Wisconsin offered a full ride while I would have to take out $4k in loans for Northeastern. For Northeastern I would have to go to Oakland for a year before I could go to Boston. I am from NY and wanted to visit Cali for a while, but idk if I like the urban environment more than a college town… I’m scared about making friends in Wisconsin and not liking it, while for NEU I’m concerned about engineering not being offered at Oakland. How do I choose where to go…?
Why does it seem like these concerns in unique to Wisconsin? What is making you think you might not make friends and/or won’t like the school?
Have you mapped out your classes for 4 years in the major you want in order to see if you can in fact get engineering done on time if you start in Oakland? If you can’t figure that out from the information available on their website, contact admissions and ask them to help.
2 Likes
I think Oakland would be my concern for engineering.
Make sure it doesn’t hold you back.
Wisconsin will be your traditional rah rah school - nice campus, sports, lake.
Northeastern won’t be.
Kids will make friends or won’t make friends - wherever they are. I’m not sure why it’d be a concern at one but not the other?
The other thing with NU is - kids are coming and going for co ops, etc and there could be some social impact there.
I’d choose Wisconsin - free and awesome - but the biggest concern would be the curriculum at Oakland.
You might ask NU to speak to a student in computer engineering who went through that program.
Good luck.
5 Likes
Mostly because I’m from the Northeast and a big city and I’m worried that the culture might be quite different as most students are from rural Wisconsin.
Yup, I’ve reached out, so I guess I should wait and see.
1 Like
Oh and to add, I’m concerned that if I go to Wisconsin it might be harder to find a job in the Northeast. Im sure I would get a lot of opportunities in the Wisconsin area, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to commit to that. Meanwhile Boston is a lot closer to NYC and I feel like it might be easier to find NY opportunities or just like in Boston, since I’d be more willing to move to Boston than Wisconsin.
Based on the U Wisconsin map, that appears to be incorrect. By far and away, the most students are coming from Milwaukee - and WIsconsin has many urban areas.
Additionally, they’ll be loaded with Chicago kids and others from the NE attend U Wisconsin. 1167 alone come from NY and 820 from NJ + 2243 from California.
Sure, some will be from rural areas - but do you think that would be different at NU? I don’t think so. Maybe fewer but they’ll have them too.
Statistically, I’m not sure your hypothesis holds weight. For example, Indiana is much closer than NY but only 209 are from there and 197 from neighboring Iowa. NY / NJ are much farther and much more impactful at the school.
As for careers, given the hiring today is often done over the Internet, that’s also not an issue. My kid went to school in the South and had 19 interviews - including a few in Wisconsin - and ended up out west. The internet is the great equalizer. You can get a job in any region, from any region.
If you don’t want to go to Wisconsin, don’t go - but I don’t think that your arguments hold weight as to why not to go. If it’s just you don’t like it, that’s reason enough.
Good luck.
1 Like
Thank you so much. I really needed to hear that.
I’d also opt for UW. Not only is it more affordable, but being on the main campus for freshman year is a huge advantage both academically and socially. UW is well represented and well respected on the east coast.
Congrats on the acceptances.
12 Likes
Obviously this is your choice, there are tradeoffs all over the place, and all that we can do is give an opinion. These are my thoughts…
I am not a big fan of starting on a different campus. I do not really understand why NEU does this.
I am also from the northeast, although originally from Montreal and then I came way down south to Boston for university, and now decades later still live in the northeast. I visited U.Wisconsin a couple of times when I was in university, and a two or three more times since. At least in my limited experience people in Wisconsin are pretty straightforward, honest, and maybe a bit easier to get to know compared to other places where I have lived.
On the most part however people are people pretty much anywhere.
I have some relatives who still own farms, although not in Wisconsin. In my experience rural people in many cases tend to be straightforward and honest. Be straightforward and honest and you will be fine.
And I do think that U.Wisconsin brings in students from all around the US, and to a limited extent outside the US also.
Employers in the northeast know how good U.Wisconsin is. Of course they also know how good NEU is.
$4k in loans is not that bad for an engineering degree. No loans is better. Both universities are academically excellent and well known across at least the USA. I like the coop program at NEU, but there will also be lots of opportunities for coops or internships at U.Wisconsin. Oakland is not my favorite part of California, and I do not like the idea of having a freshman year on a different campus. I do not like the idea of doing freshman year at a school that does not have your major. Then you show up on campus as a sophomore and do not know most of the people there. Wisconsin will have real winters, with probably no more snow than Boston but colder temperatures.
If it were me, and if this was the choice, I think that I would go with U.Wisconsin. However, both universities are very good.
1 Like
Not true. Wisconsin does have Milwaukee, where many students are from. And just over half of Madison students are from out of state. Tons from the Chicagoland area.
Students at Wisconsin tend to be quite happy.
All in the name of growth! These different campus locations that NEU has allow them to serve more students while always being full in Boston (bringing in students as others leave to do coops.)
3 Likes
Have you visited UW-Madison? It’s a vibrant setting, and far more diverse in terms of student backgrounds than you’re giving it credit for.
When you say you have a full ride vs. taking out 4K in loans at Northeastern… does this mean you have high need, and everything besides the 4K in loans will be covered by financial aid, at Northeastern? Or are you saying that you’ll be spending some unspecified amount for Northeastern, which is the maximum you can afford, and also taking out 4K in loans?
Either way, I would lean toward UW. Starting in Oakland is a disadvantage for engineering, plus many of the students at the Oakland campus don’t really want to be there, vs. Boston. The whole thing seems like a lot of logistical gymnastics in order to get to the Boston campus, and then people start leaving on co-ops as soon as sophomore spring. Overspending for this lack of continuity, when you have a full ride to a top flagship university in a great college town… I don’t see it. I’d be trying to make a visit to Madison and assuage your fears about the social aspects there.
7 Likes
First thing.. Congrats on two good options. It is clear you didn’t research this enough. Go on Facebook and find your peeps at Wisconsin. I live in Chicago and tons of students from here and it’s been a hard get the last 5 year’s. When discussing engineering Wisconsin is a very good school and all national companies know about their engineering programs. You don’t work where you go to school.
Also.. Students from Wisconsin just don’t wake up at 4:00 am to milk the cow’s and take care of the chickens before going to high school. So you will find people that look and act like you. Your peeps! Us Midwest people are also pretty friendly. It’s a beautiful campus and they have good ice cream there. What else could you want?
Do deeper research. I am also not a fan of starting at one campus then switching in another year. Wisconsin is a top program for engineering. Go be an engineer and good luck.
3 Likes
What ? Wait a minute. They don’t??
1 Like
Nope. Those are the Iowa kids 
… But seriously. The OP has to understand that this is a major flagship and there will be people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. That is the beauty of college. Even if the OP meets one of those kids I am positive they can become friends.
3 Likes
Hands down Wisconsin - great college town that’s also a State capital, great mix of students - students come from Minneapolis St Paul through the reciprocity as well as from Chicagoland + the university is a national brand that attracts students from all over.. like you! - and on top of it you got a free ride … Not sure it’s a fair fight with starting at a more expensive branch campus that doesn’t even offer your major and is located in a not so good area.
4 Likes
If we are voting, I’ll vote for Wisconsin also.
Here is why. I just think it would be better to start college where you will actually be for your whole undergrad education.
California is not going anywhere. Get your degree from Wisconsin, and then look to CA for a visit, job, grad school, whatever.
2 Likes
Northeastern is not a traditional school so most CC’ers don’t really like it. The CCers who were alums and/or parents of students there (I am both) really like it. Both are good schools. I have known Wisconsin students who liked it, and one who did not (mean girls) and transferred to a small East Coast college two years ago, where they are much happier. It seems like the cost is close for both. Maybe you could go to accepted students events for both and then make a decision? Or you could ask Northeastern if you can speak to a “Husky Ambassador” who has been in your position (engineering student who started in Oakland) and I think you will get better information than here. Good luck!
1 Like
Wisconsin is well-known for its excellence in STEM and draws heavily from Chicago-area plus east and west coasts. Campus has enough to appeal to all kinds of interests, from the urban feel around Sellery high-rise dorms to the bucolic Lakeshore dorms. There’s good shopping and food on State St, big sports, big name performances in Madison etc. Madison metro area is over 600,000 and the city itself is about 300,000. My alum kid and his friends had no problems getting hired all around the country and few stayed in the Midwest, let alone Wisconsin.
If someone loved the coop program at Northeastern, then by all means, consider that, even with the Oakland start. But Wisconsin is an excellent university which will not limit someone’s outcomes.
4 Likes
I don’t believe this is true. “Most” cc’ers seem to love it. A few CC’ers who point out some of the downsides of the coop/pre-professional experience routinely get shouted down, shut up, etc.
However, the OP’s dilemma points out something that many of the “Northeastern is great but may not be great for everyone” folks have noted on other threads- starting at a satellite campus in engineering makes it harder to graduate on time, not easier. Starting at a satellite campus for any major may be a huge plus socially or a negative, depending on many factors outside any student’s control. It may or may not be right for the OP-- all we can do is reflect on the differences. And for some kids, not being a freshman in Boston at the main campus is a distinct negative.
Madison is a fantastic place to live btw and the campus is filled with interesting, cosmopolitan people. If Wisconsin is unappealing- then great, don’t go there. But the stereotype of rural hicks is absolutely false, the university is a well resourced, well run place with fantastic faculty.
Boston of course is great. Can’t comment on Oakland- it’s only a year after all.
1 Like
Even if they are the same price, I would rather go to UW for engineering major. UW has a better reputation for engineering among companies. Oakland is not SF nor LA. High crime rate and drive by shooting all the time. Good Luck