I had a great 4 years at North Central. The quality of education I received and the friendliness of the overall experience made an impact. Class sizes are smaller than at many larger schools, so you really get to know your instructors and the fellow students. They also have a very good exchange and international program with lots of opportunities to meet international students on campus or study abroad. Take advantage if you have the opportunity! read more

See all

BEWARE OF THIS COLLEGE. They do a really good job of making everything seem amazing and great when you do tours and you don't see the bad stuff until you're already enrolled. They do not clean the communal dorm bathrooms or buildings at this school, they cheap out on custodial services and the people that are supposed to clean do not and only take out the trash, the buildings are very old and disgusting and they deceive new incoming students or new applicants by only showing them their newly renovated or built buildings. This school only gives money and funding to sports and science and literally NOTHING else, multiple racist and bias incidents by students and professors happen every year and nothing is done. read more

See all

Their track meets are ran shit like. Sat in a meet and they canceled discus due to not being able to "see" the disc when there was light as bright as the sun. Total issue could of been ran better read more

North Central College - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

I transferred here after graduating from College of DuPage as an outstanding graduate finalist with a 4.0 GPA and many other credentials. I aspire to be a college professor in the health science field. I was excited to attend NCC and was even awarded a $21,000 per year scholarship. Unfortunately, the science program at this school is inferior to that of other institutions. The department chair, who teaches several biology classes, was put on academic probation as I transferred in. They no longer have introductory biology courses, and instead of a biology course that meets 3x a week for 1 hour that replaced 2 semesters of biology. The class does not transfer, and has a lab component that is not accredited. The lab component will have you coming in on weekends and late evenings. With no flexibility for students who work or have classes that conflict with these unlisted additional hours. As a transfer student, I did not fit in at all. Most of the students here started as freshmen. I made some friends, but the professors were the most discriminative. I actually had to report a professor to a dean for her discriminatory behavior toward transfer students. On our first day of class, she asked the transfer students to raise their hands. As about 15-20% of the class rose their hands, she looked at us and said that we would not succeed in this class if we did not find a "north central veteran" to assist us for the entire semester. She consistently gave us a cold shoulder and exhibited many inappropriate behaviors. I did not have a problem with the parking here. It would be difficult to find at times, so give yourself plenty of time before class. Parallel parking is a must. I did not pay for a parking pass, but the pass does not guarantee you a parking spot. And they oversell the passes, so you will not get a spot unless you have an early class. Food on campus was expensive and not the best. I tended to bring a protein bar and my own water bottle to make it through the day. Even with my transfer scholarship - this school was more expensive than other schools I was considering. Out of the friends I made, those that were happy with this school were in programs for psychology or non science majors. Anyone in a STEM program was very dissatisfied. My first semester had a class in a basement of one of the buildings, where the smell of sewage was present. There were no windows. It was very outdated. And the elevator nearby was very loud. Other classes has similar problems. The only classrooms that were updated and nicer were in the new science building. Again, making it look very appealing to STEM majors - but don't let it suck you in! I'm now 2 semesters into a program at NIU. I'm so glad I transferred away from this institution. I'm much happier at my new school, and also looked at a few others. If you do not want to commute to DeKalb, I would recommend also looking into UIC. Both are cheaper and offer better programs and opportunities to their students. read more

Nice college centered in a very beautiful part of Naperville close to the downtown area.

Lol just run. Run as fast as you can in any direction before you make the biggest mistake of your life. Most expensive mistake I ever made.

My alma mater too! I was a transferee, community college student first so I am sure my experience was quite different. The cost wasn't a thing for me because this school offers quite a few academic scholarships and I transferred in with a 4.0 so I think I paid around 3k - 4k annually which isn't bad for college anymore. I feel like I got quite a few opportunities here that I wouldn't have had at other universities. My nerdism really got to shine, I did quite a few research projects with professors and presented a few of mty original research pieces at various symposiums (I infamously became known as "necrophelia girl" for my Body Worlds exhibit research haha). However I think the grading system is absurd [For my department, Speech Communication] and I contested many of my grades to my department head (Seriously, a class expected me to create a website with my own CSS & HTML script when there was no pre-req and it was a speech THEORIES class). Also, I am a transplant to Naperville. I am not used to living in such a "money area" so that can be a bit of a culture shock. I also ran into some very rude people that in the houses around campus (They would tell me I don't belong there or they could tell I am not a Naperville-ian, what did they seriously expect from a college area?) Also the sea of North Face apparel may make you dizzy haha. The one warning I would give is BEWARE OF THE REGISTRAR. I had visited about a dozen colleges in Illinois before choosing NCC and they by far have the worst registrar I have ever interacted with. They are extremely rude and frequently lose paperwork, so make sure you have any agreements with the registrar in writing or via email and make copies of everything you give them. I had to have various heads of departments speak to them on my behalf and they messed up with my major requirements and graduation. I would've given 4 stars if it wasn't for the registrar. Overall, I formed some great relationships with professors and the "outside the classroom" opportunities really have helped me, I would not have chosen to go to another college. read more

North Central College is like a well kept secret. A gem. North Central has something for everybody and a very supportive administration and student body. Their business office is on top of everything. Student recognition and financial scholarships, generous. We explored many. The campus feels right and has proven to be the best choice for my daughter's college education & experience. Very grateful. read more

This is a college visit review only as none of my kids attend this place. I've been on 8-10 college visits so far with my kids. After awhile they are kind of blend together. Basically I am a pro at the college visits, knowing what to check out and what to ask. The meal options alone are quite complicated and if you don't ask, you don't know! They have special days here where you get a group presentation and a group tour, but that's not what we did. We set up our own time and got a tour guide just for us! The admissions office was very welcoming and had some beverages for us and we didn't have to wait long for our guide. He was very knowledgeable about the school and had a different take on it since he had 2 years at a community college, 1 year as a commuter and then his senior year was living on campus. I didn't like him being our tour guide since we had lots of questions about freshmen year and he had no experiences to share. We didn't even ask after he told us his story. My son isn't going to transfer in, so I think he was a poor choice for a tour guide. He was a very nice kid, upbeat and had some great answers to our questions. The campus is nicely tucked into Naperville and there's a new dorm being built and a new science facility breaking ground soon. Since it is an older school, there are some facilities that could use an update. They have a/c in only one dorm and no smartboards in the classrooms. We did see a few rooms with students in them and there is no mega hall with hundreds of kids piled in them, the classes are very small. After the tour we got a one on one with an admissions representative. She did most of the talking, lots of talking. This was the first college visit for son #3 and he was a bit overwhelmed. I know I'm jaded after all the visits I've been on, so overall they did a good job with presenting the school, I just wish we had a different tour guide. read more

Not my first school of choice for undergrad. When people ask me where I did my undergrad I just say some place in Naperville because many people in the Chicagoland area have no idea of this no name college and I'm not proud of going to this college. I learned nothing in my undergrad and it was a waste of money and time. I was a transfer student when starting out and the first thing that is mentioned by my advisor is: "Well you should stay here all 4 years because you won't find a job right away." What an embarrassment and to think she is a councilwoman for Naperville makes it even worse. I graduated in 2 and found a job but not thanks to the education from this college. I had already been self taught prior, I just needed a degree to look more appealing to employers. Also Professor Muganda is a nightmare of a professor. I was trying to do another program at NCC and the dean was trying to work with me but Muganda didn't care at all. He can't teach and his attitude is terrible. Unfortunately, he is tenured. I transferred out of that college to DePaul and graduated from DePaul. I was happy I did the transfer. Stay away from this college especially for the cost. read more

So this is my alma mater and I'm going to give it 5 stars. My biggest gripe is the cost (boy am I in debt), but thinking back on it you get what you pay for. It's an intimate, involved, responsible college that really works with you to pull out your strengths and instill a community-centric mindset. I studied abroad three times and give high marks to the entire international programs office and the quality and quantity of study abroad programs - more than any small liberal arts college I know of, and probably more than most medium size schools. I found my niche here and I would recommend North Central College to anyone. read more

If you're a veteran and like to be treated like a bum off the street, than this is the place for you. They are clueless and disrespectful to the veterans. That is all I will say about their veterans "services." The parking is a joke as well. With no assigned parking lots for students, we have to park far away from classes and this can be a pain. I would say to add an hour to your scheduled time before class just for that. The locals hate the students parking all over the streets and the traffic is awful because of it. The staff is so incredibly rude as well. If you don't doubt yourself, be prepared to have the staff doubt you. They would much rather see a student fail than succeed. If you check online, they have mostly terrible reviews because the staff. I ignored this at first because I figured it would not affect me, but I should have listened. read more

Parking sucks (kids are already struggling to pay for school its self )!!!! The school is overpriced!!!! (Not worth it) Charge you for everything!!!! This school actually sucks!! *WARNING*- Do Not Waste Your time & Money!! Send your children elsewhere!!!!! read more

Well lets start with the parking. Hmmm.... it's true if you park in front of someone's home they don't like it but hey it'a street so deal with it. I've known people to drive through the alley and take up whatever is parking space and find that their cars been towed. I have applied for 11 yes 11 jobs and have had 3 interviews. Not one offer was told that they are ashamed of the low wages they offer. I've been overlooked because of a bunch of really stupid reasons. 1. I'm over educated because I have 2 master's degree's I don't see how that is a problem. 2. I'm the wrong color. I don't see color so help me out here. 3. I'm to old. Just how old do you think I am???? Now for the education. Where do I begin. The Graduate Program is a total joke. They must let anyone and everyone in. I was working on a group project and there were 4 of us writing a paper together. Well some people write as if their still in Kindergarden and they claim that the way the paper is written is acceptable as they got their undergrad degree. I'm sorry but what about citations and looking at St. Martin's Press. No one one I know that went here ever got accepted into medical school. I don't care if they have a new science building and hire 40 new professors. Still not getting in. Lastly an advisor from Grad school told me that student and employee's from Benedictine University come here for Grad school because it's a better program? Seriously I think not. Happy arming if you can find a place and if you want a mediocre education this is the place for you! read more

Came here for grad school after BenU for undergrad. They let anyone into their master's program, which I suppose is great if you want that sort of reputation associated with a degree that costs $10,000/year. I prefer not to waste my money. read more

What a wonderful place to know that your kids are going somewhere with so much opportunity afforded them. In the heart of downtown Naperville, this small college has a great feel and can appeal to a wide variety of interests, academics, clubs, social and otherwise. I look forward to seeing how the college continues to grow and meld within its established community. There are also a plethora of shows-both residentially put on by the school, and tours, guest artists and other groups that come in. Naperville and the surrounding suburbs are fortunate to have such opportunities afforded them here. read more

I met my husband at North Central in 1997. I graduated in 2000, him in 2002. The two biggest highlights are the liberal arts program and the radio station. We both majored in sociology and feel like we learned a lot from most of the professors in that department at the time, but also that they kept a few visitors around too long who were teaching the same lesson plan for several supposedly different classes. You can early learn about one theory so many times before you feel like your wasting time and money. However, all of the professors I had in the religion and art departments were top notch. For a Methodist school, I was surprised and grateful for the special Buddhist studies program going on at the time. I'm sure something fascinating is being discussed this year as well! It was very refreshing to take Bible classes that taught me to understand the texts as written by different men living at different times, not strictly the word of God. Combined with my sociology degree, my minor in religion gives me a very unique understanding of the chaotic world we live in. My husband participated in the radio program, WONC, and still recalls his days interviewing local bands and doing live remotes from concert venues very fondly. His major in sociology was more focused in criminal justice, and he benefitted greatly from the night classes while working full time in 2002. Both of us feel we benefitted from our days at NCC. It took me a decade to pay off my student loans, however. Four stars! read more

This is my alma mater also, and I wouldn't review it any less than 5 stars!! The campus is absolutely beautiful and you end up learning a lot no matter what your major! I attended NCC all four years, and actually ended up going a 5th because of student teaching. The class sizes are nice and small and the student to professor ratio is 15 students to 1 professor, and the classes are taught by professors, not TA's, ever. North Central is on a trimester schedule, so three terms a year, instead of the two semesters most schools offer. The trimester system is really cool; each term is 10 weeks long. School starts around September 15th, the first ten weeks brings you to the day before Thanksgiving. You then have Thanksgiving to New Years completely off (D-Term). The you come back after New Years and go for ten weeks which brings you to mid March and up to spring break (usually a week and a half). You come back from spring break and go another ten weeks which brings graduation to be anywhere from June 6th to the 12th, depending on the layout of that calendar year. Because the school is on trimesters you only need to take 3 to 4 classes a term, which is very nice, it keeps your load down. I swear, by the time you realize you're sick of a class, the class is over! Trimesters are also nice because of D-Term. During D-Term you can study abroad, go on mission trips, or take an extra class that you want to get out of the way. I did all three options, and enjoyed each one very very much! Besides the education, North Central also has an amazing atmosphere! The campus is daring and everyone is so friendly. The night life also holds its own, especially after you turn 21. The bars down there are a 21 year olds dream. The house parties are decent too. The dorming situation is amazing, especially as you get older, you get much more to choose from. My roommates and I lived in campus housing, and we were in an apartment in downtown Naperville, that is something no other colleges can offer you! It is also easy to get involved at NCC. I was on the dance team, president of the dance company, and minored in dance. The team is a little more competitive, but the company is no cut, so it offered a dance experience for all levels, which was something nice to have. Getting an on campus job isn't hard to do either, I worked in admissions, so it was half office work, half giving tours to perspective students. (Which I feel like I'm reliving right now!) The school is also Methodist, so it is a Christian school, but its loosely affiliated with the Church. What I mean by that is there are plenty of opportunities to get involved with the Christian aspect (focus (a modern day worship service), bible studies, and mission trips), but chapel isn't required like it is at other Christian schools. NCC respects your personal ways, which is nice. I majored in education, did the el ed/special ed track. The one thing is I am not sure I would recommend the ed department. I do feel like I learned a lot, but the program is difficult. In my opinion, more difficult than it needed to be. I am teaching special ed now, and I have learned way more in the field than in their LBS1 track, which isn't even the birth through 22 cert. If you're wanting to teach regular education, it's worth going through the program, but for sped I would really recommend a getting a full cert, which you can't get at NCC. Although I had so much fun at NCC, I would do it all again! I could go on for days, but I think you get the point. Its an amazing school! It is definitely the school I love! read more

Many new additions to campus make it look great. All of my teachers are very knowledgeable and most have their PHD in their respective field. Overall a great school. read more

What a wonderful place with so much beauty. Dr pons is the best professor ever, if you bring him chipotle you're guaranteed an A. Dr schmitz is also a homie, go to square dancing with him on Thursday nights. Hide in the staircase if the students intimidate you read more

North Central College: Where You are Central (at least supposed to be). I transferred out after 1 year and 1 term (considering I was on track to gradute in three years). The college has a nice appearance and does have some excellent faculty, but also has some terrible faculty who should have been removed for some time. Additionally, with the college costing a fortune every year, students should be taught by actual professors as promised by the college (all classes are taught by professors means that there are some full time and many adjuncts and the adjucts teach as many if not more classes than full time professors that students are paying for). It is not uncommon for students to double or even triple major because the curriculum is so unstructured and open for many majors (although not all). I was personally in the business program and there are a few key faculty members who are simply harming students education by teaching nothing. Additionally, the honors program is pretty much useless unless you are a philosophy major. The vast majority of the student population transfers or drops out every year. North Central College does have a few things going for it though with all it's connections and expenses on bands and activities and it's music programs are one of the best I have heard about, pretty much avoid it otherwise. read more

Never got the warm fuzzies from this place. From the Admissions Director who was in a hurry for us to leave almost since we got there, to the Financial Aid Department and folks in billing who act like they've heard every story in the book and treat you like you're just another deadbeat. Never mind that the tuition out-of-pocket costs ended up being considerably more than what we were quoted and we had no choice but to cough it up. We're going to stay in as long as we can afford it, but if I had to choose over again I would NOT pursue this college. Counselors are cold. Teachers for the most part are ok though. read more

Went to school here!! Great professors, great opportunities for students. Also, innovation is constantly happening at NCC. New buildings are going up every year to meet the students needs. North Central's science center is impressive. Wentz Concert Hall is an amazing space too. For athletics they have a recreation center, a stadium, and several courts and fields. read more

Had to contact the Financial Aid department today, via e-mail. They were incredibly short and rude to me, as I was just trying to get some information and answers. My experience was so bad that it has deterred me from transferring here for college. read more