What is Evanston IL like?

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the suggestions PPs. My DC is excited to tour the campus and surrounding area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only on DCUM, lol. Everyone else is leaving.

Lmao for whatever reason, Chicago/land gets the anal variety of Virginians extremely insecure and salty here on DCUM. Please refer to the above comment and the user upthread who was going on about Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault. Lol.

This is on the college thread so I'm assuming this is a potential NU parent, and NU not at all struggling to get applicants.

That PP is trying to say that everyone is leaving Evanston (and/or Chicago), inferring that it's not desirable. Not sure who/what you are referring to.

[Anonymous]

"Everyone's" leaving the area? That's hysterical. I guess "everyone" didn't get your memo as interest in the school appears to be growing, in line with the other T20s. According to the school's web site, the Class of 2025 first-year applicant pool was nearly 48,000, up more than 20% over last year, with a 7% admit rate that is roughly half of what it was a decade ago. The yield, conversely, has grown over 50% in the past decade, to over 60% for the incoming class, which means a significant increase in the percentage of students who chose to enroll at Northwestern upon admission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the suggestions PPs. My DC is excited to tour the campus and surrounding area.

I loved my time at Northwestern. I majored in STEM but I got to do stuff with thr school of music and theater. I also got to work on equipment as an undergrad that people at some institutions don't get access to while doing their PhDs. I also met my husband there. Get a good winter coat and wear tights under your pants and it's fine.

[Anonymous]

A fair number of NU students live in Rogers Park (near Loyola) and commute out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is grittier than Bethesda.
I would argue it is farther from Chicago than “downtown” Bethesda is to DC.

you don't have to "argue" that, because it is a fact. but who cares? downtown Chicago ("the loop") is kinda boring. it's mostly just office buildings and some touristy stuff like millennium park. unless a student has an internship downtown, I don't think college students would have much reason to spend time downtown. the livelier/"young people's" neighborhoods that college students would want to hang out at with cool bars, music venues, restaurants, coffee shops, hangouts, independent bookstores and such are more on the northside- Lincoln park, Lakeview, wrigleyville, etc.

NU students don't hang out in those areas. Those areas are full of older college grads. A lot of undergrads aren't old enough to drink in the many bars in these neighborhoods which make up the night life. Students tend to stick to campus for entertainment. There used to be a lot of antagonism between the university and Evanston. Evanston really resisted being known as a college town. I went there for grad school, but not UG, didn't really seem like a fun place for undergrads though.

NP. I went to undergrad at NU and I don't think this is true at all.

My DH went to NU as an undergrad and we both went as grad students and later lived in those areas. He never hung out in the neighborhoods outside of Evanston as an UG. He and all his friends stayed on campus for the first few years for the most part. They weren't going to Lincoln Park for coffee and bookstores. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is grittier than Bethesda.
I would argue it is farther from Chicago than “downtown” Bethesda is to DC.

you don't have to "argue" that, because it is a fact. but who cares? downtown Chicago ("the loop") is kinda boring. it's mostly just office buildings and some touristy stuff like millennium park. unless a student has an internship downtown, I don't think college students would have much reason to spend time downtown. the livelier/"young people's" neighborhoods that college students would want to hang out at with cool bars, music venues, restaurants, coffee shops, hangouts, independent bookstores and such are more on the northside- Lincoln park, Lakeview, wrigleyville, etc.

NU students don't hang out in those areas. Those areas are full of older college grads. A lot of undergrads aren't old enough to drink in the many bars in these neighborhoods which make up the night life. Students tend to stick to campus for entertainment. There used to be a lot of antagonism between the university and Evanston. Evanston really resisted being known as a college town. I went there for grad school, but not UG, didn't really seem like a fun place for undergrads though.

NP. I went to undergrad at NU and I don't think this is true at all.

My DH went to NU as an undergrad and we both went as grad students and later lived in those areas. He never hung out in the neighborhoods outside of Evanston as an UG. He and all his friends stayed on campus for the first few years for the most part. They weren't going to Lincoln Park for coffee and bookstores. YMMV.

My friend had a theater internship downtown. We went to the Lincoln Park Zoo and ice skating in Millennium Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is grittier than Bethesda.
I would argue it is farther from Chicago than “downtown” Bethesda is to DC.

you don't have to "argue" that, because it is a fact. but who cares? downtown Chicago ("the loop") is kinda boring. it's mostly just office buildings and some touristy stuff like millennium park. unless a student has an internship downtown, I don't think college students would have much reason to spend time downtown. the livelier/"young people's" neighborhoods that college students would want to hang out at with cool bars, music venues, restaurants, coffee shops, hangouts, independent bookstores and such are more on the northside- Lincoln park, Lakeview, wrigleyville, etc.

NU students don't hang out in those areas. Those areas are full of older college grads. A lot of undergrads aren't old enough to drink in the many bars in these neighborhoods which make up the night life. Students tend to stick to campus for entertainment. There used to be a lot of antagonism between the university and Evanston. Evanston really resisted being known as a college town. I went there for grad school, but not UG, didn't really seem like a fun place for undergrads though.

NP. I went to undergrad at NU and I don't think this is true at all.

My DH went to NU as an undergrad and we both went as grad students and later lived in those areas. He never hung out in the neighborhoods outside of Evanston as an UG. He and all his friends stayed on campus for the first few years for the most part. They weren't going to Lincoln Park for coffee and bookstores. YMMV.

Recent-ish grad here. I think it's definitely YMMV. There's so much to do on campus and it's always bustling with activity so you can easily feel very fulfilled without leaving much, but there are definitely some students who enjoy the access to Chicago and make it a point to go as much as possible. And of course a lot of students land somewhere in the middle with a nice balance. One of the great things about Northwestern and schools like it is that you get to sort of pick and choose your own experience when it comes to engaging in campus life + the surrounding communities.

[Anonymous]

I loved Evanston when we visited in 2019 on DS' college tour - when we returned last summer (2021) for a visit with our younger child, I was shocked at how many of the stores, restaurants, etc. in the area closest to Northwestern had closed - tons of for rent signs in windows. It was definitely much grittier than our experience in 2019 and speaking with our Uber driver who lived in the area, she shared that things have been tough for the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved Evanston when we visited in 2019 on DS' college tour - when we returned last summer (2021) for a visit with our younger child, I was shocked at how many of the stores, restaurants, etc. in the area closest to Northwestern had closed - tons of for rent signs in windows. It was definitely much grittier than our experience in 2019 and speaking with our Uber driver who lived in the area, she shared that things have been tough for the area.

It’s called COVID. Ever hear of it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved Evanston when we visited in 2019 on DS' college tour - when we returned last summer (2021) for a visit with our younger child, I was shocked at how many of the stores, restaurants, etc. in the area closest to Northwestern had closed - tons of for rent signs in windows. It was definitely much grittier than our experience in 2019 and speaking with our Uber driver who lived in the area, she shared that things have been tough for the area.

We visited in 2021 and we still thought it was very nice. The lakefront is incredible. Now curious how it was pre-pandemic. I did hear the theater is opening back up, so I'm hoping the downtown is due for a comeback...