Northeastern University Top Questions

I wouldn't say that my overall college experience was as academincally or socially enriching as one would hope. While living on-campus, I was matched with students I had nothing in common with. When it came time to move off-campus, the only affordable apartment I could find was an hour commute away, so I instantly became detached from all things social. I entered college hoping to pursue a degree in music business, and graduated with a degree in Cultural Anthropology. I was a good student who got good grades, but I never exerted myself. Unsure of what my academic strenghts or interets were, I kept a distance between my professors and I. Looking back, I still don't know what my passion is, but perhaps the only thing I am sure about is my course of study. From anthropology, I now have the privledge to study the world around me from one of the most unique, objective, and creative perspectives I know of. I can't think of anything more valuable than that. And while I may not have made the most of my major while in school, I am certain I will in the future.

Anyone who has made it through college now knows that the experience is more about what you learn about yourself, than how high your school was ranked or what you studied. The journey is the most important part of the experience. If I had it to do over again, I would not have gone to Northeastern. On an academic front the stress of a queen's ransom in student loans and a bureaucratic nightmare of an administration was not worth what I got out of the school, but how I learned to problem solve, be persistent, and get what I give out of a situation will serve me for the rest of my life. Northeastern has a powerful internship program, the best in the country, so you will be more than prepared for the workplace after graduation. You won't be spending your weekends at school sporting events (there is little school spirit or good teams) but the city of Boston offers a world of social opportunities and unless you try to fail, there is no reason why some of the top employers in the country won't be offering you an interview after graduation.

Ironically, at the school best known for its career focused co-op program, I chose to opt out and go for a relatively unmarketable major. Though I did not end up pursuing a career with my degree from Northeastern University, my time there was not wasted. In the three years I spent at Northeastern University, I learned a lot about myself, my new community, and life in general. At a school of 50,000 students, over 2,000 miles from home, I learned the value of our differences. Having the opportunity to learn from my classmates and share with them the things I took for granted gave me a new perspective on life. It is an amazing experience to step out of your comfort zone and discover the world outside. Being immersed in the city of Boston with a diverse group of other students, I learned to open my mind to new ideas, and most importantly, I learned to appreciate. Whether it be finding the silver lining when it's too late to change course, or taking the time to evaluate where I am headed, I try to appreciate the things that myself and my peers are doing.

Out of the 20,000 people who attend Sierra College, I was chosen to be one of the 140 to live in the dorms here on campus. Living here has allowed me to squeeze a university college experience out of a junior college. I appreciate my time here, which ultimately makes me take my education more seriously than ever. And as a result, my GPA has skyrocketed and never come down from a 4.0. At the same time, I also wanted to become a leader in my community. In the spring semester of 2009, I was a resident assistant for the dorms. This experience helped me maturity-wise because my decision making has become sharper. An example of this would be choosing my educational path. When I became an resident assistant in spring 2009, I found out that pursuing medicine was a good fit for me. The experiences of that year gave me a lot to think about, handling crisis situations under pressure, putting other peoples safety before your own, and that is ultimately what I got out of that semester, a career choice in medicine. And that is what I have gotten out of college.

I have enjoyed my college experience because I am majoring in business and economics, two of my academic passions and I am also able to take classes in other concentrations with ease. I hope to gain valuable knowledge and insight from my studies at Northeastern and work towards a career in finance or marketing. A college education is invaluable, but especially at a university that can provide more than the standard college experience.

I have gotten to broaden myself from the college experience. I have opened up to so many ideas and people. My classes have taught me to look outside the norm and to dive deeper into my own self and imagination. Then with all the different types of people I have been able to understand more about how people act and think. I feel like understanding whats going on around you or who is around you is very important and with school, there are endless open doors to walk through. The college experience has really allowed me to become a more rounded and aware person.

My college experience has been better than high school. Attending college is great for preparing for a university and getting a feel of college life . People seem to be more understandable of others. Keeping myself in school keeps the brain active always learning new things. It is also alot more work and studying.

On the plane ride from sunny South Florida, I knew I was taking the first step away from the comfort of home and into the snowy, windy city of Boston filled with sleepless nights, new people, and Chemistry exams. Two years later, it is amazing how so many unknowns have turned into a clear, planned-out, and attainable life-path that Northeastern University has so gracefully paved for me. Not only have I mastered the ins and outs of the amazing city of Boston, but I have been handed opportunities that I truly believe I could have not achieved anywhere else, thanks to Northeastern?s unique CO-OP program. I never imagined that the summer after my freshman year would be spent in a faculty member?s lab amongst PhDs and multi million-dollar equipment. I was even more impressed when Northeastern allowed me to present my research in San Francisco at the 2010 ACS National Conference. This is one of many experiences that have made my time at Northeastern so valuable, and knowing that I have three more years to take advantage of gives me the confidence that make ?you can be whatever you want to be? a reality.

I never pictured myself as someone enjoying the "big school" experience. It's just not the kind of place a "Catholic school-girl" goes- there's a plan in place for girls like "us", and it's a plan that expects you to leave one tiny, upper-crust liberal arts school for another tiny, upper-crust liberal arts school. Frankly, the idea of sticking myself smack dab in the middle of nowhere was enough to make me cringe. Not to mention, the whole "New England prep" thing just wasn't my style- figuratively or literally. Still, I followed the prescribed rules and began college at a small liberal arts school. One semester was all it took for me to realize that I needed to be somewhere that could accomodate all of the interests that make me... me. I dove into my new school, smack dab in the middle of Boston, and pledged a sorority, joined the Feminist Student Organization, and found a major that excites and inspires me every day. I've become the person I've always wanted to be by exploring all that a big campus has to offer and know I have plenty of room to grow.

Being in college has been an important experience because it has helped me to discover who I am. The experience has helped me find my academic interests, such as psychology, and personal interests that have helped me mature and become a better-rounded individual, such as fitness classes and the people I meet who share my interests. If I wasn?t in college I also never would have had the opportunity to study abroad, which turned out to be an amazing experience itself. The experience helped me to become more culturally aware, which is important in college because there are so many people from different backgrounds attending school together. My college experience has been valuable because I am aware of how important it is to be educated and have a degree to survive in our changing society. College is important for that reason, but it has also been valuable to me because I know with this experience I can find a career that I will enjoy doing using the skills and knowledge I learned in school.