Northwestern University

Northwestern University, anchored by the historic Deering Library at 633 Clark St, is frequently characterized in my professional and social circles as a premier "purple powerhouse" where a substantive cross-pollination between elite journalism and world-class engineering creates a uniquely versatile intellectual climate. Through numerous insightful exchanges with alumni and Chicago-area innovators, it is merytorically evident that the institution provides a high-caliber environment, consistently lauded by my acquaintances for its exceptional ability to synthesize high-stakes academic rigor with a vibrant, collaborative culture that extends far beyond the Evanston campus. It is truly heartening to observe how the university maintains such a transparent and respectful dedication to interdisciplinary research and the performing arts, qualities that the broader public recognizes as the vital engine behind the disproportionate success of its graduates in both corporate boardrooms and global newsrooms. Many individuals I know personally emphasize the university’s sophisticated synthesis of lakeside beauty and cutting-edge laboratory infrastructure as a distinguished hallmark, proving that the institution excels in providing a transformative journey that is as aesthetically inspiring as it is intellectually demanding. The school's relentless commitment to community leadership and ethical innovation is frequently reflected in the success stories shared by my peers, who often highlight the Kellogg School of Management and the Medill School as global benchmarks of excellence. Ultimately, in the collective view of informed observers, Northwestern stands as a distinguished pillar of American higher education, rightfully respected for its elegant ability to balance a Big Ten athletic spirit with a profound, authentic mission of scholarly discovery.

Great school, at an Executive Training Program for Transportation. The campus is absolutely beautiful and the lake view is fantastic. Photos near Kellogg Business School and n backside near Lake Michigan.

Stepping onto the campus of Northwestern University was a truly remarkable experience that left an indelible impression on me. The fusion of academic excellence and vibrant student life was immediately palpable as I navigated the picturesque pathways. Engaging with students and faculty, I was struck by the palpable atmosphere of intellectual curiosity and collaboration that permeated every corner. The modern facilities and cutting-edge research centers underscored Northwestern's commitment to pushing boundaries and fostering innovation. Amidst this dynamic environment, the serene beauty of Lake Michigan provided a serene backdrop, offering a serene balance to the bustling energy of campus life. My visit to Northwestern was a journey of inspiration, leaving me with a deep appreciation for the university's rich academic legacy and its unwavering dedication to shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

This summer sunshine, golden beach and surfing people gave me an illusion that Northwestern University has a campus towards the vast ocean. But in fact, it just next to the Michigan Lake. When I came here in the early morning, this beautiful campus was in tranquility and peace. Some people playing beach volleyball and sand statues, some surfing and sailing. Yes, it's just one plain day, but also one perfect day, perfect campus!

The school is awesome. We went to the game last night. Wildcats blew them out. Congrats guys. The entire school is awesome, beautiful scenery, curb appeal, etc. The field is awesome. Didn’t know the food trucks were so expensive but; hey I ate pretty good. I will be attending games quite often, this was actually my first game. We were seen on tv sitting in the front row, when the wildcats scored a touchdown, how awesome. Man I enjoyed myself. Great school. My old company and I did some masonry work on the college years ago. Keep up the good work wildcats.

Amazingly beautiful campus on Lake Michigan. Great mix of old and modern buildings. Good dining options. Lots of bike racks.

Would not recommend. Administration has consistently shown it does not actually care about its students and workers. Only 2 stars, bc there are a lot of really cool people here.

Absolutely beautiful! I’ve enjoyed walking around campus weekly and there is always something new to see.

PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITY: one of the most beautiful university's in the world and on a very scenic lake called Lake Michigan!! I fell in love with Northwestern when we first came to visit in April and it won my heart over again ! What campus is by a charming city called Evanston with everything to offer to student and faculty and also by one of the most beautiful cities in the world - LOVE CHI TOWN!! Great facilities and many of them overlooking the lake !! Excellent ranking it's in the top ten universities of the USA!! Great dining halls and dorms and even better financial aid!! Really love this school and can't wait to return soon!! Very helpful and friendly staff too!!

Well I'm not an alum, but I've lived within halfway between the Evanston and Chicago campuses for a decade and a half. The Evanston campus is quite lovely, though it's pretty spread out and I'm not always sure what I think about universities buying up a bunch of homes around the place for various departments and stuff. The planetarium is cool and the Shakespeare Garden is gorgeous. Most recently, I was here to bring my four month old to the Infant and Child Development Center. The psychology department has a lab to study child development and are always seeking participants in their various studies. They have studies in which folks can participate online or in person, so you don't have to be within the immediate vicinity if you're interested in participating online. When we arrived, we parked in one of the spaces dedicated for visitors to the ICDC lab and we were met by one of the lab assistants with a parking pass. Once in the lab, we signed some consent forms and then they conducted the study, which in this case only lasted about three minutes. Once we were done they gave us a choice of a $10 gift card or a book and t-shirt; we opted for the book and shirt. I was actually a tiny bit disappointed that it was a onesie because I have pants for my little one but shirts, but it is a pretty cute onesie. They also gave my daughter a "diploma" from Northwestern and it's so adorable I obviously had to take photos for family and friends. I recommend the ICDC if you're interested in furthering research in infant and child development. The staff were really professional and helpful at keeping my baby entertained whilst I completed the forms and a short survey. Babies are fascinating little beings and I'm happy for us help understand them better if we can.

Such an amazing Solid Institution with (100+) over a 'Century Strong Reputation and Tradition.' WNUR 89.3FM is Northwestern University's Radio Station. Proud to say that I have DJ on WNUR 89.3FM is Northwestern University's Radio Station. Kellogg School of Management is top (3) three on the planet. The Campus is so beautiful, NU has its own private beach on Lake Michigan. Evanston is GREAT as well.

Visiting the area and everything surrounding it is simply beautiful. University buildings have such character and beauty....just taking it all in....most relaxing....

Northwestern University is perhaps what Evanston is most famous for and for good reasoning. The campus is clean, gorgeous and each building clearly tells a story. It is very safe to walk around, and full of diversity wherever you walk. The best part of the campus is obviously Lake Michigan. Make sure to not miss that when visiting Northwestern's campus. It's not everywhere that you find a university that's right on a lake, let alone, a Great Lake! Some buildings are obviously nicer than others but overall, a beautiful, well-maintained campus at a world-renowned university.

It's so wonderful to visit my alma mater! I loved attending classes here, downtown Chicago, and Washington D.C. The main campus sits on the shore of Lake Michigan and is gorgeous! I graduated in 1986 and have so many memories. Although a pricey university, it ranks #9 in the U.S. https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities so you would definitely receive a top notch education. NU is in the Big 10 conference and is just an amazing school. I could go on forever about this school. Go Cats!

Northwestern University is a private uni in Evanston that offers undergraduate and graduate programs, continuing and professional programs (certificates), and pre-collegiate programs. They also have other campuses in Chicago, Qatar, DC, and SF. Founded by John Evans (in which the city of Evanston is named after), NU is well-known for their Honors Program in Medical Education (also famously known as the '7-year medical program'). I personally did not take the med school path, but some of my friends have, and they have found it super rigorous (and worth the bragging points)! I had Renz as my advisor who was also a great mentor - he made great recommendations and had great connections with other educational institutions. He always made time to meet with all of his advisees in terms of course work review, to go over the plan of study, and to answer any questions. Parking requires a permit, so don't even try sneaking on the lots - the patrol is FAST! It's all about the purple and white and the Wildcats here!

I was blessed to grow up in Evanston and enjoy the beautiful campus; walks and jogs along the lake, as well as activities that included the community. I was also fortunate to be employed by their temp pool when I was in between jobs after college. This review pertains to the theater and performing arts program, specifically. I've gone to numerous performances over the years, and because I have a little dancer at home myself, I've taken her to a few dance shows. Today we saw Danceworks 2015, which is a compilation of numbers of various genres. We loved it! It is evident from the choreography that NU hires quality instructors, and the students seemed to take pride in their parts. We look forward to another performance!

Such a beautiful school and one impressive campus! I stopped here with a buddy on my vacation to Chicago this summer and as his Alma matter we had to stop for a visit. The campus was beautiful and very impressive and I loved the different buildings and designs throughout the campus. The massive waterfront was seriously cool and I would have loved it as a student as well. I really enjoyed the painted rocks along the Lake Michigan shoreline and had the opportunity to see the NU soccer team play for a few minutes while exploring campus as well! Worth a visit and walk through if you're ever nearby!

Oh to be a college student again. Love this school and this town. Living vicariously through my daughter now!!

We just walked through the campus, which is gorgeous, a beautiful mixture of the old and new architecture! We walked through the campus and to the lake side which is absolutely beautiful! There are large rocks that line the water, many of which have been painted, some are incredibly sweet and very well done, others are obscene or beyond my understanding. It was nice to see all the creativity though. In the distance you can see downtown, which just makes me happy. If you're in Evanston, walk through the campus, you won't regret it.

"I bleed purple." "Go 'Cats!" "Niiiiiiine." These are still words that often come to mind when I think about Northwestern. Some of it is nonsense. Some of it is incredibly powerful. Some of it is bittersweet. Most of it, however, is wrapped up in pleasant memories and a helluva lot of pride. Having spent the better part of five years at this institution, there were a plethora of opportunities to explore the college experience. In no particular order, highlights that I wouldn't take back for the world: - Marching for a Big 10 team. Playing the very first note that anyone hears as the band marches onto the field. Running around campus in black warmers Homecoming week and waking up everyone with obnoxiously loud drumming (before being shut down by campus police). Flying to and marching in a bowl game. - Studying Industrial Engineering. Not so much because I loved my major (although it's a pretty fascinating and broad subject area that's applicable throughout much of life), or the late nights at ITEC (nee BIRL), cutting apart our hands with X-acto knives because the powertools were turned off. It's that I had the fortune of being able to also take courses taught by Kellogg professors. I totally understand why the B-school has such a phenomenal reputation after those experiences. - Getting back involved with martial arts by participating in the taekwondo club. Blasting through to first degree black belt was ego-boosting. Failing my second degree black belt test was humbling. Ultimately passing it was supremely rewarding. - Discovering the best friends that I've had the fortune of encountering in my entire life. We're scattered across all four US time zones now, but when we get together once each year, it's as though no time has passed. Spending all night up after finals are over but before we disperse for co-op quarter/summer away, sitting on the rocks of the lakefill, and watching the sun rise over Lake Michigan. Sometimes I miss NU and everything it represents in my life. There's so much success and failure and misery and joy, all wrapped up in a giant metal arch, in a purple sculpted "N". Most of all, I'm glad that it was an incredible set of experiences I've had. Hail to Purple, Hail to White.

This review is more about Kellogg than it is about Northwestern in general, but many of this still hold: *They have a top (seen by many as 'the' top) Marketing program in the world. Northwestern is where the AMA was born. This is where Philip Kotler spent his storied career revolutionizing the maketing field. Their faculty are among the world's leaders in research. *The resources offered by Kellogg are amazing. If you're coming here for a doctorate, all the research resources you'll ever need will be given to you: computer, software, research funding, travel grants, IT support, and a very very generous stipend/fellowship to support your living expenses. If you come here for an MBA, then you should already have an idea about how heavily-recruited Kellogg is by corporations and the big consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, Booz&Co, and Bain&Co). *Aside from just Marketing, Kellogg is a Top 5 business school (as recognized by most MBA rankings), and Northwestern University is an elite private undergrad institution that turns heads. I really didn't look too much at these two rankings since the faculty and their respective department matters more for Ph.D. considerations, but it's nice to know I'm in good company all around. *Evanston is the type of college-town I fell in love with after spending a summer in Chapel Hill, NC (a nice change from my undergrad in La Jolla, CA). There is a small-town spirit, and the city is very very revolved around Northwestern (NCAA football season is underway, and all the businesses have their Purple on). *Unlike some other small college-towns, Evanston has a big bustling city in Chicago right in its backyard. The heart of downtown is located just 12 miles south of Evanston, which can conveniently be reached by the 'El' (Purple Line), Metra (UP-N to OTC), Northwestern Shuttle (Intercampus to Northwestern Memorial Hospital or the Chicago Express to The Loop), by car, or even by bike (Chicago is extremely flat compared to California, and I'm loving it). *The food scene is much better in Chicago and the surrounding area than it is in the other cities that house the programs I got into (Philadelphia, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Gainesville, Boulder, St. Louis, and Houston), and if you look at my reviews, then you know I LOVE my food. Chicago is one of the only three cities in the US that has a Michelin Guide; it's the home of famous epicurean destinations of 'Alinea' and 'Next' (chef: Grant Aschatz), 'L2O' (chef: Laurent Gras), and Charlie Trotter's namesake. Combine this with famous Chicago fare of Deep Dish Pizza (you can find Lou Malnati's in downtown Evanston, or go out into the city for Pequods), Chicago Dogs (Hot Dougs in Chicago and Portillo's everywhere), Italian Beef (Al's Beef and Portillo's), and everything else! Before applying, I thought I had no chance of getting into my dream school for my PhD, but here I am today. If Kellogg is a good fit for you, just apply and see what happens!

With a heavy heart I said goodbye to NU... not because I went there but because I am the proud Mama of a now NU Alum. Graduated from Weinberg last Saturday. As a parent I will review this institution. So many experiences that form my opinion.. -Love the education she received as a Liberal Arts student, her mind was stretched, tortured, stomped on and then rearranged (many tears over the phone, due to deadlines, hard classes, etc were WELL worth it). -Love the campus. Its breathtaking. -The support she received from all departments was outstanding - like the quick response to the intruder who was breaking into girls rooms. Her network of support was extensive in so many departments, and so many ways. From health to fin aid, to advisors (they were stellar). Everyone. -Did I mention the amazing education? -They made it easy for her to study a semester abroad.. ONE HUGE CON.... WHO ON EARTH THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING MAYOR DALEY HAS TO SAY IN COMMENCEMENT????? Harvard gets JK Rowling and we get a local politician. WAY TO GO! So we skipped that trash and went to the museums and navy pier. We did go to convocation and the speech by an English professor (forgot her name.. SORRY).. was nothing short of excellent! I would say, my daughter and I agree with Phil H's assessment. I had to sell my second child to pay the tuition but hey!! It was for a good cause! OK JUST KIDDING ABOUT THAT! I would never sell my baby girl. I am trying to convince her to go to NU too... I can always sell a kidney, a leg or my hubby.. I wonder if I can catch a good price for him.... Go Cats!

I'm currently a student here, and I'm so happy I chose Northwestern. I entered as an education major in the School of Ed and Social Policy (SESP), and have changed majors several times. I'm now a sophomore in the School of Communications (formerly the School of Speech). The SESP faculty, advisors, and students are amazing, and were so helpful when I first came here and was adjusting to college life, and when I decided to change majors. The campus is gorgeous, especially in the fall. The lake is the Eastern border of the University, and downtown Evanston is perfect--it's not too "college town" ish (I know, I'm articulate.) It also has a lot of cute little ethnic restaurants, so there's always something new to try. It's just a short Metra (25 minutes) or El ride to downtown Chicago (between 30 minutes and 50 minutes, depending on the time of day, if the Purple Express is running, how long it takes to transfer to the redline, etc). NU also has an intercampus shuttle for students and professors, which takes you from the Evanston campus to the Chicago campus (which is convientently just 5-ish blocks from Water Tower Place!) in about 30 minutes. Yes, Northwestern is expensive, and if you don't get financial aid or aren't eligible for work-study, then you can have fun paying around 50K per year with tuition, room/board/rent, food, books, etc. In the end, however, it's totally worth it. Northwestern gives you some amazing opportunities, so you really need to find your niche and get involved. NU is a Big 10 school so there are some high-profile athletic events (even though our football team wasn't exactly stellar this year), but the total undergrad population is only 8,000 so you really get good interaction between students and other members of the NU community. This was a perfect choice for me because I didn't want to go to a really small school or a really large school (I have friends at Univ. of IL where there are like 30,000+ undergrads...I can't deal with that), and I wanted to be near Chicago but still in a residential area--I didn't want to be out in a bunch of cornfields like a lot of other Illinois schools, nor smack dab in the middle of Chicago with no real "campus" feeling. There's always something to do either on or off campus, and despite the "nerdy" reputation, some people here really know how to party (although for every party person, there's at least one socially awkward one as well). If you get sick of frat parties, then you can take the El to Chicago to go see a play, go to a hookah bar, go to Second City, etc. Zach Braff, David Schwimmer, Ana Gasteyer, Megan Mullally, Seth Meyers, and many other famous alums can't be wrong!

One of my alma maters and have a child there now. Very discouraged about how it has changed. COVID crazy, terrible financial aid (with all the billions they have), super woke, poor value of an education. For the rich (mostly) or poor, impossible for middle class students to attend here. Diversity rules (and football actually) not education. Beautiful campus. Sad state of affairs here.

A fine education, a world class campus right by the lake and memories to last a lifetime. We grew up in Chicago, and NU was always a reach school, a great source of pride to the area as a great educational institution and we can always count on the beloved Wildcats to give us some fun College Football seasons, even if they lose. During the four years our daughter attended NU, we had the opportunity to visit quite often, and still we try to make the trip at least once a year whenever we are in the City visiting family. I Still a die hard Cats fan.... I'll be there cheering for them at the homecoming game. Go Cats !!!

Beautiful campus, and a great university. Northwestern has it all. Beautiful architecture in the old buildings. New construction and modern buildings. A large campus that is in a great city just outside of Chicago. The campus in Evanston overlooks Lake Michigan and downtown Evanston has almost everything you would need as a student or faculty. All that said before even discussing the academics, achievements, and accolades of the university. Great school!

Don't waste your time applying to Northwestern University. They appear like a good school on paper, but after spending 4 years there, I came to the realization that NU only cares about $$ and couldn't care less about individual students. Their academic advising is like herding cattle. I never had a professor I especially liked. If you ever have a serious problem, they'll turn their back on you (I have several friends who had to drop out / postpone graduation because of this). To top it off, the student body is full of whiny rich kids who have a chip on their shoulder because they couldn't make it in to their favorite Ivy league school. In addition, Evanston, where Northwestern University is located, is really unsafe. I know FOUR people at Northwestern who got mugged, and two of them were mugged at GUNPOINT! Plus, it gets dark at around 4:30 pm in the winter, so you pretty much have to walk alone in the dark. In general, there is a huge rift between the city of Evanston and Northwestern University (I've heard that this is because Northwestern doesn't pay them taxes), so Evanston goes out of their way to make things difficult for Northwestern students. I wish I had realized it sooner, but instead I ended up with a degree that's not even in the right field for me (see poor advising) and a mediocre college experience. I urge you to think twice before applying to Northwestern.

Pluses: Enjoyable History of South Africa class as a visiting student, inspiration from the presence of hard working smarties, food court with excellent stir fry, talented Waa Mu spring musical performance, and fun student ski trip west) Minuses galore: Operation on a quarter system (Do you like to cram in stress and finals? Come here then!). An infestation of bragadocious, fratty undergrad boys to steer clear of. Extremely stuck-up, ridiculous admissions (Please explain how one gets rejected here three times (twice for undergrad and once for graduate school) and then ends up getting into a graduate Ivy League School without money or connections?! Furthermore, Northwestern rejected (not even waitlisted) my friend who then went onto a successful undergraduate career at Notre Dame and graduate school at Penn. Seriously, who does this school think it is?!? Purple stands for royalty, and apparently Northwestern acts as if it is God's holy gift to academia (roll eyes)! Furthermore, their Dillo Day is an absolute joke of a party and got rained out when I tried to attend it. While the other midwestern universities rally around pride for their sports teams and parties, I have met one too many guys from this school that project a holier than thou attitude. Northwestern has a bad reputation for churning out pompous males - all of whom are overly cliche in their North Face fleeces. Northwestern can kiss my intellectual ass. I will never, ever apply here again. Also, thanks to Northwestern, I have been charged $5.00 to $7.00 for every single transcript that I have ever requested. WTF?!? Clearly this has added up over the years. Unlike other schools who give free transcripts to its alumni, NU financially rapes its students who took classes there.

You can review an entire university here? That seems ridiculous, but as a 1999 graduate, here are my two cents. Academics: Obviously good, but not as great as you think. At the risk of sounding obscenely arrogant...I did not find the coursework (College of Arts and Sciences/English literature) particularly challenging. My experience with individual classes and professors was hit or miss--occasionally thrilling and transformative, occasionally mundane and futile, often somewhere in between. However, I had friends in the sciences and engineering who were more challenged and more thoroughly educated, which I believes reflects a particular strength of the university. I have also had close friends graduate from the law and medical schools, and they are satisfied with the results. Furthermore, an advantage to graduates in my mini-generation is that the elevated academic profile of incoming students in the years after us has inflated the public perception of Northwestern's academic strength. Thus, my NU degree is more "valuable" today than it was in 1999. There was a late-90's boom in applications (possibly as a result of the 1995 Rose Bowl football season), which have continued to climb through the 2000's. Consequently, the university accepts stronger and stronger students as the application numbers increase. Essentially, we are trading in cachet built into the degree that we didn't earn; for anyone whose degree has led them to a favorable career, we partially have the classes of 2000-2011 to thank for that. This is a selling point to prospective students as well as a caveat to my above assertion: it is likely that the academic climate is more rigorous today than it was in 1995-99. Athletics: You get the benefit of Big Ten competition in the "big" sports without the rabid obsession of traditional powerhouse schools in the Big Ten and other conferences. Plus, you get some high-quality "minor" sports (e.g. four straight women's lacrosse NCAA titles) and a healthy club and intramural scene. Facilities: Generally top-notch and constantly improved/improving in the 13-year period of my acquaintance with the institution (speaking strictly of Evanston, not downtown). Much of the development has come at the expense of green spaces on campus, which is a real shame. Serious flaws in this arena are the student center (inside and out) and the exterior architecture of such buildings as the main library and university administration building. Student life: Ugh. This is really weak. I hear that it's only getting worse (read: less fun) as traditional activities such as tailgating and Greek life are regulated and watered down. However, there are a plethora of student groups of varied quality devoted to international culture, theater/art/music, political/social activism, and whatever else you can imagine. Administration/corporate culture: This is my main beef with the university. It always seemed to be run too much like a Fortune 500 company with disproportionate attention paid to its stockholders (alumni) and not enough to the schmoes on the factory floor (students). The university tends to act without regard to the wishes of its students, which always seemed counterproductive to me, because today's sophomores are tomorrow's potential alumni donors. I wouldn't expect the administration to kowtow to every frivolous request, but, to use a cliche, a common feeling among us undergrads was that we did not have "a voice." This was a particular flaw of President Bienen's generally highly praised tenure. The way that I like to summarize my college experience is to say that I found it immensely enjoyable and rewarding, but mostly for reasons that had nothing to do with the specific university. In other words, the plot and characters were fantastic, and the setting was mediocre but irrelevant. However, I have a lot of loyalty to the school and I couldn't dis-recommend it to anyone. Also, I only attended one university, so I have no idea what things were like elsewhere. But I know what aspects of the school with which I was satisfied and which ones I wasn't. It's a long review, but then again four years of college engender a lot of thoughts, feelings, and experiences to synthesize.

I've had a couple Northwestern U grad school applications collecting dust for a while - one to Medill School of Journalism, another for the Performance Studies program. A fine school, sort of Ivy League on Lake Michigan. The Evanston campus is beautiful. They put on great concerts at the music hall. I used to work at the Law School, and I was impressed at the review process. An applicant could have a few Bs and Cs on their transcript and still get in - overall competence mattered as much as grades.

Why can't college last forever?!?! I had such an amazing time here! If you wrote a bad review of this place it's either because you didn't get in or you didn't let yourself have fun. The only problem is that half of the student body is too stressed out to have a good time. For the most part you will find really great people here and the campus is breathtaking.

My self esteem was worth every dollar I spent here. Every freakin' dollar. and that was just grad school.

I heart Northwestern... from being born here while my dad finished up grad school.. and then, memories of 1981-1985 here... to SEP classes (Saturday Enrichment Program) every Saturday from 1989-1995 great programs, great little city of Evanston..great graduate school programs and of course, great staff (I am very biased with the last one - there's my disclaimer - I work for NU)!!

An Ivy League school without the long flight out east. Wonderful small campus feel and just a short ride by train to downtown Chicago.

I loitered and lurked on this lovely campus for a decade and they gave me two degrees to make me go away.

Love it, can't say enough good things. But, that's what Yelp's about, so... Yes, the tuition is high. My grad school experience was $40K+. The professors were excellent. The Evanston and Chicago campuses are beautiful. Textbooks cost too much, like anywhere you go these days. Now that I have graduated I still get to go to Evanston on Saturdays to take my son to SEP (Saturday Enrichment Prog at CTD). Also my wife is only a few classes away from graduating with her undergrad. We all love this school! Yes, NU is a Big Ten school if you are into football...things aren't going so well this year (yet?) We got beat by Duke which is totally embarassing, didn't beat Michigan this year, and totally crushed by Ohio State. But don't let that stop you from going to see some football. Ryan Field is nice, with all the tailgating and such beforehand. It's something like $20 for an endzone eat and $30 for most other seats. Plus you get to sing the Alma Mater (Hail to Purple, Hail to White!) and the fight song (Go, Northwestern, Go!) which is way fun. Also the footlong dogs are something like $7, but you should have at least one...it will bring a tear to your eye!

I attended law school at Northwestern and had a staggeringly detestable experience. Before I attended Northwestern, I was under the illusion that it was a prestigious school where I would meet extraordinary individuals. However, the only people I met were not-so-special, wealthy, haughty, and imperious ones, who consisted of 90% attitude. Chicago is a beautiful city, and Northwestern has wonderful facilities, especially the Northwestern Law School library, but that's where it comes to an abrupt end. In my opinion, Northwestern places 99% of its energy on obtaining more money, appearing like it's prestigious, and recruiting students, especially international students because that's where the real money is. Realistically, they are INFERIOR to University of Chicago in EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY. The only school I respect in Chicago is Univ. of Chicago, because they have stupendous programs and facilities, without an ounce of attitude. The majority of my law professors at Northwestern were not approachable and had the world of attitude. One in particular, "Professor" Cohn told me "tell me one thing that people at Ivy League schools know that I don't?" She was an angry Irish woman and called herself "a privileged white woman with a BMW," even though there is no such thing as a white race, it's Caucasian. White is a social status symbol. It's monumentally sad and pathetic that many individuals in our society are still unaware of this simple fact. I filed a complaint against her, and the administration found in her favor, because this school, in my opinion, is ALL about money. When I wrote my complaint to the president's office, the president, Morton Schapiro, never even responded. It was obvious he couldn't care less. I despise him. The only famous alumni that I know of who went to Northwestern law school is Jerry Springer, who is the king of trash-talk, how impressive, huh? Let's briefly take a look at just how "prestigious" Northwestern really is: 1. How many presidents attended Northwestern? ZERO 2. How many current Supreme Court Justices attended Northwestern Law School? ZERO 3. How many current Supreme Court Justices attended Northwestern for Undergrad? ZERO 4. When you search for universities that have won the most Nobel Prizes, Northwestern isn't even in the top 50, how pathetic. The ONLY law schools that are represented in the Supreme Court are Harvard, Yale, and Columbia (my alma matter). Harvard is the #1 school for winning the most Nobel prizes, while Columbia is #2, and RIGHTFULLY so. Univ. of Chicago is #4 for winning the most Nobels. Northwestern is just another low-ranked, expensive, dysfunctional, flamboyant, and bitchy organization masquerading as a prestigious, REAL university. Northwestern was just a stepping stone for me. I was high on exultant relief when I received admissions to Columbia University afterwards, which is a REAL school where I experienced no hubristic individuals, because the students were ACTUALLY intelligent. Northwestern is light years behind Columbia. FEW on the west and east coasts of the United States care for Northwestern. Why would they when there are Berkeley, Stanford, and Cal-tech in California, and Harvard/Yale/Columbia/MIT/Princeton on the east coast? I STRONGLY recommend that parents and high school students apply elsewhere. Perhaps an Ivy League school or a school that actually cares about students, and doesn't prioritize money and hubris over academics. I didn't even bother going to graduation because I didn't respect the faculty or the school, and I let them know it.

We drove here the night after visiting the Art Institute and Chinatown. The next morning, we walked from the Hilton Orrington to Northwestern University campus. The visitor center is gigantic and decided to visit the campus on our own. The buildings are absolutely beautiful (Music, Student Center, Segal) and impressed by the Ford Engineering bldg. with mechanical design open concept workshop. Parking is at least reasonable at $11/day at the Church St parking garage. Unfortunately, the art museum was closed due to putting up a new exhibit during the summer break.

Omg- this campus is so beautiful! I almost got my Masters degree online from here but it was too expensive. What a treat it was to be on this campus though. All the buildings look unique, the neighborhood is gorgeous right on the lake, and the town of Evanston has darling shops. I've been to Chicago 3 times now and never came over here. It's well worth an excursion to the burbs.

I give it five stars because Northwestern gives me a paycheck monthly. If you did too, I would give you five stars.

Beautiful University located on Lake Michigan. The campus is super nice and it's a nice walk to walk through campus and see the architecture. The only knock is that some of the newer buildings, don't match the architecture of the older buildings. I guess it makes sense with how much the University has grown, but they could have done a better job of tying the old and new builds together.

This college is and was pivotal in Evanston's town history and development. Their Theatre program is known thru-out the country and boasts many famous alumni.

Ah, my alma mater. I would recommend it but with some caution. Make sure you're clear on what major you choose and whether the school's academic and social offerings are right for you. You don't want to end up jobless after graduation - which is what happens when you don't make the right connections in college. In any case, check out the Safe Space program and don't be afraid of courses outside of your own school. As John B. noted, the theater program is quite good. Gender Studies and Radio/TV/Film are two other terrific departments.

Northwestern is like that hot girl who treats you like shit. But you put up with it because you want the status (that comes with attending the Harvard of the midwest). And she always wants money, money, and MORE MONEY!!! Senior year the alumni assoc. was already hitting me up for donations. But a lot of companies do recruit on campus due to its reputation so most people graduate with a job lined up which is nice. For the parents too.

I went to grad school here, my husband went to grad school here, my daughter will go here...Ok, just kidding, she can go wherever she wants. But seriously, it was one of the best experiences of my life. I believe the quality of education is very high-caliber, and my professors challenged me in my program. I didn't go to undergrad here so I can't speak much to the lack of nightlife or sports, but for grad school I would definitely recommend giving NU a look.

NU is a beautiful, lakefront campus in a safe and rather attractive neighbourhood. The education is Ivy League caliber whilst maintaining a quaint size and quality of life. Expensive, but well worth it...and an energy which embraces families, students, and visitors alike. Jogging or rollerblading along the paths is great fun. There is (or was - not sure if it is still there) a music listening room inside Norris (the Student Centre) where one can study and gaze out at Lake Michigan in a private room with favourite songs piped throughout. One can also visit Dearborn Observatory (alas, the beloved Lindheimer Observatory was demolished in 1995).

Though I'll be paying off student loans on a reporter's salary for a long, long time, this place was definitely the perfect fit for me, and I wouldn't change a thing! Where else could I double major in two subjects I loved, spend a quarter abroad in London and bumming around Western Europe, spend another quarter at an incredible reporting internship in Chicago, and still manage to graduate early at the end of it all? Northwestern gave me so many opportunities to go beyond the box of the typical, rigid, four-year college experience in the classroom, really encouraging firsthand learning in the real world. And I am so much better off for it. Also, Evanston is an amazing college town with restaurants, bars, shopping, bookstores, coffee houses, a huge movie theater, apartment living, the lakefront, and the CTA at your fingertips (so that if you do happen to get bored, you can hop on the Metra and be in Chicago in 20 minutes). Sure, some of the student body is of the pretentious, I-was-in-private-school-since-preschool variety, but certainly not all. In fact, it doesn't take a long time to find your little group of friends, and they'll likely be the people you stick with for four years and after graduation. Good times at NU. Even before I came here, my favorite color was purple.

Small pathetic little thing. When I found out they had a "north" and "south" campus I nearly fell over in laughter. The whole campus is like three blocks. The egos are high and the knowledge is low. You'll hear half of them go on and on about how distinguished the university is as if that's half the work done. Will be going elsewhere soon

Super impressed with our campus tour-led by two students who were creative and fun and seemed to know a lot of the other students we walked by....good sign to me that the campus was small enough to see your friends while you were out and about!! Northwestern had that great feeling of scholarly-ness along with fun! I think this looks like a good fit for the smart kid who still wants to say "remember when we did ________ " 20 years later. I'm biased since my husband went here....

Most of my family went to school here so I've been many times to visit. The campus is very pretty, especially during Fall. About 6 months ago I went out to a few NU bars with my cousin (who is currently a student at NU). I was surprised by how much fun I had. I know NU has the reputation for being a bunch of smart, dorky kids (or at least I always thought that), but some of those kids know how to party.

I LOVE NORTHWESTERN! Seriously...can't say enough good things. So I'm not going to even try because I doubt high school seniors are reading this site and using it as the basis for their decision on where to go to college.

Beautiful beautiful campus. If you ignore the construction that is always going on, it's basically perfect.

My wife and I walked around NU's campus on our last trip out to Chicago last summer. I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful and quaint it is. I felt extremely comfortable there. There was something pleasantly "mid-Western" about the campus. It was very clean and very well-manicured; the buildings were very nice, but not ostentatious; the campus was sizable, but not sprawling. I also liked that it sits right next to the lake. Overall, it felt like a very special place.

I may be reminiscient since it is my 10 year reunion weekend (wow!) but I can not think of a better place to have spent 4 years of my life! You can safely assume smart peers, smart professors and some good partying. It has the academic rigor of a top university, small class sizes (which allow for lots of personal dedication from the teachers) but if you are up for it, a huge social outlet as well. And you can not beat being right on the Lake! I made the best friends of my life there and met my husband too. Now, that is the real shocker! :)

this is a beautiful campus... my best friend works at the building next to cook hall and i cannot stop raving about the views of the lake and pond... it is a very clean area where you can go for a jog... go for a stroll... go biking or roller blading... but please no fishing or swimming lol... a place where you can go if you just need a quick getaway from everything plus you can write on the rocks! super cool. at night you can also have a bonfire which i think is phenomenal... i want smores now! haha the only downside is that you need to be a student or an employee to have access to this wonderful area...

I work here and go to grad school as well. I love that NU is always trying to improve and be an active member of the community. The undergrads can be a little pretentious at times, but it's an awesome university in a great location with a lot of good people. Thumbs up!

An absolutely beautiful campus. Northwestern puts lots of money and effort in the aesthetics of the campus. We have a lakefill with a view of the Chicago skyline. The grassy areas are nice. The architecture is mostly amazing. Even if you don't go to this amazing academic institution, it's definitely worth stopping by and touring around.