Northeastern University

Northeastern University (NU) is known for its experiential learning, providing both hands-on-learning and incorporating real life experience into their curriculum.  They accomplish this by having students students participate in co-operatives and research so that they may see real life applications of what they are learning in the classrooms as well as test and refine what they are learning.  This provides NU students with some of the strongest resumes for any graduating senior.  92% of NU graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school nine months after graduation.  Some have multiple job offer before graduating from their co-operative employers.

Undergraduates at NU attend one of eight colleges:

- the College of Arts, Media and Design

      ( School of Architecture and School of Journalism);

- the College of Business Administration

      (School of Technological Entrepreneurship);

- the College of Computer and Information Science;

- the College of Engineering;

- the College of Professional Studies

      (School of Education,  Lowell Institute School and the World Language Center);

- the College of Science; and

- the College of Social Sciences and Humanities

       (School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs

There is also a program for undeclared students if you don’t know to which school you want to apply.  The program introduces you to the broad range on academic opportunities available and advises you until you find the right fit.  Switching majors can be done but depending on the school can be difficult.  Health sciences only accepts transfers within NU.  Transferring to Engineering can also be difficult because of course requirements NU has  80 majors and nearly 200 major minors and specializations.

The experiential learning comes into play because NU students have the opportunity for 2 or 3 experiential learning experiences.  They choose.  If they choose to participate in two, they can graduate in four years.  If they pursue 3 experiences, they usually graduate in five years.  Experiential learning can take the form of co-operatives, 6 month full-time positions with organizations outside NU or research.  Co op starts second semester second year or fall a students 3rd year.  They can be degree related but do not have to be related.  On average the school helps students find 6000 co-ops every year at approximately 2400 organizations in 160 cities and 69 countries.  97% - 98% of students participate in at least one co-op. 

The other option for experiential learning is to participate in research.  Students pursuing degrees in security, sustainability and health are more likely to pursue some research experience.  The school has relationships with 37 active research centers, five federally funded labs and participates in research co-ops with hospitals, labs, units and corporations.

Located in the heart of Boston, the students not only benefit from the co-op and research opportunities right outside their door but also all the cultural and social events and possibilities.  NU students tend to have that entrepreneurial spirit.  You don’t need to know exactly what you want to do but you have to be excited to find out.

Boston University

Boston University (BU) is one of the largest private universities in the country with over 18,000 undergrads and14,000 graduate students.  The university is comprised of 11 schools and colleges.  Undergraduates can apply to the college of:

- arts and science,

- communication,

- music,

- health and rehabilitation sciences,

- education,

- visual arts, 

- management,

- engineering,

- hospitality administration, or

- general studies.

Each of BU’s schools has their own general education requirements but all students take the two semester Freshman Writing Program.    Students are also very positive about the First-Year Student Outreach Program which brings freshmen to campus a week early for community service projects.

The schools strongest programs include communications, management/business, biomedical engineering, natural sciences, psychology, international relations and the fine arts.  The school offers enormous opportunities from international paid internships, hands-on-learning opportunities, robotics and biomedical engineering labs, its own concert hall and more.  However, like all large institutions the opportunities are there but it is up to the student to make the most of them. To get the most out of BU, you need to be self-motivated and pro-active.  The school encourages both cooperation and competition.  Unlike many large schools, BU is able to maintain small class size with over 90% of classes being 25 students or smaller.  It accomplishes this by creating smaller groups within the various college freshmen co-horts.

In addition to the size of BU, another characteristic that dominates the BU experience is that it is an urban school that is integrated into the city like GW and NYU.  One may be walking through campus and not realize they are walking through a university.  The urban integrated nature of the school allows for great internships, a faculty that is also working on what they are teaching and cultural opportunities that are hard to match.Simply put it empowers the academic and social life of the academic community.

Since BU is so large, there is no typical students.  With a liberal culture, BU has strong athletics and arts programs which attract particular students but the school is so much more.  Whoever you are, you can find a home at BU.

Brandeis

Brandeis was founded in 1948 by the American Jewish community to provide a top tier institution for all students including those battling quotas at the ivy league colleges.  Because of their unique beginnings, Brandeis has always had a progressive culture with an eye towards social justice.  Cultural respect and diversity is also a hallmark of the institution as evidenced by the three chapels on campus originally erected to serve Catholic, Jewish and Protestant communities,  The structures were designed so that the shadow of one chapel never crosses the shadow of another, an architectural symbol that articulates the values of the institution.  The jewish community makes up 40% of the student body.  There are also 200 muslim students with their own dedicated prayer space.  The student body is 4% African American, 4% Hispanic and 9% Asian American.  24% of students come from Massachusetts and the population tends to be very bi-costal.

Academically,  Brandeis is a  top tier liberal arts college and respected research institution.  Brandeis is said to be particularly strong in the pre-professional programs, pre-med and pre-law.  Pre-med students get a significant amount of support and guidance through special advisory programs, internships and their own pre-med center.  They also benefit from research opportunities usually reserved for graduate students and have the advantage of participating in some of Brandeis’ strongest programs, Neuroscience and Biology.  Other highly regarded programs include Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, Music, English and American Literature, Theater Arts, Economics and Psychology.  Brandeis maintains a core curriculum, with a focus on writing, quantitative analysis, foreign language and Non-Western and comparative studies. 

With Leonard Bernstein as an original faculty member it is not surprising that the theater arts plays a large role academically and in students social lives with many performance-based clubs.  Students are also very involved in community service, political and social activism, ethnic clubs, political clubs, independent sports clubs and just about anything else one can think of.  Brandeis is located in Waltham, not a particularly exciting town but its only 9 miles outside of Boston and the school runs a free shuttle service Thursday through Sundays.  Brandeis is not a big sports or party school but these is a lot going on.

Boston College

Boston College (BC) has it all. Great academics, great athletics, a gorgeous campus in a beautiful suburb just outside the number one college town in the country, Boston.  BC is a jesuit school and as such focuses on developing the whole person intellectually, socially and morally.  To reflect the ideals of community, spirituality, and social justice central to Jesuit teachings, the school requires classes in philosophy, theology and cultural diversity,  Other aspects of the core curriculum include literature, science, history, social science, writing, math and the arts.  All students in all four colleges are required to take the BC core curriculum which determines 15 out of 38 courses required to graduate.  Each school then has its own core curriculum for that school.  The philosophy, theology and ethics departments play a significant role in developing the culture of the entire campus including a strong focus on volunteer work.  

When applying to BC, a student applies to one of four colleges/schools,  the business school, the school of education, the school of nursing or the college of arts and science.   The business school, or Carroll School of Management, is the second largest of the four colleges with 450 incoming freshmen. Economics and Finance are the strongest concentrations.  The school of education is home to 120-130 freshmen.  Students specialize in either elementary or secondary education.  Nursing is the smallest school with 85-90 freshmen and one of the most highly regarded nursing schools in the country.  The college of arts & sciences is the largest with approximately 1,585 students and 30 programs.  The strongest programs are Chemistry, English and Political Science.  If you do not know what you want to major in, it is recommended that you apply to Arts and Science.  However, if you are deciding between one of the pre-professional schools and arts and science, apply to the pre-professional program.  It is easier to transfer into arts and science than a pre-professional program.

BostonCollege students in the past have been characterized as a J Crew catalogue come to life and walking through campus, the description seems justified.  The typical student is white, Catholic (70%), from the Northeast and usually has family who went to BC.  However, with 9,000 undergrads you are bound to find the diversity you are looking for.  Jesuit teachings stress tolerance which means if you don’t fit this mold, you are still welcome and can find a home here.  BC students are also hardworking and ambitious.  They have also been known to party hard although that reputation is diminishing with stricter rules regarding alcoholic consumption.

Harvard

Its Harvard.  What else is there to say.  Its perhaps the most sought after acceptance in the country (9%), among the most intellectually competitive and arguably one of the strongest universities in the country.  Compared to other Ivy League schools,  Harvard might be characterized as an all-american bastion of our countries best and brightest.  It also attracts the most accomplished faculty and the most lavish donors of any school in the country.  Some departments may be smaller than others but all are comprised of leaders in their field.

Something unique about Harvard and not widely known is its unique approach to housing.  All freshmen live in Harvard yard which is comprised of 17 dorms, all of which have a common room.  All freshmen eat together in Annenberg.   At the end of freshman year, students form block groups of seven students.  Each group is then assigned a house where they will live for the remainder of their college experience.   Every house has own dining hall, computer lab, gym, and lounge area.  In addition, each has something unique  (pottery studio, climbing wall, photography studio...)  Each house serves 300-500 students.

In addition to the physical make-up being somewhat unique so is the social and cultural aspect of housing. Every house has masters who serve as parents.  They entertain students, invite them for food, etc.  Tutors (grad students) also live in each house.  Different tutors have different specialties (pre-med, pre-law...) These tutors provide guidance on classes, summer internships and more.  These houses are  mini-communities within the larger Harvard community. Each house has a house committee to create activities and make improvements.  Different houses have different personalities. Every week each house has academic speakers and weekly life lesson seminars. 98% of students live on campus all 4 years because the houses are the center of social life and they are cheaper.  97% think their house is the best.

On a final note, if applying to Harvard, remember it’s Harvard with a 9% acceptance rate. They are interested  in interesting people. They look for involved engaged 

students with strong academics.  Some say they go for lopsided people  ie people with an exceptional strength in a particular area.  They do no disagree.  However, when considering the thousands of gifted and accomplished students who apply, remember  when reviewing candidates they are splitting hairs and basing their decisions on complimenting the people who they have already accepted.  Many students qualified and gifted enough for Harvard don’t get in because there simply isn’t enough spaces.   

Olin College of Engineering

“The future model for engineering education,”  that’s how the founders and current faculty at Olin College of Engineering describe their school. Interdisciplinary project-based instruction that trains students how to think, learn and approach challenges is at the core of this school’s curriculum. Olin is a small school serving less than 350 students who are all pursuing a degree in engineering. The school is young, having graduated their first class in 2006.  The school is also unique in that one of its major goals is to provide a tuition free college education to the best and brightest in the engineering field.  Due to current economic conditions they have had to amend this goal and currently offer half tuition still making it one of the best college buys in the country.

Olin’s curriculum is based on the “Olin Triangle” emphasizing engineering and science, business and entrepreneurship and liberal arts.  Classes are held in labs and machine shops as well as traditional classrooms.  Classrooms have state-of-the-art instructional media.  Basically, the place is gorgeous with the newest and best of everything.  

To be a part of this little oasis is not easy though.  To be accepted you have to be incredibly accomplished (SATs CR 780, M 770, ACT’s 34).  In addition, the school looks for students with strong social and verbal skills.  Once at Olin, students are described as working all the time.  However, they also point out that they are working because they are intrigued and excited by the projects.  Faculty are young and passionate as well.  There is no tenure and while professors are expected to conduct research they are not expected to do it at the expense of teaching.  Professors leave MIT and other top tier engineering schools because they are equally excited by the innovation that is Olin.

Inherent in the culture of Olin is a strong honor code which highlights respect, patience and understanding for your community.  While students are generally liberal, there are also students who come from highly religious and conservative backgrounds.  This, however, has not seemed to create a problem.  Women make up over 40% of the student population.  The school is 1% African American, 4% hispanic and 11% Asian.   

Babson College

Babson is one of a kind.  Yes, there are other undergraduate business programs but at Babson everyone studies business.  Specialization comes into play in your junior and senior year where you may choose a focus in accounting, marketing, entrepreneurship, finance and other sub-disciplines.  

The curriculum at Babson surprisingly requires approximately half of your classes be business and half liberal arts for all four years.  Liberal arts is viewed as equally important because of the skill building involved.  Liberal arts classes are designed to strengthen and hone research, writing and presentation skills.

Freshman year students participate in the Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship.  This year long program groups students into teams of 30 with the goal of inventing developing, launching, managing and liquidating a business.  Sophomore year and first semester Junior year, students participate in Intermediate Discovery an integrated management course designed to show how accounting, economics, finance, organizational behavior and operations issues must be balanced when managing a company.  Classes often use case study methodology and the work load is tough but students say its worth it because they know they will graduate prepared to pursue their dreams.

The student body at Babson is often characterized as white, conservative and wealthy.  There is a significant international population which broadens the ethnic pool but does little to expand socio-economic diversity.  Socially, students characterize their peers as athletes, Greeks and Internationals.  Freshman and sophomore year students tend to socialize on campus.  By Junior year, students are more likely to venture to Boston for the night life.    

Wellesley

Often thought of as the best women’s college in the country, Wellesley can not only hold their own with any small liberal arts college, it can hold its own in any crowd.  When talking about what makes Wellesley special, the first thing people note is that it is an all women’s institution but what does that mean other than the gender of your classmates.  At Wellesley it means having an institution whose priorities and purpose center on the success of its women.  Certainly not a surprising concept but an important one when one considers that women continue to be paid less than men and hold fewer positions of leadership than men,  Wellesley talks about these imbalances and how you can overcome them. An important weapon in this fight is the Wellesley alumni network.  Not only is it filled with many impressive and successful women including Hillary Rodham Clinton, Madeline Albright, Diane Ravitch, Diane Sawyer, Linda Werthheimer, Nora Ephron and more but the alumni network is one of the most active of any college or university in helping current students get opportunities, jobs, internships... and succeed.

Wellesley is also powerful because of the education it provides to its students.  Best known for their Economics, Political Science, Psychology, English, International Relations and Neuroscience Programs, Wellesley makes sure their students have access to a broad array of academic opportunities.  They accomplish this by expanding their already strong course offerings with cross registration at MIT (architecture), Olin (entrepreneurial engineering), Babson (business) and Brandeis (expanded liberal arts options).  The success of Wellesley students can also be seen in the high acceptance rates to graduate school ( 70% medical school, 80% law school, more than 20% above the national average.  

All this and Wellesley is still a small liberal arts college of approximately 2,250 women, a nurturing environment where people know and look out for you.  Although all women, Wellesley is diverse in ethnicity, age, geography and socio-economic status.  What Wellesley women have in common is that they are smart, accomplished, passionate and hardworking.

Tufts

What makes Tufts special?  First, it truly is a small liberal arts college and a first class intensive research university.  What does that mean for you?  With an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 5,000, Tufts is able to maintain a sense of community where no one gets lost, people know you and you don’t have to do much beyond walking outside your dorm door to find a friend.  However, it also has an extensive top tier research program allowing undergrads research opportunities, only graduate students at many other schools can get.  The focus on the undergraduates is not by accident.  Most of the graduate programs are at a separate campus.

In addition, Tufts has purposely tried to encourage cross and interdisciplinary research and inquiry, realizing that most of the world is not divided into departments.  The barriers between the liberal arts college and school of engineering are very low.  Because of this, research projects may be staffed by biology, computer science, engineering and maybe even poli sci or ethics professor.  This benefits the students because they have the opportunity to gain insight into different disciplines and see how they are related.  Evidence of the success of this philosophy is that at most colleges often graduate far fewer engineering students than originally start out because the experience is so demanding.  At Tufts one year the school had more engineers graduate than initially enrolled because the work they were doing was so inspiring and liberal arts students had the opportunity to see participate and eventually enroll.  Tufts usually has a 100% retention rate in engineering.

Students also rave about the faculty at Tufts.  One students explained that the professor student relationship often feels like that of a peer imparting knowledge to a junior colleague.  Professors are usually identified as the number one reason to choose Tufts.  

Another huge draw for the school is its international perspective.  Not only does Tufts have one of the best international relations programs in the country, but it also maintains  a world view in its inquiry.  As one administrator put it, “The world is enormous and complex. College is about how you engage the world.   How are you going to engage and affect it comfortably in this ever growing multinational reality.  Because of this world view, students are required to take six classes in a foreign language.  This can be satisfied with all six classes in one language, two groups of three classes in two languages or three classes in one language and an additional three classes in the history, culture, traditions... of that language.

Once thought of as the school students go to when they don’t get into the Ivies, Tufts is now so much more.

MIT

Hacks and Hacking... you probably think you know what they mean and you probably do in average society but at MIT these terms take on a whole new meaning.  A Hack is someone who carries out a benign practical joke that is so clever no one can figure out how they accomplished it.  Past famous hacking incidents including putting a life size model of a cop car with a police officer inside on the dome of the main academic building and remotely setting off a hot air ballon which had been buried underground in the middle of the field at the beginning of the big Harvard Yale football game.  Why do I begin my discussion of MIT with this bit of trivia?  Because it is this type of focus and celebration of accomplishing things beyond the imagination or intellectual capacity of others that is at the heart of MIT culture.

Founded during the industrial revolution and Civil War by Professor William Barton Rodgers, a geologist from UVA, the Mission of MIT expanded the role of universities at that time to greater practicality and contribution,  to tackle the problems of the future through science technology engineering and math.  Today approximately half of the students at MIT are pursuing engineering and 1/3 are focused on the life science.  The school also offers undergraduate degrees in the social sciences and in business through the Sloan School of Management.  Recognizing the great success of many techies in the business world, business has become the most popular minor attracting 1/3 of the student population. 

The math science culture is imbedded in many aspects of life at MIT, buildings are numbered not named, interior architecture is very utilitarian, the application process does not require a long essay but does mandate 2 SAT subject tests, one in math and one in science and last but not least acceptance and rejection letters are sent out March 14th, 3.14 get it?  By now you may be getting the feeling that this is a pretty intense place and you’d be right but the people at MIT recognize this and have structured the academic experience to decrease stress and competition and increase collegiality.  First semester freshman year, all classes are pass/fail.  Second semester, students receive grades but are not recorded.  Students are also encouraged to work with other students on homework and problem sets.  They even list the names of these students on their assignment.  Although not for everyone, MIT can be a magical place for the right student.  

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

Created in the late 1800’s to address the need for artisans and craftsmen throughout the country, RISD grants degrees in Architecture and Design ( Apparel Design, Architecture, Furniture Design, Graphic Design, Industrial Design and Interior Architecture),   fine arts (Ceramics, Film/Animation/Video, Glass, Illustration, Jewelry Making and Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture and Textiles) and Liberal Arts (English, History of Art & Visual Culture and History/Philosophy/Social Sciences).  

A bastion for aspiring artists honing their craft, one may imagine a compound for artists with few rules and little structure to allow the individual to explore and create.  That image would be wrong.  While RISD is a home for young artists to hone their craft, this home has high expectations and standards for the diverse community it attracts.  Freshmen are expected to take three 8 hour studio art classes in addition to two other courses.  To graduate students must complete 126 credit hours, 54 in their major, 18 in the Foundation Studies program (RISD’s core curriculum in the visual arts, 42 in the liberal arts and 12 in non-major electives.  Not surprisingly the arts side of the curriculum gets high marks while the liberal arts classes often receive criticism.  Located next to Brown University in Providence, students have the opportunity to take their liberal arts classes at Brown.

RISD is based on a semester system with a six week winter session nestled between fall and spring semester.  During this time students are encouraged to take classes outside their area.  Each year about 30 students attend the European Honors Program in Rome and participate in independent study, projects with critics and italian immersion courses.  RISD also offers an international exchange program with art schools around the world.  

RISD students are very diverse in every way.   Their social life however is not nearly as wild as their appearance may suggest.  At RISD the social life often centers around the friends you make in studio.  For a more traditional college nightlife students can walk just a few blocks onto Brown campus.

Brown

No core curriculum, no distribution requirements, all classes can be graded satisfactory/ no credit.  What a school!  Must be a joke.  Nope it’s one of the most prestigious, popular and competitive universities to get into in the country.  The open nature of classes and grading is reflective of Brown’s liberal perspective on a college education.  They don’t necessarily believe that there is a core body of knowledge that all college educated people should possess.  Instead they merely require that all students demonstrate a competency in writing and take 30 classes before graduating.  The assumption is that students will take 4 classes/semester or 32 classes before graduating.  Students must also pass seven classes in two consecutive semesters or they will be placed on academic warning.  

Brown wants students to feel comfortable exploring and challenging themselves without the pressures students at other ivy league and top tier colleges feel.  They also want students to feel empowered to start making decisions for themselves. Some students find this incredibly liberating and use the satisfactory/NC option to take a fifth class or exceptionally challenging class the student might otherwise not take.  Some parents may worry about such an academically liberal environment but remember students at Brown have been successful in life, want to continue to be successful and are aware how the outside world might perceive a transcript dominated by satisfactory evaluations instead of grades.

Challenging conventional wisdom is not something only the administration does but is also reflective of the students it attracts.  Brown students tend to be enormously progressive, free thinking individuals who are confident in their opinions, willing to speak out and challenge the norm.  All of this has led to the reputation of Brown as a bastion of liberalism.  For concerned parents this does not mean that the personal life styles of the students are any wilder that their peers at other institutions.  Rather, students are less judgmental and more willing to intellectually stand out.

Brown is primarily and an undergraduate institution with approximately 5,750 undergraduates and 2,400 graduate students.  As such it strongly values undergraduate teaching and considers classroom skills as much a s research and publishing in tenure decisions.  Brown’s most popular and highly regarded programs include Biology, International Relations, History, Political Science and English.     

Columbia College Chicago

Located in the heart of Chicago, Columbia College is the largest and most diverse private arts and media college in the nation.  Serving undergraduate and graduate students, Columbia’s goal is to educate students who will give voice and shape public perception of issues and events.  This may happen through artistry and/or education.  Columbia College is divided into three different schools. 

The School of Liberal Arts & Science, offers programs in:ASL-English Interpretation, 

Education, English, Humanities, History, Social Science, Science and Mathematics.  The School of Fine and Performing Arts offers programs in Art & Design, Arts, Entertainment & Media Management, Dance, Dance Movement Therapy and Counseling, Fashion Studies, Fiction Writing, Music, Photography and Theatre.  Last but not least,  the School of Media Arts provides programs in Audio Arts & Acoustics, Film & Video, Interactive Arts & Media, Interdisciplinary Arts, Journalism, Marketing Communication, Radio and Television.

Columbia is a very progressive school from the topics covered, to the people involved to how students present their work and are evaluated.  It’s not for everyone but for the right student it is a dynamic and exciting place where they can study topics never available to them before or offered at more traditional institutions.

DePaul University

DePaul is the largest Catholic university in the country.  Founded on the teachings of Vincent DePaul, the school was created to allow access to education for everyone.  Because of this, from the beginning the school was never only for catholic  use.  Instead, the student population reflected the immigrant population of that time.  As the university progressed, it was the first school in Chicago to accept women and African Americans. This openness has continued to evolve in perpetuating a very diverse and liberal community, 12% hispanic, 9% African American and 9% Asian American.  One dynamic which the school has not been able to maintain diversity is geographic.  81% of the student population is from the Illinois area.

DePaul in many ways is a preprofessional school.  It is comprised of seven colleges, the college of Arts and Science, Education, Theater, Music, Commerce, Computing and Digital Media and Communications.   The school is also divided into two campuses, one in the heart of the business area (the Loop) and one in a more residential area of Chicago (Lincoln Park).  Not surprisingly the more business centered schools, Commerce, Communications and Computing and Digital Media, are located in the Loop while Arts and Science, Music, Theater and Education are based in Lincoln Park.   Lincoln Park also houses 15 of the 16 dorms.  The dorm located in the Loop is shared with Columbia College and Roosevelt College.

DePaul’s strongest programs include Accounting, Computer Science, Finance, Music, Theater, Communication and Psychology. DePaul’s theater school is the oldest in the country.  Both the music and theater schools require auditions for entrance.  The theater school produces over 40 productions/year but only theater students can perform.  The school views this as necessary to ensure theater students receive ample performance opportunities.  However, non-music students can perform music.  

With over 90,000 alum in the Chicago area, DePaul provides its students with great opportunities into the Chicago business community, including networking opportunities, internships and more.  The city is also an important factor in the social lives of the students.  As part of orientation to the school and city, Freshmen are offered the opportunity to take “Discover Chicago” (the week before schools starts) or “Explore Chicago” (the first week of school). For many these hold fond memories of navigating the city, learning of the various educational and entertaining options the city offers and prepares them for the adventures ahead.