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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

+1 hate to say it but your niece does not sound like a ray of sunshine. She hates her professors and her fellow students? and chicago?

[Anonymous]

I’m so sorry that’s the case. Anyone can make a decision they end up not liking and at least she gave it a try!

I hope she can find a school she likes better, and you are a good aunt to take her to lunch and listen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She'll find her place. Every school is not for everyone. My niece just finished her freshman year at a tiny, well-regarded SLAC in the Northeast and absolutely hated it. She thought she wanted a small school but it ended up being too small, few classes, few opportunities for clubs, internships, etc. No diversity (she's from Chicago actually and the first thing you notice at this SLAC is how WHITE it is). She actually decided pretty late in the year that she wanted to transfer and missed some transfer deadlines by applying in the spring. She got into three or four schools and will be attending a Big-10 school this fall in an excellent STEM program.

If your niece doesn't want to wait an entire year, she can always apply to be a spring transfer. Have her check deadlines but I think a lot of schools take transfers in the second semester.

Best of luck to her - I know it was a rough year for my niece and I hope she'll be happier at a larger school with so many more classes to choose from and many more opportunities, both academically and socially.

I’m sorry, I’m sure she’s lovely but that’s rich considering Chicago is incredibly segregated.

[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.

Hahahaha you haven’t been there recently, have you? Z

[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!

Same here!

[Anonymous]

Chicago’s reputation is for the grad programs. MBA, Econ etc.

Undergrad experience is very mediocre ( and expensive)

[Anonymous]

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

Lol. But these anecdotal tales are so delicious. I love them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chicago’s reputation is for the grad programs. MBA, Econ etc.

Undergrad experience is very mediocre ( and expensive)

And amateur hour. It is not an elite experience because it is nowhere close to an elite college. It produces pushy whiny and abrasive grads with inferiority complexes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

+1 hate to say it but your niece does not sound like a ray of sunshine. She hates her professors and her fellow students? and chicago?

Lol so true. Don't forget she hates the Admin staff too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

You realize it is hard to take you seriously when you lead with “the violent crime” and the “isolated location”.

First, the area around the school has crime, but the school itself is fine.

2nd… a city of 5 million people is hardly an isolated location.

Why even mention those two points…doesn’t sound like they had anything to do with your niece liking or not liking the school.

The location, weather, and crime is why the campus ethos is lacking, from faculty and administrators to low-level staff. If you were a high-flying researcher or administrator, would you prefer the coasts, the warm Sun Belt — or south side Chicago crime and cold weather? If you were a nurse or a random service worker, would you want to work downtown or the wealthy north and western suburbs of Chicago (for more pay!) — or commute down to the dangerous and isolated south side Chicago island the campus is in?

[Anonymous]

I am waiting to see how many kids who got into high profile college from DD's class find out they hate the school (or can't keep up) and decide to transfer after the first year. These places all look great on paper, but you get the real vibe once you are there, I guess.

U of Chicago certainly isn't in the middle of nowhere.

[Anonymous]

Additionally, we are having all sorts of issues with administrative stuff/counseling/housing at the large OOS school DD will be heading to. I always thought that going to a smaller, private school like Chicago would be easier to navigate re: counseling, administrative matters, teaching. But I guess not. Was recently on a Bucknell site and everyone was complaining about the lack of counseling. I would be furious if I spent that kind of dough to get such poor service.

[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.

Hahahaha you haven’t been there recently, have you? Z

This is frequently spammed misinformation by UChicago boosters. Pretending as if campus is walking distance to downtown. When factually it’s in two boring and relatively dangerous south side neighborhoods (surrounded by even exponentially more dangerous neighborhoods), an expensive and long Uber or an even longer and dangerous public transportation trek. And if you’re robbed, assaulted or murdered on public transportation, the boosters will blame you for not knowing all the unwritten travel rules. And then brush it off claiming “crime happens everywhere.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am waiting to see how many kids who got into high profile college from DD's class find out they hate the school (or can't keep up) and decide to transfer after the first year. These places all look great on paper, but you get the real vibe once you are there, I guess.

U of Chicago certainly isn't in the middle of nowhere.

Campus is in the middle of nowhere to millions who live in Chicago who literally NEVER venture down there. No reason to, there’s nothing there. So of course it’s in the middle of nowhere to wealthy teens from the coasts, especially when most of their friends are at colleges clustered on the costs. Just getting to the airport from campus is a two hour affair.

[Anonymous]

My ds is at a very good OOS public, he has had his fair share of issues but generally has been very pleased with the quality of students. There are many smart students to keep him company. He attended a private school and has more than 7 former classmates attending Chicago and few friends at SLACs. Except for a few, almost all the SLAC friends are looking to transfer out. Chicago friends have had a mixed experience, couple of them hate it but it is partly because they realize they don't like the quarter system. Now when they meet they realize that all schools have their issues and that there was too much hype around the college process. I asked my son if he wanted to transfer, he said he had spoken to quite a few of his friends and there are advantages and disadvantages to every school. Unless the disadvantages are overwhelming no point in transferring. I think the pre-professional element of college from freshman year is really dampening the college experience.