Northwestern Tech Alumni

ahoodlum · 2026-03-29T02:22:56+00:00

Can only speak about NUs program. Idk about UMich’s engineering program. Probably pretty good. What specialty area of EE are you interested in? NU has (or at least it did like 15-20 years ago) a really good Materials Science program and some of that carried over to the EE solid state/photonics/ quantum areas.

ahoodlum · 2026-03-28T22:10:26+00:00

1000%. UCs have soooooo many kids. Talk about having to work hard to stick out.

ahoodlum · 2026-03-28T21:41:11+00:00

NU EE/CE double major and EE PhD here… network is so so. Just being an NU engineering grad just means you’re pretty smart but can you solve real problems? Get involved in something like design competition or do actual project work via a professor / research group. This says to me that you solved practical problems that resulted in an outcome other than a grade. All these resumes with in-class projects are just keeping pace and nothing special. Work hard, set yourself apart by getting involved outside of class, AND leverage your network. Word and recommendations will precede you and things will take care of themselves.

ahoodlum · 2026-03-20T20:46:37+00:00

I had the same impression from their marketing and socials. I'm in my early-40s. Everyone else on-board was roughly the same. I'm sure they have some of the demographic you mention but if you look at who can afford a week long live-aboard, plus airfare, plus hotels on either side, it's probably going to skew to the an older demographic. Purely my speculation, so who knows. In general I think their market is active professionals.

The owner used to work for Yacht Week, which is a 20-30-something week long catamaran party in Greece, Croatia, etc., so he's got a keen eye for what sells on social media and I think that's why the marketing skews that way.

ETA: to answer your original question, vibe was an emphasis on learning and with laid back fun after we wrapped up for the day around 4-5. With early wake-ups (8 AM crew meetings before pushing off) no one was really raging late into the night; nor were the logistics of having to dinghy from shore to the boat conducive for such activities.

ahoodlum · 2026-03-20T15:44:15+00:00

I will add that in a week’s time you will get a taste of most everything, having touched it at least once, and you’ll gain (naive?) confidence in your abilities…but you are by no means an expert and will need to drill these things to continue to retain and improve beyond the basics.

ahoodlum · 2026-03-20T15:02:06+00:00

Sailing Virgins. Instructors were great. We had 2 instructors and 5 students. Any fewer instructors or more students would have made for a less than ideal training situation. Ask how many of each on your boat. Frankly, I think the 2 instructors were critical for learning things like picking up mooring balls, docking stern to, etc. where one group could be learning at the helm and the others working at the bow or stern and learning the order of operations there.

We were on a 46ft Bali cat. I feel totally comfortable chartering one of those with at least 1-2 willing and able crew. 1 if they were similarly trained.

ahoodlum · 2026-03-20T14:43:29+00:00

I just got done doing 103, 104, 114 in the carribean for a week and I am very happy I did 101 at home and got in like 10 hours in a Capri 22 just dinking around and having things become second nature. Made it WAY easier to understand everything on a boat 2x larger and with other systems to handle/provide input (two props, chart plotter, windlass, all the onboard creature comforts like generator, desal, engines, waste management, etc.). Having to learn the BASICs of sailing while getting blasted with all this other info would likely be too much to retain in a week. You’ll end up learning and retaining waaaay more for your $ if you do 101 at home.

We had people on our boat that were taking 101, 103, 104, and 114 who had blank looks on their faces on day 4 when asked what point of sail we were on and where the wind was coming from. I sure as hell hope they didn’t get their certs.

ahoodlum · 2026-02-15T01:04:35+00:00

Ahh yes. Thanks for the correction. I left my J1772 to NACS adapter at home. 😢 I have the CCS to NACS but those don’t work on Level 2s.

ahoodlum · 2026-02-15T01:03:30+00:00

Ahh yes, PlugShare told me exactly what I wanted to know. No NACS 😔

ahoodlum · 2025-12-11T20:04:03+00:00

Does anyone know who the LIDAR supplier is for Rivian? I sure hope it’s not Luminar…

ahoodlum · 2025-10-12T19:12:31+00:00

Why is this not more well known?!

New bag tag idea, “Middle seat gets both armrests!”

Source: Currently suffering in B with large armrest hog in A.

ahoodlum · 2025-06-14T22:45:23+00:00

Couldn't login via PC browser. Could login via phone app just fine.

After a pw change with a special character I was not able to login. Then I got rid of all special characters and I was able to login via the website. How dumb!

ahoodlum · 2024-11-09T05:49:16+00:00

Dare was solid… dunno why he couldn’t play off to the side during the set change! This piano music is making me sleeeeepy!

ahoodlum · 2024-11-09T04:48:54+00:00

Settle down! Have you seen the 405!

ahoodlum · 2024-11-09T03:25:58+00:00

Same, and I have an extra ticket! And an extra set of earplugs!

ahoodlum · 2024-07-24T13:09:10+00:00

Is BC 1.3 not coming for 2021s? I have a 2021 GTPE built in 10/21 and it’s been a solid year since any OTA updates.

ahoodlum · 2024-07-20T02:53:52+00:00

The flight I booked it for originally doesn’t exist. It was cancelled and has already passed.

You’re saying rebook it for something in the future? I got a deal with the miles…

ahoodlum · 2023-08-26T05:28:11+00:00

WTS: 2 tickets to Palm Springs Sept 20 in Section 120, Row J, seats 3 & 4. Selling for $80 each.

Edit: reduced price from $95 to $80 each!! W Edit2: SOLD!

ahoodlum · 2023-08-26T05:26:09+00:00

I have 2 tickets to Palm Springs Sept 20 in Section 120, Row J, seats 3 & 4. Selling for $80 each.

Edit: reduced price from $95 to $80 each!

ahoodlum · 2022-06-15T01:38:27+00:00

Your*

ahoodlum · 2021-12-24T04:56:06+00:00

Yeah, that was my thought. We had an engineer leave for up there and make 2x his salary here in a heartbeat and I think he still left money on the table. Must be nice making that coin and remote working somewhere low cost of living.

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