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.
Do you have any 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.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
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.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
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.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
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’s there to do for fun at your college?
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.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
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.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
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.
Are you involved in any clubs or 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.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
If you're looking for some frat boys or sorority sisters, you got the wrong place.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If you're looking for some frat boys or sorority sisters, you got the wrong place.
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.