University of Chicago

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The quality of the undergraduate education is amazing. U Chicago often is bashed on DCUM but I'm not sure why. There still are quirky aspects to the school, although I agree that the student body is less non-conformist than it used to be 25+ years ago. They have a large endowment and can be generous with financial aid. The name alone will open doors for your child's entire life. And the students aren't stuck in Hyde Park unless they want to be, Chicago is an amazing city.

Is UChicago bashed on DCUM? I feel like I see much more of the opposite.

It's not UChicago that's getting bashed but the near-nonstop, nonsensical, and over-the-top boosterism by some UChicago parents on this forum at one point that really turned us off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Best education in the country. Unflagging commitment to free speech on campus, setting it apart, unfortunately, from a growing number of elite colleges and universities. If you major in econ, you'll study under the most brilliant and forward-thinking economists not just in the country but in the world. Chix aren't the best-looking and parties aren't the most turnt, but Chicago and everything it offers, good and bad, is at your doorstep.

Giving it the usual extra credit for being slightly conservative. Biggest affirmative action out there.

Riiight. Some guy’s anonymous opinion online is the “biggest affirmative action out there”. As opposed to, you know, actual affirmative action. The one where every sane person out there readily acknowledges that being black, Latino, or Inuit lowers the SAT bar by literally hundreds of points. Or where my company is literally scouring the building for black women who can put a sentence together to throw opportunity at them.

AA may or may not be justified or a good thing. But spare me this lame attempt at a double secret reverse where the REAL AA beneficiaries are... white conservatives in academia?!

Closet klansman is fun. Probably thinks that black women have always had a fair shot and just weren’t good enough.

[Anonymous]

Quarter system. Can be high pressure. Beautiful campus, incredibly intellectually stimulating place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The quality of the undergraduate education is amazing. U Chicago often is bashed on DCUM but I'm not sure why. There still are quirky aspects to the school, although I agree that the student body is less non-conformist than it used to be 25+ years ago. They have a large endowment and can be generous with financial aid. The name alone will open doors for your child's entire life. And the students aren't stuck in Hyde Park unless they want to be, Chicago is an amazing city.

Is UChicago bashed on DCUM? I feel like I see much more of the opposite.

It's not UChicago that's getting bashed but the near-nonstop, nonsensical, and over-the-top boosterism by some UChicago parents on this forum at one point that really turned us off.

Sometimes. But in particular there is one virulent Anti-Chicago poster whose efforts have been noted here and on College Confidential stemming from some bad personal experience. Banned on CC now, don't think that is the case here .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The quality of the undergraduate education is amazing. U Chicago often is bashed on DCUM but I'm not sure why. There still are quirky aspects to the school, although I agree that the student body is less non-conformist than it used to be 25+ years ago. They have a large endowment and can be generous with financial aid. The name alone will open doors for your child's entire life. And the students aren't stuck in Hyde Park unless they want to be, Chicago is an amazing city.

Is UChicago bashed on DCUM? I feel like I see much more of the opposite.

It's not UChicago that's getting bashed but the near-nonstop, nonsensical, and over-the-top boosterism by some UChicago parents on this forum at one point that really turned us off.

Sometimes. But in particular there is one virulent Anti-Chicago poster whose efforts have been noted here and on College Confidential stemming from some bad personal experience. Banned on CC now, don't think that is the case here .

+1. I haven’t see the boosterism about Chicago either and I read all the threads about it because I have a student there.

[Anonymous]

Attracts kids who are serious about education. But IMHO, doesn’t always do right by them. Quarter system sucks — high pressure/no time for reflection, schedule is out of sync with other Unis (which limits summer opportunities). Lots of readings in core courses were fragments (e.g. everyone reads Marx but that can mean 10pp of German Ideology). Lets undergrads TA. Lots of mental health issues, not well handled. Profs were often great and very supportive. Grad school admissions worked out well. Summer funding was always available.

FWIW, I was educated and/or taught at 3 other Unis of similar size and reputation and am the parent of a very recent UofC grad (PhD-bound STEM major), so that’s my frame of reference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Attracts kids who are serious about education. But IMHO, doesn’t always do right by them. Quarter system sucks — high pressure/no time for reflection, schedule is out of sync with other Unis (which limits summer opportunities). Lots of readings in core courses were fragments (e.g. everyone reads Marx but that can mean 10pp of German Ideology). Lets undergrads TA. Lots of mental health issues, not well handled. Profs were often great and very supportive. Grad school admissions worked out well. Summer funding was always available.

FWIW, I was educated and/or taught at 3 other Unis of similar size and reputation and am the parent of a very recent UofC grad (PhD-bound STEM major), so that’s my frame of reference.

My DH teaches at U of C and this is all pretty accurate IMHO.

He tells me stories of the kinds of things his undergrads produce for their papers and such and I am always blown away. Think: original archival research with foreign language translations. Or, owning your own small business. These are not typical undergrads; many of his students seem truly exceptional.

Hyde Park is cool now -- even in the last 5 years, there are many more restaurants and businesses. There's a brand new undergrad dorm. There's now a TJs and a Whole Foods and a Target, none of which were there even 3 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Attracts kids who are serious about education. But IMHO, doesn’t always do right by them. Quarter system sucks — high pressure/no time for reflection, schedule is out of sync with other Unis (which limits summer opportunities). Lots of readings in core courses were fragments (e.g. everyone reads Marx but that can mean 10pp of German Ideology). Lets undergrads TA. Lots of mental health issues, not well handled. Profs were often great and very supportive. Grad school admissions worked out well. Summer funding was always available.

FWIW, I was educated and/or taught at 3 other Unis of similar size and reputation and am the parent of a very recent UofC grad (PhD-bound STEM major), so that’s my frame of reference.

My DH teaches at U of C and this is all pretty accurate IMHO.

He tells me stories of the kinds of things his undergrads produce for their papers and such and I am always blown away. Think: original archival research with foreign language translations. Or, owning your own small business. These are not typical undergrads; many of his students seem truly exceptional.

Hyde Park is cool now -- even in the last 5 years, there are many more restaurants and businesses. There's a brand new undergrad dorm. There's now a TJs and a Whole Foods and a Target, none of which were there even 3 years ago.

I went to grad school at UChicago and did enjoy living in Hyde Park. As far as I remember, the TJs/WF/Target were somewhat controversial when they first opened (although I think they opened just as I was leaving) because there were concerns about the neighborhood gentrifying too much. My favorite things about the neighborhood were the small, local shops (especially the bookstores — SO many bookstores!!).

In addition to the neighborhood, things I liked:

- The intellectual rigor. UChicago was one of the most challenging academic experiences I’ve ever had.

- The emphasis on interdisciplinary work. I think UChicago is admirably open-minded about what defines various disciplines. My husband did graduate work in the same discipline as I did at another school (also very well-regarded in the discipline) and said his program was much less flexible.

Things I didn’t like:

- Not enough of an emphasis on supporting students’ mental health. This isn’t something unique to UChicago. I was in a PhD program there (though I ended up leaving after doing the MA because I got my dream job offer). I definitely felt like it was almost a badge of pride to be constantly stressed out and miserable. But again — not really unique to UChicago, when it comes to PhD programs.

- THE WEATHER. Specifically the winters. I’ve lived in cold climates, but there’s something about the combination of the Gothic architecture and the biting cold of Chicago winters that can seriously do a number on your mental health.

My sister went to undergrad at UChicago and I agree with the person who has a kid who graduated from there. She’s done exceptionally well in her post-UChicago career (top 5 PhD program admission, and is now a post-doc at Stanford). I think the school was excellent for her, but she’s very introverted and bookish. It wouldn’t be right for other types of kids.

[Anonymous]

Not so many bookstores (but Powell’s and Seminary Co-op are still there) these days, but lots of good cafes (many on campus) and bakeries. And UofC did a good job of showing undergrads the city (history bike tour, donut crawl, career day at Booth’s downtown campus, plays, Museum days) during orientation and beyond, then gave them free CTA and arts passes. My DC loved Hyde Park, but also spent a lot of time downtown and in the neighborhoods.

If you’ve got a kid headed to UofC next fall (d.v.), use the post-Xmas sales to invest in good outerwear. One key is to look for wind—resistance as well as insulation and water resistance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not so many bookstores (but Powell’s and Seminary Co-op are still there) these days, but lots of good cafes (many on campus) and bakeries. And UofC did a good job of showing undergrads the city (history bike tour, donut crawl, career day at Booth’s downtown campus, plays, Museum days) during orientation and beyond, then gave them free CTA and arts passes. My DC loved Hyde Park, but also spent a lot of time downtown and in the neighborhoods.

If you’ve got a kid headed to UofC next fall (d.v.), use the post-Xmas sales to invest in good outerwear. One key is to look for wind—resistance as well as insulation and water resistance.

I remember when they relocated the Seminary Co-Op from the basement of the Seminary to an above-ground location. Everyone was really upset, but looking back on it, it was the right decision. That basement location was *definitely* not up to fire code.

[Anonymous]

I loved the tennis balls on the ends of the pipes on the ceiling in the old building!

But the new location is great and the Plein Air cafe (both inside and out) is such a nice space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The quality of the undergraduate education is amazing. U Chicago often is bashed on DCUM but I'm not sure why. There still are quirky aspects to the school, although I agree that the student body is less non-conformist than it used to be 25+ years ago. They have a large endowment and can be generous with financial aid. The name alone will open doors for your child's entire life. And the students aren't stuck in Hyde Park unless they want to be, Chicago is an amazing city.

Is UChicago bashed on DCUM? I feel like I see much more of the opposite.

It's not UChicago that's getting bashed but the near-nonstop, nonsensical, and over-the-top boosterism by some UChicago parents on this forum at one point that really turned us off.

Sometimes. But in particular there is one virulent Anti-Chicago poster whose efforts have been noted here and on College Confidential stemming from some bad personal experience. Banned on CC now, don't think that is the case here .

I think it has toned down quite significantly compared to a couple years ago when it was shooting up the rankings.

+1. I haven’t see the boosterism about Chicago either and I read all the threads about it because I have a student there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I graduated some (read: many) years ago, when it was quite similar to Berkeley in that it was perhaps one of the best places for grad school in the world, but its undergraduate College was quite literally terrible. I strongly encouraged both of my kids not to apply to UChicago when it came to college apps.

I've heard things have changed quite a lot in recent times, and alumni are torn down the middle on whether those changes are good or bad.

As you can already see from some PPs, many right-wingers and conservatives have co-opted UChicago as their darling child, while blind to the fact that its student body is completely interchangeable with any other top school in the nation (aka, very liberal).

+1. This is my exact experience too. Went there for grad school (graduated early 2000s) and actively discourage my kids from applying for undergraduate. Those kids seemed miserable. Things have changed for sure though, and maybe it’d be great for the right kid. To its credit, no other school I’ve been at has rivaled U of C in terms of academics. The marker of someone really liking and engaging with your work at U of C was intense and aggressive questioning. When I went elsewhere for my post doc I was shocked at how nice (and lightweight, honestly) people from other schools were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UofC, along with Northwestern U, are the two "Ivies" of the Midwest. Extremely rigorous and intellectual in a big way, and reputed to be quirky, but I've heard rumors that this character has toned down significantly and that it is, for all intents and purposes, much more similar to its mainstream counterparts now. I believe it is also slightly more conservative than other elite schools. Life of the mind is the unofficial motto.

Neither a good nor bad thing necessarily, but it seems like its reputation for having gamed the rankings persists even among high school students. Still, can't complain about the #6 ranking on USNWR.

So you literally have no idea what you're talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Attracts kids who are serious about education. But IMHO, doesn’t always do right by them. Quarter system sucks — high pressure/no time for reflection, schedule is out of sync with other Unis (which limits summer opportunities). Lots of readings in core courses were fragments (e.g. everyone reads Marx but that can mean 10pp of German Ideology). Lets undergrads TA. Lots of mental health issues, not well handled. Profs were often great and very supportive. Grad school admissions worked out well. Summer funding was always available.

FWIW, I was educated and/or taught at 3 other Unis of similar size and reputation and am the parent of a very recent UofC grad (PhD-bound STEM major), so that’s my frame of reference.

My DH teaches at U of C and this is all pretty accurate IMHO.

He tells me stories of the kinds of things his undergrads produce for their papers and such and I am always blown away. Think: original archival research with foreign language translations. Or, owning your own small business. These are not typical undergrads; many of his students seem truly exceptional.

Hyde Park is cool now -- even in the last 5 years, there are many more restaurants and businesses. There's a brand new undergrad dorm. There's now a TJs and a Whole Foods and a Target, none of which were there even 3 years ago.

Based on what precisely.