Northwestern University Reviews

"My experience with Northwestern has been more triggering than anything I have experienced in my academic career. Ironically, they have the best recruitment known to man. They provide a feeling of belonging and caring, and then you start to attend. My program has been chaotic and unfulfilling for myself and many others in the Counseling online program with Northwestern. They do not care about your personal concerns, life goals, changes in your experience, none of that matters as long as they can cash your check every 10 weeks. In this environment, post COVID, we deserve more as students. Whether online or in person, and we are fed apathetic leaders with more showmanship than leadership. I am ashamed to be connected with this university. If I had not invested so much of my time, I would run for the hills. Save your money and your pride, so somewhere where you are valued beyond a check. Note: they pride themselves on how much it costs to attend, and they have no plans of reducing that burden.Read Less"

"I recently graduated from Counseling@Northwestern and I will echo the reviews that mention regret. For me, the selling point of this particular program was the "dedicated placement team" that promised to find practicum/internship sites for students. I felt that the placement team actually made things quite difficult for me, and in many cases, prolonged the student experience indefinitely by not finding sites within a reasonable time frame (if at all). Aside from this, the overall tone of my cohort was one of overwhelm, disappointment and frustration. To quote one of my peers, "This is a grad program, yet we're treated like high-schoolers with no life experience." There is a student-vs-admin vibe throughout the process, and an attitude from administration that the institution is infallible. I suppose it is true that no program is perfect, especially considering all of the moving parts that becoming a counselor entails. But, when you factor in the cost of this particular path compared with what you get, the actual value can be assessed. Now that it is over, I am glad to have a degree that allows me to do work that is meaningful. I am grateful for my friends and colleagues that I have met during my time in the program, as well as a handful of amazing professors that continue to be pillars of support. However, if I had to do it over again, I can easily say that I would choose a smaller school, maybe public, to save money, time and my own mental health.Read Less"

"As a graduate student enrolled in Northwestern's online counseling program, I can certainly attest to the powerful impact this university has had on my professional and personal life. Due in major part to the university's exemplary faculty, Northwestern has empowered me to pursue a meaningful career as a mental health counselor. By engaging in asynchronous learning as well as in live sessions with students across the country, I have been so impressed by the high standards of my program. Currently, I am in the midst of my internship fieldwork, which means that I work alongside individuals across the allied mental health professions. As such, I am able to see firsthand the degree to which my university has prepared me for this work. Throughout my fieldwork, supervisors and colleagues have continually remarked on my strong knowledge base -- a quality that I can entirely attribute to Northwestern's stellar academic quality. My experience as an online student is a testament to Northwestern's consistency across all levels of learning. I am ready for a future in counseling in a way that I believe no other school could have possibly prepared me, and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to receive this unparalleled education remotely. Not only has Northwestern given me the necessary tools to perform well professionally, but it has also afforded me with a learning community that will be with me throughout the rest of my career. As an online student, I am connected with some of the greatest minds in my field across the country. I have developed trusted colleagues and dear friends who challenge me to stay curious and strive for more. Being a student in my program has strengthened me as a therapist, and I am certain that my clients have been strengthened as a result. Northwestern is a force for good in this world, and I am so proud to be a part of it.Read Less"

"Northwesterns faculty and advisor network are incredibly supportive, intelligent, available, and amazing at what they do. This masters program has taught me an incredible amount in the short time Ive been enrolled. There is not any wasted time and the platform software is easy to use and aids in the learning process."

"The program was very well designed. The program is an eighteen month full-time program. Course work was challenging including asynch work as well as live classes online. The students were placed in practicum by a placement specialist that fit your future work desire. Furthermore, the class size and professor knowledge was an added plus. Lastly the program provided engaging reading materials and support from the faculty."