What kind of kids go to University of Chicago now?

[Anonymous]

I partially blame college counselors. Especially in the DC area, private school counselors and admissions consultants push Chicago as THE ED2 option. I know multiple Big 3 kids who were dinged or deferred REA or ED at their top choice schools who then applied to Chicago ED2 with a little "advice." Thankfully, they seem fairly happy there but it doesn't sound as quirky or intellectually distinct. It sounds like what some on DCUM call a lower Ivy, which is fine but different than what many expect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Years and years ago when I was there as a grad student, the undergrads were brilliant and quirky, and didn’t seem Uber wealthy or private school types.

I have the feeling that’s changed now. The College is much larger, and there seems to be a lot of emphasis on ED, which means wealth to me. I also hear of kids attending who just would NEVER have chosen Chicago back in the day- they are normal and smart but not brilliant, well rounded etc.

Does someone on here know OLD Chicago and NEW Chicago? Has it changed? Is it still a good, friendly, dorky place, life of the mind? It is it like lots of other schools now?

Thanks in advance.

I went to Chicago back in the day My DC (similar to me in many of the traits you mentioned) goes to Swarthmore which still has those types.

[Anonymous]

Like it or not, Chicago realized its undergrad school was not up to par with their graduate and professional schools. Their admissions office has been aggressive with their marketing and their use of ED, ED2, and pressure to commit to get off the WL to make Chicago into a school with a yield rate that is so crazy it almost isn't real...

USNWR gave them the blueprint over time as ranking criteria shifted (have classes with 19 or fewer people, a low acceptance rate, and profs with PhDs among many criteria you can control fairly easily), and Chicago took advantage. The outcome-based and alternative rankings haven't been so kind (they are much lower in Forbes and WSJ), and the USNWR shift this year hurt them. Chicago probably isn't a top 10 school in the near future (or at least top top 6-7 like they were for a bit) and Northwestern is back to its spot as the top regional school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Years and years ago when I was there as a grad student, the undergrads were brilliant and quirky, and didn’t seem Uber wealthy or private school types.

I have the feeling that’s changed now. The College is much larger, and there seems to be a lot of emphasis on ED, which means wealth to me. I also hear of kids attending who just would NEVER have chosen Chicago back in the day- they are normal and smart but not brilliant, well rounded etc.

Does someone on here know OLD Chicago and NEW Chicago? Has it changed? Is it still a good, friendly, dorky place, life of the mind? It is it like lots of other schools now?

Thanks in advance.

I went to Chicago back in the day My DC (similar to me in many of the traits you mentioned) goes to Swarthmore which still has those types.

Swarthmore and Caltech are the schools I'm familiar with that come to mind.

[Anonymous]

Say what you will about their admissions tactics, it’s a world class education in a Hogwarts environment. I understand the appeal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No idea, but my kid gets almost a DAILY mailing from them.

Same

My kid's rigorous magnet school is bombarded with mailings. Supposedly 55 students applied last year, with 0 admitted. Maybe none applied ED, but still. The "overmarketing" is such a racket to game the numbers.

[Anonymous]

They started hoovering up HYP students about 10-15 years ago. It's actually pretty crazy. Their targeting is intense. Only thing they haven't sent is a singing telegram

[Anonymous]

They gave my kid 20k merit. I’ve had 3 kids get into various t10 schools and this was only money in any form we got from any school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an alumnus. We talk about it, we'll tell you that it's harder to get in, but that the new kids are much more Harvard types (this is meant derogatorily) not the interestingly intelligent and quirky types we were. Alumni also would have told you that when I was there, and probably 20 years before that, so take it with a grain of salt.

I didn't know there was a "Harvard type." Everyone I know from Harvard is brilliant and incredibly interesting and talented.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They started hoovering up HYP students about 10-15 years ago. It's actually pretty crazy. Their targeting is intense. Only thing they haven't sent is a singing telegram

Their targeting is bad though. Kids with no chance of getting in get bombarded with info. They were working to get apps up for the longest time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an alumnus. We talk about it, we'll tell you that it's harder to get in, but that the new kids are much more Harvard types (this is meant derogatorily) not the interestingly intelligent and quirky types we were. Alumni also would have told you that when I was there, and probably 20 years before that, so take it with a grain of salt.

I didn't know there was a "Harvard type." Everyone I know from Harvard is brilliant and incredibly interesting and talented.

Do you know many Harvard alums? . I agree most fit your bill but definitely not close to everyone!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They gave my kid 20k merit. I’ve had 3 kids get into various t10 schools and this was only money in any form we got from any school.

Chicago and Duke have merit $$ they can use and they do target top students. If you get in RD to either of these places and other, more recognizable schools, you should try to leverage the other admit letters for $$. Both of those schools have a chip on their shoulder that you can use to your advantage.
A Stanford student I know almost turned Stanford and another HYP down due to the $$ from those 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an alumnus. We talk about it, we'll tell you that it's harder to get in, but that the new kids are much more Harvard types (this is meant derogatorily) not the interestingly intelligent and quirky types we were. Alumni also would have told you that when I was there, and probably 20 years before that, so take it with a grain of salt.

I didn't know there was a "Harvard type." Everyone I know from Harvard is brilliant and incredibly interesting and talented.

Do you know many Harvard alums? . I agree most fit your bill but definitely not close to everyone!

I know two Harvard undergrads and they are smart and were polished and well socialized even at 18. Both enormously wealthy. None their children got in, years later.

[Anonymous]

The quirky intellectual students are ceding a heck of a lot of ground, and more and more of that ground every year, to rich preprofessional students who are in the middle of the class at prestigious prep schools from all over the United States. For example: Average, decent, solid St. Albans students have become an absolute ED/ED2 lock provided they're wealthy. Even truer of mediocre rich students from actually prestigious prep schools like Groton.

[Anonymous]

What is an average student from St. Albans? Sports? ACT? SAT?

I knew two guys there in the 80s/90s. Both smart. One a genius. A very weird genius.