University of Chicago Top Questions

Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

Julia

The Unveristy of Chicago is unique because it places emphasis on learning for the sake of learning and asks students to question peers and professors before taking information as fact. Even though it has a relatively large campus, the way in which housing is organized creates a familial atmopshere and dilutes competitiveness between students.

Quinn

My school requires students to think critically in all their their classes. My coursework has focused more on reading and writing than any of my friends' at other schools--writing well and often is necessary. The students have a quirky sense of humor (look up the T-shirts we make; if they make you laugh, you'd probably fit here). Everyone comes from different regional and socioeconomic backgrounds, and no one cares at ALL. If anything, we're more interested in people who are different, and we don't try to fit others into boxes for our own comfort.

Jing

Their essay questions were wacky and interesting to think about. They love to have fun and made sure to emphasize their awesome annual scavenger hunts and other interesting traditions. They emphasize growing as an intellectual and learning how to think intuitively instead of just learning how to memorize effectively.

Will

The University of Chicago is unique in that they expressed a sincere interest in understanding and connecting with my philosophy, rather than just that which showed up on my resume. The only essay that I wrote specifically tailored towards any of the schools that I applied to was the University of Chicago's. This was a function of the quirkiness of the essay questions and of the connection that I felt with the school and the city. This connection existed only with Chicago because only Chicago was communicate its unique features in ways that departed from the standard university boilerplate.

Alanna

My school creates well rounded through our unique curriculum, The Core This was, at first, frustrating; why do I need physics when I am studying culture? However, I can now see how much The Core has benefited me. I can see philosophical arguments in my anthropology readings. The Core has helped me to connect all knowledge gained in all classes, enhancing my academic experience in school and ensuring a healthy mind and love for learning the future. The University of Chicago is a place where the educational experience is an odyssey of overlapping and correlating subjects, ideas, theories and concepts.

Sean

The University of Chicago is unique in that it is truly a haven for the academic thinker, a place where one is embraced for being a ?nerd.? It is a place where one can see any number of self deprecating t-shirts which take pride in the fact that we are not your typical university, one of the favorites displays the phrase, ?where fun comes to die.? You will often find students studying on the weekends rather than attending the nearest fraternity party. The University is unique in that there is a student culture unlike any other in the country.

Brittany

Its better than alot of places. Very unique and smack dab in the middle of the city

Debra

It is an ivy-league quality education in an urban center in the midwest. The students are nerdy and quirky and take academics seriously. The library system is fantastic. The community service center is highly developed and continues to improve. There is the oppertunity to become meaningfully involved in urban issues and make a tangible difference. We have an outdoor iceskating rink and beautiful gothic architecture. The undergraduate dormitories and dinning halls foster "house life" that builds a unique sense of community.

Chae

The liberal education

Otto

It provides world class education without the grade inflation and career focused fluff of the ivy league

Alberto

The Life of the Mind!

Amy

I was waiting for a hamburger at the grill yesterday and I overheard what I think is the quintessential Chicago conversation: Guy 1: Hey, what's up? Guy 2: Not much. I didn't go to bed until 4 am last night because I was working on an honors o-chem problem set. Guy 1: Yeah, I didn't get to bed until 6 am. Guy 2: What were you doing? Guy 1: Oh, Johnny and Sally and I were watching Family Guy and talking about cultural relativism. Chicago tends to run hot and cold with students. Some students absolutely know they don't want to be here, and some students are extremely attracted to it. Very few people have no opinion on the school. If you think this school is right for you, there's no better place on earth for you. That's not saying this school is perfect, but it's going to come pretty close.

Erin

The students here are querky. Academics is always paramount, and the students here enjoy surrounding themselves with individuals who challenge them intellectually. Even in our spare time, conversations are peppered with bad math jokes or references to dead philosophers. We're strongly motivated and very active. Many students conduct private research during their undergrad years.

Ryan

I'm really sick of the reputation we have--fun doesn't die here! We have plenty of fun, just sometimes you have to make your own kind of fun. If the school is right for you, you'll know.

Allison

This school is very focused on theory- we don't have "practical" majors. In fact, my major is very new because of the fact that it is considered to practical for the school. Despite this, kids get plenty of hands on experience through school sponsered internships with some of the best companies in a student's field of interest: you get one of the best educations in the nation AND you walk out of the University with an extremely well-built resume.

Connie

On the Quads at University of Chicago during Summer Breeze Festival 2005. (Ramon, Adam, & Shane)

John

This school, and the people that attend it, are very academically driven. The University of Chicago is more rigorous than the other schools I considered.

Harper

Some students complain about the weather and the campus food, and I complain about them.

Casey

The University of Chicago invokes strong emotions. People love it, hate it, are horribly bored with it, passionately want to change it, desperately wish it would stay the same.... the whole gamut. You might be any of these. I myself am very happy here. There are some incredible people, including professors, and it's a lot of fun, when it isn't finals week. The thing is, nobody is going to come after you and make you enjoy yourself-- they're going to assume you're one of those anti-social kids. You make of UChicago what you want, and you get out of it whatever you put in. But I guess that's college.

Morgan

It's hard but awesome.

Chris

People might wonder about the safety of our campus. Unlike our peer institutions, or some of them at least, we have our very own police department that patrol campus on a regular basis and that are avaible for an escort shadow service when students take their 4AM stroll back to their dorm from one the libraries. Also we have a shuttle system that runs from 6PM until 3AM and another service called the Safe Ride which runs from 6PM to 6AM. Our students are aware of all of these resources and they utilize them in order to remain safe on campus. Being a college in a large research university setting, our undergraduates are priviledged to have at their access high-tech laboratory equipment for research purposes. There are also many opportunities for research (science and business) here at UChicago, whether it be during the quarter or over the summer break. Students can also take advantage of study abroad programs in over 40 countries including at a campus Paris that is owned by the University.

Nico

You graduate from here and you are pretty much a badass. Ivy league kids are always intimidated by UChicago students at interviews...pretty sweet.

Jesse

If you come to this school, you have to want it. It's like an entity that can see if you're not willing to sacrifce the time to do good work. We have parties (both study and non). We have fun. We have friends. Don't let the stereotypes scare you away from this school. Hell, don't let these entries determine things for you - come and see the school. Everyone I know here has said that when they visited here the first time, they knew it was right. If it's right, you love it, and the work is worth the reward.

Tristan

UChicago is not a stereotypical school though we are subject to a lot of stereotypes. It's definitely not for everyone, but in this way, I find it to be a self-selecting school. If you find UChicago appealing even after the whole "where fun goes to die" thing, and the prospect of all the awkward and quirky people, then I think you've found your new home. And yes, it is a love/hate relationship; most people never admit to being happy, but that is the life of a UChicago student in a nutshell.

marybeth

There's really no great way to get into the city. You'd think that the University, placed in such a dangerous neighborhood would provide some type of shuttle, at least on the weekends, to take students downtown. Students that attend other schools in Chicago get UPasses which entitles them to ride public transportation for free. UChicago doesn't have this. So not only do we have to pay, but what we're paying for isn't efficient, or isn't the type of ride one wants to be taking at night for safety reasons.

David

Think very carefully before you decide to go here. Do you care about yourself? If you answered yes, then you probably shouldn't go here. But, in all fairness, I go here, and I do care about myself -- I am just not happy at this school, for many legitimate reasons.

Denis

BEst school evah)

abimbola

UChicago is great I love it! You have to be a certain type of person to come here, but I know that when I am through that it will all be worth it!

Patrice

The school is what you make of it. I've learned that I can't change the curriculum or academic aspects of UChicago, but I can certainly change how I spend my free time and what I become involved in.

Corey

the administration

Stephen

The people you'll be with here are fundamentally mature. Mature in their studies, social interactions, in their lives. That creates a really strong and supportive community. It does get lonely in the long winter, however, when everyone retreats into their rooms to avoid the cold and people get really depressed.

Cela

I just tell myself it'll all be worth it at the end. The school is very tough and it takes a special person to come here and excel.

Brian

at u chicago, it helps to be weird. Once I was nervous about walking around campus wearing a horse-skull Death costume for a film for fear of what it would do to my social life. The director said "... um, i'm pretty sure that would help you if anything."

Conor

There are a lot of stereotypes about UChcago, but people actually sort of revel in it. For example, here are some sayings from the numerous student-made t-shirts: Where Fun comes to die. Where the squirrels are prettier than the girls and more aggressive than the guys. Where the only thing that goes down on you is your GPA Whip me, spank me, make me read the Iliad That's all well in practice, but how does it work in theory? Hell DOES freeze over

Brett

Don't go to school here if you want good grades. It's a good education, but your GPA won't be anywhere near what it was in high school.

Katherine

Can't think of anything.

Phil

U of C has had a bad reputation for a while as being a cold, uncaring and depressing place. When I was thinking about attending, some of my father’s friends who had gone to U of C tried to warn me off. They had had a miserable time there and were worried I would hate it. Even nowadays I hear stories from people I know who had friends who went to U of C who found it too demanding and were chewed up and spit out. Now don’t get me wrong, the classes are demanding. You have to do the reading - and there is a lot of reading. And you have to go to classes and do the work - just like you expect. But I found that most professors were accommodating and friendly. I didn’t get fantastic grades but I managed to graduate with honors and I never really felt over-worked (well maybe my glasses a rose tinted - but honestly it wasn't all that bad). If it sounds unappealing, keep in mind that you don’t have to totally surrender yourself to the “life of the mind” to benefit from it (I’m living proof of that). I’ve already mentioned Hyde Park, and while it is getting better, there is still a problem with crime from the neighborhood leaking onto the campus. I never got mugged, but I know several people who were. The school has a competent private police force and Chicago P.D. is ever-present as well but there were definitely times when I felt unsafe walking home at night. Did I live in constant fear? Hardly. Frankly, it’s not all that bad and the neighborhood is constantly getting better, but it is a part of life out there, so it's something to think about.

Jesse

This is a great school, but you have to know what you're getting in to to appreciate it. It's not the college experience you see on TV. It's like listening to the Beatles while eating Pad-tai and discussing Castiglione's Courtier. Weird, eccentric, doesn't always make sense, but it has made me into a stronger person, and given me a work ethic that nothing will ever be able to shake. Mi piace U of C molto.

Laura

I love UChicago.

Jesse

All in all, its a great place, but sometimes depressing.

Connie

some racism, some cliques were formed that seemed to not allow everybody.