Northeastern’s co-op program is more than a resume booster — it’s a point of pride. Since it was launched over a century ago, co-op has become the university’s crown jewel, attracting students from around the world with the promise of real-world experience and potential full-time offers. For many, this is what makes Northeastern stand out. But there’s a side to co-op that’s rarely discussed: the disadvantages faced by students that choose co-ops outside of Boston.
Northeastern is a global university, boasting that its students hold co-ops in over 100 different countries, but a significant number of students also take positions in U.S. cities outside of Boston — from finance co-ops in New York to tech co-ops in Seattle. Friends and classmates on LinkedIn check in from cities like Washington, D.C., Austin and San Francisco to share their experiences. Out-of-state co-ops are a defining part of the program. Yet, these students face hidden gaps in both social and professional support that Boston-based co-op students don’t.
When students leave Boston for co-op, they leave behind an ecosystem of opportunities that are deeply woven into Northeastern life. Their roles in clubs — a huge part of campus culture — are especially affected. Many organizations require in-person involvement, which means students who leave mid-year abruptly lose their role in projects and planning. This can stall their ability to move into leadership positions, while peers who stay in Boston continue building their influence and networks. This creates a subtle, but real, advantage for those who choose to remain in Boston for their co-op.
Meanwhile, the social side of campus life is just as impacted. Boston-based co-op students can keep the same friends, routine and housing — but those comforts are lost the moment you move away. For students co-oping out of state, social circles must be rebuilt from scratch.
These challenges also extend to professional opportunities. Networking events, employer panels and alumni mixers are a regular part of campus life for Boston co-op students, but when you’re hundreds or thousands of miles away, those opportunities disappear. The companies in your new city might not have strong of ties to Northeastern, leaving fewer chances to network. Meanwhile, Boston-based companies provide opportunities for students to connect with the company and the university. Wayfair, for instance, provides frequent opportunities for Northeastern students to tour the company’s campus and learn from previous co-ops.
During my own five-month co-op in another state, I learned how to network in a new corporate environment, navigate an unfamiliar city and build connections without an existing social base. But that growth happened despite Northeastern’s support, not because of it. I had to scour LinkedIn to find alumni nearby, reach out to past co-op students at my company and actively create my own social circle. The independence was empowering, but it also should not have been necessary — with so many resources at its disposal, Northeastern could’ve laid the groundwork to foster these connections.
If Northeastern truly wants to live up to its reputation as a global university, it needs to provide equal support to students no matter where their co-op takes them. This means expanding corporate partnerships — developing formal collaborations with companies in major cities to create structured co-op pipelines, on-site recruiting opportunities and employer-hosted events. These partnerships could also involve alumni engagement, career panels and professional development sessions tailored to students in those regions. It also means integrating remote access to networking events and providing consistent counselor check-ins for those far from campus.
Co-oping in another state has to be one of the most rewarding, transformative parts of the Northeastern experience. But right now, it often means figuring out everything alone. With the right infrastructure, embarking on an out-of-state co-op could be both a professional leap and a rich chapter of a student’s time at Northeastern — not a trade-off between opportunity and support.
Shreya Pillamari is a third-year computer science and business administration combined major. She can be reached at [email protected].
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