Hi there!
My name is Alina Dess, and I attended University College Dublin through the N.U.in program during my first semester of college, during the fall of 2016. I am now a second-year Environmental Engineering student about to go on my first Co-Op. I know it’s a lot to take in when you get accepted to the N.U.in program, but first off, CONGRATULATIONS! It’s awesome that you got accepted into Northeastern and this incredible program.
Usually, around 1/5th of the freshman population goes abroad their first semester, so you don’t have to worry about sticking out on the Boston campus. I like to compare Northeastern to a revolving door; every six months a different group of people moves onto campus from abroad, co-op, or even a different school, so there is a constant flow of people. You will be coming back to campus with all the friends that you made at your N.U.in location as well as with all the other students from the other locations. Northeastern is really good about incorporating the N.U.in students into the student body, so you will have an orientation when you get back in January with fun events like club fairs, comedy nights, and free tickets to events across Boston.
Another concern that I had was in regards to academics. You will be taking Northeastern-approved courses that fit with your major while you are abroad. For me, that was General Chemistry, Introduction to Physics, Calculus One, Irish Presence in America, and Global Experience. What was really nice about this courseload was that I got to experience a new learning environment while not having to worry about my grades affecting my Northeastern GPA because while the credits transferred, the grades did not. If you have any AP/IB credits, you will work with an advisor to see what other course options are at your location. When I got back to Boston, I took Calculus Two, Introduction to College Writing, and Cornerstone One and Two. Usually, Cornerstone is broken into two semesters with Physics One taken during the second semester, but because that was done abroad, some of the other courses were moved around. Regardless of your major, by the end of your second semester, you will have taken all the same courses as other freshmen students who were on campus the whole time.
Hopefully, this information is helpful!!!
Many colleges are offering alternate admission options for first year students: January entrance, guaranteed transfer, and first semester abroad options. Today, Alina, a former College Matters student, shares her experience in Ireland with NUin.