Northeastern Illinois University neighborhood - How is the school and neighborhood now?

[sklambert2s]

Wow... is your problem with people of color or thugs? There is a difference. Last time I checked, thugs come in all colors.

[edsg25]

I have heard some very good things from both parents and from people who work in the schools around NEIU.

I've also heard these same people shaking in their boots over what budget cuts at CPS will mean next year.

Not that CPS should be singled out in that regard. Still, I've heard some talk about aides positions that will disappear with hopes that parent volunteers can pick up the load. Ouch.

[Jesse69]

NEIU is a joke of a school. I know someone who graduated with a CS degree from there and after 5 years he doesn't have an IT career. I took one Data Structures class at NEIU and wasn't impressed. They're not rigorous enough in their classes as compared to UIC, which is a way better college.

NEIU is the poor man's college that has easy classes.

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

NEIU is a joke of a school. I know someone who graduated with a CS degree from there and after 5 years he doesn't have an IT career. I took one Data Structures class at NEIU and wasn't impressed. They're not rigorous enough in their classes as compared to UIC, which is a way better college.

NEIU is the poor man's college that has easy classes.

I think their undergraduate program is not quite up to par. As a graduate student, I was able to sit in on some undergrad classes and observe curriculum and such. Compared to my undergrad experience at a different school and in the same classes, it was far inferior.

Strangely, I think it is the curriculum, not the professors. My graduate professors taught both grad and undergrad and seemed to barely care about the undergrads and mostly wanting to be there for research and the grad classes.

I do know that the graduate English program is rigorous and the professors are fairly esteemed. It's no UC, but not many places are.

[dreschke]

I'm 31 and grew up around that area and just moved to another part of the city after living very close to there. The neighborhood is probably safer than I can ever remember it being. Of course, there are problem buildings and blocks in Albany Park (closer to Lawrence, not really Foster), but it's fine for the most part. I used to go running in Peterson Park and over by the river every morning, I never had a problem. I really miss the area, actually.

[i love living foods]

Originally Posted by BigTed

I graduated from Northeastern in 2003 and when I first started school in 1999, there were a lot of black and Latino students which I expected because it is in the city and the neighborhood seemed quiet but my last couple of years there I noticed more and more thug-looking kids around campus and I heard a student in one of my classes tell a story about how a guy pulled a knife on her as she was walking to her car after class one night. To anyone who attends the school or lives in the neighborhood, how is the school and neighborhood now?

I was an adult graduating in 2007 and when I have visited lately, I noticed a more ghetto vibe. I think they were trying to appeal to more Black students from the 'hood because they have a new program for freshmen that I believe is geared to these types of kids who need that hand-holding into the college environment.

One things that irked me was how students seemed to talk in class sometimes. I had a particular problem with some girls who wouldn't shut up and told the professor about it.

But I think it's an incredible bargain and I had some amazing professors. That is what it is all about ultimately, isn't it? And there were also students who were very smart but had just not gone away to college, for whatever reason.