<p>Hi all,
I am completely torn between UChicago and Barnard and looking for some input. I have always wanted to go to school in a city (right now I go to school in downtown Boston), and I'm not all that keen on UChicago being a 40min bus ride from downtown (from what I hear). However, I really want a strong academic environment, good education, etc. (plus there's something about being associated with a school reknowned for its academic vigor). I am a little worried that UChicago will be too geeky for me - most people I've talked to have said that I should go to Barnard b/c I have more social skills than the stereotypical Chicago student and would likely fit in there better. At the same time, I am worried that Barnard won't be academic enough, and it doesn't have the same reputation as Chicago.</p>
<p>When I visited these schools, neither of them felt perfect - I have no "gut" reaction. I liked the bigger school feel of Chicago, but I think that the smallness of Barnard would be offset by NYC and Columbia, plus I have heard that advising at Chicago isn't great, whereas it is really good at Barnard.</p>
<p>I have spent that last four years in a really intense, geeky school, and I have enjoyed it immensely. However, life's been pretty much all-school-all-the-time, and I've been really looking forward to college as my chance to have some fun and enjoy the "life experience" side of things: start ballroom dance, start working out more, continuing to play the flute, do internships, work a job, spend more time with friends, maybe even have a boyfriend... How possible is it to do these things as Chicago? Right now I kind of feel like I want to go to Barnard but will end up picking Chicago because the absolute guarantee of academic stimulation is so attractive.</p>
<p>I would really appreciate some feedback, especially if anyone else is or has been in the position of trying to decide between these two schools.</p>
<p>Thanks!
Danielle</p>
<p>Quite the post. I'm looking forward to seeing how the UChicago students respond to someone with more social skills than they have.</p>
<p>Seriously Danielle, it doesn't sound like you have a very clear picture of either school...just a few thoughts for you: it takes about as long a time to get downtown NYC from Morningside Heights as it takes to get from Hyde Park to downtown Chicago. The advising at Chicago is good. The academics at Barnard are good. There are lots of extracurricular activities at both places.</p>
<p>I'd tell you to go with your gut, but it seems like your gut didn't like either school much. Maybe I misread your post.</p>
<p>It sounds like you are leaning toward Barnard, and if so, you should go there. That said, you could pursue all those activities you mentioned at Chicago, and your good social skills would not work against you! If meeting men is a high priority, the gender ratio is more favorable at Chicago.</p>
<p>Many students at Chicago have good social skills and aren't "weird." There are more typical college students every year, and there is a noticeable difference between the current fourth years and current first years with regard to weirdness-level. </p>
<p>Barnard has very good academics, and I believe Barnard students can take classes at Columbia.</p>
<p>The time from Hyde Park downtown depends on where in the city you're going and what the traffic is like. Sometimes it's fast, and sometimes it's slow. I've never heard complaints about the time it takes to get downtown. Most students don't go into the city very often on weekdays when they're pressed for time, anyway.</p>
<p>Advising at Chicago is excellent. I've heard complaints about a couple of advisors, but I've heard many more students talking about how much they love their advisor after meeting with one. My college advising is worlds better than what I've heard from siblings and my high school friends about the advising at their schools. I don't know where you heard that because advising here tends to be really terrific.</p>
<p>You can definitely do all those things you listed. You can take social dance as a PE (I believe they cover ballroom dancing?) and join an orchestra, and you'll definitely have friends. It would be tough to do all of the things you listed at the same time, but I know people who do it. </p>
<p>I don't think your Chicago concerns are very well-based, and I don't think your Barnard ones are, either. In your case, I think you should look at the positives of each school and decide on that.</p>
<p>if you come to chicago we'll be dance partners. okay? okay.</p>
<p>I live about an hour outside NYC, have several friends at Columbia and a friend at Barnard. Having partied with Columbia/Barnard kids a number of times, I can assure you that the social scene at Barnard is hardly any better than the one here, and anyway it's more dependent on you and how fun you make things for yourself. </p>
<p>I go to Chicago, go to parties, concerts and movies on weekends and weeknights, work out daily, ran track last quarter and play IM sports every week, have a girlfriend, am looking for a job, etc. Chicago isn't like some super-school where you're insulated from the real world and 99% of your time is spent studying, it's simply an excellent college with a heavy academic focus. Everybody here has their own thing going on. </p>
<p>If the academics really are the most important thing to you, I would say pick Chicago. If it's really not for you, Barnard should be an easy transfer.</p>
<p>corranged- do you really think there is a fundamental difference between first and fourth years or could that just be a result of greater exposure to uchicago's academics?</p>
<p>It's possible that there is some outside reason, but this is an opinion I've heard from upperclassmen, including 4th years, ever since coming on campus. You can also tell that the University is trying to become more mainstream in a variety of ways (including, perhaps, the switch to the Common Application).</p>
<p>No matter how you define "social skills," you will find people who have those same skills.</p>
<p>Holding conversations? Parties? Spending 45 minutes getting ready? Yeah, we can do that.</p>
<p>And what I love about Chicago is that the classes are rigorous and enriching, the class discussions are sparkly, but how much time you spend on homework is really up to you. If you're dead-set on getting high grades, then yes, you'll be working quite a bit. It would be a lie to say I'm working my butt off and I'm doing decently.</p>