Brown v UChicago?

[Anonymous]

DC was just admitted to Chicago. And a week ago got a likely letter from Brown. Overall what are your thoughts?

Shocked to have these options. DC is a late bloomer, I think got lucky with interesting hooks. Chicago invited DC to begin in a special summer program. Will Chicago chew up and spit out DC, or will their intense vibe make DC a stronger student? Or is Brown's easy going atmosphere better to prevent DC from getting into academic hot water? DC's career assessment top 3: education administration, banking and management consulting - DC is not PhD or MD caliber.

[Anonymous]

Would you mind sharing what the "interesting hooks" are?

[Anonymous]

Chicago seems like a good match for very intellectual students. Given her likely career path Brown sounds better

[Anonymous]

Chicago. The campus vibe and physical environment are hugely improved from when I turned down admission there. Strong administration and vision good city access but with a real campus. Being in a major university with a worldwide reputation will be great now and later. Congratulations on having exceptional choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chicago. The campus vibe and physical environment are hugely improved from when I turned down admission there. Strong administration and vision good city access but with a real campus. Being in a major university with a worldwide reputation will be great now and later. Congratulations on having exceptional choices.

Thank you! Both are beautiful campuses. What happens to bottom decile admits at Chicago? Will Chicago make DC grow up fast academically? If that is guaranteed, Chicago is a no brainer.

[Anonymous]

Brown - much nicer, friendlier, lower stress place, with just as good academics. IMO.

[Anonymous]

If by "grow up fast academically" you mean put your DC under a lot of mental pressure to perform, without a lot of hand holding or guidance - I would say Chicago. But if your DC is academically "immature," just be warned it is a very sink or swim kind of place - and DC just might sink before they swim. Brown seems more likely to provide more one-on-one guidance to stay afloat. Again, IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If by "grow up fast academically" you mean put your DC under a lot of mental pressure to perform, without a lot of hand holding or guidance - I would say Chicago. But if your DC is academically "immature," just be warned it is a very sink or swim kind of place - and DC just might sink before they swim. Brown seems more likely to provide more one-on-one guidance to stay afloat. Again, IMO.

Thank you. But Chicago is providing help already with the summer start program. Brown's letter didn't mention anything about a summer program.

[Anonymous]

Pleasure vs pain? Just joking — my kid’s at Chicago and loving it. Much depends on personality and interests. STEM seems kinda brutal there, but not every field or class is high-pressure. Have DC look closely at the Core and the latest AP credits. Will DC have to take Chem and Calc? Is that a voting issue? (Other requirements are flexible enough AFAICT to be non-issues for most kids). Atmosphere is intense but cooperative and friendly (often in an introverted sort of way). Arts scene has been great and, in general, lots of fun things to do on and off campus. Tuition includes an unlimited bus/subway pass and lots of museum discounts. There are also various groups on campus (houses, clubs, departments) that sponsor free or very cheap group outings downtown. New dorms are very nice and Hyde Park has a some great bookstores, bakeries, and cafes.

Classes are small, faculty is very accessible. Lots of academic support and zero stigma re using it. For example, SUN-TH from 7-11pm there are free, drop-in tutors available for all Core courses in a 24 hour study space. First year, my kid just hung out there working, so if she got stuck, there was someone she could ask a quick question of. DC quickly realized that some of her classmates were doing the same, and they started working together/helping each other out. DC went from being seeking out tutors first year to TAing second year.

All this said, I have known a couple very bright, hardworking kids who weren’t happy at UofC. I think thriving on challenge (vs getting overwhelmed or depressed) is a good predictor of fit. As is being a kid who is pretty self-regulating re food, sleep, taking breaks to recharge.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have other, more specific questions. My kid’s home this weeks, so I can get quick answers.

Congrats to your DC — those are great options!

[Anonymous]

Brown. Perfect blend of superb academics and high quality of life.

[Anonymous]

Brown has those types of programs:

https://www.brown.edu/academics/college/orientation/pre-orientation-programs

[Anonymous]

I am quick to defend to Brown on these boards from the haters but I will say that my experience-- which is not at all recent and may be out of date-- was that handholding is not their strong suit. I think they were aware of the issue and tried lots of different ways to address it but the fact is that at Brown you take a lot of responsibility for your education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If by "grow up fast academically" you mean put your DC under a lot of mental pressure to perform, without a lot of hand holding or guidance - I would say Chicago. But if your DC is academically "immature," just be warned it is a very sink or swim kind of place - and DC just might sink before they swim. Brown seems more likely to provide more one-on-one guidance to stay afloat. Again, IMO.

It’s not a “sink or swim” place. It is a “let us know if you’re having trouble staying afloat” kind of place. Lots of help in place and very easy to access, but kid has to seek it out. FWIW, I think the “you have to seek it out” piece is true of just about any university. Support at UChicago is exceptional IME.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brown has those types of programs:

https://www.brown.edu/academics/college/orientation/pre-orientation-programs

Thanks! But those programs are only 3-8 days. Chicago's is all summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chicago. The campus vibe and physical environment are hugely improved from when I turned down admission there. Strong administration and vision good city access but with a real campus. Being in a major university with a worldwide reputation will be great now and later. Congratulations on having exceptional choices.

Thank you! Both are beautiful campuses. What happens to bottom decile admits at Chicago? Will Chicago make DC grow up fast academically? If that is guaranteed, Chicago is a no brainer.

She will be surrounded by a cohort where caring about academics is part of one's social ranking. IMO peer influence plays a huge role to bolster academic success.
There is a lot of work but the rigor is adjustable by number of courses and type of class. Very small classes BTW which minimizes the likelihood she will get lost in a crowd.
The CORE is guarantee she will graduate with a good education. Most importantly, in term of work, UChicago is midwestern friendly and promotes a cooperative study environment.
Admissions would not have extended her the offer without 1. being interested in the way she thinks and 2. being confident she can graduate. So I wouldn't worry about whether she could thrive academically if she likes the environment There's also a good number of kids interested in pursuing a career in education in addition to the more minstream finance or consulting.
She has two really good offers. The admitted student days helped our DC with a decision between good schools. They provide lot more detail than pre-admission tours and I know at Chicago she can spend the night with an older friend there or can be assigned to a host.