Visit Report by xxalexi_32 (Member since October 15 2005 with 16 posts) Visit Date - July 2008
Visit to Northwestern University in July 2008 by xxalexi_32 ()
Visit Activities:
Campus Tour:
Yes - Spent about an hour going through the middle half of the campus. While it takes no longer than 15 minutes (at a snail's pace) to get from north to south, you can spend much more time looking at all the buildings on campus. Large enough but everything Classroom Visit:
Yes - I was accepted to Medill so I visited with a journalism professor and sat in on one of his classes. By far the most impressive and informative journalism class I have ever seen.
Northwestern University Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 5 - Excellent -
Tour guides and student panelists were amiable and expressed their true feelings. No one was afraid to give their opinion, and you instantly felt like you were part of the student body.
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good -
Professors were very nice, if slightly aloof considering I was not an enrolled student and wanted to sit in on a senior-level course. All others were very nice.
Appearance of Campus: 4 - Very Good -
For a cold, windy, and rainy April day, the campus was fairly nice. Views of the lake are breathtaking and practically indescribable.
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 4 - Very Good -
There are a fair amount of new buildings (academic and residential) that are amazing. But even the older facilities are well maintained.
Dormitories: 4 - Very Good -
Only saw two, but they were very nice for being two of the oldest on campus. They were also larger so it was understandable that they would be slightly unkempt.
Security/Safety: 5 - Excellent -
South side of campus, the end closer to downtown Evanston, is supposed to have some problems with safety. But there was no perceivable danger on any parts of campus.
Overall Campus Impression: 4 - Very Good -
No sweeping greens or quads with gothic arch like most top-notch east coast schools. Yet after visiting, I almost didn't care about that. The atmosphere is like nothing I have ever felt before - academic, cosmopolitan and homey.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 4 - Very Good -
Again, the south side is closer to downtown, and is known for more problems, but there is almost no chance of a problem even during nighttime. Many shops, restaurants, etc, adjancent to campus for convenience.
City/Town/Community: 4 - Very Good -
Town-gown relations strained due to Northwestern's tax-free status, but most of the people I saw on the street welcomed me to Evanston (while I was decked out in NU apparel).
Campus Visit Notes for Northwestern University:
Visit Description:
Just about everyone I met during the trip was personable, smart, and interesting. From the professors and admissions staff, to the tour guides and even other prospective students, not a single person was obnoxious or boasting - something I found all the time at East Coast universities. Not to say that they don't have anything to be boastful of, but no one tried to put themselves on a higher platform and look down upon you.
I wasn't able to stay on an overnight visit, but a good friend of mine was, so I hung out with him and his host. It was helpful to have an inside view of what happens on campus, and the best part was that the host actually wanted to let you see everything. He was really excited and gung-ho about everything Northwestern and made us feel welcome. He also got to show us some of the buildings that interested us (engineering for my friend and journalism for me) but that we didn't get to visit during the campus tour. Basically we got to see every inch of campus that we wanted.
We also got to hang out with real college students that, instead of playing Halo and getting drunk, discussed philosophy and religion with us - which was surprising and slightly strange. But all-in-all it was a great experience.
Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:
Stayed at three different hotels - The Homestead, Best Western and Hotel Orrington. The Homestead was the best for the value and closest to campus. Orrington was nicest but also more money.
Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:
Tons of places to eat - basically depends on what you want. Dozens of restaurants within walking distance of any hotel - pointless to even mention a single one. But my favourite was Barcelona (tapas bar)
Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):
Never used the El to get into Chicago, but the drive to and from both the Loop and O'Hare was easy and well marked.
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Tour guides and student panelists were amiable and expressed their true feelings. No one was afraid to give their opinion, and you instantly felt like you were part of the student body.
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Professors were very nice, if slightly aloof considering I was not an enrolled student and wanted to sit in on a senior-level course. All others were very nice.