Is Chicago as hard to get into as Northwestern?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How so?

Speaking in stereotypes of course, and there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but Chicago tends to attract kids who are intensely nerdy, and take pride in it almost to a fault. It's a very dark, intense, intellectual, borderline sadomasochistic experience, but that also comes with its own brand of specialness. Northwestern tends to attract kids who are a bit more "normal", seeking a bit more of a normal college experience, who excel in the classroom but are also equally invested in their extracurriculars and try to have a social life. Both kids will end up very successful, but perhaps in different ways.

Lol.. Chicago is nothing like this. Not anymore. The big difference is the core vs no core. Evanston vs Hyde Park and nonwoke vs woke Administration. There are tons of finance, consulting and tech types in Chicago, followed by large number of pre-meds. Very pre-professional now. Almost to a fault. They have very strong Div 3 athletics, specially in women's soccer, tennis etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How so?

Speaking in stereotypes of course, and there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but Chicago tends to attract kids who are intensely nerdy, and take pride in it almost to a fault. It's a very dark, intense, intellectual, borderline sadomasochistic experience, but that also comes with its own brand of specialness. Northwestern tends to attract kids who are a bit more "normal", seeking a bit more of a normal college experience, who excel in the classroom but are also equally invested in their extracurriculars and try to have a social life. Both kids will end up very successful, but perhaps in different ways.

Lol.. Chicago is nothing like this. Not anymore. The big difference is the core vs no core. Evanston vs Hyde Park and nonwoke vs woke Administration. There are tons of finance, consulting and tech types in Chicago, followed by large number of pre-meds. Very pre-professional now. Almost to a fault. They have very strong Div 3 athletics, specially in women's soccer, tennis etc.

Don't forget the drastic differences in the safety and security situation. Three students were shot and died at UChicago, and students routinely describe being wary of leaving their dorms due to feeling unsafe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How so?

Speaking in stereotypes of course, and there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but Chicago tends to attract kids who are intensely nerdy, and take pride in it almost to a fault. It's a very dark, intense, intellectual, borderline sadomasochistic experience, but that also comes with its own brand of specialness. Northwestern tends to attract kids who are a bit more "normal", seeking a bit more of a normal college experience, who excel in the classroom but are also equally invested in their extracurriculars and try to have a social life. Both kids will end up very successful, but perhaps in different ways.

Lol.. Chicago is nothing like this. Not anymore. The big difference is the core vs no core. Evanston vs Hyde Park and nonwoke vs woke Administration. There are tons of finance, consulting and tech types in Chicago, followed by large number of pre-meds. Very pre-professional now. Almost to a fault. They have very strong Div 3 athletics, specially in women's soccer, tennis etc.

Don't forget the drastic differences in the safety and security situation. Three students were shot and died at UChicago, and students routinely describe being wary of leaving their dorms due to feeling unsafe.

*Three students were shot and killed at UChicago just last year*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How so?

Speaking in stereotypes of course, and there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but Chicago tends to attract kids who are intensely nerdy, and take pride in it almost to a fault. It's a very dark, intense, intellectual, borderline sadomasochistic experience, but that also comes with its own brand of specialness. Northwestern tends to attract kids who are a bit more "normal", seeking a bit more of a normal college experience, who excel in the classroom but are also equally invested in their extracurriculars and try to have a social life. Both kids will end up very successful, but perhaps in different ways.

Lol.. Chicago is nothing like this. Not anymore. The big difference is the core vs no core. Evanston vs Hyde Park and nonwoke vs woke Administration. There are tons of finance, consulting and tech types in Chicago, followed by large number of pre-meds. Very pre-professional now. Almost to a fault. They have very strong Div 3 athletics, specially in women's soccer, tennis etc.

Don't forget the drastic differences in the safety and security situation. Three students were shot and died at UChicago, and students routinely describe being wary of leaving their dorms due to feeling unsafe.

*Three students were shot and killed at UChicago just last year*

*Three UChicago students were shot and killed last year.*

[Anonymous]

When I was deciding about schools in IL (from Chicago and wanted to stay somewhat local), I didn’t think anyone who was interested in NW would be interested in Chicago and vice versa. I visited both and they were very different vibes, and from my view, different student bodies. They’re just very different to each other. A Chicago student wouldn’t be likely to thrive at NW; yes, they could do the work and all, but it would be a very different experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I was deciding about schools in IL (from Chicago and wanted to stay somewhat local), I didn’t think anyone who was interested in NW would be interested in Chicago and vice versa. I visited both and they were very different vibes, and from my view, different student bodies. They’re just very different to each other. A Chicago student wouldn’t be likely to thrive at NW; yes, they could do the work and all, but it would be a very different experience.

Agreed they are very different, almost polar opposites, but I think they’re also much more similar than popular wisdom would assume. For one, they graduate wicked smart and hardworking students. But they tend to excel in different realms except in the obvious overlaps (consulting, finance, etc). I think a fair amount of UChicago students would be able to thrive at Northwestern, and vice versa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Lol.. Chicago is nothing like this. Not anymore. The big difference is the core vs no core. Evanston vs Hyde Park and nonwoke vs woke Administration. There are tons of finance, consulting and tech types in Chicago, followed by large number of pre-meds. Very pre-professional now. Almost to a fault. They have very strong Div 3 athletics, specially in women's soccer, tennis etc.

Which is more woke - Northwestern or Chicago?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harder and better.

As in Chicago harder to get into?

DP. Not sure if it's harder to get in, considering it has 4 rounds (EA, ED, ED2, RD) and has been test optional longer than its other peers. Northwestern, meanwhile, only has two rounds (ED and RD) and doesn't aggressively market itself to high schoolers half as much as UChicago does. Acceptance rates are similar.

EA is kind of a farce. Almost no one is accepted. If you are deferred you have the option to choose ED2 or RD. Statistically unless you choose ED2 you have virtually no chance of getting in.

[Anonymous]

Chicago is situated in a violent urban hellscape……..something to keep in mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How so?

Speaking in stereotypes of course, and there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but Chicago tends to attract kids who are intensely nerdy, and take pride in it almost to a fault. It's a very dark, intense, intellectual, borderline sadomasochistic experience, but that also comes with its own brand of specialness. Northwestern tends to attract kids who are a bit more "normal", seeking a bit more of a normal college experience, who excel in the classroom but are also equally invested in their extracurriculars and try to have a social life. Both kids will end up very successful, but perhaps in different ways.

Lol.. Chicago is nothing like this. Not anymore. The big difference is the core vs no core. Evanston vs Hyde Park and nonwoke vs woke Administration. There are tons of finance, consulting and tech types in Chicago, followed by large number of pre-meds. Very pre-professional now. Almost to a fault. They have very strong Div 3 athletics, specially in women's soccer, tennis etc.

Don't forget the drastic differences in the safety and security situation. Three students were shot and died at UChicago, and students routinely describe being wary of leaving their dorms due to feeling unsafe.

*Three students were shot and killed at UChicago just last year*

This is why my dc ended applying RD to Northwestern but not Chicago. Not worth it IMO.

*Three UChicago students were shot and killed last year.*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How so?

Speaking in stereotypes of course, and there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but Chicago tends to attract kids who are intensely nerdy, and take pride in it almost to a fault. It's a very dark, intense, intellectual, borderline sadomasochistic experience, but that also comes with its own brand of specialness. Northwestern tends to attract kids who are a bit more "normal", seeking a bit more of a normal college experience, who excel in the classroom but are also equally invested in their extracurriculars and try to have a social life. Both kids will end up very successful, but perhaps in different ways.

Lol.. Chicago is nothing like this. Not anymore. The big difference is the core vs no core. Evanston vs Hyde Park and nonwoke vs woke Administration. There are tons of finance, consulting and tech types in Chicago, followed by large number of pre-meds. Very pre-professional now. Almost to a fault. They have very strong Div 3 athletics, specially in women's soccer, tennis etc.

Oh BS — my kid is a recent grad and Chicago is exactly like this. (And I’m not the PP).

[Anonymous]

Chicago is easier to get into if you're from a private school and harder if you're from a public school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if you'll get the head on comparison; they attract very different types if you know the schools and are truly thinking about fit. Who would be applying to both? Northwestern reads more normal and preprofessional. Chicago is intense and intellectual, with many on path to PhDs. So the admissions rate of Chicago is lower, but the pools are different.

Northwestern = Slytherin

Chicago = Ravenclaw

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if you'll get the head on comparison; they attract very different types if you know the schools and are truly thinking about fit. Who would be applying to both? Northwestern reads more normal and preprofessional. Chicago is intense and intellectual, with many on path to PhDs. So the admissions rate of Chicago is lower, but the pools are different.

Northwestern = Slytherin

Chicago = Ravenclaw

LOL, what? I went to NU* years ago, and it feels like Hufflepuff coming from the East Coast. Nowhere in the Midwest is Slytherin.

*It's NU, not NW. The fact that a PP claiming to be from Chicagoland calls it "NW" makes me think they're not actually from that area. FWIW, I applied to both NU and UChicago back in the day. UChicago recruited me hard (postcards, had a random student call to ask if I had questions), NU didn't. Loved NU.

[Anonymous]

I'm also an NU grad from the stone ages, so I can't speak to the evolution of U of C in recent years, but the vibes were extremely different in the 1990s and it was quite rare to encounter students who were choosing between them. I thought NU was terrific and would gladly steer my own children there. I made all my lifelong friends at NU.

And no way is it Slytherin. Hufflepuff is a good match.