I’ve visited all of these schools, and I am at the point where I would like to start narrowing down the list that I want to apply to. Here are my options for “reach” schools:
Northwestern
UChicago
Columbia
Brown
Yale
Stanford
Duke
While my main criterion is academic rigor and recognition, all of these schools accomplish that at similar levels. Because of this, I would like to know which of these schools are (relatively) the least stressful. That is, how easy is it to relax and have fun at these schools without falling behind on coursework. For Northwestern in particular, does the quarter system make student life any more stressful?
They will all be academically rigorous and therefore are likely to be stressful. The quarter systems works really well for some students and not as well for others so it is impossible to predict how you will react to it.
Chicago and Stanford are also on the quarter system.
Some quarter system schools just slice year long courses into three 10-week pieces instead of two 15 week pieces. Others compress a semester course into a quarter, but increase the credit hour count (so you may take fewer such courses at any one time – e.g. a 4 credit course in a semester may be compressed into a 6 credit course in a quarter; note that 6 quarter credits = 4 semester credits). At some schools, these practices vary by department.
Stanford it really depends on your major but I’ve found that it really isn’t too stressful (most the time) if you plan well. It is on the quarter system and some courses are compacted from semester ones into quarter long. I’ve really enjoyed the quarter system since it lets you explore more courses and also only have to put up with courses you don’t like for 10 weeks. The add/drop deadline is the end of week 3 (out of 10 weeks) so really you have quite a bit of time to shop for classes that work well for you.
There’s always quite a bit going on around campus for relaxing and stepping away from schoolwork.
Northwestern is pretty stressful depending on your major and your study skills/strengths entering as a freshman. And quarter system makes it hard. But a phenomenal place with something for everyone academically, socially, culturally. Beautiful campus and facilities right on Lake Michigan. Amazing school.
Lol I saw the name of this post and immediately wondered if NU was on it…
Northwestern will take you and crush you and turn you into either a diamond or dust. And I love it!
tbh, its pretty hard and a lot of students are stressed a lot of the time. However, many of them are able to blossom both intellectually and personally, get a lot of stuff done, and make their contribution toward a better planet. It is very possible to stay cool, calm, and collected throughout it all (most of the time at least), as I (usually) do, even when others are freaking out. On the darker side of things, a lot of students go through mental-health struggles while at NU because of stress and related stuff.
As for the effect of the quarter system: yes it does make for a high-pressure learning environment, but I prefer it to what I’ve heard of other American semester system schools and to what I’ve experienced as an exchange student at in the German semester system. And while the quarter system can get tough, it lets you learn more subjects than at semester schools (12 vs 8 courses per year) and, in case you don’t like a subject or just get tired of learning it after a while, you’re done sooner. I also find the intensiveness helpful in retaining learned knowledge and skills.