Northeastern University

I cannot recommend Northeastern highly enough. My son wasn’t accepted to his 2 top choice undergraduate business programs (Wharton, Georgetown). He chose Northeastern over BU and BC management programs because of the co-​op, the campus, and positive word of mouth. He was ambivalent about it at first and I was a bit skeptical too. But being social, he quickly developed an network of international friends. He loves being in Boston and exploring it with friends. He is a Finance major. He found the first year’s work load challenging but doable.
There is a unique opportunity to join the Student Value Fund in which students pitch and invest real money in value stocks. Their analyses are presented to the group and interested parties including Seeking Alpha; Seeking Alpha often publishes quality write-​ups which is a grreat credential for the student.
And then, the famous co-​op. It has exceeded expectations. If GPA, references and interviews are excellent, students can get top-​notch, good paying positions. The students work full-​time for 6 mos, llearn AND get paid. My son’s cousin is getting an MBA at Wharton and said that the positions my son interviewed for and the one he accepted were absolutely Wharton graduate caliber with better pay. I think that the coursework and co-​op are a unique and invaluable mix that simply is not available at many schools.

Beautiful urban campus close to everything. Large student population, but still with bright engineers and scientists (I’ll express my bias). It’s not Carnegie Mellon, but who is? :) Wonderful library and speaking rooms. Students ask great questions, truly curious and interested in learning. Faculty is great, but I am biased as I have several lifelong friends on the faculty. Easy access by rail or MBTA, but better yet absorb the city by walking there from Back Bay, Cambridge, Copley …

Having graduated recently from Northeastern University, I have a quite a few comments to make about the structure, curriculum and campus to those who are thinking of studying there in the near or far future.
During my academic tenure at Northeastern, I experienced both the College of Engineering (COE) and the College of Professional Studies (CPS) upon switching majors. As such, I’ve noted similarities in how Northeastern as a whole structures its academic courses and layouts in maintaining small class sizes (20 or under) excluding certain first-​year courses (i.e. sciences like chemistry and physics, which are held in auditoriums and student count exceeds 100) and share of having their students take tons of electives as part of their academic journey.
That’s it as far as what’s similar… but what’s different may be startling for some, especially considering the other options one could take in completing their education elsewhere. Let’s start with COE: if you like engineering, good. But you have to LOVE it to survive the curriculum at Northeastern. The courses I took where rapidly fast and the professors I tired hard to find and get help from have limited hours and/​or must handle multiple students at the same time, which is a hassle if you want one-​on-​one help. The college has a very strict, if not overwhelming academic structure; should one not be able to perform academically well (above a 2.0 I think), probation and eventually dismissal will be enforced. Ouch! Like, I understand that maintaining good grades is needed but can the college just take into effect the stress that students may have to deal with like horrible commuting, adjusting to college life and pressure to perform well? If you think you can do it and you can throw your weekends away while doing so to meet the criteria, then this college is for you should you study engineering.
On the flipside, CPS I feel is a bit too lenient and loosely structured. Upon transferring there, most of my credits were accounted for and I was able to even gain credits from CLEP (which the main college does not normally accept). The courses themselves are for the most part very manageable and a shear percentage are offered online only, which always is a downer. Traditionally, I prefer the physical classroom setting where a student can connect with a teacher on a more direct level of communication for stronger learning. The minority of courses remaining are either a hybrid of the online and classroom format and the 100% classroom format. To support my comment on what I meant that CPS is loosely structured, well, for one thing, academic advisers (whom are invaluable to use a resource) are not assigned to a student the way COE requires them to be (i.e. you have to look them up and meet with them). In addition, CPS has a major issue in not scheduling courses and their sequences in a manner in which a group of same-​year students would be able to take those courses together. Many times, I had to wait several quarter-​semesters to take a course that I did the prerequisite for just because it had to be offered when the demand for it was high enough. Luckily, being the meticulous student I am, I watched out for my schedule and sought alternatives when Northeastern would not be able to help me out directly (i.e. taking a course at a community college to avoid waiting a year for 1 course I would need to take before graduating).
So after reading all what I wrote, you all may be asking yourselves, why I gave my alma mater 3 stars instead of lower since I have mainly listed negative points? Well, to answer that, I look at the school as a whole: its location in Boston, its vibrant campus, its diversity in students and the variety in majors. Those are qualities that boost my opinion of Northeastern but my criticisms still hold in that they may as well be applicable to the other colleges within Northeastern. Take it from me: I’ve attended two of them and even looked at another (Architecture) and that one seemed to have its flaws too, as one former student told me: «The professors mainly focus on technicality rather than creativity,» which set the stage for me not to apply.
As a top 50 school in the U.S., there is potential for the college to fix many of these issues and rise higher. For what it is currently, it’s just ok. Subjectively, all colleges offer the same academic services and goals; the only differences are execution and quality.

Even though at times I feel as though I am a number in the midst of all these students, I feel that my department really cares about me among the other students. I like how teachers are so knowledgeable in their particular field. I didnt like my undergraduate institute because I never felt like the students actually cared, however at Northeastern, I really like that the advisors and teachers go out of their way for you when you need someone just to talk to, whether it be academic or not.
The campus is also a wonderful way to destress if you just walk around and watch the foliage in the fall. Its also a good summer night walk.

Beautiful campus… in an amazing location by fenway and in the city, near the epicenter of the city, but not overwhelmed by the city… it feels like a college campus and not a city with a college in it.
Beautiful green space, open areas, buildings…

Finishing up my first Co-​op as a Mechanical Engineering student. I feel absorbed in my work 6 months into it, and have a huge drive to succeed in my classes moving toward graduation.
The campus is great, my professors are brilliant. The labs are sophisticated and I feel like I get back what I put into my studies.
Wish the hockey team was better though.

Helpful staff and faculty. There is always immediate assistance whenever there are questions. Inspiring words and advice from every professor as I go down the path of becoming an educator. I feel as if I am definitely getting my money’s worth.

Home of the Huskies, this Boston University has rapidly gained a reputation as a leader in cooperative education. The campus layout can be confusing as new buildings have been added with each decade, but maps are posted at regular intervals to help guide visitors. Just don’t venture into the tunnel system unless you’re a regular!
Matthews Arena, Blackman Auditorium, and Curry Student Center are the primary on-​campus attractions, but smaller interests are spaced throughout the grounds, including a sculpture garden and a seismograph in the basement of Snell Engineering.

Review from a visitor…
I recently accompanied my daughter on a campus tour at Northeastern. I was very impressed — Northeastern put its best foot forward. Now I know some of you will complain, but having visited several colleges (as a student and visitor), I can say that Northeastern is highly ranked for a reason. Great academics, nice campus in a great city — 4.75 stars!

This school lacks inspiration and creativity, I encountered closed minded deans, not helpful, and very biased. save your money and time go elsewhere.

I’m an alumna of NU and I enjoyed my time there. I majored in sociology and made some cool friends along the way. I graduated in 2007 with a BA, and I’m currently employed by a tour operator in the Boston area.
Tuition fees have nearly doubled since I graduated 7 years ago, and that’s saying a lot. When I’m in the area, NU appears to have undergone a lot of changes. Classes were effective — and then there were some with grad student instructors who didn’t genuinely care about you.
The reason for 4 stars for my alma mater is the advising process. When I was an undergrad, I was undecided my freshman year. The advisor then told me to pick any classes I wanted to… and didn’t disclose that I should take any core classes as a freshman to get them out of the way. I mean I know I’m in charge of my own schedule, but the point of being an effective advisor is to effectively advise. Other than that, I had a good experience…

No smoking on the campus, but overall it’s got a good vibe. Some fast food places in the student center, au ban pain, boloco and a mini-​mart are across the street. Easy to get to from Ruggles t-​stop.

Spacious city campus
Easy T access
Lots of food/​bodega/​bar options nearby
Cool 1.5 year included internship program for all students (this is RARE)
Mostly new buildings with easy-​to-​access WiFi everywhere

Went to a college where I get no summer vacation… BUT I do get 1.5 years of paid experience which helps pay off them student loans. Definitely worth it if you don’t mind staying in classes during the summer instead of basking in the sun like most college kids!
Social life was pretty good, academics was good, there were a few stuck up professors but overall a good experience.

Hands down great University. Great Location! Great Faculty! 24 hour open library! Greek life! Amazing brand new Student Center and Gym. Plus you get to work with their co-​op program so you are more likely to find a job then any other colleges.

It’s been mumble mumble years since I attended Northeastern and didn’t graduate. It’s not their fault that a boy from suburban Long Island wasn’t quite ready for the bright lights of the big city of Boston. And it’s strange that you don’t get credit towards your computer science degree for attending your girlfriend’s nursing classes. Go figure.
I blame none of that on good ol’ NU. When they said «look to the left of you and look to the right of you — odds are that neither of those people will be here when you graduate», I didn’t quite take it seriously. Ooops, guess who didn’t graduate.
No worries, I did okay. If only I could make a living from doing Unilocal reviews, I’d be a thousandaire!

I can’t really review the university in its entirety. I’m taking one graduate level engineering class. The class has been good to me… but i’m not super impressed w/​neu.
The classroom is super small, and weirdly shaped. The communications on resources as a student have been slow. Financial aid and student computing services were slow to give me any answers. (Billing was prompt though…)
I love that you have a jamba juice on campus. hate that is closes at 5pm on fridays.
I’d take another class if there was something that i thought would help advance my career as much as this one class will… but im not treking to campus in off hours because i love it so much.

Had a generally good experience at NU. The camput is beautiful, and one of the reasons I chose NU over BU. Academically, I feel like I was challenged enough without being intimidated. My first year was a bit harder/​more intimidating than I expected because I breezed through high school. The next three years were much better because I learned how to study, research and write.
I didn’t have many run-​ins with administration, so I can’t offer my two cents there. Any dealings with financial aid were generally positive — I know we were able to appeal for more money a couple times.
Socially, NU is in the middle of a major metropolitan area. The reason the social life on/​around campus sucks is because it isn’t necessary — you have the entire city of Boston to enjoy, why do you need a college campus to keep you entertained? The city was the main reason I picked NU, so I probably wasn’t as involved at NU as I would have been at U of X or some other middle-​of-​nowhere school because I was too busy enjoying the city. I think this is the case for many students. So if you are looking for that traditional college experience (frat parties and football games, I guess) and need your college to entertain you, look elsewhere. If you are looking to enjoy a world-​class city, NU is a great choice. The T runs right by campus, as do many buses bound for downtown or other neighborhoods.
Finally, I met many nice people at NU and feel that the student population is pretty diverse. I was able to learn a lot about other cultures both in and out of class.

Northeastern is the type of school where you either love it or hate it. All factors aside, the way you view your experience at Northeastern is mainly dependent on your social life and Co-​ops.
Socially, Northeastern University has a lot to offer. If you stayed in on campus housing, didn’t join a fraternity/​sorority, and looked no further than your ‘pre-​med’ or business club for friends, then you have no one to blame for your loneliness but yourself. I joined a fraternity and became very close friends with a great group of guys. (ie. ‘paying for friends’ is actually paying for the parties/​trips/​social events that fraternity/​sororities take part in. Beer is cheaper in bulk…) Through the Frat, I branched out to other groups and by now, in my fourth year, I can barely walk down a single street in the Northeastern area without running into a couple close friends. Not to mention, Northeastern University is DOWN TOWN BOSTON. If you can’t find something to do on a Friday/​Saturday night with 200,000 college kids surrounding you, again, it’s not the school’s fault you’re lonely.
The Co-​ops offered through Northeastern University vary in their awesomeness. I have finished three full 6-​month Co-​ops, doing research in the bio-​tech industry. I have independently lead 3 projects, presented a poster at a major pharmaceutical company’s international science convention and given countless presentations at management level meetings. (Not to mention scientists love to get their drink on.) Co-​op has given me a unique advantage in my application to medical school.
That being said, I have heard plenty of horror stories about terrible Co-​ops. They generally go something along the lines of, «sat at my small desk and surfed the web 8-​hours a day for 6 months.» You get out of your Co-​op what you put in. Business major? 2.8 GPA? Your co-​op is probably going to suck, but at least you will make $ 15/​hour. Music major? Awesome GPA? Your co-​op will probably rock but pay you nothing. This is the truth behind the co-​op. Just because the Northeastern Co-​op program is world class, you’re not guaranteed to have a world class experience. Work hard, and if you can’t find a Co-​op that you’re truly interested in, find one on your own.
[Take the lesson of my close friend: Mediocre music major fired from his first, non paid co-​op because he was miserable and «brought the moral of the company down». Two years later, the same guy is now interning for Ultra Records in Manhattan because he contacted the company and set up his own Co-​op.]
Northeastern University has a lot to offer. Sure, they may be suffering from growing pains in the organization of departments. But if you really take the Co-​op program seriously, I guarantee you will have a stellar resume and a bright future unparalleled by most other college graduates.
–AB

This is a review for the MASSIVE food court in the International Village at Northeastern University. My wife and I stayed here recently for a conference and we were delighted by the food court which is far superior to anything else I have experienced in the U.S. I believe the building has one a couple of environmental awards and it shows. Dining services provides smaller plates for portion control and the food that is prepared by the staff is also in smaller portions. They offer a strong selection of proteins (meats and tofu) and quite a diverse array of foods (Japanese, Italian, American sandwiches, Mexican, Italian, etc.) We really liked the soups, sushi, beverage area, and desserts. Can you say, ice cream and waffle for dessert?