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I was very glad to have attended NPU, and do not regret the choice at all looking back on it. Are there issues? Of course, but no school is perfect. I specifically majored in Biblical Studies and had excellent professors. At the time, the professorship was led by Brad Nassif, Scot McKnight, and Joel Willitts. These professors were outstanding in every way for giving a solid and well-rounded teaching of the foundations of Christianity. Aside from my studies, the social life on campus and time in the... Read More dorms was also a lot of fun. I made several friends for life there, and they all played a role in who I am today. Only downsides I can think of are the courses called "Dialogue I-III" that were offered at the time. They were in place of normal writing and English courses that are used as basic pre-reqs, which meant if you ever want to transfer or, (as in my case) go to another school for a grad level degree, they will not honor those courses for transfer credits. Also, if you are a person with more traditional/conservative social leanings you may find some of the decision making of the school to be suspect at best, and guided by left-leaning politics at worst.

North Park University (NPU) was an incredible place to finish my undergraduate education. The faculty and students truly make this small, liberal arts campus on the North side of Chicago unique. The campus is small and connected, and the faculty are invested in each and every student. If you're looking for a university with a personal touch, NPU is the place for you. Diversity is very important to campus leaders--in fact, no cultural/racial group exceeds 50% of the student body on campus as of 2016.... Read More I studied with peers and faculty from all over the globe. I have made lasting connections with students and faculty. I would recommend North Park to students who are leaning towards a small school experience but still want exposure to a large city like Chicago.

I really enjoyed my undergrad at Columbia College Chicago. I thought the atmosphere was welcoming and alive and lots of students around me were thriving in their field even while still studying in school. I will say, however, there are many opportunities to hone your craft and explore your art at Columbia that I wish I had taken advantage of. I wish my instructors would have encouraged me more to take advantage. At the time I thought I was putting my art out there but looking back I realize I should... Read More have done more because there was so much opportunity around me. I thought the curriculum was both fresh and rigorous and I felt at graduation that I was well equipped. I studied in the Contemporary and Urban Pop Music program and I had a blast the whole time. However, my teachers and advisors never offered any career counseling or post-grad planning. For this reason I am currently not pursuing a career with my degree. In fact, I am returning to school to become an educator and attending a completely different university. I would say that the best Columbia has done for me is that it make me a good musician. This has in turn made me a successful music teacher, however I never intended to teach music, and music education isn't even offered as a degree field at Columbia, so even still I am ill-prepared in my current career. I look forward to going back to school and becoming better equipped to pursue a professional career in the field I intend to study.

I was pursuing a Masters In Management at North Park University and graduated in 2013. It took me 2 and a half years to finish working full time in thier blended program. There were some great aspects and some disa pointing ones. I chose the program becasue it did not have a Test score requirement and also for its blended learning program. The Good; Accessible faculty Decent class room diversity Located in the City of Chicago in a safe neighborhood Fair cost Passionate Instructors many of them are... Read More working in the field. The Bad: Workload was too heavy Group projects were not that interesting compared to what I heard about other grad programs Books chosen were not relevant Online system for classes was a pain to navigate I was relearning a lot I had learned in Undergrad. You get what you pay for. The friends I made were great and I have grown my professional network.

I chose North Park University because of the Non profit management degree they offered and a hybrid of classes so I could work and attend classes. In the beginning it was great. I had a couple classes online and one on the campus once a week. This was awesome and gave me the best of both worlds. The instructors come from the industry so they can give you real life examples and feedback of how that industry works. The only downside is despite maintaining a 3.5 GPA, they did not have any financial... Read More aid available so that I could complete my degree. The School of Adult Learning offered great support but I still felt like I was not an important part of the university. I didn't feel valued as a student. When a traditional student needs additional assistance to complete their degree, a university can make this available but the same effort is not made to assist adults completing their degree and they should make even more effort. Adult Learning program brings in students of the industry that really add to the discussions and curriculum and more financial aid should be available to retain these valuable students

The graduate program in Education has been an overall good experience. There are a lot of courses that seem to be more theory based rather than practice, however I feel that this is across the board in graduate programs geared towards education. There some amazing professors at this school who demonstrate that they truly care about you as a student. Student teaching is a tough experience to get through financially, but again, I believe this is across the board and not particular to NPU. NPU does... Read More do a great job for placement for student teaching and have very good schools pulling candidates for positions.

North Park has several comprehensive and career-forward programs. Graduate degrees require 18 two semester hours. Up to five graduate degree courses may be waived. Dual degrees and second degrees are attainable with a minimum of eight additional courses. I enjoy the flexible scheduling which enables one to make choices how and when to complete their degree. I enjoy the seven week courses with a two week break between quads. Liftime learning is also available at a 50 percent tuition discount for life.... Read More I wanted a degree in Finance and Business Administration. North Park does not offer a degree in finance but a certificate. My degree in business administration will prepare me for the next level.