Ask a Current Student!

<p>I was accepted from the waitlist and so will be filling out my housing application very very late. Are small dorms like Breckenridge and Broadview out of the question now, since housing is first-come first-served? Or do people not sign up for those as frequently? Any other suggestions for housing? I’d prefer places with some kind of community, that are close to campus (although not necessary), and with singles (again, not really necessary). Interesting buildings are nice, too. </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Close to campus, architecturally interesting and tight knit?</p>

<p>Snitchcock: On the quads, everybody knows everybody. National landmark for the bizarre quasi-gothic architecture. ~150. Do it.</p>

<p>BJ: Bigger, so more likely to get. One block from campus. Like a casltle.</p>

<p>Are the placement test like ridiculously hard or are they doable and is there a placement test to get out of P.E.</p>

<p>What is the best P.E. class? Condititoning or Jogging? Are they intense</p>

<p>I hope to get into Calc- i took it in high school but most likely won’t get a 4 or 5 on the test
is there anyway to sign up for it or do i have to place into it</p>

<p>Also are they a lot of black people</p>

<p>a book said it was only 4.5%- but this is Chicago- Richard Wrights Chicago</p>

<p>Hi, my daughter (Class of '13) told me that UChicago recommends specific laptops. Is there any advantage for purchasing the recommended ones (which usually are much more expensive) over using any other? Thanks.</p>

<p>It’s funny how questions pile up. I’m going to try to help.</p>

<p>amanahill:
I don’t know about the difficulty of placement tests, but I hear that there’s a fitness test to place you into/out of P.E. It’s pretty simple, like swimming a few laps, etc.</p>

<p>The course catalog says that you have to take a math placement test no matter what. Since you’ve taken AP calculus, you’ll take the calculus one. You should place into either Calculus or Honors Calculus, I think.</p>

<p>As for the last part, I have no idea.</p>

<p>RelaxedParent:
I’m not at the University yet, so I can’t tell you if there are specific things that you really need in a laptop at Chicago, but I doubt it’s anything extra-special. If your daughter has a prefererred type of laptop, it’s best to go with what she’s comfortable, I guess. As long as it’s got a reasonable memory (most of them have at least 160GB hard drives by now), some sort of word processor (like Microsoft Word/Office), and internet connection (I think all Chicago dorms have ethernet)–then she should survive. If she wants to watch movies or play games on it, you’ll need to be a little more picky about the processor.</p>

<p>Any current students or others, please do supplement or contradict whatever invalid claims I just made.</p>

<p>Thanks for the answer to the PC question.</p>

<p>I think there are something like 8 from Portland entering the UC class of 2013. (We are in Portland). How could we contact them for a get together? Does the UChicago admissions office help in any way? Who should I contact?</p>

<p>^ You should join the facebook group. I know that some people from CA and NY have already organized get togethers. I’m not sure if uchicago actually sponsors its own meet and greet type of thing over the summer though.</p>

<p>Hello all! ^_^</p>

<p>I posted a brief (Har har) post in the class of 2012 section, but then I thought I’d check out this section too.</p>

<p>I’ll sum it all up as quick as possible :3</p>

<p>I’m in love with the University of Chicago. It’s my number one choice, and I would give anything to go there. </p>

<p>The only thing is I’m a little worried about everything. Everyone is telling me not to put all my eggs in one basket, and I’m sure they’re right in saying that. I probably don’t have the best odds at getting in, but I take comfort in knowing that UoC holds the Essay and Interview to a higher standard than the statistics. Hopefully personality can help, not hurt. </p>

<p>Anyways, I’m going to visit in early August (I’m so freaking excited, I’ve never been out midwest ^_^) and I’m also scheduled for an interview. What suggestions do you have for the interview? I’ve had one before at UoRochester, and felt totally comfortable. I feel like UoC might be a little more intimidating because it’s more competitive and because it’s my number one school. </p>

<p>Also, What is the curriculum like at UoC? Is it very rigid (You must take this this and this) or is it more open, so that you can explore your passions and really create the path that is best for you? I need that freedom, and I’m afraid that UoC (Not that believing rumours is good, but it happens) might be a little too cutthroat.</p>

<p>Also, I ask only because it’s common with big cities, is UoC a suitcase school? I know that a good number live on campus, but I mean more in terms of social life rather than living. I would love to go into the city now and then with friends to do this and that, but I would also love to have some campus activities to take part in. I don’t want to go to a school where the students leave campus to have fun, you know? So I’m just wondering about student life on campus.</p>

<p>Also, just because I’m REALLY passionate about music, what concerts have you had in the past few years? Anybody big that I’d maybe know? Because I know I’d end up going to each and every concert >_></p>

<p>Also, are there a good deal of internship programs at UoC? I would really really love to intern at the FBI or the CIA (Although I think the latter doesn’t even do internships, although I could be mistaken) So that’s something I’m thinking about.</p>

<p>Also in terms of classes, I know you can’t really generalize but please bear with me, are the professors helpful? I’m the kind of student that likes getting in touch with my teacher, to get to know them and to contact them if I need help. I want to know if the professors are open to that sort of connection, because at some schools it seems like you’re just a number and they don’t know the face behind the term paper at all…</p>

<p>Thank you, I think that’s it for now, don’t wanna bog you down in all the little stuff ^<em>^ I cannot wait to go visit UoC, it’s going to be so hard to leave ;</em>;</p>

<p>But yes, if you could also read my post in 2012 and tell me what you think my chances are, that’d be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>Thank you very much!
Brooke</p>

<p>i know i’ll probably get a lot of info about this at orientation, but is it difficult to take your Hum and Sosc sequence at the same time?</p>

<p>^^ It wasn’t difficult for me, but I am a reading/writing oriented person.</p>

<p>cool. thanks. now i just have to start picking them out!</p>

<p>Hi, when did you start to apply for federal loans during the summer before entering college? I tried calling and emailing the college aid office but their responses were extremely confusing. Are students supposed to find their own lenders? how and when? I am trying to apply for a stafford loan, by the way (: thanks!</p>

<p>Chococat, your filing of the FAFSA determines your eligibility for a Stafford loan, among other types (I believe?). You’ll file it in January (Chicago’s deadline is Feb. 1 or 2, but the FAFSA for 2010-11 won’t be released until Jan. 1) and find out with your financial aid offers whether you’re eligible for a loan. If you are, then you’ll have to file a few more papers: a loan request form (just saying you want such-and-such amount out of the maximum offered you by the government and the school), and a Master Promissory Note, saying you agree to pay back the loan on time and understand all the rules and interest rates.</p>

<p>You do have to find your own lender. Chicago has a list of links to about eight that it supports as reliable and with good offers on its College Aid website, but you can choose any bank that offers Stafford loans. Again, you’ll get information about the loan and what deals to look for when you get your FAFSA filled out and your financial aid letter. I found Chicago to be by far the most helpful in sending me literature on what to do, what to look for, and when to do it all–they mailed me a full-size, several-page booklet on financial aid decisions for grants, work-study, loans, etc. It was really, really helpful! But I didn’t get it until April or so, and loan stuff wasn’t due till early June. After all, you can’t really decide what kind of loans you need until you know what college you’re accepting, and that’s done on May 1!</p>

<p>In other words, don’t worry too much about loan details yet. You should start talking to your parents about gathering old tax info in time for January, and try to get them to start preparing (or having accountants prepare? My dad does that) their taxes for the coming year. Just google “financial aid forms” or something and do a little reading. Relax. Look up some scholarships if you want. The main thing to think about for the next several months is college applications. Loans come later.</p>

<p>Hope some of that helps!</p>

<p>My d is considering UC for math/physics. She has a quirky sense of humor and would benefit from a cooperating atmosphere rather than working for yourself. I think MIT, Caltech and Harvey Mudd all have that style of living/learning. What about Chicago?</p>

<p>There may be some majors that are more competitive than others (I’m thinking of Econ here, although as a math major I don’t know that firsthand), but the overall feel of Chicago is supportive and cooperative. I think that between the workload, which definitely becomes more manageable if you’ve at least got someone to commiserate if not actually work with, and the average UChicago student’s academic passion and excitement, which encourages sharing and discussion of lectures/problem sets/course-inspired speculation, there is a lot of cooperative effort. Because of this, the library is actually often a social area - there are places to go work by yourself in absolute silence, but also spaces to talk, work, and hang out (some of each is done in any given study session) with classmates.</p>

<p>Without much firsthand experience in physics, I cannot speak directly for that environment, but the physics majors I know were very chill, not really the cut-throat types, and I do know a lot of the physicists who were in my math classes first and second years were pretty friendly with each other and had study/problem sessions together. The math major I find to be incredibly collaborative, especially if you take an IBL class (they’re really awesome!) or Honors Analysis: similar phenomenon, I suppose, that the workload inspires teamwork for the sake of sanity. That, and the undergraduate math curriculum is a lot more like math grad school than at most other colleges, the problem sets more proof-based and so more researchy - students are encouraged to practice working together, because that’s how work is done for those continuing in the field. What I found really incredible re: collaboration in UChicago mathematics is how close the math grad students are with the undergrads, through the Directed Reading Program, actual teaching positions instead of just TAship, mentorship in the summer REU, and sometimes just plain hanging out at math club or elsewhere. I’ve never heard of anywhere else where grad students will even give undergrads the time of day, but upon graduation this spring I find that my grad students friends are some of my closest, whom I will miss the most. At UChicago I found very strong social bases in both the math department and my dorm - having to leave may be the greatest heartbreak of my life. I am excited about my own upcoming mathematical graduate experience, though!</p>

<p>Thanks for the insight – my d just came back from the Ross Program and loved it. Chicago’s math department sounds very similar in spirit. Where are you going to grad school?</p>

<p>Northeastern University (in Boston - a lot of Chicago people seem to assume I must mean either Northwestern, also a very good school, or Northeastern Illinois University, which is not nearly so great)!</p>

<p>One of my best friends from UChicago participated in Ross for many summers, and actually was a counselor there this summer! He’s ultimately majoring in Political Science from the sound of it, but took IBL Calculus, and yes, I think from his stories that Ross and the Inquiry Based Learning courses share similar sorts of motivation.</p>

<p>Side note: you mention your d has a ‘quirky sense of humor’ - I think this is true of most every UofC student. It’s really a haven for us. (can you tell how ridiculously biased I am towards this place?)</p>

<p>Lots of kids in our area go to Northeastern so I’m familiar with it. What other schools did you consider and how did you choose Chicago?</p>

<p>Oh gosh, can I remember everywhere I applied anymore? Let’s see…
(bear with me, as this is, years later, still an intensely emotional story to me - in a good way, mind you, but long and descriptive)</p>

<p>Admitted:

  • UChicago
  • Harvard
  • Carnegie Mellon</p>

<p>Waitlisted:

  • Caltech
  • Carleton (waitlist with a friendly handwritten note at the bottom basically letting me know that if I actually want to come, they’ll take me)
  • Tufts</p>

<p>Rejected:

  • Haverford
  • Brown (stunning to me is, considering how heartbreaking this was at the time, I had to look it up on my old LiveJournal… couldn’t remember at the moment I’d applied there!)
  • Amherst</p>

<p>While CMU is awesome, for whatever reason there was no way my parents would let me consider it over Harvard. But let’s back up: all I’d been hearing my entire life was Harvard Harvard Harvard… it’s not like I felt pressure about having to go there or something, I wasn’t rebelling against my parents’ wishes; I just was so inundated with the opinions of others about the school from such a young age that, even as replies started trickling in (a reject here, a waitlist there), I’d yet to form <em>any</em> sort of opinion about the place - I was completely and utterly neutral about it. Sweet little flower child that I was, Brown was my first choice because everyone was happy and I could take just math classes, but I almost applied EA to Haverford instead after a really awesome tour (parents put the full stop on that). And then there I was, rejected from 3 schools, waitlisted at 3 more, and yet to get in <em>anywhere</em>?!? Oh crap.</p>

<p>And then pulling into the driveway one day, I see my parents smiling the most ridiculously huge smiles on earth, hovering at the doorway like they’ve been waiting for me to come home since the mailman came howevermany hours ago. They said hi to me a half dozen times each before I’d even fully extricated myself from my seatbelt. I knew there was a letter, a big one, and from where, before I’d even gotten a “how are you?” out of them and my bag out of the trunk. And between their tip-off before seeing it myself, and everyone’s continued enthusiasm about the school, I sat there opening my admission letter from Harvard, my first college acceptance letter, sort of bored and disappointed. Was this it? Was I only going to get into one school? Good lord - was I only going to get into <em>Harvard</em>? My laughter at this thought was similar enough to excitement that The Parents, somehow worried the happy colourful envelope somehow may contain a rejection, found they could relax into celebration.</p>

<p>And then for 24 hours (or was it 48?), it was true - I was only in at Harvard. And acutely aware of how completely ridiculous this was. And bit by bit, that irony slowly started to chip away at my neutrality: I was <em>in</em> at <em>Harvard</em>! - isn’t this every student’s dream? Why on earth was I upset about this? And by the end of the day, I was pretty ecstatic about Harvard… and <em>then</em> Mum drove by to drop off a big letter from UChicago. Argh! This decision would have been <em>so much</em> easier 24, even 12 hours ago.</p>

<p>Passover came right about when various visiting weekends generally were this year, and Harvard pulled this totally BS move by pushing its weekend later, and their response deadline later, ‘out of respect for the holiday.’ I’m Jewish. Passover is not a big important holiday you need to drop your entire life for. Especially not from a school that, as far as I can tell, gives Columbus day off but holds classes on Yom Kippur. BS. What this allowed them to do though, was hold the weekend just around the same time that a lot of other decisions to other schools were due. C’mon, Harvard, it’s not like you need that extra edge over the competition - you’re freaking <em>Harvard</em>.</p>

<p>I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit, I did not know a whole lot about UChicago, even upon deciding to attend. The overachieving and well-lopsided mathematician, planning to take 100% math classes in the open curriculum of Brown, I knew neither of Chicago’s Core, nor of the incredible math department. I’d never heard of Scav, Kuvia, or even Chicago Economics. I was still thinking it might be interesting to check out some engineering classes. But I knew the school was good - good enough that my parents would let me consider it instead of Harvard, and I knew what I experienced on that overnight visit in April.</p>

<p>These students did not spend their time griping about workload (no seriously - we complain in good fun on occasion, but not nearly as much as they say) or gossiping about irrelevancies. They were happy, albeit perhaps a little stressed, and intensely passionate, and completely psyched about their school. Volunteers cheered for those of us staying the night in their dorms before leading us back - a great tradition, poignantly remembered in my O-Week as O-Aides cheered for us, their new dormmates, and again this past summer as, an O-Aide, over the music and chaos I screamed with joy to my new housemates, losing my voice for the next 4 days in the process. We played with the undergrads a silly game called “What’s in your milk?” that’s about trying to get others to laugh without laughing yourself, and were so ridiculously awkward, but non-apologetically so. Comfortably so. At dinner that night, I watched in awe as intense debate raged over the dinner table about whether psychiatrists should be required to attend medical school, well-thought-out and interestingly presented, completely spur-of-the-moment and interspersed with inside jokes and the occasional ironic ‘your mom,’ engaged in by many, although only one of the students had any desire to become a psychiatrist. It was ok to be <em>interested</em> in things - other people were interested in their things, too, and got drawn in to your excited descriptions of yours and really <em>interacted</em> and <em>thought</em> in these ways I’d never seen before. This community! These people! The school - it was perfect. The exact environment I was supposed to be in, filled with the sort of people I was supposed to interact with, student and professor alike (I’ll spare you the descriptions of the classes I attended for time’s sake - suffice to say, they were similarly intense and friendly, with extremely likable and accessible professors).</p>

<p>I tried really hard to like Harvard, even a fraction as much. I came in to their overnight program, keenly aware that it ended Sunday night and Chicago wanted my reply by Monday, very excited at the prospect of another visit as fun and interesting and expanding as UChicago’s, extremely hopeful that this would be the place, as, close with my family, I really wanted to exist closer to our home in the Boston suburbs. I tried so hard to find even a glimmer of the intensity and joy - yes, even the awkwardness, of UChicago’s students… this just was not my school. Nobody even seemed to be smiling, and I barely even talked to my own host - just no one was interested in whether we came there or not, even really, it appeared, whether they were there or not. Everyone at my school laughs when I tell them I chose UChicago over Harvard because students at Harvard didn’t seem happy at my overnight - “and they did <em>here</em>?” is the self-depreciating response I receive, the workload one of our school’s ever-funny punchlines. But the thing is, they were - we are. The work is hard, but the students take it on because they love it: that kid in your house who never leaves the library could easily not have taken three honors classes and an upperclassman seminar at once, but they were all so <em>interesting</em>… and so on. It’s only hard because we do not know how to say no to the hard courses, that extra one on Tolkien or that one fantastic professor. It’s hard because we exist as intensely outside the classroom as in, if not more so, doing what many would consider independent research but we just call browsing the internet, engaging in intensely meaningful debates just for the fun of it, even sharing course material we’ve found particularly inspiring. So yeah, it hard - but only because we want it to be, make it be so. It was those students - the ones who could not say no, to one more class, to this cool club, to that discussion even though they really should get back to that paper: they are why I came to this school. You might consider it incredibly lucky that I found such intensely perfect programs for my interests, given how little I knew about the school when I accepted their admission late that Sunday night, writing a passionate e-mail to the dean as well in case my letter did not make it in time. I think, rather, that given a place with such intensely interested and hardworking students as UChicago, the programs are a given - they wouldn’t come without them: as I said, I knew it was a good enough school before the visit. There are dozens, maybe even hundreds of schools that are good enough - once finding them, the real key is not which one has more Nobel Laureates or community service clubs or whatever: it’s which one has the student body and environment you (or rather, your D) most want to be around. For me it was UChicago, and while I feel incredibly luck to have ended up here, I know the last fantastic four years were not luck, but positive correlation. My sister similarly fell in love with the people at Trinity, and has had just as perfect a 2 years there so far as my own college experience - albeit, of a very different sort (they are very different schools, we are very different people). The people you want to be with are taking the courses you want to take, participating in the clubs you want to be in, going off to get the jobs you want to get. Once you’ve found schools that are good - and there are plenty of them beyond the typical top ten lists, the community you fit best in will support you best through your career there, and the rest, I truly believe, sort of takes care of itself.</p>

<p>Thanks for sharing your insights. Sounds like my daughter would fit right in. She would never give Harvard a second look – got the idea very early on after walking through campus that students there want to say “I WENT to Harvard” more than actually GOING to Harvard.</p>