Evanston, IL: On the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan lies Northwestern University. Ranked ninth in the country, Northwestern's academic programs, splendid campus, and pleasant atmosphere make it quite impressive.

Northwestern is made up of six undergraduate schools: the College of Arts and Sciences; the School of Education and Social Policy; the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science; the Medill School of Journalism; the School of Music; and the School of Speech. The Medill School of Journalism has been rated the best for journalism in the country. The college has its own radio station and state-of-the-art equipment. Overall the university offers just about anything that a motivated student can study.

The university runs on a "quarter" system, which is made up of three quarters and a summer session. During a quarter, a student takes four courses with finals at the end. Also, most of the schools do not hold classes the week before finals to give students time study and review.

It has a medium-sized, city campus conveniently located for any student interested in being close to it all. The campus has access to two beaches, one public and the other reserved solely for university students. The campus is also near fast-food restaurants and other shops in Evanston. To reach downtown Chicago, it is an easy ride on the "L" Train, which gives students access to great food, museums, shows, and stores.

There are also many on-campus facilities including an aquatic center and a sports pavilion. The university library has a myriad of books and periodicals along with computer labs for access to the World Wide Web and e-mail. NU is considered the second most "wired" in the country. These are only a few of the advantages for NU students.

Northwestern also has a comfortable environment, which some believe doesn't exist on city campuses. The campus has its own police force. This campus felt anything but dangerous.

To any student interested in a well-rounded urban school, I would recommend taking a look at Northwestern University; it is a university unlike any other. f




Reviewed in 1997