Univ of Chicago

[Anonymous]

If you are an alum or have a child at Univ of Chicago, can you share your thoughts/experiences. My DD thinks it’s her “dream school” and I want to learn more about it. Will be taking her up to visit.

[Anonymous]

Pro tip: Don't have a "dream school".

[Anonymous]

Will be curious what your DD thinks about the school after visiting. My DD is also interested but we have not had a chance to visit.

[Anonymous]

Do not apply EA. Apply ED if you can. EA kids who are not rejected have to choose between ED2 and RD. If they choose RD they have about 0 chance.

[Anonymous]

Great for kids who are truly intellectual/life-of-the-mind students and maybe a little bit quirky. But they have to okay with a heavy workload, cold weather, and a city environment where there is some risk of crime. For the right kid, it is fabulous academic environment.

[Anonymous]

Stunning campus, part of the off campus area is spectacular and part of it considered "dangerous" in this forum.

The program is highly intellectual and the campus culture is more quirky than it is like other "stereotypical" college campuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pro tip: Don't have a "dream school".

Pro tip: Get a life.

[Anonymous]

What is meant by a "heavy workload?" I've seen that term used often to describe Univ of Chicago's academic environment, but is it really that much heavier than any of the other top schools such as the Ivies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are an alum or have a child at Univ of Chicago, can you share your thoughts/experiences. My DD thinks it’s her “dream school” and I want to learn more about it. Will be taking her up to visit.

Tell us more about your kid and we can opine on whether it's a dream or a nightmare in the making.

[Anonymous]

great school but expect uchicago bashers and the hypsm prestige defense squad to show up on this thread really soon...

[Anonymous]

I taught at UofC and the students there are my favorite. Compared to other universities where I've taught, I found students more willing to engage with ideas and less likely to have a "what do I need to do to get an A because I'm applying to med school" mentality. I didn't think I would like the core curriculum, but found that having shared texts really enriched class discussion.

[Anonymous]

I went there for law school (1993-1996) and it has opened a lot of doors for me and my classmates.

I had grown up in the suburbs of a big city, and had gone to public schools, including a large state university. So it was a pretty big shock to me - just the whole private university world, the setting, and the rigor. It was a good life experience.

I would recommend it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are an alum or have a child at Univ of Chicago, can you share your thoughts/experiences. My DD thinks it’s her “dream school” and I want to learn more about it. Will be taking her up to visit.

Tell us more about your kid and we can opine on whether it's a dream or a nightmare in the making.

She and I know that schools in this tier are a dart throw but something about this school seems to appeal to her.

She is a decent student - mostly A’s, some A minus. Heavy AP courseload. High 1500s SAT scores.

She is not athletic. Not really got any standout long time ECs.

But she gets deeply interested in subjects. Sometimes esoteric ones. Will randomly choose to go to lectures on topics that she hears about. Will go to the portrait gallery to walk around “just because”. She is truly undecided on what she wants to major in. She likes and is good at science but also likes languages. Some interest in neuroscience it seems. But zero interest in med school. She loves to read. I think she would make a successful tenure track prof at some point.

Socially, she has good friends but not part of a large friend circle. Likes small group activities. Certainly not in the group of kids that others might want to emulate. I think she is straight but hasn’t really shown an interest in dating. Probably leans liberal but is not a social Justice person.

She loves Boston - she hasn’t spent any time in Chicago so no idea there.

I appreciate everyone who has responded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I taught at UofC and the students there are my favorite. Compared to other universities where I've taught, I found students more willing to engage with ideas and less likely to have a "what do I need to do to get an A because I'm applying to med school" mentality. I didn't think I would like the core curriculum, but found that having shared texts really enriched class discussion.

Thanks for chiming in, UofC admissions team.

[Anonymous]

I think your daughter would be a good fit for the school as it was in years past. I am sure id the culture has changed since the school plays the ED card so heavily.