University of Chicago Top Questions

What are the academics like at your school?

John

Great!

Anna Lee

The academics at the University of Chicago are tough but excellent. On one hand, there are the classes like calculus and chemistry which can seem impossible. Calculus is difficult because the university requires that all first-year students learn how to do proofs (i.e. proofs by induction, delta-epsilon proofs, etc.--not the easy things you do in geometry) and all first-year calculus courses are taught by graduate students who don't always speak English very well. Chemistry is difficult because of the subject material and the time commitment. For example, labs last about three and a half hours each week, and students go into exams worrying that the fourteen hours they spent studying weren't enough. Calculus, chemistry, economics, and some other classes are graded on a curve, which is good in the sense that getting a 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} on a midterm might earn you a B+, but it also means that the number of A's and B's awarded is limited. On the other hand, there are classes that are as awesome as calculus can be awful. This year I took a social science sequence called Self, Culture, and Society. We read books like Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, Max Weber’s The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Emile Durkheim’s The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, and Michel Foucault’s Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. The books and the class discussion about them were fascinating. Going to Self became one of the best parts of my week. Students here study a ton. We still have fun, but getting away with not studying for an exam or not doing extra problems to understand the material just does not happen. Most weeks students go out to frat parties or other events on Friday nights, but then they stay in on Saturday nights to get work done. The University of Chicago fosters an excellent learning environment, so students here are not very competitive. Although in some classes like chemistry and economics students are competing with their classmates for the higher grades, mostly the attitude is that "we're all in this together," where "this" is surviving exams, studying for crazy amounts of time, and making it through this school. Also, with so many student organizations (over 500) and other things to be involved in, everyone can excel in their own way, so neither the academic or extracurricular environments are highly competitive. Professors are very accessible, and they are always available to help you and answer your questions. Many classes, such as calculus and chemistry, also include discussion sessions and problem sessions led by T.A.s that are designed to help students better understand the course material. Granted, these sessions are not always useful, but in the case that they aren't, there are college tutors and other resources for students. The university puts forth equally as much effort and resources toward creating a thriving learning community as it does toward preparing its students for post-graducaiton. The Career Advising and Planning Services (CAPS) is absolutely outstanding. CAPS advisors are available to help students write excellent resumes and cover letters and work on interview skills. Also, the Chicago Careers In... (CCI) programs are truly incredible. They are an excellent way to explore careers, make connections, and get internships and jobs. The CCI programs consistently hold events designed to give students the opportunity to talk to people in different fields, hear experts speak, and network. For example, over spring break, I went to Washington, D.C., with Chicago Careers in Public and Social Service (CCIPSS). We met with alumni at the White House, State Department, Peace Corps, USAID, the Brookings Institute, and Senator Durbin’s office. We had lunch with a Senior Advisor to the President and dinner with a Foreign Affairs Officer with the State Department who spent six months in Iraq working directly for General Patreus. The university completely understands the importance of career exploration and networking in order to get internships and jobs. CAPS also runs Chicago Career Connection (CCC), an online resource for students. Through CCC, students can schedule appointments with CAPS advisors and research and apply for thousands of jobs (there are at least 60,000 posted on CCC). The only downside to CAPS is that it takes about two weeks to get an appointment.

Keira

Classes are small and personal for the most part--especially as you get more advanced in your major. My favorite class has to be a Human Rights Seminar aptly titled What is a Human? We read such diverse materials and the class was small--we had really rousing discussions and the professor let us choose our final paper topics--mine ended up motivating my BA thesis. My least favorite has to be anything in the math requirement. I just feel like our basic level math professors are generally not that easy to follow, but then again I'm not all that great at math! Class participation is very common--you will always be encouraged to speak up--but professors realize not all students are outgoing and they are often understanding. My major is so cool (Comparative Human Development) because it's interdisciplinary. I can take classes in all the subjects I'm interested in--anthro, philo, socio, human rights, law--and generally I can make them count toward my major. It's given me a really wide breadth of knowledge and interests that I'll keep with me for life. Education here is definitely about learning for its own sake, but having the Uchicago name behind you is great on the resume too.

Connie

The academic environment here sometimes can be overwhelming. Most classes are made up of 25 people or fewer and are heavily discussion-driven, which I love. This isn't always true. In, say, economics classes or science core classes, there can be over a hundred students in a single class. And yeah, the academics are pretty difficult here. I can't tell you how many times I wonder how much higher my GPA would be if I were at a different school. Being a paid dispenser of caffeine (read: barista), at the library, I have seen the eyes of desperation during midterm and finals week. However, I love it all. I have been in several classes where it always seemed we didn't have enough time to finish talking about a work because students wanted to participate. It's not uncommon to make jokes about whether or not Plato would think a Rolex approaches the form of a watch more than a cheap watch that still tells time. There are awesome, awesome classes available (there are also some not that awesome ones).

Emily

Academics are rather intense at the University of Chicago. It is impossible for any student here to enroll in stereotypical "slacker classes" that you might find at other universities, but I would say that most students here are happy with that. Each students spends their first year or first two years fulfilling the Core requirements. The Core is our liberal arts curriculum, designed to give all students extensive experience in all academic fields before selecting a major. Humanities and social sciences classes are small (capped at 19 students) and discussion-based, and the math and science classes are usually lecture-style, but rarely include more than 50 students. Students study quite often, but we make time for relaxation and fun. The best part about UChicago is the fact that nearly all of the students genuinely enjoy learning, which means great class discussions and participation.

Emily

Academics are rather intense at the University of Chicago. It is impossible for any student here to enroll in stereotypical "slacker classes" that you might find at other universities, but I would say that most students here are happy with that. Each students spends their first year or first two years fulfilling the Core requirements. The Core is our liberal arts curriculum, designed to give all students extensive experience in all academic fields before selecting a major. Humanities and social sciences classes are small (capped at 19 students) and discussion-based, and the math and science classes are usually lecture-style, but rarely include more than 50 students. Students study quite often, but we make time for relaxation and fun. The best part about UChicago is the fact that nearly all of the students genuinely enjoy learning, which means great class discussions and participation.

Ian

The academics at the University of Chicago are as to be expected, very challenging. USA today ranked us #5, and we are #5 for a reason. I am only a freshman, so my core has been relatively harmless thus far in terms of time and hardness. The biggest thing that I have taken away is how much more I have learned in my time at this school. To get to listen to the #6 best economist in the world every Tuesday for four hours is simply incredible. I always thought that Plato and Socrates were pretty boring, but when your in a class of 20 with an open discussion on the book with some of the smartest kids our there, you really embrace the competition, and the truly genius ideas that are being said. The class sizes here are awesome, as all the professors know your name, and want you to approach them on a first name basis. This does make it vital to participate in class, but that just helps you as a student. In overall terms, going through the Uchicago education will teach you how to learn, and because of its reputation among companies and America as a whole, you will have one of the best opportunities out there to get a great job.

Melissa

cool

Charles

Academics at the University of Chicago are known for their intensity, and they really deserve it. Classes are difficult, and many students spend the majority of their time coping with coursework. However, its not just busy work--virtually all assignments are actually beneficial. Problem sets, while long, usually can really enhance your math skills and the readings, while equally long, are most often quite interesting. The University makes a big deal of learning for its own sake--hence the famous core system--and most students really embrace it. While it may be frustrating at first to take a class that holds no appeal for you, many students seem to eventually come around and appreciate what they're learning, no matter how far outside their eventual major it may be. Students in most majors do not compete with each other, excepting pre-meds and chemists.

Charles

Academics at the University of Chicago are known for their intensity, and they really deserve it. Classes are difficult, and many students spend the majority of their time coping with coursework. However, its not just busy work--virtually all assignments are actually beneficial. Problem sets, while long, usually can really enhance your math skills and the readings, while equally long, are most often quite interesting. The University makes a big deal of learning for its own sake--hence the famous core system--and most students really embrace it. While it may be frustrating at first to take a class that holds no appeal for you, many students seem to eventually come around and appreciate what they're learning, no matter how far outside their eventual major it may be. Students in most majors do not compete with each other, excepting pre-meds and chemists.

Andrew

Classes are not as bad as they are depicted as. In fact, professors are often nice and easier on grading, especially in the literary departments. People participate a lot in class, which is nice. Obviously, academics are taken very seriously and you will often see students studying until late at night. However, you won't have so much work that you cannot do it and still have fun, guaranteed.

Rebecca

The academic experience here probably really does depend on your major. Professors have known my name in every class I have taken thus far, and go out of their way to be available to students for extra help. Classes are hard...this is definitely a place to be if you get some kind of sick joy out of writing papers. Class participation is not only common but oftentimes a required part of your grade (again depends on the subject area though, clearly philosophy classes require more discussion than statistics.) Students most certainly have intellectual conversations out of class...it is really nicely woven in with more casual conversation. You do get the odd kid every once in a while who is super competitive (we like to refer to them as "that kid"), but people are far more supportive of one another than you may expect. None of the talk about the work load is meant to scare anyone away. I came to school quaking in my boots for fear of the piles of coursework I had been assured I would receive here, but overall I find it to be pretty easy to manage. Once you find your own "academic rhythm" so to speak (i.e. whether you are a crammer or need more organized study time) it's easy to feel like you have things under control.

Lucy

We're renowned for being difficult. It's true. Don't come to Uchicago unless you're willing to put in serious library time. Grade deflation is a fact of like though it's widely said that grad schools know this and consider our gpas seperatley. I came to U ofC unsure how I felt about the Core, but I now love it. My classes have been great foundations for anything else I do academically. Core classes are kept small, which is nice. The best change from high school has been that everyone here is engaged in the material and in learning. Everyone's a geek. Intellectual discussions outside of class are prevalent. The whole "Life of the Mind" campaign the admissions office has been putting out is true-- we don't just discuss Occupy Wall Street here, we discuss it as relating to Marxist revolutionary theory. Academics are everywhere here

Lucy

We're renowned for being difficult. It's true. Don't come to Uchicago unless you're willing to put in serious library time. Grade deflation is a fact of like though it's widely said that grad schools know this and consider our gpas seperatley. I came to U ofC unsure how I felt about the Core, but I now love it. My classes have been great foundations for anything else I do academically. Core classes are kept small, which is nice. The best change from high school has been that everyone here is engaged in the material and in learning. Everyone's a geek. Intellectual discussions outside of class are prevalent. The whole "Life of the Mind" campaign the admissions office has been putting out is true-- we don't just discuss Occupy Wall Street here, we discuss it as relating to Marxist revolutionary theory. Academics are everywhere here

Hewon

Humanities and social science classes (that everyone will eventually take to fulfill the Core) are generally small enough that you could tell if somebody was absent. The professors make an effort to remember and call you by your name by the second week of classes. They are discussion based classes so you not only develop a relationship with your teacher, but your fellow students as well, as you debate and discuss ideas and texts. What I loved about my humanities and social science classes was the teacher's dedication to meeting your needs. They ask us for our opinions on texts, what works? what doesn't work? and their office hours are flexible and most teachers are very willing and excited to meet with you and go over your paper. In larger lecture classes like Intro to Micro/Macro, the student and teacher relationship is inevitably different. The first few lecture classes which was capped at 150 somehow ended up upwards 170, as 20 extra students magically trickled in. Such classes require a lot more dedication on the student end to speak up and ask questions or seek out teachers or T.As. on their own free time. The workload is completely dependent on the courses you choose to take. Some people argue that certain majors are harder than others but logically, more popular majors have more students and therefore, more competition. 3 classes is a full course-load and 4 classes is the maximum number of courses a student can register for (unless he/she decides to petition this in which he/she meets with the Dean of students in the college). 3 classes for one person can be a completely different commitment for another person. While I had only 3 classes and 8 hours of classes a week (Social sciences, humanities, and intro to micro), my friend who took 3 different classes (humanities, core bio, and spanish) had ~11 hours of classes plus 50 minutes of Spanish recitation/ conversation a week. I feel that the University of Chicago uses its core curriculum to help students bridge the gap between the comforts of high school and the spirited academic inquiry of college. Its core curriculum is specially designed to generate great thinking minds for all students regardless of their future field of study.

Julianne

Class participation usually comes down to 3-5 students in each class with some people participating once in a while. Each class will have a "That kid" which is a person who talks for the sake of talking and our classes usually bond because of that person. I think that that is a good example of how important academics is to U.Chicago. People here study a lot, with many people living in the library during Finals Week. The students are very competitive, but it is more competition against the class then with other students. Anywhere, you will find people willing to help and and the school provides free tutors. As an Economics Major, I am a student who has problem sets each week and takes some of he most challenging classes in the school. Some interesting classes I have gotten to take though, have been outside my major for the Core. The COre is a set of classes each students has to take such as humanities, civilizations, math and science. I got to take "The History of Natural Deserts" which was really fun and I even got to study abroad to get credits for my major. The school is a liberal arts school, but there is a lot of preparation for people to get jobs afterwards, although many people go to Grad School. People here just really enjoy learning and will spend time to do so because they study for the purpose to learn more, not for a grade.

Dillon

Academics at University of Chicago are top-notch. Speaking from personal experience, I have had great interactions with my professors. Most of my classes are very small (<20 students) and serves to facilitate a lot of class participation. With great instruction comes high expectations, and students here study a lot. While I have never felt competition from other students, there is still a pressure to do your best. I am a Political Science major with a minor in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations or NELC. The Poly Sci department is great in that I can take many classes from other departments that count for the major, giving me the chance to explore. The NELC department is wonderful and the teachers are top-notch. The language teachers in the department, in my case my Arabic professor, are really passionate about teaching and put in time in and outside of class to make learning fun. The best class that I have taken would be "Power, Identity, and Resistance." It was to complete part of the core requirement of classes and really set up a foundation of great political intellectuals that I draw upon for almost every class. My least favorite class was "Chemistry in the Atmosphere," but that was probably due to my passion for the social sciences. On a whole, UChicago gives you a liberal arts education. You really learn how to think. This does not mean that you are in some bubble outside of the current economic conditions. The college has a extensive program from helping students chart their path to internships, grad school, and jobs after college. They really do care about the prestige factor for the university and the success of its students is a great part of that.

Claire

It's also no secret that the academics are anything but lax; but as an environment that encourages intellectual growth, it's intent on making sure the students actually get what they're learning. If you have a problem set for your homework, there will be hours to ask your professor or TA for help; if you have a paper, there are writing tutors available just about all the time; if you just don't get the reading, the housing system ensures that an upperclassman is around to talk it over with. Grades are high-pressure, but the students aren't competitive with each other. And while the school has a rep for focusing a bit too much on the theoretical, students always have internships and professional opportunities on their minds.

Claire

It's also no secret that the academics are anything but lax; but as an environment that encourages intellectual growth, it's intent on making sure the students actually get what they're learning. If you have a problem set for your homework, there will be hours to ask your professor or TA for help; if you have a paper, there are writing tutors available just about all the time; if you just don't get the reading, the housing system ensures that an upperclassman is around to talk it over with. Grades are high-pressure, but the students aren't competitive with each other. And while the school has a rep for focusing a bit too much on the theoretical, students always have internships and professional opportunities on their minds.

Claire

It's also no secret that the academics are anything but lax; but as an environment that encourages intellectual growth, it's intent on making sure the students actually get what they're learning. If you have a problem set for your homework, there will be hours to ask your professor or TA for help; if you have a paper, there are writing tutors available just about all the time; if you just don't get the reading, the housing system ensures that an upperclassman is around to talk it over with. Grades are high-pressure, but the students aren't competitive with each other. And while the school has a rep for focusing a bit too much on the theoretical, students always have internships and professional opportunities on their minds.

Kathleen

Chicago has an extensive core curriculum, and because the undergraduate school is not divided into "schools" and is simply "the College" each UChicago student has to fulfill the same requirements. Even in these first and second year classes, however, the class sizes are very small. Every professor I have had thus far in my undergraduate experience has known my name and most of my classes have been heavily discussion based. The small class sizes and sincere interest professors take in their students make it difficult for a student to skip class often or fall very behind. Chicago is also known for being extremely difficult. In my experience, Chicago has lived up to its reputation in this regard. The quarter system at Chicago forces classes to move swiftly and demand students work incredibly hard. While undergrad at Chicago is anything but easy academically, and Chicago definitely is worthy of its academic reputation, some students complain that being able to read Nietzsche is not a marketable skill. However, the economics department that Chicago is famous for definitely encourages students to go into lucrative fields like investment banking.

Esther

Academics at the University of Chicago are rigorous, there's no getting around it.One of the great things about this school is that class sizes are generally small, especially in Humanities major like mine (English), and that means that if you take a class with a well-known professor (like one of the 90+ Nobel laureates the University can claim), you have a chance to work closely with a giant in the field! Teachers will know your name if you put yourself out there by speaking in class and going to office hours. Students study quite a bit--it is a top 10 university, after all. Finals week is especially grueling, and the quarter system is really fast-paced, so students should know how to stay on top of their game. The education at the University of Chicago is famously geared toward learning for its own sake. Classes, especially the unusual ones like the Reality TV Analysis class I took this past quarter, are focused on thinking about old issues in new ways. However, there's no doubt that a degree from University of Chicago is a foot in the door in many industries, and the University has a fantastic career services division (CAPS) that works incessantly to help students find jobs and internships.

Rebecca

The academics are terrific! I feel lucky every day when I go to class. The Core classes emphasis logical thinking and articulation in every area of life. As you take these classes, you can feel yourself becoming a person who thinks more rigorously and more insightfully, and who expresses herself better. There will probably be at least one Core class that you are completely uninterested in taking, but even that class will teach you how to think in a new way. The professors are readily available during office hours and by email. They are very interested in making sure you can succeed in the class. However, you must also be very interested in making sure you succeed in class. Classes do require a lot of work. My thought process about homework is usually that although it can be a pain to do, I always want to do it so I can participate in class and get as much out of it as possible. Most other students feel the same way, which leads to great class discussion and participation. These conversations will often spill out outside of class. A side benefit of the Core classes is that with so many students on campus learning the same material, these conversations can occur with almost anyone.

Sarah

Like most other schools, beginning science and math classes and intro classes are often large lectures, while classes in the humanities and more advanced are generally smaller discussions with professors seemingly more invested in your input and success. As a English/Romance Languages major (who dabbled in Linguistics and Arabic), I am more used to the latter, though the majority of my friends are in the former category and so I have a general idea of how class size/individualized attention works in most majors. I have personally found most professors extremely accomodating and invested in your success, though this is less true of professors teaching some of the Core sequences. Sosc and Hum sequences (part of the Core that everyone has to take to graduate) form a common intellectual ground for people to begin intellectual debates and discussions (knowing that your conversational partner has likely read Marx and Adam Smith helps facilitate such things). Other Core sequences, like Physical Science classes, are generally more of a pain, and most people complain that these requirements are silly and unnecessary. Some students even have to take Physical Education classes (your requirements as far as that goes are determined during O-week swim and P.E. tests). Over all the school's academic requirements in terms of classes needed to graduate are reasonable, even if workloads in some of those classes aren't. Very few majors prepare you for a job straight out of school (as most majors are highly theoretical), and most students intend to eventually further their education in graduate or professional schools before beginning their careers.

Karim

Make no mistake, academics are the biggest part of one’s experience at the University of Chicago. Luckily, your academic experience is bound to be a great one given the University’s faculty and facilities. Not only has the University been home to more Nobel Laureates than any other schools, but it is also in the process of revamping its infrastructure (meaning gyms, labs, libraries, and all the other good stuff). The classes offered at the University, moreover, are more interesting in reality than they sound on paper. Students share a reciprocal feeling for their classes and often talk about them out of class. Surely, it is not uncommon for students to be discussing their classes in the dining hall (or their GPAs for that matter). Of course, the academic rigor also means a lot of studying with the average student probably doing about 4-5 hours a night (that is given a regular course load which is 4 classes). These 4-5 hours a day do not include, furthermore, the time one spends at problem sessions and/or meeting with one’s professors (who are usually very flexible and try and see you whenever necessary). Overall, I’ve noticed that the University of Chicago fosters learning for the sake of learning and- through its mandatory Core Curriculum- ensures that every student receives a fulfilling liberal arts education. At the University of Chicago, then, it is possible to get the advantages of a big city and the research facilities and the benefits of a great engaging education.

Karim

Make no mistake, academics are the biggest part of one’s experience at the University of Chicago. Luckily, your academic experience is bound to be a great one given the University’s faculty and facilities. Not only has the University been home to more Nobel Laureates than any other schools, but it is also in the process of revamping its infrastructure (meaning gyms, labs, libraries, and all the other good stuff). The classes offered at the University, moreover, are more interesting in reality than they sound on paper. Students share a reciprocal feeling for their classes and often talk about them out of class. Surely, it is not uncommon for students to be discussing their classes in the dining hall (or their GPAs for that matter). Of course, the academic rigor also means a lot of studying with the average student probably doing about 4-5 hours a night (that is given a regular course load which is 4 classes). These 4-5 hours a day do not include, furthermore, the time one spends at problem sessions and/or meeting with one’s professors (who are usually very flexible and try and see you whenever necessary). Overall, I’ve noticed that the University of Chicago fosters learning for the sake of learning and- through its mandatory Core Curriculum- ensures that every student receives a fulfilling liberal arts education. At the University of Chicago, then, it is possible to get the advantages of a big city and the research facilities and the benefits of a great engaging education.

Karim

Make no mistake, academics are the biggest part of one’s experience at the University of Chicago. Luckily, your academic experience is bound to be a great one given the University’s faculty and facilities. Not only has the University been home to more Nobel Laureates than any other schools, but it is also in the process of revamping its infrastructure (meaning gyms, labs, libraries, and all the other good stuff). The classes offered at the University, moreover, are more interesting in reality than they sound on paper. Students share a reciprocal feeling for their classes and often talk about them out of class. Surely, it is not uncommon for students to be discussing their classes in the dining hall (or their GPAs for that matter). Of course, the academic rigor also means a lot of studying with the average student probably doing about 4-5 hours a night (that is given a regular course load which is 4 classes). These 4-5 hours a day do not include, furthermore, the time one spends at problem sessions and/or meeting with one’s professors (who are usually very flexible and try and see you whenever necessary). Overall, I’ve noticed that the University of Chicago fosters learning for the sake of learning and- through its mandatory Core Curriculum- ensures that every student receives a fulfilling liberal arts education. At the University of Chicago, then, it is possible to get the advantages of a big city and the research facilities and the benefits of a great engaging education.

Marcella

Course work at the University is very difficult, but professors are incredibly accessible, both inside and outside the classroom. Many of the classes are arranged in the Socratic seminar style of learning, without a podium in sight. This way, students and professors sit as equals around a table, and students are able to engage not only with the text, but also can learn from professors and their peers at an equal rate. It really enables you to get to know your professors and classmates on a greater level. Students may study a lot, but they truly do love it. There is a love of learning that permeates the air at UChicago, and it's true that discussions of academic topics often can be overheard while eating in the cafeteria. Though that is true, many students are very normal in their everyday lives, and a math genius in the classroom. It is truly remarkable how much your peers have accomplished, and how humble they are about these accomplishments. You can definitely learn as much from your peers as you can in any classroom. Additionally, UChicago has very good pre-professional programs called Chicago Careers In ________ (business, science and technology, health professions, journalism, and more). One of UChicago's former criticisms was that the school was too theoretical. Now, students have the opportunity of enrolling in these programs to receive practical instruction in their intended careers. Through CCI programs, students meet with advisers to discuss resumes and cover letters. They often work with mentors in the field, job shadow over spring break, and hear about unique internships. There are also recruiting fairs and guest speakers, both of which are incredibly useful.

Seleste

One of the things that the school is known for is their strict Undergraduate class requirements. Commonly called "the Core", it is a guideline and list of classes that all undergraduate students are required to take, in addition to classes for the major. They emphasize the necessity of being a well-rounded person, so the core is filled with classes ranging from physical sciences and mathematics to art and physical education. Outside the core, however, there is such a diverse range of classes that people can take. Sometimes they offer classes about Lord of the Rings, modern and ancient civilizations, among countless other subjects.

Ilknur

Yes, UofC is academically challenging but it is very manageable. Here, professors and other members of the university help students a lot. They always invite students to their office hours and they answer student e-mails within hours. We also have very talented TAs who are always there to help us. With those in mind, students here spend minimum 4-5 hours studying every day. My favorite class so far is Media Aesthetics. It is a Humanities Class. Students take Humanities to meet the requirements for the Core Curriculum. I really enjoy Media Aesthetics because the class is very small and it is led by a very skillful, knowledgeable professor. The academic environment of the class is mind blowing making students to ask questions and answer those questions during discussions. Moreover, I am very undecided about my major right now but probably, I will be a biology major. Biology department in the University of Chicago is very good. Often people know UofC with its Econ Department but biology, biological research and biochemistry are very well taught in the University. For example, for first year students with an early interest in biology and with an AP 5 score who want to research, there is an intense biology sequence offered by the department . It is very hard to find such an opportunity in other schools.

Yuzhou

We are reputed the school that has grade deflation-- we'll make sure your GPA is a below a certain limit. While that is not true, we do hold all of our students to high standards, and require a depth or amount of writing that is not typical. Our classes are meant to use the Socratic method-- leading learning and discussion with questions and our own initiative. We often delve into things that people might consider ridiculous such as what an image says about the nature of images, or the views of sex by various Greek authors, or applications of calculus you'd never dream of. And yes, sometimes you'll have professors that are quite the personality, or perhaps another that treats you as a PHD student. That's the trade-off with having the most nobel laureates. Once you've come to terms with that, the fact that you will not always get an A, you'll realize that after all that you've been inspired to do and change, that it does not matter. We seek to teach you how to break down the world and it's parts, how else to think, to open your eyes. We don't want to just usher you through with a sheet a paper.

Yuzhou

We are reputed the school that has grade deflation-- we'll make sure your GPA is a below a certain limit. While that is not true, we do hold all of our students to high standards, and require a depth or amount of writing that is not typical. Our classes are meant to use the Socratic method-- leading learning and discussion with questions and our own initiative. We often delve into things that people might consider ridiculous such as what an image says about the nature of images, or the views of sex by various Greek authors, or applications of calculus you'd never dream of. And yes, sometimes you'll have professors that are quite the personality, or perhaps another that treats you as a PHD student. That's the trade-off with having the most nobel laureates. Once you've come to terms with that, the fact that you will not always get an A, you'll realize that after all that you've been inspired to do and change, that it does not matter. We seek to teach you how to break down the world and it's parts, how else to think, to open your eyes. We don't want to just usher you through with a sheet a paper.

Steph

The academic life here is incredible, and definitely one of the best things about UChicago. Professors here are open and helpful to students. In smaller to medium sized classes, even in math classes where participation isn’t important, professors make an effort to know names. In larger introductory classes, probably not. I’m not a huge humanities or discussion person, but the humanities classes here have proven to be my favorite. They’re pretty small (capped at about 15 people) and are aimed around discussion of novels rather than pure lecture. Participation is definitely valued here, except for in the larger introductory classes. Students study here a decent amount, but it really is based on individual courseload. There are some people here that go out four nights a week or spend all of their nights playing Super Smash Bros in the lounge until 4am, but there are also some people here that study every night. It depends on the classes, but again, that’s self-selecting. UChicago students are really intelligent and diverse, and therefore, conversations are also very intelligent and diverse. We’ll have discussions about everything from our humanities readings and world events to TV shows and recent happenings on campus. Students here are also very helpful to one another – particularly upper classmen to lower classmen. I haven’t experienced any kind of fierce competition yet, even in classes where the grades of students are based on curves. Also, all UChicago students are familiar with the Core, the academic requirements for all of its students. Personally, I really like it. Many things are avoidable with AP credits (which are very useful here!) but I like how everyone has to take a humanities class or an art class or classes in different subjects. Unlike other schools, UChicago doesn’t require specific courses. Rather, they have a requirement with a wide variety of classes that fills that requirement. So even though you may have to take classes in specific subject areas, students still have choice and variety. Also, one important thing to note about UChicago academics: learning here is for learning’s sake. However, UChicago has great programs for pre-professionals, including those that won’t to go into law, medicine, business, non-profit work, etc.

Melissa

The academic life is amazing here. UChicago is absolutely geared towards learning for its own sake. I know people who study 24/7, and I know people who ditch class to play Starcraft, but the latter is much more rare. Even the slackers can hold their own in intellectual discourse. I have met very few "dumb" people, and often find myself witness to an intense intellectual debate. My house's dining table was often a location for debates on free will. Students can be annoying and pretentious much of the time, so the "intellectual conversations" are often be platforms for people to show off how smart they are. I have had some graduate student teachers, but I found they were better teachers than the professors, unfortunately. No matter what class I'm in, there is always a "That Kid" that the instructor can rarely control. That Kids are people who dominant classrooms with a bunch of intellectual mumbo jumbo in order to impress the professor. Generally, if there isn't a That Kid in your class, it's probably you. This isn't to say that there aren't easy-going people, because I know many students who don't feel comfortable competing with others. The majority, however, do. The Core curriculum is amazing if you have no idea what you want to pursue, and tedious if you know exactly what you're doing.

Amy

We are delightfully hardcore here. Be prepared to be surrounded in class by a lot of students who did the readings more carefully than you. While it can be intimidating at times to be surrounded by students who are so darn smart, it's also refreshing-- I mean, when else in life will I have the opportunity to be in this kind of environment? Part of the reason I wanted to come to a school like Chicago was to be surrounded by a group of students who really cared about what they were learning, not students who found the path of least resistance to the highest grade. This is definitely a "learn for the sake of learning" environment. There are a lot of legendary profs here, both on the research side and on the teaching side. I've been very happy with the quality of education I've gotten here-- no doubt I've been pampered throughout high school, so I came in with expectations that I think are unrealistic of most universities, but Chicago really delivers. Professors and the grad students I've had have been more than happy to slip into fuzzy roles as well-- as an English major, I've gotten plenty of advice on how to think about writing papers and how to construct good arguments. Most classes are taught by profs, and at least in English, you can avoid taking classes with grad students entirely. However, I have found my grad students just as cool as my profs.

David

This school is famous for its academics. This is where we excel and why you pay such a high tuition. People may gripe about the quality of their professor's teaching skills, course content, etc. But it is ENTIRELY your responsibility to utilize resources like evaluations.uchicago.edu or talk with upperclassmen about what classes are good, what professors to steer clear of. You can certainly pick well and end up very satisfied. This institution is a research institution, period. Education of undergraduates is emphasized but you will get a number of professors who are pompous and don't want to teach undergraduates. A lot of good courses are in the graduate schools (this is NOT to say that there aren't amazing courses for undergrads, however). Dorm life at UChicago is especially different from other schools as intellectual conversations do not stop in the classroom. You are not just paying tuition for the classes. You are paying for the intelligent body of students you're surrounded by and the academic life that continues into dorm life.

Ryan

"As knowledge grows, thus the life is enriched." Our school motto couldn't express this place any better. People here are really passionate about learning and teaching, and it shows. Students put a lot of effort into their assignments, and professors really want to make sure you're understanding and liking the material. Discussions are frequently continued outside of class, be they between student and professor or student and student. There's so much enthusiasm for learning here, and that is one thing that makes the school so unique.

Jason

Academics are really incredible. Professors match up to any other university's in the world. Students study a lot, classes are generally quite small so professors expect lots of participation. Work is rigorous but payoff is worth it. The Core is really nice, although sometimes you feel bogged down by it. Most interesting class I've taken as a freshman was a biology/genome class where there were 7 students and every class was student led discussion on a published paper.

Harper

Class participation should be more common than it is. People have intellectual conversations outside of class, and often these informal discussions are more engaging than their in-class counterparts. I do not spend time with professors outside of class, and none of my friends are philosophy majors.

Casey

The academics here are known to be pretty hard; this is pretty much true. Professors are usually really excited about their subject, and they really REALLY want you to know about it. Still, if you're taking classes you like, which usually you are, then this is great. Pretty much, professors assume you're there to learn because you like to learn, not because you want an A. For the general education stuff, or as it is known here, the Core, there are easy classes available (even though people don't want to say it) so that if you just despise Physics from the bottom of your soul, or can't comprehend why anybody would ever write a ten-page paper, you can get out of the hard version of that class. There are three classes here that sound super sweet, that I want to take but haven't yet: A Lord of the Rings class (but it's competitive to get in, so I hear you have to draw a map of Tolkein's world to stay in the class) A Knights and Samurai class And a Big Wars class, on all the wars from the Grecian world until WWII.

Andrew

What makes University of Chicago better than just about anywhere else at the undergraduate level is that it simply has more possibilities than anywhere else. We are a liberal arts college with 26 nobel prizes in economics and a similar number in physics. Our math department is arguably the most extensive in the country and our humanities is well renowned as well. One friend of mine put it this way. "If there is a specific class or program at Harvard or Princeton that you are afraid is lacking at University of Chicago, don't worry about it. If you can exhaust the knowledge of any U Chicago department, Chicago will write you a recommendation such that you can get any extra instruction you could possibly want or need." This carries through to alumni too because U Chicago builds its reputation on producing successful graduates. If you do well at U Chicago, they will help you succeed after college as well.

Morgan

Professors know your name if you introduce yourself and class participation... imagine a room of smarter that kids who don't want to be the that kid in this class but secretly all are. It's like that. By which I mean awesome because you learn as much from your fellow students as you do from your teacher. We are pretty competitive generally and I have an academic conversation outside of class at least once a day but they almost always involve the defining of terms within a conversation. The Core, which is like GERs at most schools, is incredibly challenging and if I could have majored in my Humanities core class from first year, I would have. This is not a vocational school. This school will force you to confront who you are and why you are that way and how you got there and you will be a better person for it, but if you aren't ready to face yourself at the molecular level and challenge that, you aren't ready for this school. We don't just challenge the mediums we express ourselves in, we challenge our validity as mediums of thought and we challenge the media itself. This school, if taken seriously, will force you to show yourself who you are. And if you don't take it seriously, you'll be bored but you'll sound smart when you graduate.

Chris

Academics at UChicago is simply amazing! We have a very structured core curriculum that allows each student to take a wide array of courses from different subject areas and fields in order to get that well-roundedness that a UChicago degree depicts. About 95{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of classes are taught by professors who are, of course, top in their field. There are about 7 nobel prize laureates (of the 81 that are affiliated with the institution) that are current faculty members here at UChicago. The remaining 5{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} are taught by graduate students who are just left to complete their dissertations. The professors are excellent, very articulate and are available for office hours. Classes vary in sizes based on the type. Core science classes are usually lectures that range from about 60-100 students each with sections that consists of about 18 students. Math, Humanities, Social Sciences, Civilization Studies etc range from about 12 - 20 students with some depending on the reputation of the professor. Students here study a lot! It is the culture of the school and that is why our graduates cop the best positions in whatever career field they go into. It does get a little depressing in the Winter quarter but nevertheless we find ways of making it all the more interesting, and fun. Students are often overheard at the dining tables or in the lounges (AND communal showers) discussing texts from our core Humanities and Social Science classes. People like Kant, Descartes, Plato, Hegel, Adam Smith and Marx spark debates between students here.

Will

The University's Core requirements are excessively large. Students are expected to take almost exclusively Core courses in their first two years of college, so that, compared to students at other universities they will be behind in their major area. Rather than requiring just one course in a breadth of academic disciplines, U Chicago expects students to take at least two or three courses in each of several disciplines. The mathematics department at the University is highly political, and success and acknowledgment in the department is as much a matter of how well you are liked as of how skilled a mathematician you are. Still, the University offers a number of highly theoretical honors sequences that help to prepare the serious student of mathematics for graduate school. The math courses here are truly top notch, and expectations, which are at times exceedingly high, push students to obtain sophisticated mathematical results early on in their career. Additional programs, such as the Directed Reading Program (DRP) and Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) give students experience in intensive, independent research that is extremely valuable as they prepare for careers in mathematics.

Andy

U of C has, without a doubt, the best undergraduate program in the country. The Core makes this so, along with wonderful classes and some of the best professors anywhere.

Alex

I study every day. My favorite class is spanish. Most of my professors knew my name (except my chem profs--my chem class was a lecture). Class participation is common. Most of my classes were discussions, but frequently the same people (the "that kids") dominate the class discussion. Uchicago students frequently have intellectual conversations outside of class, but almost to the point where I wish they would stop being so intellectual. The core kind of sucks. I think they should revise the core to make it harder on non-science majors. Everyone has to choose between around six hum core sequences and several sosc sequences. There are no non-major and major hum or non-major and major sosc sequences. However, for the science part of the core, non-science majors can choose to take a major sequence (like gen chem, gen physics, gen bio) or a non-major sequence (core bio, global warming, nat sci, ice age). Most of the non-major sequences (with the possible exception of nat sci) are easy. They should make everyone take more rigorous science classes. Science teaches you a unique way of thinking that other academic disciplines don't teach you. Then, I think that everyone should have to take at least gen chem or gen bio or gen physics.

Dylan

I can hardly imagine a better environment for learning. Classes are small and the professors are brilliant and well-known in their fields. The students are very intelligent, so classes move quickly and many undergraduates enroll in graduate courses at some point in college.

Nico

Teachers expect a lot from you, and it can be quite intimidating to speak up in class. Nevertheless, it is doable.

Rachel

The University of Chicago is a very intellectual and academic place. It is very theoretical and not very practical. Majors like business, marketing, teaching, etc. do not exist. It feels very much like preparation for graduate school and not for the real world.

Angelica

At U of C there is one thing that I like about the classroom: the teachers know your name. This to some here is a very little thing but it can mean the world to some student here. Something that I hate about here is that, as quoted from Ted O'Neal, "If you got A's in High School expect B's and if you got B's expect C's."