Columbia University vs. University of Chicago

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Thanks for taking the time to read this. I've been accepted to Columbia University and the University of Chicago and and trying to decide between the two. I haven't received notice of financial aid from Columbia yet- if I get none, I likely won't go. </p>

<p>I am interested mainly in literature and the humanities and want to keep up with theatre (more the directing/research side than acting) throughout college because it's always been a love of mine. I am surprised to have gotten in to both of these schools because my work ethic isn't fantastic. I am looking for smaller, discussion-based classes, opportunities in theatre and creative writing, and the chance to explore subjects I know little about.</p>

<p>Please feel free to contribute whatever advice you have, but I have a few questions.</p>

<p>1) Which core curriculum is more intense?
2) Which school seems to have happier students? The reputation at both for this isn't great.
3) Which has better transportation around its respective city?
4) Which is in a safer/more student-friendly area?
5) Which school has a better arts reputation?</p>

<p>Thanks again for answering any/all of these questions or for any other advice you might have. Let me know if I can help you in return!</p>

2

<p>1) Chicago
2) neither but if I had to pick it would be Chicago
3) both have great transportation but Chicago’s El is more accessible to Hyde Park residents I think
4) Morningside Heights
5) Columbia due to its location in NYC</p>

<p>This is a tough call. I would go with what school gives you the best financial aid which is probably going to be Columbia in most cases.</p>

3

<p>I’m in the same situation as you. Personally, I would pick Columbia since I live close to NYC and know the place well.</p>

4

<p>New York, the cultural, fashion and financial center of the world>Chicago.</p>

5

<p>I just wanted to say Congrats! I wish I were stuck with the hard choice ifvdecidinf between uchicago and Columbia. However, I stuck between university of Denver and UT Austin. Hope you chose the right school.</p>

6

<p>Chicago and Columbia both have intense cores, but they work differently. Columbia is closer to a Great Books core; it’s a stricter curriculum with less choice (but more common readings between students). Chicago is more about Ideas than Texts; there are a handful of classes to select for the central elements of the Core (Humanities and Social Sciences). What this means is that you’ll read a slightly different selection of books than your neighbor (with plenty of overlap still), but focus on discussing the themes and ideas that path through them, i.e. mortality, ethics, etc.</p>

<p>Same goals, different flavors.</p>

<p>As far as theatre goes, Chicago’s building a brand new arts center ([arts.uchicago.edu</a> | Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts](<a href=“http://arts.uchicago.edu/logan/]arts.uchicago.edu”>Logan Center for the Arts)) which might be of interest. As it currently stands, we have some pretty dedicated people in theatre, but the spaces are often not the best, so the new dedicated arts center will definitely address that concern. Although this isn’t going to be as intense or professional as Columbia’s art scene certainly is, I find arts at Chicago much more approachable and receptive than a larger program might be.</p>

7

<p>I’m CC’13, and I’m just gonna go ahead and advocate shamelessly for Columbia theater.</p>

<p>We have a killer theater community, lots of incredibly talented people, with a variety of options that really run the gamut as far as kinds of theater. As of now I can say pretty unhesitatingly that we have better facilities than UChicago (chicago has a small theater in a rather cramped location and a smaller blackbox, whereas we have two small but rather nice black boxes, and one large auditorium that is a poor theater space), but I can also say unhesitatingly that once their new fine arts center is built, they will have the superior facilities, as our largest auditorium (Roone-Arledge) is an unraked barn that’s very difficult to book space in (because despite it being in our “student center” it is constantly rented out by Columbia to make money). I can probably answer any more specific questions you have re: theater.</p>

<p>Also, Columbia theater is surprisingly approachable. I don’t find the Barnard theater department terribly approachable (although there are a handful of faculty members who are apparently the sweetest people in the world), but many student theater groups are amazingly approachable and friendly.</p>

<p>Also, Columbia has better transportation around the city, not because of Columbia, but because of NYC. We’re right next to a stop on the subway, and there are four or five buses that stop at Columbia. Also, in my experience, NYC is a more pedestrian-friendly city than Chicago, which has a little more emphasis on cars instead of cabs/public transportation. Not that you can’t get around on public transportation in Chicago, just that it’s not quite as well developed, in my experience.</p>

<p>As far as the core, at Columbia the core is only as intense as you make it. If you want, you can totally slack off the whole thing. Or you can make it a really important experience for yourself. You’re almost certain to have at least two or three passionate and interested debate partners per class if you’re interested, and then you’ll probably have five or six more who will participate less frequently but contribute interesting things on a slightly less regular basis.</p>

<p>All that said… if you get better finaid from Chicago, go there. Columbia isn’t that much better than Chicago, although I do love it here.</p>

<p>EDIT:
Also, Morningside is a nice area for students. I don’t consider it dangerous at all; it’s on the Upper West Side, right off Broadway, etc. Like any place in NYC, there are some things you should do to keep yourself safe: don’t go jogging in parks in the middle of the night, etc., but beyond that I don’t know anyone personally who’s been mugged or anything like that in the Columbia area. We get security alerts any time something like that happens, and to be honest, it’s generally a result of someone doing something fairly stupid, like jogging in the park closest to the school at 3am or something. That’s not always that case—once someone got their iPod stolen right outside a residence hall—but in general, students should feel comfortable walking to the grocery store, the nearby deli, the drugstore, etc., even late at night.</p>

8

<p>Hmmm. The OP question is like trying to determine the difference between a 50-cent piece and two quarters.</p>

9

<p>What would anyone recommend for someone who wanted to major in economics or finance?</p>

10

<p>Both are great programs, though UChicago’s is a little more legendary. I think you’d be safe at either and I’d recommend whichever fits you better generally as a student.</p>

11

<p>JSea11- I don’t know much about Denver but UT Austin is a great school- my parents met there, so I’m pretty thankful for it! Congratulations.</p>

12

<p>Columbia was good enough for Milton Freidman to get his PhD. He became a legend in the field of economics.</p>

13

<p>1) Not sure I was in SEAS, but I’d say Columbia’s is more structured, and from what I hear, Chicago’s is more intense.</p>

<p>2) I found the students at Columbia were fine overall, there were happy and sad students, I found the vast majority of my peers to be solidly positive on their experience even if they didn’t wear it on their sleeve. The negative ones were more vocal. Not sure about chicago, I don’t think Chicago students are particularly depressed, I found them to be geeky, but nevertheless proud of their hard classes, rigorous academic environment and difficult grading. Most of them seemed to love learning and a good challenge, regardless of the workload or ultimate grade.</p>

<p>3) I don’t think either lacks in this respect. Columbia has a major subway line right at the gates (the 1 line). Trains come every 4-7 minutes in each direction during the day. There are also several buses lines, cabs and bike paths. The subway is the most common form of transportation because it is fast, frequent and connects very well to other subway lines at 59th (12 minutes away) and 42nd (16 minutes away) street.</p>

<p>4) I’d say it’s difficult to beat a college area like morningside heights, it’s safe with a solid range of eating, drinking, convenience shopping (like photo shops, barbers, hardware stores, birthday card stores etc.), bookstore options. There are pricey and cheap food and drink options as well.</p>

<p>5) No clue, but Columbia does have a great arts reputation. Our theatre and music programs are amazing. Lots of aspiring actors/actresses, directors, musicians, singers, broadway play people etc.</p>

<p>A special quality of Columbia, is how diverse academic and career interests you’ll find in your peers. From scientific researchers, to aspiring surgeons, rappers, engineers, poets, journalists, consultants, politicians, software developers, economists, investment bankers, urban planners, teachers, marines etc. Columbia seeks to educate leaders in a broad range of disciplines. Columbia is not lopsided, because NYC, the core curriculum and strong professional and academic graduate programs across the board, make it a desirable place for a huge variety of people.</p>

14

<p>Any comparisons available on how approachable professors are? I would choose a good professor I can talk to over a fantastic professor I can’t.</p>

15

<p>profs were all approachable. They might not seek you out in a big class, but they were very enthusiastic every time I talked to them, asked about class material or their research after class or in office hours. You could tell they had a passion for what they were researching / teaching and they were very happy to share that with you. I think Chicago will be very similar in this regard, I don’t think you’ll find unapproachable profs at either.</p>

16

<p>Chicago is much better than Colombia. There’s no question UChicago is the better school with the better undergraduate curriculum. Even the Princeton Review ranked Chicago #1 last time they did the ranking.</p>

<p>Also consider Rhodes Scholars winners last year:

  1. uChicago -3 (5,000 students)
  2. Harvard - 3 (7,000 students)
  3. Stanford - 3 (7,000 students)
  4. Yale - 2 (5,200 students)
  5. Princeton -2 (5,100 students)</p>

<p>Also, besides already being the best, UChicago is the fastest rising school in the country and by the time you graduate it won’t even be a contest with Colombia.</p>

17

<p>There is not a wrong choice. I would opt for the better aid package. That said if they are comparable (± 2K) I would consider that Columbia is an urban campus, U of Chicago is more of a traditional campus. I think either is fine, but think about what matches you best.</p>

18

<p>Columbia is a much better school than UIC. This should be a no-brainer. UIC shamelessly is trying to compete against Columbia…There is a reason why Chicago is the “second city”…</p>

<p>If you want the prestige, better neighborhood, understated ivy charm, Broadway, illustrious alumni roster, etc. then your answer should be quite clear.</p>

19

<p>haha, nice one truth :).</p>

<p>Really, Columbia isn’t <em>that</em> much farther ahead of UIC. Give the Circle campus a couple years, and I’m sure they can pull themselves up to Columbia’s level. A full-fledged University vs an Arts School?</p>

20

<p>Truth- first of all, are you the same person?</p>

<p>t123- It’s ColUmbia for starters. But thanks.
t12345- I am asking about the University of Chicago, not University of Illinois at Chicago.</p>