Book aims to expose shuffle
Hunter Wells
Issue date: 1/17/08 Section: News
The NU Shuffle may get some national attention if former student Ashley Mendivil has her way.
Mendivil, 23, was briefly enrolled in Northeastern as a transfer student in Fall 2005. But a mix-up in which she was unable to receive financial aid promised to her, caused Mendivil to leave the university after one semester
Her experience inspired her to begin research for a book that could, she hopes, expose the NU Shuffle and what she said were other flaws in the university's operations.
"Once you start to tell your story other people begin to open up," Mendivil said. "At Northeastern I felt as if I was thrown to the wolves. I didn't have the money and they didn't want to talk to me."
Renata Nyul, assistant director of communications and public relations, said Mendivil's book is an example of how personal experiences are turned into books every day.
However, she said Northeastern tries its best to meet each students' needs.
"There are many people working very hard at Northeastern to provide timely and excellent service," she said. "To make sure that the students' needs are met appropriately and their questions and concerns are addressed to their satisfaction."
Mendivil alleged that not only were her financial needs unmet, but when she spoke to a representative, she recieved no sympathy. Mendivil said the representative told her her tuition balance was approximately $12,000 and that the funds for Mendivil's loan were no longer available.
She said the person informed her "that journalism graduates from Northeastern don't get jobs here in Boston and that the Emerson graduates do," Mendivil said. "I sort of backed away because I felt like she was telling me I wasted my time and money here."
It has been two years since Mendivil attended Northeastern.
Her experience inspired Mendivil to seek students in similar situations looking for possible explanations to explain why she received this treatment.
"When you have a school like Northeastern that is surrounded by bigger schools with bigger names like BU, BC, Harvard and MIT, you need to compete with money," Mendivil said.
Mendivil, 23, was briefly enrolled in Northeastern as a transfer student in Fall 2005. But a mix-up in which she was unable to receive financial aid promised to her, caused Mendivil to leave the university after one semester
Her experience inspired her to begin research for a book that could, she hopes, expose the NU Shuffle and what she said were other flaws in the university's operations.
"Once you start to tell your story other people begin to open up," Mendivil said. "At Northeastern I felt as if I was thrown to the wolves. I didn't have the money and they didn't want to talk to me."
Renata Nyul, assistant director of communications and public relations, said Mendivil's book is an example of how personal experiences are turned into books every day.
However, she said Northeastern tries its best to meet each students' needs.
"There are many people working very hard at Northeastern to provide timely and excellent service," she said. "To make sure that the students' needs are met appropriately and their questions and concerns are addressed to their satisfaction."
Mendivil alleged that not only were her financial needs unmet, but when she spoke to a representative, she recieved no sympathy. Mendivil said the representative told her her tuition balance was approximately $12,000 and that the funds for Mendivil's loan were no longer available.
She said the person informed her "that journalism graduates from Northeastern don't get jobs here in Boston and that the Emerson graduates do," Mendivil said. "I sort of backed away because I felt like she was telling me I wasted my time and money here."
It has been two years since Mendivil attended Northeastern.
Her experience inspired Mendivil to seek students in similar situations looking for possible explanations to explain why she received this treatment.
"When you have a school like Northeastern that is surrounded by bigger schools with bigger names like BU, BC, Harvard and MIT, you need to compete with money," Mendivil said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 10
CrazyEyezzz
christine
posted 1/17/08 @ 9:28 AM EST
For four years, I have been very aware of the NU shuffle. I have 3 extra electives on my transcript that were completely meaningless, and I have been trying to obtain my student loan refund since January 3rd. (Continued…)
A. Reader
posted 1/17/08 @ 2:10 PM EST
"One student was a computer science major and he was told that because of co-op he had to do a five-year program," Mendivil said. "This information wasn't true and could of cost him an entire year's wasted tuition. (Continued…)
tiny
shuffled
posted 1/17/08 @ 7:54 PM EST
"Renata Nyul, assistant director of communications and public relations, said Mendivil's book is an example of how personal experiences are turned into books every day. (Continued…)
NU '06
posted 1/23/08 @ 2:28 PM EST
I graduated from NU in 2006 after spending 5 years there. I was a liberal arts major with no money to pay for school, and though I have some hefty debt, I didn't blame anyone else for not getting enough money, not being able to figure out my schedule, or not making the effort to meet my advisors and make myself known to them. (Continued…)
asadastra
NU'06
posted 1/29/08 @ 3:37 PM EST
Hahaha. Narc? You've gotta be a freshman.
If you call working at a temp agency to pay bills while I wait to go back to school this fall being part of the "establishment" then I guess the "establishment" isn't what I always thought it was. (Continued…)
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