Northland College Top Questions

The worst thing about Northland College is that the coffee shop uses non-recyclable coffee cups! Most people bring their own mugs but there are those who use those things every day and it is very frustrating! You would think that because Northland is very well known for being eco-friendly and a leading institue in environmentalism that they would put their money where their mouth is. Come on Northland, stick to your guns!

The worst thing about Northland is food. Eighty percent or more of the food served at Northland comes from local farms within one hundred miles of campus, or grown right on campus in the college vegetable garden. While this is much healthier, the food can sometimes be tough and bland tasting. However, all leftovers are collected and composted in an anaerobic digestion system and turned into fertilizer for the campus garden.

The lack of some programs. Northland has a great focus in science and the environment, which works for me, but not a lot of other people. Northland has lost some great students because they didn't offer the program that they wanted. This is due to the small size of the school, but maybe adding more programs would help to gain more students.

The most dissapointing aspect I have found about Northland College is the small number of students. Although I knew beforehand that the small enrollment would bring a different atmosphere to the campus (which is beneficial in many ways, as students gets one-on-one interatcion with professors, and great community connections, for example), I did not realize that it would bring a downfall to the college social life. The feeling in the cafeteria is just that of another high school--because everyone gets to know one another, social groups are formed, and are represented by "claiming" the same daily table.

The worse thing about my college would have to be that it is not as sustainable as I think I could be. Even though my college was ranked #1 by a few magazines and other forms of media, I do believe there can still be some actions taken to lessen our environmental impact.

The current student population. I feel that everyone will do better when more students are on campus

The worst downside to my school would probably have to be that it isn't as well represented or well known as it should be! My college has so many offerings that attract a very diverse group of student applicants, and I work in the Admissions phone team so I speak from experience. Sometimes our brochures or web adds give off a "tree-hugger only" vibe, and that simply doesn't truly represent us. Yes there are many people who care about the environment, but there are many other areas that make Northland stand out among other colleges.

Even though the small size is great, one of the downsides is that classes are not offered every semester or at different times of the day. It is sometimes difficult to create a schedule which allows you to take all of the courses you need for your major in a particular semester.

The location isn't the best if you want to be near a city or city life.

The worst thing about the school is the small size. With the college being very small, there are not many students on campus. This fact however is not really that big of a deal because by having a smaller school, the professors are able to give one on one time to help us succeed.