University of Chicago - real experiences?

[Anonymous]

DS is determined to ED at Chicago. I have misgivings: The reputed stress/difficulty, wonky quarter system, and location in Hyde Park. Also, I've been slightly swayed by the endless online hatred towards the school over their incessant marketing, supposed financial dire straits, and that weird "ED Zero" thing also gives me bad feelings. OTOH, DS has two friends there who say it's fun, not that stressful or hard, and generally seem to love it except for a few bad weather weeks. DS attends an extremely rigorous HS that I have to think prepares them for challenging schools as well as any HS can. But still, I am anxious about hitting the ED button and potentially being locked in.
Anyone have a child who is actually at U Chicago and can weigh in? Please no comments on postcards and the like - actual experiences.

[Anonymous]

Have you browsed the UChicago subreddit?

Also check college confidential.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is determined to ED at Chicago. I have misgivings: The reputed stress/difficulty, wonky quarter system, and location in Hyde Park. Also, I've been slightly swayed by the endless online hatred towards the school over their incessant marketing, supposed financial dire straits, and that weird "ED Zero" thing also gives me bad feelings. OTOH, DS has two friends there who say it's fun, not that stressful or hard, and generally seem to love it except for a few bad weather weeks. DS attends an extremely rigorous HS that I have to think prepares them for challenging schools as well as any HS can. But still, I am anxious about hitting the ED button and potentially being locked in.
Anyone have a child who is actually at U Chicago and can weigh in? Please no comments on postcards and the like - actual experiences.

Sounds like you have a great source for intel. You might see if these friends have made friends he can talk to for additional perspective. Also, you may watch some of the videos by this YouTuber who is now a UChicago alum. They a few years old now, but gives some nice perspective from a student.

https://www.youtube.com/@TheAlmostAstrophysicist

[Anonymous]

Sooo much talk and judgement about this school, yet no one actually has a child there. Interesting.

[Anonymous]

The students I know who attended felt positive about it overall, but indicated they might’ve preferred other schools, particularly ones with more years on campus and more undergrad focus, namely LACs. I’ve always felt one of the biggest reasons to prefer universities is the option to pursue engineering, which few LACs offer. But UChicago doesn’t offer engineering, and unlike other top privates most students leave campus after two years. I’m sure many there are perfectly happy, but more than most universities it seems like a school where a large number of students might be attracted to the name, marketing, and exclusivity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The students I know who attended felt positive about it overall, but indicated they might’ve preferred other schools, particularly ones with more years on campus and more undergrad focus, namely LACs. I’ve always felt one of the biggest reasons to prefer universities is the option to pursue engineering, which few LACs offer. But UChicago doesn’t offer engineering, and unlike other top privates most students leave campus after two years. I’m sure many there are perfectly happy, but more than most universities it seems like a school where a large number of students might be attracted to the name, marketing, and exclusivity.

Thanks, that's interesting. My DS isn't looking to do engineering or any hard science. But the marketing thing is worrisome. Also if kids don't live on campus after 2 years, are they moving to problematic neighborhoods in South Chicago? (I'm from NY, don't know Chicago well at all, have been there all of twice, for work trips where we basically flew in and out).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is determined to ED at Chicago. I have misgivings: The reputed stress/difficulty, wonky quarter system, and location in Hyde Park. Also, I've been slightly swayed by the endless online hatred towards the school over their incessant marketing, supposed financial dire straits, and that weird "ED Zero" thing also gives me bad feelings. OTOH, DS has two friends there who say it's fun, not that stressful or hard, and generally seem to love it except for a few bad weather weeks. DS attends an extremely rigorous HS that I have to think prepares them for challenging schools as well as any HS can. But still, I am anxious about hitting the ED button and potentially being locked in.
Anyone have a child who is actually at U Chicago and can weigh in? Please no comments on postcards and the like - actual experiences.

Sounds like you have a great source for intel. You might see if these friends have made friends he can talk to for additional perspective. Also, you may watch some of the videos by this YouTuber who is now a UChicago alum. They a few years old now, but gives some nice perspective from a student.

https://www.youtube.com/@TheAlmostAstrophysicist

Yes, knowing actual kids is a good thing, but they are freshman, so they probably don't have much perspective yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The students I know who attended felt positive about it overall, but indicated they might’ve preferred other schools, particularly ones with more years on campus and more undergrad focus, namely LACs. I’ve always felt one of the biggest reasons to prefer universities is the option to pursue engineering, which few LACs offer. But UChicago doesn’t offer engineering, and unlike other top privates most students leave campus after two years. I’m sure many there are perfectly happy, but more than most universities it seems like a school where a large number of students might be attracted to the name, marketing, and exclusivity.

Thanks, that's interesting. My DS isn't looking to do engineering or any hard science. But the marketing thing is worrisome. Also if kids don't live on campus after 2 years, are they moving to problematic neighborhoods in South Chicago? (I'm from NY, don't know Chicago well at all, have been there all of twice, for work trips where we basically flew in and out).

My understanding is most of the off campus students are still in the Hyde Park area. One of the students we knew did have a violent crime occur right outside their residence. The others just missed dorm life and the extra time in communal spaces. I personally think a big part of college is the learning and relationship building that takes place as students socialize in dorms, dining halls, and group venues. Most of the closer friendships our kids made at their colleges occurred in years 3 and 4.

[Anonymous]

To me the marketing is 'just business'. They probably are working to get the brand out there. They dont have Big 10, Ivy, NESCAC halo to work with. Some kids apply to all the Ivy because...Ivy. Northwestern gets visibility as part of the Big 10. MIT is, well MIT.

They are competing for apps along with all schools, but as strong as UChicago is, I dont know that it organically has the brand recognition among high school students that close in competitors have. And they sill have to deal with the old "where fun goes to die" narrative that other peers dont have.

[Anonymous]

I have a child there. We just returned from parents weekend. Our child is really happy. Workload is very rigorous (so much reading for core courses) but a demanding high school seems to have made all the difference. Our child is very social and has made a lot of friends already through a club sport and other activities. Dorm and dining hall seemed better than for older siblings at other schools. Campus is beautiful. Hyde Park itself is fine as long as your kid has some basic urban awareness. Some surrounding neighborhoods should be avoided. Seemed similar to Penn and Hopkins in that way. Our child’s only complaint so far is that the fall semester starts too late, with most friends leaving for college a month earlier.

Your child should visit and stay with friends.
Ours stayed in two different dorms with friends from school/sports and left with an impression of very very bright students in a work hard/play slightly less hard environment. Good luck with the decision.

[Anonymous]

I have a first year at UChicago so still fairly new. So far, he’s been really happy at the school. Even though he is a science major, he loves his humanities class and would often discuss with me.

He had really good options to choose from last year. Some that people might consider higher tier but for him, UChicago was the one. He wavered for a little bit but after visiting the campuses, he was convinced.

I suggest visiting before ED-ing but also have some trust in your child.

Do I worry about the location? Do I sometimes wish mine picked a “safer” campus? Of course but he is really happy where he is at. They are also guaranteed 4 years of housing. However if they decide to go off campus for the remainder of their years, remember, a 20 year old choosing to move off campus after living there for two years would have a different wisdom than a newly arrived 18 year old to Chicago. I’m trying to project how my son would be two years from now if he decides to move off campus and I think I would be ok with it. Still worried but I would hope after 2 years living on Hyde Park, he would know what he’s doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The students I know who attended felt positive about it overall, but indicated they might’ve preferred other schools, particularly ones with more years on campus and more undergrad focus, namely LACs. I’ve always felt one of the biggest reasons to prefer universities is the option to pursue engineering, which few LACs offer. But UChicago doesn’t offer engineering, and unlike other top privates most students leave campus after two years. I’m sure many there are perfectly happy, but more than most universities it seems like a school where a large number of students might be attracted to the name, marketing, and exclusivity.

Thanks, that's interesting. My DS isn't looking to do engineering or any hard science. But the marketing thing is worrisome. Also if kids don't live on campus after 2 years, are they moving to problematic neighborhoods in South Chicago? (I'm from NY, don't know Chicago well at all, have been there all of twice, for work trips where we basically flew in and out).

My understanding is most of the off campus students are still in the Hyde Park area. One of the students we knew did have a violent crime occur right outside their residence. The others just missed dorm life and the extra time in communal spaces. I personally think a big part of college is the learning and relationship building that takes place as students socialize in dorms, dining halls, and group venues. Most of the closer friendships our kids made at their colleges occurred in years 3 and 4.

These are all good points. I personally wanted to leave dorm life after 2 years and not have to swipe in and out anytime I wanted to come or go, and I recall still making friends in jr and sr year. But I can see the downsides of that too. Plus it might not be a fair comparison bc I went to college before phones, so we actually had to leave our house to see people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a child there. We just returned from parents weekend. Our child is really happy. Workload is very rigorous (so much reading for core courses) but a demanding high school seems to have made all the difference. Our child is very social and has made a lot of friends already through a club sport and other activities. Dorm and dining hall seemed better than for older siblings at other schools. Campus is beautiful. Hyde Park itself is fine as long as your kid has some basic urban awareness. Some surrounding neighborhoods should be avoided. Seemed similar to Penn and Hopkins in that way. Our child’s only complaint so far is that the fall semester starts too late, with most friends leaving for college a month earlier.

Your child should visit and stay with friends.
Ours stayed in two different dorms with friends from school/sports and left with an impression of very very bright students in a work hard/play slightly less hard environment. Good luck with the decision.

Thank you! my DC actually visited already in the spring and loved it. But I didn't go on that trip. If I'd known he was going to like it as much as he did, I probably would have insisted on going. As it is, I've just been reading online and panicking.

[Anonymous]

My daughter really liked UofC a lot. We had a phenomenal tour and I think she would have meshed with the student body well. I had the same grievances you listed, mainly the marketing. She didn’t end up applying as she was only willing to do regular decision so figured no point. I lived in Chicago post college and had never been on that area. I would have worried a bit to be honest, but gotten over it if she had her heart set on it. I think what bothers me most is the long walk to green line I think and it being so quiet which almost made it feel less safe to me. I was used to lots of foot traffic and thus eyes.

It’s a phenomenal school, if they love it enough I think the hurdles are okay to move past if it’s ideal fit, but I understand your reservations.

[Anonymous]

I went there, so that's my experience. I wouldn't trade my four years there for four years anywhere else. I loved my classes, made lifelong friends, and had a blast. The "everyone is so miserable" thing always felt tongue in cheek to me, but I wasn't in sciences or econ. The humanities people who I knew were all very happy. I actually really liked the quarter system because it gave me a chance to take more different classes.

I lived off-campus for my third and fourth years, but right in Hyde Park. I only knew one person who lived outside Hyde Park, but his story was eccentric (he was simultaneously enrolled at both the University of Chicago AND the University of Illinois at Chicago). I also knew people who stayed in the dorms longer, which might have been me if I hadn't made the right friends my first two years.

There's crime in Hyde Park and I knew a few other students/adult coworkers at the library who got mugged, but I mostly felt safe and I was never a crime victim myself.

It's cold in the winter, but I was coming from the South and actively wanted that, so I was very happy. If you're strongly prone to seasonal depression, I guess be aware of that, but I wasn't. I was also coming from a place where most kids went in-state to non-selective public colleges, so I was actually really pleased by the marketing back in the day; otherwise I doubt I'd have heard of it.