UChicago Feedback

[Anonymous]

Looking for insight from those with a child who went/goes to UChicago.
For an excellent student in honors classes at grade level, is the academic load manageable? The reputation is intimidating. Do they have some easy classes?
And what was the social life like? Did you child have fun there as well?

[Anonymous]

My nephew went. He loved it but he was also 20 going on 50. Exceptionally committed to intellectual pursuits and a very serious young man. He enjoyed the sailing club quite a bit.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the major, of course. My son just graduated with double major math/econ. The economics part was OK, the math was tough - lots of people changed from math major after the first semester or two. Otherwise, the classes were manageable and he enjoyed it a lot. He has a very easygoing personality and doesn't mind cold .

[Anonymous]

Our nephew went back in the mid 2010s and ended up really hating it, unfortunately. I won't say that it's an unhappy place for every kind of student, but there is a seemingly very sadomasochistic culture of oneupmanship. Very grueling workload, sometimes just for the sake of it being grueling. Not quite cutthroat, but I would not characterize the student body as collaborative. It's a very intense environment.

[Anonymous]

My friend's son is about to graduate. Hated it there. Thought the workloads were crazy and unjustified. We crossed it off of our list.

[Anonymous]

Friend’s DC graduated recently. Economics. Didn’t see a real prof until his third year. And some of the profs were jerks. Tough school. He is on a PhD track so felt it was worth it. Would not recommend for the less than fully serious student.

[Anonymous]

did anyone's kid go there after a rigorous or "Big3" private? I'm wondering how the adjustment was.

[Anonymous]

The level of toxicity among faculty is really next-level. Notorious among certain circles in academia.

[Anonymous]

If your DC is:

1. Very thick-skinned
2. Can take a real whupping in a course and recover immediately
3. Can take being collateral damage in some intra-faculty wars
4. Already knows they want to do a phd in an area that Chicago is known for..

or at least some decent combination of the above..Chicago may be a very good place for you..

If not, you have to ask if it is really worth it. For my own kid, I would suggest college elsewhere and Chicago for PhD (if it make sense then).

[Anonymous]

Is it really that toxic? What if the kid is a hard worker, academic kid who rises to (and generally enjoys) whatever the academic expectation is? My kid is at NCS and is used to producing really high quality work, studying 3 hours nightly etc. Probably similar to many public magnet kids. Is it still really a shock for these kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it really that toxic? What if the kid is a hard worker, academic kid who rises to (and generally enjoys) whatever the academic expectation is? My kid is at NCS and is used to producing really high quality work, studying 3 hours nightly etc. Probably similar to many public magnet kids. Is it still really a shock for these kids?

I think there's a difference between being toxic and having high academic expectations. There might be overlap in some places, but there doesn't have to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it really that toxic? What if the kid is a hard worker, academic kid who rises to (and generally enjoys) whatever the academic expectation is? My kid is at NCS and is used to producing really high quality work, studying 3 hours nightly etc. Probably similar to many public magnet kids. Is it still really a shock for these kids?

I think there's a difference between being toxic and having high academic expectations. There might be overlap in some places, but there doesn't have to be.

So is Chicago toxic or does it just have high expectations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it really that toxic? What if the kid is a hard worker, academic kid who rises to (and generally enjoys) whatever the academic expectation is? My kid is at NCS and is used to producing really high quality work, studying 3 hours nightly etc. Probably similar to many public magnet kids. Is it still really a shock for these kids?

I think there's a difference between being toxic and having high academic expectations. There might be overlap in some places, but there doesn't have to be.

So is Chicago toxic or does it just have high expectations?

Both, and it will vary depending on major, department, individual personalities, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it really that toxic? What if the kid is a hard worker, academic kid who rises to (and generally enjoys) whatever the academic expectation is? My kid is at NCS and is used to producing really high quality work, studying 3 hours nightly etc. Probably similar to many public magnet kids. Is it still really a shock for these kids?

I think there's a difference between being toxic and having high academic expectations. There might be overlap in some places, but there doesn't have to be.

So is Chicago toxic or does it just have high expectations?

UChicago is notorious for being academically rigorous AND being a First Amendment absolutist. There are no “safe zones”, so disagreement is often overt. Whether that is an environment your DC would enjoy is for your DC to decide. Words like “toxic” are loaded and not really helpful. My DS’s HS has sent 3 or 4 boys there the past 2 cycles. I would say the ones who went were looking for that type of environment, moreso than a warm and fuzzy one. It’s great for the right kind of student. But one who includes UChicago on their college application list just because its T10 or whatever, could be in for a rude awakening if they were thinking it would more like its similarly ranked peer schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The level of toxicity among faculty is really next-level. Notorious among certain circles in academia.

+1. The faculty eat their young.