U Chicago - Experience?

[Anonymous]

Don’t listen to people on this board as to whether your child would find their people. Go visit, take the tour, and you will get a good sense of the place. It will either click with your kid or it won’t. DCs school sends plenty of kids there who are happy there, and many of them watch plenty of Netflix.

[Anonymous]

My kid is headed there next year. He does like to hang out and relax and do non academic things. Hoping others are like that too.

[Anonymous]

Every time there’s a U of C thread devolves into the same old argument.

There is more crime in Chicago than other places, and more crime in Hyde Park and it’s surrounds than other places. It’s a fact. People in Chicago are aware of this. And yet, people in Chicago are not routinely dodging bullets or being mugged. Many of us live here enthusiastically. Crime rates can be higher than average but folks can still live lives free of crime. I’ve lived on the south side of Chicago (not HP) for 7 years and heard more gunshots when I lived in NWDC (for the record, I have never heard or witnessed crime personally at all in Chicago but I’m not a Pollyanna).

And, this notion that Hyde Park is some bubble surrounded by incredibly dangerous neighborhoods is racist trash and it only takes the mention of Englewood (not near U of C) for people to betray their racism. Kenwood, Bronzeville and Jackson Park are historic centers of Black community in Chicago and people who avoid them are paranoid, prejudiced, or both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every time there’s a U of C thread devolves into the same old argument.

There is more crime in Chicago than other places, and more crime in Hyde Park and it’s surrounds than other places. It’s a fact. People in Chicago are aware of this. And yet, people in Chicago are not routinely dodging bullets or being mugged. Many of us live here enthusiastically. Crime rates can be higher than average but folks can still live lives free of crime. I’ve lived on the south side of Chicago (not HP) for 7 years and heard more gunshots when I lived in NWDC (for the record, I have never heard or witnessed crime personally at all in Chicago but I’m not a Pollyanna).

And, this notion that Hyde Park is some bubble surrounded by incredibly dangerous neighborhoods is racist trash and it only takes the mention of Englewood (not near U of C) for people to betray their racism. Kenwood, Bronzeville and Jackson Park are historic centers of Black community in Chicago and people who avoid them are paranoid, prejudiced, or both.

Just Google Uchicago students who went there to study and returned home in coffins.

[Anonymous]

https://chicagomaroon.com/28762/viewpoints/op-ed/another-student-death-university-must-act/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every time there’s a U of C thread devolves into the same old argument.

There is more crime in Chicago than other places, and more crime in Hyde Park and it’s surrounds than other places. It’s a fact. People in Chicago are aware of this. And yet, people in Chicago are not routinely dodging bullets or being mugged. Many of us live here enthusiastically. Crime rates can be higher than average but folks can still live lives free of crime. I’ve lived on the south side of Chicago (not HP) for 7 years and heard more gunshots when I lived in NWDC (for the record, I have never heard or witnessed crime personally at all in Chicago but I’m not a Pollyanna).

And, this notion that Hyde Park is some bubble surrounded by incredibly dangerous neighborhoods is racist trash and it only takes the mention of Englewood (not near U of C) for people to betray their racism. Kenwood, Bronzeville and Jackson Park are historic centers of Black community in Chicago and people who avoid them are paranoid, prejudiced, or both.

100% lie. You are full of crap.

[Anonymous]

It took a five second scan of the campus police log to see an armed robbery just happened a stone's throw from the Harold's chicken a boomer on page 2 claimed kids go to regularly. And a campus police log is hardly the full scope, look at a crime map around campus for a broader picture.

https://incidentreports.uchicago.edu/incidentReportArchive.php?reportDate=1675663200

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every time there’s a U of C thread devolves into the same old argument.

There is more crime in Chicago than other places, and more crime in Hyde Park and it’s surrounds than other places. It’s a fact. People in Chicago are aware of this. And yet, people in Chicago are not routinely dodging bullets or being mugged. Many of us live here enthusiastically. Crime rates can be higher than average but folks can still live lives free of crime. I’ve lived on the south side of Chicago (not HP) for 7 years and heard more gunshots when I lived in NWDC (for the record, I have never heard or witnessed crime personally at all in Chicago but I’m not a Pollyanna).

And, this notion that Hyde Park is some bubble surrounded by incredibly dangerous neighborhoods is racist trash and it only takes the mention of Englewood (not near U of C) for people to betray their racism. Kenwood, Bronzeville and Jackson Park are historic centers of Black community in Chicago and people who avoid them are paranoid, prejudiced, or both.

100% lie. You are full of crap.

Nope, 100% true. Lived in DC (Takoma) for 5 years and heard gunshots twice. Lived on Chicago’s southside (Brighton Park) and have heard gunshots 0 times. It’s called anecdata and people share it on these threads all the time, which is — by and large — my point.

Just like the University of Idaho is particularly dangerous because of the recent murders. Or Columbia. Or (googles) Eastern Michigan. Or Virginia Tech.

Murder is statistically rare. So is hearing gunshots. Most people never encounter either, but when you hear about them or witness them it inflates your sense of how dangerous a place is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every time there’s a U of C thread devolves into the same old argument.

There is more crime in Chicago than other places, and more crime in Hyde Park and it’s surrounds than other places. It’s a fact. People in Chicago are aware of this. And yet, people in Chicago are not routinely dodging bullets or being mugged. Many of us live here enthusiastically. Crime rates can be higher than average but folks can still live lives free of crime. I’ve lived on the south side of Chicago (not HP) for 7 years and heard more gunshots when I lived in NWDC (for the record, I have never heard or witnessed crime personally at all in Chicago but I’m not a Pollyanna).

And, this notion that Hyde Park is some bubble surrounded by incredibly dangerous neighborhoods is racist trash and it only takes the mention of Englewood (not near U of C) for people to betray their racism. Kenwood, Bronzeville and Jackson Park are historic centers of Black community in Chicago and people who avoid them are paranoid, prejudiced, or both.

100% lie. You are full of crap.

Nope, 100% true. Lived in DC (Takoma) for 5 years and heard gunshots twice. Lived on Chicago’s southside (Brighton Park) and have heard gunshots 0 times. It’s called anecdata and people share it on these threads all the time, which is — by and large — my point.

Just like the University of Idaho is particularly dangerous because of the recent murders. Or Columbia. Or (googles) Eastern Michigan. Or Virginia Tech.

Murder is statistically rare. So is hearing gunshots. Most people never encounter either, but when you hear about them or witness them it inflates your sense of how dangerous a place is.

You must have missed this neighbor. https://news.wttw.com/2022/10/29/community-organizations-speak-out-after-violent-weekend-brighton-park

We heard it all the way over in Bridgeport.

[Anonymous]

My son is there - all the classes are intense, but he is choosing the hardest classes. He is doing very well this year, but Freshman year was an adjustment... from a top private HS in NYC. Goes with his friends into Chicago for dimsum and fun, joined several RSOs (clubs), has fun... but the quarter system makes it seem like they are taking either finals or midterms all the time (every 4 weeks basically). No worries about crime - it's kind of like walking in NYC - need to be aware of time and neighborhood and make good choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid loves it - physics and math. Went to a Maryland public. As others have said, it is not cut-throat, competitive, but is for kids that want an intellectual environment and enjoy it.

We visited Northwestern, and my kid was turned off by the student tour guide and student presentation that emphasized how to get out of hard work by taking a course on chocolate, for example.

Yes, trips to different parts of Chicago happen pretty often, my kid tutors, is a member of several clubs and has some good friends groups. They go to museums, Chinatown, Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, little Russia, comedy and concerts.

Can you elaborate by what you mean by this?
My daughter wants to study physics or math. She attends a rigorous DC private and does very well in the hardest math and science classes. She's used to studying very hard and rising to whatever the academic as is--her school's work-load is 3+ hours of homework nightly and she just plods away at it.

However, she's not an intellectual. She's not reading math or physics journals for fun. She barely keeps up with current events. She spends an inordinate amount of time on social media and watching the latest Netflix show.

Would she find her people?

This is most ambitious kids (who aren't even necessarily sure what they are ambitious for etc) including my own two DCs. My thought for myself was to keep my DCs out of intellectually demanding places for college (Chicago being one of them). Let them grow up a bit. If they want a real intellectual challenge, they can find int in grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is there - all the classes are intense, but he is choosing the hardest classes. He is doing very well this year, but Freshman year was an adjustment... from a top private HS in NYC. Goes with his friends into Chicago for dimsum and fun, joined several RSOs (clubs), has fun... but the quarter system makes it seem like they are taking either finals or midterms all the time (every 4 weeks basically). No worries about crime - it's kind of like walking in NYC - need to be aware of time and neighborhood and make good choices.

Chicago grad here. The quarter system is extremely annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is there - all the classes are intense, but he is choosing the hardest classes. He is doing very well this year, but Freshman year was an adjustment... from a top private HS in NYC. Goes with his friends into Chicago for dimsum and fun, joined several RSOs (clubs), has fun... but the quarter system makes it seem like they are taking either finals or midterms all the time (every 4 weeks basically). No worries about crime - it's kind of like walking in NYC - need to be aware of time and neighborhood and make good choices.

Chicago grad here. The quarter system is extremely annoying.

Fellow Chicago grad. Having final 3x a year is the worst especially the ones in March.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is hardly dangerous to go from Hyde Park to the loop, Near North, Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, etc. If you say otherwise, you are simply parroting what you *think* you know from inside some right wing bubble that thinks Chicago is some dangerous hell scape.

Our niece is there and she is having a great time. (Went to a private outside Philadelphia). She reports some classes are difficult, but manageable. Only dislike is the pace of the quarter system.

Over half the freshman and sophomores live in Woodlawn. No undergrads are routinely hanging out in Wicker Park and Lincoln Park. But it’s interesting you’re calling people Fox News MAGA nuts or whatever when you’re tripping over yourself to namedrop white yuppy neighborhoods. Why don’t you tell us how amazing Southside neighborhoods are? Woodlawn, Washington Park, Englewood.

Students don't really go to the neighboring southside neighborhoods.
The most dangerous thing a student would likely do is go up to 53rd at midnight to get some Harold's.

The insinuation was that students would be in danger going to "Chicago" - the neighborhoods listed are where they would go on a Saturday afternoon.

And yes, if you think the UChicago is in some sort of super dangerous place, then you are a MAGA nut that is drinking the koolaid. I'm sure you would have the same issues with students going to Johns Hopkins, Tufts, UPenn, etc. etc. Give it a rest.

You sound like an old fart. Are you David Brooks? Nobody is going to Harold's for chicken. It's humorous how every booster acts as if the most violent neighborhoods in the U.S. which surround campus have 100 ft walls to keep violent criminals away from your children. There are no walls. The criminals are at those train and bus stops, they are on those trains and buses, and they are prowling around campus day and night looking for easy and lucrative crimes of opportunity.

Nobody going to Harold's? What has the world come to. Next thing you will tell me is nobody goes to the seminary bookstore anymore. In the early 90s, Harold's had bullet proof glass with a lazy to give you the chicken way before anybody else had it. Going to Harold's late at night and getting half BBQ and half Hot Sauce was a source of pride by demonstrating your courage to brave the elements for some late night chicken. I believe your DC is lying about not going to Harold's.

[Anonymous]

Shooting At Michigan state!!!
So sad and tragic
Is there any safe campus or neighborhood in this country ??
My heart breaks for all the family involved