<p>This is a cliche, but a valid cliche: The differences between Carleton and Chicago aren’t little ones, they’re big ones. The liberal arts college vs. research university distinction is really important. They are both valid educational models, but they feel really different. Chicago isn’t large, as universities go, but there are many more people around – more undergraduates, more faculty, more people coming through to give lectures and papers, and then all the grad students. The academic community around any particular subject matter is 6-7-8 times bigger. Course offerings are varied and specific, and much more focused on what’s new and hot. </p>
<p>Just to illustrate: At Carleton, there are currently three linguistics faculty (2 full-time), and 16 majors. Seven courses were offered this year in the department, and six “related” courses in other departments. Chicago has 16 full-time faculty, and a variety of fellows, post-docs, associated faculty, and retired faculty that bring the faculty count to about 50. Then there are around 40 grad students, and 46 undergraduate majors. 30 courses were offered in the department this year, not counting a dizzying array of language courses throughout the University. </p>
<p>At Carleton, everyone interested in linguistics can have dinner together at the same table. That’s really nice and intimate. The faculty can’t be experts in everything, and can’t be on the cutting edge of everything, but they can teach you the basics and give you a great foundation, and if you are a linguistics major you will know them really, really well (and they you). You will basically take almost every course offered relating to linguistics, and do a research project of your own.</p>
<p>At Chicago, the community is not that large, but they won’t be having dinner at the same table, and you won’t know everyone. Every major area of linguistics has at least three or four people, including advanced grad students, who are really focused on it and totally up to date. Maybe more. They’ll teach you the basics, but that’s not their main job or what excites them most. You’ll know people at all levels of the profession – from new grad students a couple years ahead of you to emeritus faculty. There will be a steady stream of visitors from other universities. It’s nowhere near as intimate, but it’s way more varied and exciting. It’s not focused on you, and sometimes you will feel intimidated about how smart and learned everyone else is – and probably no one will pat your hand then and tell you don’t worry, you’re really smart, let me explain it to you again. They will tell you to be quiet, listen, and save your questions for later.</p>
<p>Anyway, that’s a pretty big difference. And linguistics is just an illustration because you mentioned it. That difference is repeated across every discipline, and is much greater in areas like economics, or biological sciences, or physics, where the community at Chicago has even broader scale, pulling in professional schools and affiliated labs.</p>
<p>And the other difference, of course, is Chicago vs. Northfield. Big city vs. college town with some access to a much smaller big city. Again, both have good points and bad points, but they’re very different experiences.</p>
<p>You can get a great education either place, no question. But the circumstances are pretty different. You really can’t possibly like both models equally. Go with your gut on which one will help you grow into the person you want to be. (Taking into account the running, too.)</p>
<p>(One more thing: At Carleton, I think you are limited to three courses/quarter. At Chicago you can take three or four, but most people take four most quarters. Carleton may cover more in each course, but my impression is that Chicago IS a little more intense.)</p>