<p>How many of the first years do you know? While Nondorf accepted the prior classes without full implementation of his admissions tactics (read: more emphasis on traditional selectivity metrics - like yield and admissions rate), apparently the first year class approaches more of his target numbers (admit rate in the low teens, yield rate of close to 50%). </p>
<p>The insecurity you describe seems more accurate for the school in the past - especially when it suffered the “injustice” (horror of horrors!) of being ranked #16 or whatever it was ~6-7 years ago (probably roughly around the time you were there). </p>
<p>Now, I’ve interacted with a wide number of the current first years through a few different admissions events, and the class certainly seems more, well, self-satisfied. Put another way, yes Harvard, Yale etc. may be ranked higher, but students generally seem quite satisifed with being at a “top 5” school. There may be some envy, but it seems to be a lot less than what was there before. </p>
<p>To put it another way, the UChicago first years seemed more akin to the students at Columbia, Brown, Duke, etc. in their contentment with the school. There is some awareness that’s it’s not the tippy top, but there is less resentment of this fact. </p>
<p>I imagine as Nondorf’s plans fully take root and the admissions rate continues to plunge, such improved feelings about UChicago will rise. It’s hard for 18 year olds (even very smart ones) to feel that bitter about having to “settle” for a school with a soon-to-be 8% or 9% accept rate, and to resent the fact they didn’t get into the school with the 7% accept rate. </p>
<p>So, to summarize, your comments are more historical in nature, and don’t seem to reflect the direction the school is going.</p>
<p>Maybe that was the attitude years ago, but out of all the people I’ve met so far nobody has felt the need to “defend” the school against HYPSM. Do we go around saying that our school is the absolute hardest and that being ranked number FOUR (out of 3000+ colleges, how lowly) is an injustice? No, because people know that’s not true and don’t really care that much. Right now we’re too busy studying for midterms, going to events at Logan (have I mentioned how much I love this building?), discovering downtown Chicago, getting involved in RSO’s, discussing the elections, etc. I’ll be honest, at least quite a few people started out their senior year of high school with another number one choice, but (and I think this happens in all top colleges) once you find your niche you stop caring about what people in cocktail parties will think about your school and more about actually DOING WELL and enjoying the experience. Chances are that at least 90% of what you can do at one of the HYPSM pentaverate you can do at any other top school. </p>
<p>I guess that there isn’t a huge amount of typical school pride because the attitude around here is that you don’t go to a school to brag about it to the outside world (I’m not saying nobody does it, but I’ve certainly encountered a lower level of pretentiousness here than other places). Students here know that U Chicago is an amazing university with a great reputation that will offer them many opportunities, but they don’t see that as a reason to feel superior to other people or constantly flaunt it in others’ faces.</p>
<p>Cue7 and PMCM18, you both hit the nail on the head! This is what I was trying to convey but I did not do so as eloquently as you both.<br>
As a first year mom, the vibe you are describing among the class of 2016 is exactly what I see when I interact with any of them, my kid in particular. I have not encountered pretentiousness of any kind on campus, but I have quite often here on CC.</p>
<p>Well, that sounds all and well, but is there any level of “major pretentiousness”? Do some Physics or Econ majors at UC act like they’re superior to other majors? When I visited the school a month or two ago, I asked my tour guide what his least favorite thing about UC was, and he admitted that <em>some</em> people there are stuck-up about their majors. I don’t know how many students that applies to (since it’s UChicago, it probably won’t be many of them), but since a tour guide admitted it, it’s probably credible since his job was to put the school in the best possible light.</p>
<p>^ Have you visited other campuses? Generally the people pursuing hard science and/or engineering majors look down on pretty much all other majors…I can see how at U Chicago this might be slightly more pronounced because of the fame of the two programs, but you’d probably see the same amongst some pre-meds in Johns Hopkins, SFS people in Georgetown, Wharton-ites at Penn, etc. I personally am yet to encounter any current or prospective Econ/Physics majors that look down on others, at least overtly. My experience is mostly limited to interactions between people in different Core classes though. From what I’ve seen there, those from very high level math and science sequences don’t make fun of you for being in a lower level or rub it in your face, at all; instead, they’re more likely to genuinely enjoy helping you out with your math homework.</p>
<p>Oh, of course I know it goes on at other campuses. I spent several weeks at Penn over the summer, and Wharton is especially notorious for being stuck-up. On the CC forums you sometimes see Wharton trolls who like to rail on the other undergraduate schools. I was just somewhat surprised that similar things would occur at UChicago.</p>
<p>To put in my own 2 cents, I have quite a few econ majors as it is one of the most popular majors and none of them have acted superior or smug. They’re always open to critiques about economics from people of other majors. Personally, I don’t detect that students of one major feel superior to students of others. If anything, students are fascinated by and sometimes in awe of students of other majors.</p>