A Review of the University of Chicago

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
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Why I am Writing This:
I had an unpleasant conversation with an incoming first-year to the University of Chicago. She seemed to be very unhappy with where she was headed, and had heard a lot of frightening things about going to UChicago- and many of her concerns seemed to be stemming from reading negative College Confidential and Quora threads about the University of Chicago. I did some digging and found that a lot of the content on the web was old and outdated- and what I found was certainly frightening. The College has undoubtedly gone through a huge transformation in the last decade, and I wanted to provide an updated account of the University to future students, parents, and intellectuals.

My Background:
I will be a fourth-year at UChicago and am studying Economics. I am interning at a top 3 consulting firm (MBB) and will pursue a career in strategy consulting. My experience with UChicago has been fantastic, and my review will reflect that. I have friends who are not enjoying their time here as much as I am, so please be aware that this is only one point of view.

The Review:
I will go step by step through many of the concerns I have heard about the University, and then want to touch on some points of my own.

Grade Deflation: On the web, there seems to be some wild notion that nobody- or almost nobody- has high grades at the University of Chicago. This is not true. I have a GPA between 3.8 and 3.9, and its closer to 3.9. I have multiple friends with GPA’s above a 3.9. We are all taking some of the most challenging majors that the University offers, and have had our fair share of academic risk taking (we opted to take the harder course sequence more often than not). There are certainly some lower GPA’s out there, but if I were to wager a guess, the median GPA would be between 3.3-3.5. Yes, I do believe UChicago is a hard University (in my opinion, the hardest, save MIT and Caltech), but if you are smart and work hard, doing well is very possible. Also, I believe the grade deflation has helped me in some incidents. People (namely, employers) are more impressed with a high GPA student from the University of Chicago than say, a high GPA student from Princeton or Yale. I think grade deflating schools offer a higher ceiling but a lower floor academically speaking, and that can be to your advantage, depending on which end of the spectrum you are on.

Social Life: Yes, the social life is different at UChicago. But in many ways, I like it better than the social life at other schools. If all you want is to get as drunk as you can and see the crazy things you will do, then the opportunites for that won’t compare to the local state schools. However, I have had a lot of fun at UChicago. If grabbing dinner downtown, playing ping pong or intermural sports, doing a lot of RSO’s with a tight-knit community, and most of all, staying up till 4 am snacking and chatting about anything and everything with your friends sounds like your type of thing, then Chicago probably has one of the best social lives out there for you. The housing system is pretty awesome (very Harry Potter-like as you have probably heard), the students are very friendly, and while we enjoy the life of the mind, we also like to have a lot of fun- our kind of fun.

Job Placement: This is an area where we have grown a lot over the past decade. We do have a clear disadvantage from other top schools: in the past, doing well in industry wasn’t the focus of UChicago, so there aren’t a lot of alumni from the College in all of the top industries and groups where you would want them to be (at least compared to Harvard or Princeton). However, Booth students have been incredibly supportive of helping us undergrads in our career development, and my heart goes out to the many Booth alums that have brought me to where I am today. When I first joined the University, we only placed well into finance. Now, we do extremely well in finance (we currently land many into highly coveted quant trading roles and send swarms to investment banking jobs at JPM or GS. I think in 5-6 years we will clearly be a top 3 school for landing the best finance jobs). However, in my years here, we have also developed our consulting placements, and send approximately 15 students to the tippy top consulting firms yearly, and many more to the second tier ones. Tech is something that is still being worked on, but Google recruits pretty heavily- I think in 5-6 years time, we will be churning out many good developers and product managers, and our tech placement will rival that of Princeton or Cornell (though still well behind Stanford or MIT). Amongst all of this, UChicago has assembled a highly motivated, experienced, and aggressive in the way you want them to be aggressive, team of career advisors. The career advisors here are there when you need them, and the UCIB program is pretty good if you are confused and not really sure what you want to do. The opportunity to take Booth classes is amazing, and helps students stand out from those at other liberal arts colleges. I think the amount that UChicago has improved their career placement in the last decade is almost incomprehensible, and I am very excited for where we will be 10 years from now.

Quality of Education: There has been a lot of criticism that the quality of education and the quality of the student body has been watered down with all of President Zimmer’s changes to the University. I think that is rubbish, and think that President Zimmer is one of the best things that happened to the University. There are a lot of bright students coming into the University every year that wouldn’t be attending if UChicago hadn’t gone for the mass marketing appeal like many of the ivies do. Like it or not, Universities are aggressively competing to attract the top talent, and if UChicago doesn’t compete, we will be left far behind. Every year as propsies come in, I see a brighter class than the last, and many of my peers agree as well. In regards to making our curriculum easier- this is true. However, I think a lot of the busy work has been cut out of the courses (though some still exists), and the easier workload encourages more students to take the honors track rather than wimping out. And as always, the faculty is amazing- there is something spectacular about going into office hours, and having a global leader in their field explaining concepts to you one-on-one, no matter how basic your questions are. You will walk out feeling like a much more educated person. The faculty here at UChicago, while having very high expectations of undergrads, are surprisingly eager to help out interested students, despite their high position in the world of academia.

Grad School Placement: Apart from Med schools, almost every grad program you apply to will be aware of our rigor and will also consider your GPA accordingly. There are a mind blowing amount of research opportunites available, and the people you will be working with are giants in their field (esp. in Econ, Physics, Math, and Chemistry). If you truly are smart and have potential, these profs will act as amazing mentors. I truly envy the students at UChicago who want to go into academia- this place is a dream come true for them.

The Cold: This does suck. And the wind makes it worse. A lot worse. Especially if you come from a sunny place. The only ray of sunshine (literally the only one) is that once you live in Chicago, you will be comfortable living basically anywhere in the United States. But going into my last year, I still shudder when I think about the coming winter.

Name Recognition: Amongst the general public, its really bad. Many will think you go to community college. But like they say, the people who matter most definitely know. And once you tell the people who don’t know about the University where you are working at, they won’t care which school you went to anyways :slight_smile:

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Continued:

Why I Picked UChicago: I will be honest here. Harvard was my top choice school. I was rejected. If I had gotten into Harvard, I would be going there- and my thoughts on that matter have not changed. However, I did pick UChicago over MIT and Columbia. This is because (1) I saw the University had been growing in its reputation, ranking, job placement, and academic quality like no other top institution in the United States. It was a fantastic opportunity to get in early on a University following an excellent path forward, and I still think that this opportunity is still there. (2) I liked the idea of the life of the mind. And the life of the mind really exists. UChicago has far exceeded my expectations in this regard. Every quarter I feel like I learned a year’s worth of material, and feel much more intelligent for it. I have learned how to think, read, write, argue, present, and create. I have become much more experienced- few ideas or concepts scare me, and almost all challenges seem approachable. I believe that UChicago offers one of the finest, if not the finest, educations in the world.

Hopefully that qualms some fears aroused from some of those scary threads from the 90’s :slight_smile:

P.S. I wrote this in a hurry, so please forgive the many grammar mistakes.

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I have a couple questions – first, what do you dislike about the university? just out of curiosity.

Also, how does it compare to other schools in terms of pre-med and medical school acceptance rate?

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Yes, I have to agree. Recently I had dinner with a bunch of friends back home, who just so happen to all attend either Columbia or Princeton. They all seemed to be fixated on the idea that Chicago was “where fun goes to die” when they asked me about my College experiences, and frankly, I found it rather irritating. These outdated stereotypes need to die instead.

Edited: A comma

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@annaerhear Like I mentioned, the weather and the name recognition (or rather, the lack of it). While the name recognition problem is sliding away, the bad weather is there to stay.

Med school acceptance rates are decent, and on-par with many top colleges, although med schools aren’t very forgiving of UChicago’s deflation. Also, the pre-med program is quite rigorous and much more difficult than most other Universities- it will really test your commitment to becoming a doctor, which is probably a good thing. One of the advantages of UChicago is that if you decide medicine is not for you during college, there are many opportunities to get into healthcare consulting or banking.

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@collegereviewer1 Thank you for taking the time to write about your experiences at U Chicago. As the parent of a rising second year student, I am frequently dismayed by the negative stereotypes and assumptions associated with the school and students. I have also become accustomed to the number of people that have never heard of the school, assume I mean UIC, or ask why I would allow my child to go so far away to attend a state school. As many have said, those who matter most know the school and its reputation well.

I couldn’t agree more with much of your description. I have been particularly impressed with the faculty, their accessibility to students, and how invested they are in student success. I was completely blown away with my son’s description of the research one of his freshman physics professors had done at CERN and yet how easy he was to talk to and how eager he was to help students understand even the most basic concepts (ok, this was an honors class, so concepts were probably not so basic!). Likewise, his hum professors were equally helpful, even to a math / physics major whom they realize would likely not be taking their classes unless required to do so.

I am also very impressed with the students and their desire to learn. My son is hoping to take the honors analysis sequence this year, understanding full well what he is getting himself into. When asked if he was concerned about the potential for this class to hurt his GPA, he responded that the benefit of what he would learn in the class was far greater than the risk of getting a GPA lowering grade. From what I have seen, this type of thinking is typical of UChi students - they really want to learn and challenge themselves. Fortunately, students also seem to be very collaborative, so no one has to endure the challenges alone.

All in all, I couldn’t be happier with my son’s choice of school; it is truly a great fit for him and has provided him with so many opportunities already, including an REU this summer. Oh, and as for the cold, yeah, it’s cold. And windy. But it was colder in northern New England this past winter!

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What do you mean when you say that all grad schools apart from med schools will be aware of the rigor of Uchicago? As in, you’re at a disadvantage if you apply to med school from UC?

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As in they’ll take the rigor of U of C into account.

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I’m in complete agreement with the OP. My advice to prospective and incoming students: do not automatically assume that you’re going to do poorly at UChicago. Before heading there, I thought I’d be lucky if I ended up with a 3.5. Instead, I graduated with a GPA of 3.8+ and received a prestigious British scholarship. (I won’t say which one or else it’d be too easy to identify me.)

Grade deflation is a myth. There’s a lot of “fair grading” at UChicago. That is, don’t expect to do well without putting substantial effort into a course. You reap what you sow. I do know quite a few pre-meds with 3.9+.

I’ll be applying for medical school after finishing up my graduate work. I have to say that my UChicago friends ended up getting into all sorts of medical schools (Harvard, Hopkins, Penn, Northwestern, UChicago, Duke, Stanford, WashU, Michigan, NYU, Vanderbilt, UCSD, Cornell, Mt. Sinai, Emory, Case Western, Ohio State, Rosalind Franklin, Brown, Albert Einstein, Thomas Jefferson, Rush, etc). Be strategic when selecting courses. You can still learn a lot by taking manageable and less demanding classes.

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The Grade deflation subject has been discussed in length:

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-chicago/1659610-garde-deflation-p1.html

Course rigor, maybe, Grade Deflation? No.

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Just finished my first couple of weeks at UChicago, and from what I have seen so far, I can’t agree more with this thread. The “social life” was surprisingly very active and shocked me to say the least.

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Hi, since this thread was recently active, I thought I’d post my question here. There’s been much media coverage about increased shootings in Chicago (among other cities) over the last few years, much of it gang related. Can any current students please describe how this issue plays out in your daily life at UChicago in terms of campus safety, going into downtown, etc. I heard a third-hand story of gun shots being heard from a UC dorm and that really concerns me. Thank you (and thanks for the great review, OP and those who added to it.)

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You should probably make your own thread but here’s the quick and dirty answer:

UChicago and the surrounding areas, including Kenwood, Woodlawn, and Washington Park, are very safe. Hyde Park and Kenwood are patrolled by the UCPD who do an excellent job keeping crimes down, subsequently, they are some of the safest parts of the city. Woodlawn and Washington Park “look” more dangerous from their crime statistics but in practice, if you keep your wits about you, do not travel alone after dark (which is a bad idea in any city), do not walk around looking at your phone, etc. etc. you will almost certainly be fine.The time when UChicago students were flat out told never to go south of 61st or west of Cottage Grove are long gone.

Campus itself is incredible safe. I’ve wondered around at 3 am by myself all over the place on and around campus and never felt slightly in danger. The UCPD patrols every corner of campus and most of the popular places around Hyde Park where students might be (55th/Lake Park, Kimpark Plaza, etc.), 24/7. There are shuttles that will pick you up and take you home if you feel unsafe.

No one is afraid of traveling to the loop or anywhere else in the city generally. The CTA buses and trains are very safe. You can take the 55 -> Green/Red Lines or the 2/6 downtown alone anytime and you’ll be fine.

Yes, shootings sometimes happen. Sometimes even within earshot of the dorms, though that is pretty rare. This does not affect daily life at all, nor does it ever involve UChicago students.

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Re: Grade Deflation/Reputation: Graduate schools are well aware of University of Chicago’s academic rigor and reputation. I do not think your GPA at University of Chicago is a ‘make or break’ thing as far as getting into graduate school or medical school. You need to remember that UoC is ranked #4 in terms of undergraduate education. Whatever school you apply to will have plenty of candidates from school with lesser reputations that may also be less prepared. It’s unfortunate that people get into the ‘reputation’ mentality. Yes. It’s true that people in my neighborhood in California don’t know the reputation of University of Chicago. In truth, it doesn’t matter. Getting a degree from University of Chicago will boost your chances of admittance significantly when you apply for graduate school, medical school or law school. Reputation matters for those opinions that matter. Not Uncle Joe or Aunt Mary or the clerk at the postal office. Who cares what they think?

I agree with original poster: "Grade Deflation: On the web, there seems to be some wild notion that nobody- or almost nobody- has high grades at the University of Chicago. This is not true. I have a GPA between 3.8 and 3.9, and its closer to 3.9. I have multiple friends with GPA’s above a 3.9. " My daughter is a junior in Law, Letters and Society with a 3.9 GPA. So much for that myth. My daughter is very bright. But she is not the only one excelling at University of Chicago. Many students thrive.

Re: Social Life: It depends on what you consider a social life. If getting drunk and partying is your idea of a social life, then University of Chicago is not the school for you. I’m sure some students do this, and some do drugs, but it’s not the norm. My daughter’s friends often just hang out in each others apartments and make dinner. They do normal things, however, much of their time is devoted to studying. If she has extra time, she goes to plays, restaurants or shopping in downtown Chicago. That’s not very often though. She is active in her sorority that focuses on philanthropy, but it’s not a ‘wild and crazy’ sorority. She is active in mock trial. Most of the students at the school have active lives engaged in clubs and special interests. She has friends that are in theatre, for example. Between studying (many, many hours) and various activities, most students don’t have a lot of extra time for ‘social life’ in a conventional sense. I’d also say the students at the school are pretty focused and serious about their work. They have fun, but the school is not about entertainment and FUN, FUN, FUN - academics takes priority. Students often lament about a lack of a social life. But to be honest, exactly what are they expecting? If academics is not a priority, then maybe you should consider another school.

Re: Safety - University of Chicago is located in an urban environment. Yes. There is crime. I think YogSothooth siad it right, “The UCPD patrols every corner of campus and most of the popular places around Hyde Park where students might be (55th/Lake Park, Kimpark Plaza, etc.), 24/7. There are shuttles that will pick you up and take you home if you feel unsafe.” The university makes quite an effort to keep students safe. I have visted my daughter a couple of times. I walked around at 10 pm back to my hotel many blocks from the campus, although I was a little wary, there was an officer on every corner. Very quickly the students learn where the safe perimeter lies. It extends several blocks in each direction from the campus. The police let you know and even warn you about the areas to stay away from. Bottom line: you just need to use common sense. Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t walk alone late at night. Stay in groups. Many students also use Uber cars to get around. We even used one to pick up groceries at the local store across Hyde Park. Very convenient and very safe because the driver takes you from door to door.

My daughter loves University of Chicago. It was her first choice. She wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world, even Harvard which is overrated in my opinion.

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My son last attended the University about 5 years ago. He has found he received an amazing education, has discovered that among business and academics UChicago’s reputation is second to none, and often seeks alumni his age in order to experience the intellectual joy he has found only Chicago students seem to understand. His long time girl friend is an alumna the University and feels the sme way. Both are successful entrepreneurs and are enjoying life made more rich by having attended University.