evanston.

[Anonymous]

NW is more selective, judging from the admission stats. It has 9% acceptance vs 26% of UVA. SAT average score at UW is also much higher than that of UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
NW is more selective, judging from the admission stats. It has 9% acceptance vs 26% of UVA. SAT average score at UW is also much higher than that of UVA.

More selective doesn't mean it would be a better school for this person. Also, this person is applying from OOS. Admission rates for OOS are quite a bit lower than in-state admission rate.

[Anonymous]

Unless mum or dad is an alum or the kid wants to settle in Chicago after college, I don't see the point in going from Connecticut to Northwestern.

...of course we know the real reason: Tiger mom and/or tiger cub have studied the US News list and are convinced #12 (or whatever it is) Northwestern is going to change their life. (Spoiler: It won't.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
NW is more selective, judging from the admission stats. It has 9% acceptance vs 26% of UVA. SAT average score at UW is also much higher than that of UVA.

It's NU*, so it's safe to disregard anything further you say, since you clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

[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.

I think there is some truth to it.

What about UChicago? How does it compare to NU?

Peer schools with a lot in common. NU has Big Ten sports (some kids might be into football and basketball), Chicago doesn't. Their grad programs are stellar, I don't think very many people are super impressed to see NU or UChicago undergrad. Quintessential "good school(s)" -- but certainly not jumping off the page like an Ivy, MIT, Duke or Stanford.

[Anonymous]

The thing is that the kids at NU have a much better time that UofC or MIT or Ivies. While NO ONE likes Duke I think the kids at NU and Stanford have fun and get a great education. UVA too but again, big state school in the South. Not similar at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
NW is more selective, judging from the admission stats. It has 9% acceptance vs 26% of UVA. SAT average score at UW is also much higher than that of UVA.

It's NU*, so it's safe to disregard anything further you say, since you clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

UVA boosters would like to say it is more prestigious.

[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.

I think there is some truth to it.

What about UChicago? How does it compare to NU?

Peer schools with a lot in common. NU has Big Ten sports (some kids might be into football and basketball), Chicago doesn't. Their grad programs are stellar, I don't think very many people are super impressed to see NU or UChicago undergrad. Quintessential "good school(s)" -- but certainly not jumping off the page like an Ivy, MIT, Duke or Stanford.

You are overselling Duke there. Not same level as MIT and Stanford. Chicago, at least, would be perceived above Cornell, probably somewhere near Brown. I am thinking Chicago would be clearly favored over Northwestern among cross-admits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The thing is that the kids at NU have a much better time that UofC or MIT or Ivies. While NO ONE likes Duke I think the kids at NU and Stanford have fun and get a great education. UVA too but again, big state school in the South. Not similar at all.

My best friend went to NU and I went to an Ivy. My Ivy didn’t have the access to a big city like NU, but there were a lot of brainy, interesting kids. My friend found his NU classmates a bit too pre-professional and politically conservative. He might have been happier at Penn, which he turned down for NU because he had family near Chicago.

People like to hate on Duke, but I can guarantee you that the kids who go there generally have a good time there. Same at UVA. The top kids at UVA absolutely are as accomplished as those at NU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

I am one of the Allison Hall alums. I was there freshman year but got a low lottery pick and ended up in Bobb my sophomore year. Also SESP. I am a 93 grad, though, so you are probably much younger than I am. I loved my time there (but don’t think the current price tag is justified).

Pickled brain alum. I was in McCulloch at the same time you were in Bobb. I was a year behind you. I had a connection room my Sophomore year.

I’m a little behind you both—class of ‘98! AKA the Rose Bowl/Citrus Bowl glory years

For PPs asking about U of C, I also applied and was admitted there, but didn’t seriously consider it. It’s way more intellectually intense than NU, which wasn’t what I wanted as an undergrad. I don’t know that the quality of the education is that much better, but overall, based on the friends I have who went there and the people I spoke with attending at the time, it’s a less well-rounded school. NU isn’t MIT, but it doesn’t need to be. There’s something to be said for getting an outstanding education and having myriad opportunities for whatever intellectual challenge you want, while also having the chance for fun. NU was, for me, an idea combination of academic rigor in a reasonably nurturing, often exciting place.

[Anonymous]

^^also, there are plenty of smart kids at UVA, but the setting is so different from NU, and it’s generally more insular. It’s small town vs. world-class city (albeit right next door). Preferring the small town is fine, but that really differentiates them.

[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.

I think there is some truth to it.

What about UChicago? How does it compare to NU?

Peer schools with a lot in common. NU has Big Ten sports (some kids might be into football and basketball), Chicago doesn't. Their grad programs are stellar, I don't think very many people are super impressed to see NU or UChicago undergrad. Quintessential "good school(s)" -- but certainly not jumping off the page like an Ivy, MIT, Duke or Stanford.

I’m the person who’s been around Northwestern and UVA. I think that Duke is a fine, well-known school that (like Northwestern, and UVA out-of-state) is absurdly hard to get into. But, outside of the South, it’s about at the same level, in terms of raw prestige, as Northwestern, UVA, Wash. U, the University of Texas or Emory.

I think the University of Chicago is in a slightly different image category. To me, it seems to be the place where liberal arts majors who are too bright and wonky for the Ivy League schools go.

My impression is that a place like the University of Indiana might be a lot like Northwestern and UVA, in terms of academic atmosphere, and that the University of Chicago is more like William and Mary. I feel as if the University of Chicago and William and Mary might be places where a higher percentage of the students want to drink from the cup of knowledge, not just learn what they need to get a good job.