University of Northwestern – St. Paul — Attraction in Roseville

After spending 4 1/2 years at UNW my thoughts and experience would take a book to finish. But I'll try to be short. Pros. I loved most of my professors. I had professors who actually cared for my success and are willing to go out of their ways to help. Many of my professors knew me personally and I wasnt just a number in their schedule. Which I can't say my other friends from other colleges can say. UNW pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me realize what my passions are; through realizing how much I disagreed with the institution, but nevertheless I matured. The friends I've made. True and great friends who all felt the same. lol

Cons: granted not every student is and thinks the same, but there's enough consensus to make me believe the school does way too little to better itself. Too much of the school thinks they're past racism. Whenever we reach a topic on anything related to culture or race we would have less than 2 days to talk about it while other topics used a week easily. Professors uncomfortability trumps the need to discuss out issues. Teachers have openly say diversity is the issue. 100% of school advertisement would showcase vast variety of diversity and multiculturalism, yet students of color makes less than 5% of the entire body. And 95% of the students in the advertisements don't even go to Northwestern. I know this because I know most of those students and they've graduated years ago. Academically it was subpar for the price of admission. Tuition jumped $10,000 within the time I was there. The school preaches love yet it's hard to find any. As a student of color, for years i felt so out of place. We were referred as a horde of animals, we were unvalued, and were expected to fit into that sameness the school holds on to. I've heard and seen many use their gospel to reject our presence. They're friendly on the outside but could care less about who you are.

There's more I can say, but my verdict is this: if you like monoculture, ethnocentrism, expensive decent academics, and want to go back to your tiny town, then Northwestern is great for you.

If you're a student of color who wants a supportive community, a student body that strives for cultural acceptance, understanding, and REAL gospel love equaled with high academic quality, go somewhere else. Save yourself A...

Any college experience will mostly be what you make of it, and who you choose to spend your time with. Northwestern provided excellent resources for academic and spiritual growth (legit professors, excellent dorm community, daily chapel opportunities, and local outreach ministries). But, the professors you take will change your experience a lot. So, choose carefully, ask for advice from older and more mature students, and spend time planning your schedule. Don't expect your advisor to help you pick the best profs who might change your life.

I went through the engineering program, which was amazing. Wouldn't want anything else. The academics are good here. But I also invested my life in the community, hall ministry, leadership opportunities, spiritual growth, and God did great things. It is incredible all he did in spite of all I am not.

Northwestern provides an environment for much potential, but it isn't everything. Rooting yourself in a local church will be of the utmost importance and it was equally important in shaping my time at Northwestern. Finding godly mentors and role-models is also a top priority. Last note, if you have godly roommates who are zealous for the gospel, living on campus will be an equally life-changing experience. It's worth...

University culture is very strained and split down the middle. You either have friends or you don't. I didn't even know my neighbor next door in any way. One class (Leadership for Transformation) reliably informed me that as a white person I'm inherently bad and must go out of my way to appease others who are not white. Administration walks a fine line and makes both conservatives and progressives unhappy simultaneously. There is a literal communist party and a pro-life group there too, deepening the sense of uneasiness and social tension. My experience was rather poor, but most of that was due to my own mental incompetency and stage of life I was in. I spent the entire semester playing Minecraft because the social environment was not worth my effort. I went for one semester and do not miss it at all. It has a truly beautiful campus though, full of rich history. Make sure to visit in the springtime when the trees...