I’m from NJ and will being majoring in finance at both schools. After factoring in travelling costs, UIUC and Northeastern cost the same for me.
Northeastern (D’Amore-McKim)
Pros:
Co-op (How much of a plus is this though? I’m not super thrilled about graduating late, since I might want to go to grad school. Gies also still has a slightly higher employment rate 6 months out from graduation, though I couldn’t find reliable and comprehensive salary data to compare.)
As much as it pains me to say this, definitely a better location (sadly, I didn’t get into UCLA, USC, Pomona, or Claremont McKenna, so how’s it gonna be walking around campus with a Lakers jersey?)
Driving distance from home
Private (my parents think this is a pro, but is it really?)
Cons:
NU Bound (London/Oakland for my first year. I definitely want to study abroad for a semester/year at college though its unideal that I have to do my first year in locations I don’t really have interest in studying in. I also can’t/don’t want to spend 2 years away from my “home” campus if somehow I can studying abroad in later years).
I don’t know how true this is, but despite being a smaller school, every NU student has told me the university is “overcrowded.”
UIUC (Gies)
Pros:
Higher ranked (overall and business school)
B1G Ten football (plus basketball)
Better school spirit/social scene/frats
Can study abroad where I want
Better for research
Cons:
Plane ride away from home
Very big school
Public (my parents think this is a con, but is it really?)
Please tell me if you believe I’m wrong about any pros/cons, and if you’d still recommend I come to your school given the pros/cons that I listed.
Based on your own report it sounds like you prefer UIUC as the 2 main issues listed are parents’ opinion (which you’re not sure about, yourself, based on your question) and the plane ride - neither sounds like a deal breaker or major… everything else is a positive… and you even found negatives in the middle of your supposedly “NEU pros”
For some reason, it seems that recent UIUC finance graduates have higher pay than recent Northeastern finance graduates (counting only those who received federal financial aid).
I believe you can graduate Northeastern in four years, even with 1-2 co ops but it might require summer classes.
The environments are very different. Do you prefer one?
At most schools, you can study abroad where you want - as they all have affiliates - but I see what you mean about being forced awat your first year at NEU.
I think you have to decide what is best and some of your logic may be flawed, but others may not be.
Indeed, and that is an unusually weak set of “Pros” that you list for Northeastern. I’m really only seeing the “definitely a better location” as a solid Pro. Typically, people who want to go to Northeastern (and NU Bound in particular) sound much more excited about the co-op thing, and are at least moderately positive about the obligatory travel.
I would say that you’ve answered your own question already, except that maybe your parents have a strong opinion?
Since price isn’t a factor, you should definitely check out the campuses. NEU has a much higher emphasis on international business (which you may enjoy), while UIUC seems to be more traditional.
Pros and Cons are YOUR pros and cons, not mine - but here are my thoughts overall. Maybe @skieurope would consider combining your two posts, because they are so similar.
Hard to understand the data around salaries first year out, but I suspect 5 years vs 4 and students staying with their final co-op has something to do with it. Maybe one of the data guys has a better theory.
@northeastern has been on a college trajectory that highered has almost never seen. 25 years ago the school accepted below average students and now they fill their class with some of the stronger stronger students applying to college in the nation - no comparison with your other choices. Congratulations on your acceptance btw. Northeastern has developed a student and career orientation that would only be rivaled by the very top business schools - and definitely not the ones you are naming despite their ranking.
If you do not like co-op, don’t go. You can likely do similarly with internships from the others. It will just be harder for you to get there. One may argue co-op is a dream for a competitive business applicant though, so not sure why you are not seeing it that way.
Make sure to research the London program. Are the living conditions with other students? How is the social life? Does it feel like you are going to college, or you are just “working” as a student in London?
We originally wanted the London option. Professionally I have spent a lot of time in London and my sister and her family (DS’s cousins) live in the London suburbs. When I saw the Northeastern school building I knew exactly where it was, having stayed at a hotel just next door. It wasn’t the feel that would work for DS as a freshman. We stopped researching after that point. Take a good look at the offer and see if this is what you want for college.
I know how you feel. Daughter currently in London (not from Northeastern). Not all London is created equally. Still a great experience for her though, but took a bit to get over the hump.
My son is in the same situation, lacking a clear choice, but based on your post, seems like you prefer UIUC. Son also accepted into Global Scholars at NE and I am very skeptical which is why I am reading this thread. If he were in Boston, I think I would be more open to NE. He also in engineering which is similarly demanding as Business. He also has Penn state which is like your UIUC and I feel is a great option and we are going to take our time and visit both. However, Wake also in the mix and close to home and familiar and beautiful small campus etc etc. Clearly, I’m sold on Wake bc I also went to a large public school (UCB) and found it highly frustrating and diff to navigate. But it seems a lot of these public schools have found ways to make themselves feel smaller. And it helps that you are in their business school whereas I had to apply as Sophomore and pray I get in or risk having to transfer to pursue my career goals which was very stressful. It worked out for me but not pleasant bc their were only like 80 spots for current UCB students bc the other 80 spots were given to CA St transfer students.
For engineering specifically (and maybe for other majors?), I would suggest looking closely at the courses applicable to his major that would be offered at the Global Scholars campuses, and how this would affect academic progression in his major. My son last year was accepted to NUin in an engineering major, but because he was coming in with AP credit, he wouldn’t have been able to make actual progress on his major until his second year. The campuses available through NUin only offered the lower level science and math classes, and then getting back to Boston in the spring meant that he would have missed the beginning of year-long course sequences.
Yes my husband looked at that and said he it appears he can take engineering classes at both places but we def need to verify that further and maybe they’ve expanded course offerings this fall??? I read bad things about this issue for those campuses (London/Oakland). Yes he will have AP credits to use. At first it seemed interesting but upon further research feeling its too complicated especially when engineering so demanding.
Just be sure to look at the specific courses, and specific 4 or 5 year course plan for the major. If they’ve expanded course offerings beyond what they had last year, that would be great! Another thing to look at would be engineering advising at these campuses, too, and flexibility in case he changes his mind on majors.
Yes my husband mapped it all out over 4 years for all his school options. I havent actually looked at it myself but I trust him lol. It appears summer school is a must but there are 2 sessions of it each summer which could allow for some time off. And yes I heard about the advisor issue - lack of continuity … one in London/Oakland then Boston. Again making me feel overwhelmed and I’m not a kid.