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Northeastern is a community that anyone can flourish in. As with any other college you just have to open yourself up and try. It was hard being in a crowded freshman dorm where it felt like that was the only place to go and you felt most at home in, but when you take advantage of something that you might be interested in at Northeastern you can find yourself amongst a group of people that would have never thought you'd meet and they end up being your best friends. Northeastern may seem big in numbers, but you'll find it's a small world and there is always someone who knows someone. So many opportunities to find your niche here. Northeastern is in the biggest college "town" ever created. There are special laws and ordinances because of the students here ( mostly for off campus housing.) If you want a city, but you think NYC is too big, then Boston is your man. It's easy to get around, as a southerner coming up north, people are generally friendly. With the Red sox, the celtics, not so much the bruins, Northeastern Hockey and intramural sports there is always something exciting going on in the city. School spirit is limited, we are no a huge football school like BC, but we do love to get drunk and go to Hockey games. Best thing to do on a friday night during the season. The Administration is ok, haven't hreally had an complaints about our New president, well he isn't new any more. There is a lot of controversy about the housing that northeastern is building in the surround community of Roxbury. They are putting people out of house and home because they are trying to build enough housing for the entire population to live on campus by about 2012 I think they said. It's truely sad because these people have families and no where else to go because property is so expensive in Boston and the surrounding neighborhood, unless you are willing to go to an unsafe area with your family. This is unfair and something the students of Northeastern should take up with the administration. They probably won't listen to you, but it's best that your voice be heard and maybe one day they'll come up with a better solution.
Lucy Junior
The school's size is perfect. It's not so large that no one knows each other but not so small that EVERYONE knows each other (and each other's business). The best thing about the school is the coop program. Unlike most, we graduate with concrete experience which is not only beneficial to finding a job after school but beneficial to our classwork as we can bring those experiences into the classroom with us. The big problem with Northeastern is the administration. It is incredibly bureaucratic and everything takes time. On the other hand, this forces you to learn with the bureaucracy you'll deal with in real life. So ultimately, while it's a nuisance, it's a plus. The school pride is...well existent. People like the school but we're definitely not a "sports" school. It's more of a relaxed community than a crazy ultra-hyped college (in my experience). Plus, we're in the middle of Boston and while our campus is more centralized (compared to campuses like BU which are spread across the city), we are still in the city and can easily mix with people from other schools. Big plus.
Mdl Junior
The big picture may be to big to cover in this space, but NU is a co-op school. Its a school for students who are looking for an urban experience, and who are looking forward to being professionals. It's not the school to come to for parties, to get involved in Greek life, to involve your life with collegiate sports. We do have all of the above, don't get me wrong Ð but if you're looking for those things to be a central part of your college experience, look elsewhere. Our strengths lie in co-op, in the city of Boston, and in the extra-curricular experiences available to students. There are a ton of clubs, sports, organizations and causes to associate yourself with - so you can find what's right for you, but a variety of experiences will be more likely the case than focusing on one thing.
Northeastern will probably always be synonymous with co-op in the minds of most people. Althought I don't think this is a bad thing (our co-op program is amazing and 100% worth going to NU for alone) but NU is made up of so much more. Its sad that most people in boston hear Northeastern and picture a commuter school filled with lower income, working class students who are working to put themselves through college. This is no longer the story of NU. Northeastern is full of wonderful experiences in and out of the classroom. We have some of the most involved students and extracurricular activities available to us. What other school could you join student activities and be put in charge of a $300,000 concert? At other schools, their concerts are planned by clearchannel/live nation, not the students. At northeastern, programing is done by the students for the students. I love the fact that you can get both a big and little school feel with NU. You want big school feel? We're in the middle of boston, and have thousands of students. You want small school feel? We have a fairly enclosed campus, small class sizes, and very personalized majors with faculty who know your name. The biggest complaints at Northeastern have to do with the administration. "They don't listen to students", "They give you the run around" (NU Shuffle)... These can be true, but they can be true almost anywhere. As a student, I didn't concern myself with the administration so much, and spent time enjoying my time as a student, and other things the university had to offer.. because of this I was never bothered by the NU Shuffle that most people complain about. The one thing that I would change about NU is the amount of school spirit. You can find it if you want to (check out a hockey game in the dog house) but NU will never be notre dame. Students don't attend sporting events in huge numbers, and this carries over to the alumni who for the most part are not very connected to the school. There are many exceptions though, so if this is something that means a lot to you, you can find school spirit in small groups.
Caitlin Alum
Upon telling people I attend NEU, people are always impressed. The co-op program is always brought up. The school is selective, and upon talking with many of my peers, a large number have indicated Northeastern was one of their top choices, but they were not accepted. I like being in such a diverse community, and being locating right in the city is a positive if you enjoy that kind of lifestyle and environment. At the same time, because of our location, its a bit harder to make an keep friends. Northeastern students not only have a lot on their plate, but are always busy doing their own thing in the city. It's hard to run into people, and you rarely have any common ground. At a small school, you're always doing the same thing, going to the same places. Not here. If I could change one thing, it would be the amount of school spirit. The students are here to get set with their careers through co-op, and therefore aren't serious about sports. People talk about possible internships and study abroad opportunities, not the big game on Saturday.
Amanda Sophomore
Northeastern University is number 1 in the nation for internships because of its world-famous co-op program, which places students in 6-month internships (paid or non-paid) that correlate to their major. Once you come to this school you will notice the Northeastern Shuffle. It can be difficult to get the exact information you need to do something. The administration loves to move students from one office to the other to get an answer. There is also the Northeastern Hussle because students here are on their own individual track and have no problem of pushing you out of the way. The environment here is very cutthroat so if you are unsure of what you want to be, this is not the place for you. Nobody here will coddle you. When I tell people that I attend Northeastern, they give me a confused look like "What? Where is that? Oh, really?!" Some people just don't comprehend that this school is fantastic because the masses only know of Tufts, BU, BC, and the Ivy Leagues. Boston is definitely a college town. I believe there are 65 schools here so there are a lot of young people here with whom to socialize. There is no apparent school pride so no one is going to nag you if you do not know the Huskies (the school mascot) stats.
Milton Sophomore
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