Undergraduate / Perfect School Balance - Northwestern Statement [8]

Perfect Balance in School for Better Change

I laughed at myself when I thought about partying in college while pursuing my education seriously. To me, both remained polar opposites of each other; if I chose to live the life of a partying college student, I would not excel in academics. On the other hand, if I studied earnestly that I neglected my friends, my social life would crumble before I even graduated. However, when I visited Northwestern over the summer of 2009, I found the solution to my question.

From what I heard on my visit, Northwestern students know how to enjoy life. Northwestern University consists of countless Greek societies, providing connections to various diverse people in the school. Yet, the school does not limit itself to the Greek societies; Northwestern University sponsors other numerous organizations and clubs based on religion, athletics, and academics. This school provides students the opportunity to explore their interests beyond education.

Aside from school-oriented activities and clubs, Northwestern students hold the power to stimulate change. This change ranges from a graffiti on the famous "Rock" to a student-led organization. When my guide, Kim, showed us the "Rock," I could not help chuckling. The "Rock" had pictures and messages all over it. Kim started telling us the story of how the "Rock" came to be with its old freshman and seniors. This showed me how much freedom that the school endows to its students. I could not help but admire the administration and their respect for their students.

Although the school seems to ease on the students' focus of education, in fact, it is quite the opposite. The study groups during the weekdays and Northwestern's remarkable library collection provokes students to study. The faculty to student ratio of 7 to 1 allows students to seek genuine help from professors. Northwestern University provides challenging and rigorous studies, thus improving and expanding students' knowledge and thoughts. The academic competitiveness of the school evokes the students to focus on their studies as well.

There are a lot of other small qualities that tempt me to choose Northwestern over all the other schools, such as the skyline view of Chicago or the free bus to downtown. But my main reason is the excellent balance between academics and social life. In some colleges, the workload is tremendous, providing the students with no absolute freedom because of the constant pressure. Other schools render the students with too much freedom, demoting the pursuit of a successful education. However, Northwestern is devoid of such issues. To me, Northwestern represents the perfect balance.