University of Chicago - real experiences?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is an Econ major. He, too, has mixed feelings about the school. The work load is oppressive, the grading hard bordering on unfair, and the club culture is overly competitive. He’s had great teachers and made wonderful friends. He will graduate in 2025 but would probably pick a different school if he could go back in time.

Yikes. This is my exact fear. Do you think it's worse than other T20 schools? (other than Brown - I know Brown is all fun, all the time).

[Anonymous]

The campus visit is important. It has turned out to be the right place for our kid. Lots and lots of classwork but apparently it feels great to be around similar minds.

Came out of a pretty crappy public school where there were only 3-5 classmates with whom they could have any kind of serious conversation. There is a "type" and you really need to spend a full day there beyond the tour to see if this is the right place for you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son absolutely loves U Chicago. He made lots of friends and he is very active in fraternity.
You can live 4 years in the campus, but 2 years is mandatory.
Your 3rd year you can live in the fraternity house.
Exam time is very intense. Everyone is at the library. Getting to certain club is extremely competitive.

what are the dining clubs? Private?

[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 husband went to Chicago and we are on campus and stay in Hyde Park several times a year. I think Hyde Park and the immediate area around the campus is fairly safe on well lit streets. There are families that live around the university and there is a Trader Joe’s walking distance from campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son absolutely loves U Chicago. He made lots of friends and he is very active in fraternity.
You can live 4 years in the campus, but 2 years is mandatory.
Your 3rd year you can live in the fraternity house.
Exam time is very intense. Everyone is at the library. Getting to certain club is extremely competitive.

what are the dining clubs? Private?

I’m not sure what u r referencing. There r no dining clubs. The clubs PP referred to r student organized clubs. Some u apply for or audition for(which also seems to occur in other top schools) and some you just sign up to be a member.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son absolutely loves U Chicago. He made lots of friends and he is very active in fraternity.
You can live 4 years in the campus, but 2 years is mandatory.
Your 3rd year you can live in the fraternity house.
Exam time is very intense. Everyone is at the library. Getting to certain club is extremely competitive.

what are the dining clubs? Private?

I’m not sure what u r referencing. There r no dining clubs. The clubs PP referred to r student organized clubs. Some u apply for or audition for(which also seems to occur in other top schools) and some you just sign up to be a member.

there are definitely private secret societies at UChicago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son absolutely loves U Chicago. He made lots of friends and he is very active in fraternity.
You can live 4 years in the campus, but 2 years is mandatory.
Your 3rd year you can live in the fraternity house.
Exam time is very intense. Everyone is at the library. Getting to certain club is extremely competitive.

what are the dining clubs? Private?

I’m not sure what u r referencing. There r no dining clubs. The clubs PP referred to r student organized clubs. Some u apply for or audition for(which also seems to occur in other top schools) and some you just sign up to be a member.

there are definitely private secret societies at UChicago.

Elaborate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son absolutely loves U Chicago. He made lots of friends and he is very active in fraternity.
You can live 4 years in the campus, but 2 years is mandatory.
Your 3rd year you can live in the fraternity house.
Exam time is very intense. Everyone is at the library. Getting to certain club is extremely competitive.

what are the dining clubs? Private?

I’m not sure what u r referencing. There r no dining clubs. The clubs PP referred to r student organized clubs. Some u apply for or audition for(which also seems to occur in other top schools) and some you just sign up to be a member.

there are definitely private secret societies at UChicago.

PP was asking about private dining clubs. Which private dining clubs exist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is an Econ major. He, too, has mixed feelings about the school. The work load is oppressive, the grading hard bordering on unfair, and the club culture is overly competitive. He’s had great teachers and made wonderful friends. He will graduate in 2025 but would probably pick a different school if he could go back in time.

Yikes. This is my exact fear. Do you think it's worse than other T20 schools? (other than Brown - I know Brown is all fun, all the time).

Other than the easy grading(A- is 4.0 for GPA, most classes have half or more getting A- or A, thus half grads have 4.0), Brown is not very social and the obsession with finance and consulting and law is oppressive. The ones who are not like that are ultra political and left leaning/social justice warrior types. It is "eclectic" for sure. Not a fit for many we know.

[Anonymous]

Will a preppy bro find his people? I know there is the economics crowd but anyone else? We visited this summer during their open house and it seemed like 98% of the prospective students were more on the quirky side (not saying there is anything wrong with that).

My son is coming from a super rigorous high school and is used to (and appreciates) a heavy academic workload but he has mainstream interests: sports, pop culture, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will a preppy bro find his people? I know there is the economics crowd but anyone else? We visited this summer during their open house and it seemed like 98% of the prospective students were more on the quirky side (not saying there is anything wrong with that).

My son is coming from a super rigorous high school and is used to (and appreciates) a heavy academic workload but he has mainstream interests: sports, pop culture, etc.

Yes. In recent years, Chicago has been moving away from its nerdy, quirky, where fun goes to die identity. It's increasingly becoming a little more indistinguishable from similarly ranked schools - Duke, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Brown. More of the wealthy, private school, pre-professional, finance/consulting crowd. Not everyone is happy about it. Chicago always had a very distinct identity. And they are purposely moving away from it. That's one of the reasons they rely pretty heavily on ED. It allows them to really shape the class they want these days.

[Anonymous]

My son is a second year. Really likes it. Found friends, likes Chicago. Mostly all good classes. Did not find freshman year that stressful. And likes the quarter system because he gets to take more classes! Yes a nerd. In a bunch of clubs and activities; no sense it is competitive. Hyde Park makes me a bit nervous but they seems to know where not to go and when to walk in groups.

[Anonymous]

This site is so crazy. Random person with no connection to the univ claims that 98% of the kids are “quirky.” Random other person who’s never even stepped foot in Chicago claims that no, everyone is a frat bro finance dude wearing a fleece vest and of course everyone who’s anyone belongs to a secret dining club. Random third person who’s never been to Hyde Park claims that you’ll be robbed by stolen-cat-eating immigrants within 2 minutes of arriving. Random fourth person joins every thread to say that UChicago sends too many postcards and Ohmigod they’re also broke. No one with a connection to the place recognizes any of these bizarre statements. Useless site.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is an Econ major. He, too, has mixed feelings about the school. The work load is oppressive, the grading hard bordering on unfair, and the club culture is overly competitive. He’s had great teachers and made wonderful friends. He will graduate in 2025 but would probably pick a different school if he could go back in time.

Yikes. This is my exact fear. Do you think it's worse than other T20 schools? (other than Brown - I know Brown is all fun, all the time).

NP. You don't know Brown. While community is collaborative and supportive (for the most part), classes are intense and a lot of work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is an Econ major. He, too, has mixed feelings about the school. The work load is oppressive, the grading hard bordering on unfair, and the club culture is overly competitive. He’s had great teachers and made wonderful friends. He will graduate in 2025 but would probably pick a different school if he could go back in time.

Yikes. This is my exact fear. Do you think it's worse than other T20 schools? (other than Brown - I know Brown is all fun, all the time).

Other than the easy grading(A- is 4.0 for GPA, most classes have half or more getting A- or A, thus half grads have 4.0), Brown is not very social and the obsession with finance and consulting and law is oppressive. The ones who are not like that are ultra political and left leaning/social justice warrior types. It is "eclectic" for sure. Not a fit for many we know.

Another person who doesn't know Brown. Why don't people just comment on what they actually know?