Girlie AGDee's College Search Thread

[KSig RC]

Also, if she's dead-set on an "urban" campus life (like, she actually wants to experience city life in that city), Northwestern and UChicago are notoriously NOT that, at least not in the way you might expect. Northwestern is very suburban and well over an hour away from Chicago proper via public transportation - it's very self-contained, although the campus is neat (almost to the point of "cute" honestly). U of Chicago has a long and storied reputation as a "marriage factory," with an insular campus lifestyle based around itself/students rather than going out into the city.

Obviously, undergrad is what you make it, but from friends who have attended both, that's sort of the vibe.

Similarly, Emerson is probably the least 'urban' of the Boston schools. It's a fine school, but it's very much the stereotype of "Liberal Arts" school. Again, considered to be insular* to an extent - it's a smaller campus, although it isn't far at all from Boston landmarks etc. BU, Suffolk, and even MIT/Harvard/BC (even in the suburbs) have a much more "Boston" feel. Maybe even Tufts. That doesn't mean Emerson is a bad choice - she just needs to know it's very much a small LA school, even in Boston.

With that said, if she wants an urban, liberal-arts atmosphere, she should seriously consider the Boston and Philadelphia schools - there are some fine ones that can offer her what she wants, while still having options if those wants change later.

*By way of example ... we mixed with an Emerson sorority, and they were astonished at essentially every portion of our mixer, from having a sound system to having officers with 'jobs' to perform/set times to perform them to everything being paid for. The campuses are a 20 minute walk apart, but that walk was across the Collegiate Sea, apparently. It was a fun mixer though.

[XAntoftheSkyX]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Similarly, Emerson is probably the least 'urban' of the Boston schools. It's a fine school, but it's very much the stereotype of "Liberal Arts" school. Again, considered to be insular* to an extent - it's a smaller campus, although it isn't far at all from Boston landmarks etc. BU, Suffolk, and even MIT/Harvard/BC (even in the suburbs) have a much more "Boston" feel. Maybe even Tufts. That doesn't mean Emerson is a bad choice - she just needs to know it's very much a small LA school, even in Boston.

Yeah, I'm personally familiar with the BU, MIT and Harvard campuses, but I wasn't sure on Emerson. It also isn't that hard to use the T to get around the city to visit places, assuming you know where to go.

[deadbear80]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Northwestern is very suburban and well over an hour away from Chicago proper via public transportation - it's very self-contained, although the campus is neat (almost to the point of "cute" honestly).

Buddy, I know you're from Boston, but what kind of public transport did you take in Chicago when/if you were ever here? I grew up in Evanston and I live in Chicago now--"Chicago proper" is Howard Street--a mere 4 stops away via the Purple Line L (read: no more than 20 mins.). If you're thinking about the Loop (downtown)--yes, that's further. But again, only about 45 mins. via the L. Even if you have to change trains from the Purple Line to the Red Line it doesn't take an hour to get downtown.

Evanston has really changed over the years--in some ways for the better, and in some not (but that's really just nostalgic me who remembers when the Fountain Square building was the tallest in Downtown Evanston and there were no high-rise high-end condos there). I will agree, however, that it's fairly self-contained. There's plenty to do in and around campus that a lot of kids don't venture into Chicago often. However, if you want to for concerts, sporting events, or shopping, it's all quite easy. My niece goes to Northwestern and really loves it. There's definitely a strong Greek Life aspect to the school, but it's not necessary to be in a sorority. Their row is really cute though...(having gone to a school--see above--where all the chapters were unhoused, I loved going to visit friends at NU and seeing all of the houses).

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by deadbear80

Buddy, I know you're from Boston, but what kind of public transport did you take in Chicago when/if you were ever here? I grew up in Evanston and I live in Chicago now--"Chicago proper" is Howard Street--a mere 4 stops away via the Purple Line L (read: no more than 20 mins.). If you're thinking about the Loop (downtown)--yes, that's further. But again, only about 45 mins. via the L.

I was thinking to the Loop, and most of my experience is on game days (I went to school in Boston, but I'm from the Midwest - so I've been to Ryan Field 4 times watching my hometown team) or rush hour. Obviously I'll defer to natives.

I didn't mean this as anything negative toward the campus - Evanston is awesome, but it's in Chicago the same way Hofstra is in New York.

[Munchkin03]

For what it's worth, I come across my college classmates who have pursued careers in writing/journalism ALL THE TIME. Were they English or Comp Lit majors? Some were, but most weren't. The important thing was that they were active in the school papers, had great internships, and developed amazing connections while they were in school and immediately afterwards. It's harder to get national level (or international level) connections at a regional school. I'm sure everyone has stories about someone who went to Podunk State College and is now vice-president of international markets at UBS, but that's really the exception and not the rule.

As someone with a liberal arts undergrad degree, who now works in a technical field , I've noticed that my colleagues who have professional bachelor's degrees are extremely competent, but are not as well-rounded as those who have liberal arts degrees who went to graduate school for their professional educations. The liberal arts folks are also much better writers and public speakers.

Oh, and College Confidential really creeps me out.