Niece just finished her freshman year at University of Chicago. She hates it.

[Anonymous]

I've never once heard anyone use the term "Deep South Side." And there's no one in Chicago who would call Hyde Park the far south side. The University of Chicago is a 15 minute drive from the center of downtown Chicago outside of rush hours. But misconceptions about and slights against Chicago and the university aren't the important part. She's not happy. I hope she takes a semester or two off of school and finds the right match. Every university's Common Data Set will show if they accept mid-year transfers. Many semester abroad programs probably are also still accepting applicants.

[Anonymous]

honestly i would have believed this post if they author didn't first have the bizarre rant about the city of chicago.

uchicago isn't for everybody. heck, they make that abundantly clear when you apply.

[Anonymous]

The poster must be foreign. Note also “not her first pick”. Perhaps relative wanted her to go somewhere else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never once heard anyone use the term "Deep South Side." And there's no one in Chicago who would call Hyde Park the far south side. The University of Chicago is a 15 minute drive from the center of downtown Chicago outside of rush hours. But misconceptions about and slights against Chicago and the university aren't the important part. She's not happy. I hope she takes a semester or two off of school and finds the right match. Every university's Common Data Set will show if they accept mid-year transfers. Many semester abroad programs probably are also still accepting applicants.

1) Why do UofC boosters pretend campus is near the heart of downtown? It is not.
2) Google Maps says campus to the Magnificent Mile right now at 11 p.m. is 22 min via car or 1 hr 2 min via public transportation. During rush hour it's an hour by car.
3) UofC is in both Hyde Park and Woodlawn neighborhoods. Why do boosters always omit that fact? I know why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am insisting my next lunch with a relative be off the record.

LOL!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She earned very high marks and she does not wish to return. And not just for known reasons like violent crime, weather, and its isolated location in the Midwest, and more specifically, on the deep south side of Chicago. We had a long lunch and here are her words in quotes: Her classmates are "repulsively obnoxious" and "insufferable," her professors were "checked out" or "barely spoke English," the university seems "unprofessional" and in "disarray," and most of the staff she encountered were "useless" and "incompetent." "It looks like a serious university but it does not operate like a serious university."

It was not her first choice but she was so excited when we met for lunch late last summer. It is sad to see her so unhappy after a year.

But apart from that, it’s great?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've never once heard anyone use the term "Deep South Side." And there's no one in Chicago who would call Hyde Park the far south side. The University of Chicago is a 15 minute drive from the center of downtown Chicago outside of rush hours. But misconceptions about and slights against Chicago and the university aren't the important part. She's not happy. I hope she takes a semester or two off of school and finds the right match. Every university's Common Data Set will show if they accept mid-year transfers. Many semester abroad programs probably are also still accepting applicants.

1) Why do UofC boosters pretend campus is near the heart of downtown? It is not.
2) Google Maps says campus to the Magnificent Mile right now at 11 p.m. is 22 min via car or 1 hr 2 min via public transportation. During rush hour it's an hour by car.
3) UofC is in both Hyde Park and Woodlawn neighborhoods. Why do boosters always omit that fact? I know why.

Why do you think the Magnificent Mile is the heart of downtown? It is not. It's 13 minutes right now from Hyde Park to Millennium Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:20 years ago I had a friend who had a similar experience and also transferred out. This person was from a non-DMV public school system. I have heard many similar stories and it seems that Chicago is quite polarizing and many do transfer out. Freshman learn a lot about the college experience in first year when they visit friends and see what is happening at other schools. I would just support her as best you can.

University of Chicago has the highest freshman retention rate and 4-year graduation of any college in the US, so...no.

(Ok, they're tied with MIT for highest freshman retention rate and Duke, Coast Guard Academy, and Washington & Lee for highest grad rate. But the point remains.)

[Anonymous]

Chicago is an "isolated location in the Midwest"? It's the 3rd largest city in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:20 years ago I had a friend who had a similar experience and also transferred out. This person was from a non-DMV public school system. I have heard many similar stories and it seems that Chicago is quite polarizing and many do transfer out. Freshman learn a lot about the college experience in first year when they visit friends and see what is happening at other schools. I would just support her as best you can.

Approximately 30 years ago I hated my first year at U of C - the school, the people, the curriculum, the location - and transferred out for a year. Then I missed it and everyone there so much that I transferred back, managed to graduate with my class on time, and went on to apply and matriculate into graduate school there! If anyone asks me about U of C, I sing the praises of U of C and count myself lucky to have made so many wonderful lifelong friends. The first part of my time there became a blip to me as I aged. Life is strange and perceptions change as you get older. FWIW since others have mentioned it, I came from a DMV Big 3. I also was a very angsty, negative young person. Interestingly enough, while U of C does have a lot of transfers out, they also have a ton of transfers in. When I was there, there was a whole dorm for transfers. I didn't end up there when I transferred back only because I had already been there once and knew where I wanted to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a reason the school’s unofficial motto is “where fun goes to die”.

I graduated in 1995 and have that motto on a t-shirt!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a reason the school’s unofficial motto is “where fun goes to die”.

I graduated in 1995 and have that motto on a t-shirt!

My husband graduated 1993 and had the same shirt. Chicago is a serious school with serious students. My high performing bright child visited and hated the environment.

[Anonymous]

My son is there and absolutely loves it.
I think they are working to make undergrad much more fun.
He is very social and found his own crowd.
They definitely work hard but they truly enjoy city of Chicago too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She earned very high marks and she does not wish to return. And not just for known reasons like violent crime, weather, and its isolated location in the Midwest, and more specifically, on the deep south side of Chicago. We had a long lunch and here are her words in quotes: Her classmates are "repulsively obnoxious" and "insufferable," her professors were "checked out" or "barely spoke English," the university seems "unprofessional" and in "disarray," and most of the staff she encountered were "useless" and "incompetent." "It looks like a serious university but it does not operate like a serious university."

It was not her first choice but she was so excited when we met for lunch late last summer. It is sad to see her so unhappy after a year.

I did not love Chicago when I visited several years back but it is laughable to call it "isolated." That and the mention of crime, which really is not a huge factor around the school, call your post into doubt as having some sort of agenda.

Having said that, given how miserable she sounds and the things she saying, she sounds depressed. That's a lot of hyperbole from your niece. It would be better to just admit that it is not a good fit for her and someplace else is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She earned very high marks and she does not wish to return. And not just for known reasons like violent crime, weather, and its isolated location in the Midwest, and more specifically, on the deep south side of Chicago. We had a long lunch and here are her words in quotes: Her classmates are "repulsively obnoxious" and "insufferable," her professors were "checked out" or "barely spoke English," the university seems "unprofessional" and in "disarray," and most of the staff she encountered were "useless" and "incompetent." "It looks like a serious university but it does not operate like a serious university."

It was not her first choice but she was so excited when we met for lunch late last summer. It is sad to see her so unhappy after a year.

Looks like no one will be unhappy when she leaves the school. She sounds very selfish.