North Park University

North Park is associated with the Swedish Evangelical Covenant Church; as such there are many Swedes on campus, but even more "Covies" - kids who were raised in the Evangelical Covenant Church, often partly in Ecuador, where the church has some kind of intentional community. I know very little about this denomination, but it strikes me as a sort of lite Lutheranism. The Covies I know are generally very nice people, and nobody's tried to convert me; they have a reputation for being somewhat sheltered, and I have to say that my secular upbringing often makes me feel out of place here. There is definitely much less talk of sex and drugs in the hallways at North Park than at, say, Loyola.

I love my program, most of my professors have been brilliant, and commuting isn't hard. Most profs seem to assign much more homework than is typical for other schools, but it would be easier if I opted to live on campus...I'd slap on another star if NPU students got U-Passes. I also didn't get a lot of aid, but 13 large isn't bad for tuition at a good private school.

For anyone considering theatre, music, Spanish, or education, I highly suggest North Park. There are some wonderful professors here and these programs in particular don't get the attention they should. It is a pretty, park-y little school and though I'm not jazzed about aforesaid Jesusosity of it, I like going here.
I used to attend college here. The finanical aid is GREAT and plentiful for almost everyone. the professors are incredible and i believe over 90% of the staff have their doctorates in the field they teach. Rollo, the music director, is one of the most amazing people I have ever met.  The theatre program is wonderful. The community on campus as a whole is very involved and very close. I met so many interesting and different people here. The school also helps fund trips overseas and around the country.  My freshmen orientation was a party on a boat at navy pier!

However, I can see how someone who did not grow up in a covenant church would feel like an otusider here. If you didn't, going to school with PKS (pastor kids) can be a challenge. I understood that well. Beingin class with holy-er-than-thous with little life experience can be really annoying.  If you always envisioned college as a huge place with forever parties, or dreamed of joining a greek house and expected your class to have 100 other students, this is not the college you want to go to. I always sort of pictured college that way and though I am incredibly grateful I went here, and have made some life long friends, you can feel robbed of that experience.