Northwestern University Reviews

"Everything I could have wanted or needed in a graduate program!"

"Northwestern is a wonderful school, but it is far too intense. The people are wonderful, but everyone is burdened by the stresses of the quarter system. There is simply too much material covered in a short amount of time."

"It's a great college for the science. Tuition is reasonable. More of the companies out there want college grads. College education will open more doors."

"Kellogg is a great program- it is academically rigorous without feeling overly competitive. The community is extremely collaborative and supportive."

"Wonderful program for my degree with great staff. Slow on taking up new technology, but otherwise couldn't ask for better."

"Pros: Great academic environment. Flexibility of course choices. Great interdisciplinary study/collaboration opportunities. Cons: weak accessibility of research training, more discussion/forum of research needed."

"Great opportunity to find your passions, step outside of comfort zone, make new friends, learn and try new things"

"Northwestern was a great place to explore many different subject areas. I started off in science before shifting to the humanities and there were excellent instructors in all of my different subjects. Academically, it was great and I still wish I could have taken more classes even though I often overloaded my schedule. There are so many great student clubs, you can get involved in pretty much anything regardless of your major. (I joined the Shakespeare theater group as a science major!) Socially, Northwestern is a little strange. It is extremely competitive. I felt that a lot of students had a chip on their shoulder--like Northwestern was their second choice and they regretted not going to an Ivy League school. They'd go around saying things like, "Northwestern is the Ivy League of the Big Ten." It worked for me, I found my "people" and we had fun times playing mafia and clearing out our apartment living room to have swing dancing lessons from a friend, but Animal House it was not. A lot of classes grade on a curve and I remember one time after I missed a class, no one in the class would tell me if there were any new assignments. I think it can be a great place if you take advantage of all the benefits and find the right people, but if you're looking for the "typical" college experience, it probably isn't the place for you."

"One thing I really liked at Northwestern was the community. The students and faculty there were all incredibly intelligent, but very diverse with their backgrounds, beliefs, perspectives on life, etc. Because of this, I got to have a lot of very great conversations with other driven students and faculty who were both just fun to talk to but also forced me to think differently about the world and how I fit in it. Also, although NU is not perfect in the way they deal with some serious issues, the community of students is strong and tight-knit, which allows them to rally around each other and protect the interests of everyone. So for me, I think my favorite thing about NU was the community of students there, for all these reasons and more. I felt much more at home at NU than I ever did with classmates in high school, and I made a number of lasting friendships. Additionally, NU has a group for everything, which means you can find a group for essentially any interest you have. For me, I was into athletics, so I joined the Ski and Snowboard Racing Team, I played a ton of intramural sports, and I played pick-up basketball and soccer games frequently, which I had a great time doing. I also was into research, and I had a large pool of faculty available to me as well as a strong support structure from the biology department to support my efforts in joining a lab and writing an honor's thesis. So in short, it doesn't matter what you're into, because whatever it is there will be people at NU who have similar interests and there will be support for your passions and interests. Last, I think NU does a great job of providing challenging academics while allowing time for and encouraging students to have fun. Taking time to experience the fun of college is very important to avoid burning out with all the work, and NU allows students to do that. For example, at the end of every school year a week or so before exams, NU puts on a huge music festival called Dillo Day, which is free for students and an incredibly fun time. Also, student admission is free to all sporting events, which encourages students to get away from the books and support our teams. Further, NU has a beach on Lake Michigan students can go to for free, provides ample funding to student groups so that they can pursue their interests, and organizes other campus-wide events for students. So in sum, I think NU does a great job of stressing both academics and fun, and I believe both are critical to maintaining mental and emotional health during what can be a very stressful four years. One thing I really liked at Northwestern was the community. The students and faculty there were all incredibly intelligent, but very diverse with their backgrounds, beliefs, perspectives on life, etc. Because of this, I got to have a lot of very great conversations with other driven students and faculty who were both just fun to talk to but also forced me to think differently about the world and how I fit in it. Also, although NU is not perfect in the way they deal with some serious issues, the community of students is strong and tight-knit, which allows them to rally around each other and protect the interests of everyone. So for me, I think my favorite thing about NU was the community of students there, for all these reasons and more. I felt much more at home at NU than I ever did with classmates in high school, and I made a number of lasting friendships. Additionally, NU has a group for everything, which means you can find a group for essentially any interest you have. For me, I was into athletics, so I joined the Ski and Snowboard Racing Team, I played a ton of intramural sports, and I played pick-up basketball and soccer games frequently, which I had a great time doing. I also was into research, and I had a large pool of faculty available to me as well as a strong support structure from the biology department to support my efforts in joining a lab and writing an honor's thesis. So in short, it doesn't matter what you're into, because whatever it is there will be people at NU who have similar interests and there will be support for your passions and interests. Last, I think NU does a great job of providing challenging academics while allowing time for and encouraging students to have fun. Taking time to experience the fun of college is very important to avoid burning out with all the work, and NU allows students to do that. For example, at the end of every school year a week or so before exams, NU puts on a huge music festival called Dillo Day, which is free for students and an incredibly fun time. Also, student admission is free to all sporting events, which encourages students to get away from the books and support our teams. Further, NU has a beach on Lake Michigan students can go to for free, provides ample funding to student groups so that they can pursue their interests, and organizes other campus-wide events for students. So in sum, I think NU does a great job of stressing both academics and fun, and I believe both are critical to maintaining mental and emotional health during what can be a very stressful four years."

"Kellogg has a great program for part-time students, and the quality of instruction is top-notch. I wish there were more financial aid options for students who work in non-traditional fields, whose employers may not be sponsoring their education."

"It is a very strong school academically though their community orientation and customer service was not as strong as the university I attended for my undergraduate degree. The professors were highly knowledgeable about their content area and generally available to students with questions and concerns."

"Kellogg is a great business school with very friendly and welcoming staff. The career office is top-notch in that they will prepare you for interviews with vigor and pride. However, the major draw for me was the collegiality and team-oriented spirit within the halls of the Jacob Center. The students were always smiling and took it upon themselves to actively lead clubs and help out others who were struggling with specific topics like accounting or finance. And, due to the safety of the city of Evanston and the proximity in which the students live near each other and to the school, the social atmosphere is without a doubt superb as everything is within walking distance. The only drawback, as most people recognize, would be the weather. It is frigid in the winter. However, the longest stay in the program would be 2 years, and having to huddle closely with your amazing colleagues during the winter months is nothing really to complain about. I would highly recommend everyone check out the program and visit the campus. Starting 2017, the classes will be held in a newly constructed building with wonderful views of the Lake!"

"Pros: access to world class network of alums Cons: Not located in Chicago but in nearby Evanston"

"A top tier graduate school with an outstanding network, reputation, and quality of faculty."

"This program is worth the effort. I know that the stress of having a full course load on top of working with actual clients from the first quarter will pay off. I feel responsible for my education, yet I know I have the most amazing support system in my experienced and approachable faculty. I am proud to be a student at Northwestern University."

"The Speech, Language, and Learning graduate program at Northwestern University is a whirlwind of amazing instruction and hands-on clinical work. I had to adjust to the fast pace that comes with a quarter system schedule, however this has pushed me to rise to the challenge of balancing intensive coursework with planning and executing therapy with actual clients. The knowledge and experience of the program faculty leaves me with no doubt that this program will fully prepare me to become a successful licensed speech language pathologist and have no problems finding the career of my dreams."

"The MS in Communications program at Northwestern is one of the best in the country. Students commute from other states on a weekly basis to be part of the program. This is a testament to the exceptional education provided. One has to be willing to put in the work to fully capitalize on this great opportunity."

"The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies is a unique blend between a practice-based arts degree like an MFA and an academic-based degree like an MA Lit. Students have the freedom to choose their own combination of humanities classes to combine in an interdisciplinary focus. This program encourages students to analyze culture by exploring the fascinating connections between literature, art, music, theater, and other humanities."

"My graduate program does a great job at providing internship information, but not enough is done for part time students who also work - no loan, scholarship, financial aid."

"Pros: wonderful people, amazing faculty, Chicago and all it has to offer, research facilities and library, collaborative environment Cons: my program is not diverse (no female faculty, no people of color), the graduate stipend does not go very far especially when you have to travel to conferences or job applications"