Visit Report by sanjenferrer (Member since October 30 2007 with 553 posts) Visit Date - January 2008
Visit to Northwestern University in January 2008 by sanjenferrer (Student, HS Class of 2006)
Visit Activities:
Information Session:
Yes - Standard admissions presentation. It was good of me to remember the presenter's name though because when I hand-delivered parts of my app, he was the one who took them in and filed them. Campus Tour:
Yes - For some reason (probably distance), the nicest parts of campus were not covered on the tour I went on: the sorority quad, the Lakefill, Campus Drive, and Sheridan Rd.
Northwestern University Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 5 - Excellent -
I don't think friendliness could be judged just by looking at people, so keep this in mind while visiting (one of the girls I know might look like a b*tch, but she's actually really nice).
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good -
My professors are incredibly nice. A prof. invited me to his home for my next haircut, another paid for my class's lunch at Chinatown (though this might've been subsidized by the University)
Appearance of Campus: 5 - Excellent -
This is the kind of campus you never get tired of looking at.
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 4 - Very Good -
Some buildings might be historic and old, but they are well-maintained.
Dormitories: 3 - Good -
Typical college dorms, which I'm fine with (I don't like places that are too new).
Security/Safety: 5 - Excellent -
I walk home late at night/early in the morning on a regular basis and never feel unsafe.
Overall Campus Impression: 5 - Excellent -
Very happy campus filled with happy, classy, intelligent, and good-looking students.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 5 - Excellent -
Downtown Evanston has everything a college student could need and possibly want: Whole Foods, CVS, Einstein Bagels, Starbucks, Chipotle, Borders/B&N, all kinds of clothing stores and eateries.
City/Town/Community: 5 - Excellent -
Some people mentioned a strained relationship between the University and the town, but I haven't noticed this at all. People who drive by Sheridan Ave. seem just in awe of NU students, no joke.
Campus Visit Notes for Northwestern University:
Visit Description:
Keep in mind that I'm already a Northwestern student who just finished my first quarter as a winter transfer from Loyola Chicago.
-Profs. are fantastic and so are the students. They keep discussions lively and interesting.
-I love having Chicago close by both for enrichment and entertainment purposes. Through Northwestern, I've been able to get an internship at this nationally recognized afterschool program an hour away (a part of the City I wouldn't have been exposed to otherwise) and am taking a class this quarter that meets weekly at The Field Museum itself (it's an anthro course taught by a Field Museum anthropologist in conjunction with a Nortrhwestern prof.)!
-Downtown Evanston has so many amenities that a student in a rural school could only dream of having. I love that I could wake up and walk to Einstein Bros. for breakfast and then hang out at Barnes & Noble or Borders before heading to class. There's also a lot of healthy options too for a health freak like me (Whole Foods is 2 blocks from my dorm, for instance).
-The students are on friendly terms with the cleaning people, even talking to them as they do their business in the bathroom. We also know the security guards by their first name and talk to them regularly.
-The night I moved in, almost everyone who lived in my hallway and the adjacent hallway who saw me move in knocked on my door to introduce themselves. The people here are pretty friendly.
-I like NU's "norms," which are different from that of the general public. We are less gendered in that the gentlemanly "hold the door open for the girl" expectation doesn't exist here (after getting used to this, I definitely get annoyed when women in the general public feel a sense of entitlement just for being women... I say this as a feminist). By contrast, the girls and guys here hold the door open for me and offer me seats as much as I do for them. Other things I like about the culture here: the awkward rules in the guys' bathroom (farthest urinals apart, no talking) don't apply, and people don't generally say "God bless you." People here don't just unconsciously subscribe to norms that they don't believe in or don't make sense to them after careful examination.
-There are hardly any pseudo-intellectuals or fake hipsters (who, in my opinion, are the ones who tend to be elitist or image-conscious). People here are comfortable in their own skin, and are genuinely confident, humble, and nice.
-It's easy to get to Downtown from Evanston. You could take the El, which during non-express hours, will take about an hour (40 mins express). However, the neighborhoods you pass a long the way (Argyle-"new" Chinatown, Addison-Wrigleyville, and Belmont-Boystown) are also fun places to explore.
During the weekdays, you could take the Intercampus Shuttle, which takes only 30 mins. The Downtown campus is only a 5-min. walk from the touristy areas in Chicago: Water Tower Place, Magnificent Mile, etc. I go Downtown every other day on average.
Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:
There are so many good eateries around campus that I haven't tried (the ones I have are mostly national chains). I find it interesting that our BK has free Wi-fi and is open 24 hours.
Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):
Note that there are 3(!) CTA train stops on campus: Davis (South Campus), Foster, and Noyes (North Campus).
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I don't think friendliness could be judged just by looking at people, so keep this in mind while visiting (one of the girls I know might look like a b*tch, but she's actually really nice).
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My professors are incredibly nice. A prof. invited me to his home for my next haircut, another paid for my class's lunch at Chinatown (though this might've been subsidized by the University)
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Typical college dorms, which I'm fine with (I don't like places that are too new).