Northland College
Ashland, WI, USA

Reviews

Northland College

Abby from Bloomington, IL

a current student here
12 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
The level and sophistication of the academic program at Northland is outstanding. The professors are always willing to provide any assistance and they want to see their students succeed. They push you to do your best in order to become a more advanced student in whatever field you choose to study. The professors also get to know you on a personal level, which adds to the learning process. Experience both in the classroom and out in the field provide for a quality education that leaves students feeling prepared for their next step in life, whether that step is a career or grad school.
Am enjoying being here
The people at Northland are the school's best aspect. Friends are easy to find and everyone fits in somewhere. The atmosphere is always upbeat and pleasant. There are numerous extracurricular activities every day and many clubs and organizations, so there is never time to be bored. Aside from the people, Northland's campus is beautiful year round, with many open spaces and places to relax. Northland feels like home; it's a comfortable and inviting place. The close proximity of Lake Superior and other wilderness areas make Northland the ideal place for those who love the outdoors. Nature is literally at your fingertips.
Bang for the buck
Northland is definitely worth the price. The first thing new students do is their orientation trip. This is a week or so hiking, camping, kayaking in the Lake Superior area. This is the opportunity to make lasting friendships and to explore Northland's surrounding area. The dorms are comfortable and feel like home. The dorms and bathrooms are cleaned three times weekly. The dorm rooms have plenty of space and do not feel cramped. Internet access is available almost every where. The library is awesome, with two levels and a computer lab. The student center is a cool place to hang out and meet up with friends. There is even a music house. The academics are well worth the cost. The professors and administrators know you by name and are always eager to help you succeed.
Tips for prospective students
Talk to some current students, visit the college during one of their many visit days, visit the website. The best thing to do when considering a college is to get acquainted with that college. Don't make rash decisions; pick a college that has what you want and that has what you need. Northland is not your typical college. It is an environmental liberal arts college. Northland focuses on the environment, but it provides you with a creative college experience. Northland forces you to think about problems in ways you never thought before. Be willing to explore different avenues and thoroughly think about your college choice before you apply. Make sure you want to go there.
Great for these types of students
For those who love the outdoors and wish to be a part of the outdoors while studying the environment, then yes, Northland is perfect for you. The environment is everywhere at Northland, in the classroom and beyond. You will get the opportunity to learn out in the field. There will be trips to Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters, even through the ravine on campus. For those who want an environmental education, Northland will do more than provide just that. The environment is at the forefront of everything at Northland, with saving it the ultimate goal. With Northland's close community, you will find others with your same beliefs. Being an environmentalist is not necessary at Northland, just enjoy being outside. Those who are not environmentalists will still find Northland to be a wonderful place because of the people you meet, the friends you make, and the quality of education you receive.

Brooke from Illinois

accepted here and planning to attend soon
4 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Northland is a Biology & Environmental College with a small number of students so you will get a lot of time & information from your professors. You really feel a sense of Family here. I believe this is the best place for me to achieve my highest potential in my educational journey.
Tips for prospective students
The campus is small & everyone seems to know each other. Everyone was very friendly & eager to help when I visited. Northland was my pick out of the colleges I was accepted to because of the people & environment there.
Food and Dining
The food was great when I visited.
What to do for fun
Hunting, fishing, socializing, kayaking, hiking, etc.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
One of the dorms has a freezer & cleaning room for the hunters & fishermen. You can store your meat there until you go home.
Great for these types of students
Biology, Environmentalists, Free Thinkers
Campus Safety
I'm not there yet but have been told the campus is safe.

Kaylee from Spooner, WI

a current student here
3 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Northland is a small, environmental liberal arts college on the shore of Lake Superior. If you're looking for a school with greek life and a big city feel, it's not the place for you. But if you are looking for a community that cares about you, professors who are inspiring and down-to-earth, and a beautiful natural setting, I couldn't think of a better place than Northland.
Tips for prospective students
Look at the majors Northland offers and try to choose one before you arrive; we are a small school, so they might not have the major you want.

Think about the kind of community you would like to live in for the next four years; Northland is a small, tight-knit, and very environmentally focused community. If you are willing to participate in the community, it can be an extremely rewarding experience.

Apply for financial aid; Northland offers some of the best financial aid in the country. They now offer a four-year guarantee, which guarantees your tuition and financial aid package will remain the same all four years you will be here.
Academic Rigor
Like any college, Northland's education is what you make of it. You could ease your way through college only taking basic-level classes and doing the bare minimum of course work. If you take your education seriously and take challenging courses, Northland can provide an amazing academic experience. The professors work closely with students and care about their academic success. Every student is assigned an academic advisor, who helps them make an academic plan and helps them to stay on track each semester.
Dorm Life
All students are required to live on campus for three years. While housing in Ashland is more affordable, it's nice to be a part of the community the dorms offer. There is a dorm for every kind of student, and you are sure to find a dorm that suits you.

Northland's campus also has theme houses where you can live with people who share interests with you. These apartments have their own kitchens, bathrooms, and living areas. You could be a part of the Haus of the Rising Sun (the music house), the Sportsman's Lodge, Mosaique, which celebrates diversity, or Gaia's Cradle, the gender and women's studies house.
Food and Dining
Northland is committed to buying local and sustainably produced food. Last semester almost 50% of the food in the cafeteria and snack bar (The Chub) was purchased locally. The cafeteria has a nice atmosphere with outdoor seating and you can get food from The Chub when the cafeteria isn't open. The meal plans can be pricey, so get the one with the fewest meals that still suits your needs.
What to do for fun
Northland abounds with opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Bay City Creek runs through a ravine in the middle of campus. You can visit the Grandfather Tree just behind Northland's main campus, and Lake Superior is only a short walk away. There are plenty of chances to go cross country and alpine skiing, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, hunting, backpacking, running, or hiking.

Students at Northland love to hang out in small groups, but there are plenty of events, get-togethers, and shin-digs that almost the entire student body attends. Every month we have a Coffee Haus where awesome bands perform and everyone gets a chance to dance and hang out all for free.

In the winter we have Snofest, and in the spring we have Folkfest. All these events are provided for free by the Northland College Student Association.
Bang for the buck
Northland gives awesome scholarships and financial aid. Many students come to Northland with their education more than half paid for through scholarships. Room and board and meal plans are the most expensive part of the bill for many students. Don't be discouraged by the sticker price, 99% of students an Northland receive financial aid--unless you're a 1%-er you won't pay that.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
The list of Northland traditions is as odd and eclectic as its student body. In the fall, you'll celebrate Floyd E. Queeb at 10:28, after winter break, you'll find yourself trudging through snow banks in your finest dress clothes, and in the spring the graduating seniors walk across Fenenga Bridge to the sound of bagpipes or the world's loudest drum. When you're a Northland student, you might find yourself building giant sculptures from snow, wrestling in kiddie pools of vegetable oil, building blanket forts in the cafeteria, or Kool-aide chugging. Unfortunately, if you want to know more about these unusual traditions, you'll have to become a Northlander.
Great for these types of students
Northland is a great place for the open-minded, environmentally conscious student. Northland's community is very accepting of all kinds of people--as long as you recycle. Whether you're a guerilla gardener, a neo-hippie, a hockey-player, the everyday activist, the bookish type, or some strange combination of these qualities, you'll find you niche at Northland.
Clubs and Activities
Northland has a high club to student ratio. All students are a part of Northland College Student Association (NCSA), the only student government in the country to be its own non-profit organization and set its own budget. You can join Environmental Council or the American Fisheries Society. We have a large Alliance, a Nordic Ski Club, and if you are interested in Native American culture, you can join NASA, the Native American Students Association.
Greek Life
If you're looking for some frat boys or sorority sisters, you got the wrong place.
Campus Safety
Northland is about the safest campus you could ever find. The campus safety officers are really relaxed and friendly; they aren't out to bust you, but they're there if you need them. Also Northland students look out for each other.

Northland Student from Ashland, WI

a current student here
3 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Northland is an environmental liberal arts college with many strong academic opportunities, including Geosciences, English/Writing, Outdoor Education, Natural Resources, Sociology, and others. Field studies and research are common. Northland also has vibrant dorm and campus life with various social activities.
Tips for prospective students
See as much of Northland as you possibly can. There is much to offer that is often overlooked because there is so much. Also, ask questions so people can show you what you are interested in.
Academic Rigor
Northland's professors care a great deal about the education that students are receiving and will often go out of their own way to make sure you get what you need and are challenged enough. On that note, if you are the type who doesn't care it is possible, just at any other school, to squeeze by.
Dorm Life
Students are very active in social activities. Northland has a strong sense of camaraderie in the community. The Northland College Student Association puts on music performances, runs the campus radio station with which any student can have a show, the student newspaper, and the legendary SnoFest.
Food and Dining
The cafeteria is better than what you would expect. The school cooperates a lot with the contracted dining service to get the students fresh vegetables grown by the student agriculture groups, all fresh free range organic eggs from a local farm, and many vegetarian and vegan alternatives.
What to do for fun
Many shops in the area, coffee houses, festivals, musician performances on campus for free, Queeb, SnoFest, hiking, waterfalls, swimming, kayaking, canoing, rock climbing, ice climbing, camping, ultimate Frisbee, Ravine Parties
Bang for the buck
Northland has many scholarships available to students.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
There is a big forested ravine that runs through campus with a creek and trails. Many parties are held there. There is Queeb and SnoFest.
Great for these types of students
Everyone is included, very few social boundaries between traditional groups.
Clubs and Activities
I've already listed a bunch above and you can check out the website for more.
Campus Safety
Our records are public and are very clean.