<p>How heavy exactly is the Chicago core curriculum? My understanding is that it's: </p>
<p>6 Quarters Humanities
6 Quarters math/science
6 Quarters Social Science
3 Quarters Phys Ed.</p>
<p>Does that sound about right?</p>
<p>That's a lot of classes.....I would love to apply to Chicago next year but this is my only hesitation.</p>
<p>go here for the details. Follow some of the links for more details:</p>
<p>I think it's neat-- plus you can use AP credits from math and science to help with that part. Humanities you take your freshman year, typically, and there is an art requirement as well. And Civ studies you can take on or off campus (quarters abroad fulfill the requirement, intensively). I believe it's 3 quarters of Socs, and it's in a sequence. </p>
<p>I don't find it that intimidating, it is what I would do anyway, but it a much cooler packaging. </p>
<p>And you can test out of phys ed. I don't know that I want to-- I like P.E.</p>
<p>AP credits count?</p>
<p>I thought that they only used their placement test to test out of certain things.</p>
<p>In addition to the Core, there is also a language competency test that has to be passed to graduate.</p>
<p>A placement exam is given to incoming students which can result in satisfying this requirement. It can also result in course credit. For example, my son placed into the third quarter of Spanish and thus received credit for the first and second quarter. This reduced overall course requirements from 42 to 40.</p>
<p>A 3 on the AP exam will also satisfy the language requirement.</p>
<p>The core is not that bad. It's not hard to get credit for some of it. The Phy Sci requirement can now be filled with computer courses- more useful and less painful. The "second tier" was not a big problem to me- I took courses that struck my interest, in spite of suggestions from my advisor to go with the College's pet courses (Music 101, Art 101, three quarters of Western Civ.)</p>
<p>OneMom</p>
<p>What do you mean by "pet courses"?</p>
<p>Explanation of AP credit: <a href="http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/credit/index.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/credit/index.shtml</a></p>
<p>My S came in with considerable AP credit, but given his concentrations he has no room in his 4 year schedule to make use of any of it. Though he is quite conversant in it, he actually started from the beginning in his language courses and was glad he did, many nuances in the particular language he studies not covered in HS.</p>
<p>Chicago does quite a thorough covering of languages, at least from my experiences. When I took a summer intensive at the U. of C. over the summer (having previously studied the language a little), I was learning new things from Day 1. </p>
<p>In my mom's case, she took French for 12 years in school before attending Chicago, where she took Beginning French. They were translating a play by the second quarter, and she was glad she started at the beginning, although she supposedly passed out of the first year.</p>
<p>I have also been wondering about the Core. I've entertained notions of transferring (I wish I had done it this year), because I feel the University of Chicago would be a much better fit for me academically. The Core does not seem that bad at all for freshmen, but how hard is it to get credit as a transfer? My university uses the semester system, so I am not at all sure how classes transfer. I love the University of Chicago, but I do not want to be stuck fulfilling physical education and other requirements my junior/senior year because not many credits counted. :( Also, they say they do not accept college credit through calculus. What if I've taken multivariable calculus?</p>
<p>The undergraduate school was very proud of a number of the courses used to fulfill the "second tier" of the core- any of the Civilization sequences, but especially Western Civ, Music 101, Art 101, and a two or three quarter follow-on to the Humanities core courses (I cannot remember the name of it). These courses are required for many majors, so a large percentage of the student body is participating in them. The Physical Sciences division did not require them, but my advisor, fellow students, resident heads, etc were always pushing them. Often, a very famous professor will teach one section, and everyone is trying to get into that one.</p>
<p>Kemet-</p>
<p>The reason that they probably won't accept your multivariable calculus credit is that after single variable calculus, math courses at the University of Chicago branch into two different directions.</p>
<p>On the one hand, you can continue taking "pure math" courses, in which case right after single variable calculus you take a course in mathematical analysis, and then a course in linear algebra, and then topic courses of your choice (if you're a major, probably courses in topology and manifolds, though many, many more options are offered).</p>
<p>On the other hand, you can go with a more "practical math" approach (if you need it for your major). In this case, it'll be a very rapid treatment (one or two quarters) of mulit-variable calculus, differential equations, and anything else you need for your major specific course. As you can see, either way, having a class that covers multi-variable calculus does not really equate to any courses offered here.</p>
<p>Like previous posters said, see the course catalogue.</p>
<p>Nooooo, don't tell me that I'm suffering needlessly. Thanks for the info. I looked at the catalogue, but I haven't really figured out how Chicago converts semester courses to quarter courses. Hope for the best, I suppose. :/</p>
<p>Two semesters of a course equals 3 quarters, depending on the content, but there probably is no precise formula since Chicago does not consider quarter hours. Each course is worth 1 credit, no matter how often it meets. My guess is that they will use the placement tests, and individual review to decide. My S is planning on taking a summer course in chemistry at another university that provides 2 semesters or 3 quarters of credit condensed into 8.5 weeks. He has to get approval by the department chair prior to enrolling to ensure the credit will transfer. They will not automatically accept the credit.</p>
<p>So back to the original question...I guess someone who goes to Chicago can answer this for me...should the heavy core curriculum (meaning you can't pick your classes for freshman and sophomore year-and I like to have choices) be one of the reasons NOT to apply to Chicago next year? (BTW I like everything else about it...this is my only hesitation)</p>
<p>It shouldn't be a reason not to apply. It really only heavily restricts your classes your first year, when you're (if you follow the recommendations) taking care of math and Hum, and probably either SOSC, Physical Science, or Bio. After that you should never have to be taking more that 1 core class at once except the occassional 2-core quarters to pick up the art/music/drama requirement. If you're taking Bio for Bio majors, you'll have a little more restriction, since it's longer, but most 2nd years pick at least half their classes freely (or at least from the major).</p>
<p>It is not true that one cannot pick one's courses first & second year. Take a look at the college catalog: <a href="http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/</a> and <a href="http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/pdf_07/Curr.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/pdf_07/Curr.pdf</a></p>
<p>They may pressure you to take the core and PE on their recommended schedule, but you don't have to. I knew a couple of people who insisted on delaying a core course so that they could take something that they really wanted first year. I tried to delay PE, but they pressured me into it- should have said NO. First year is too busy- why make it busier with a dumb PE requirement. They had me running from swimming to math in the cold- really stupid.</p>
<p>Get a little exercise this summer and one can place out of PE altogether.</p>
<p>My S is a double major and by the end of his sophomore year will have completed 11 of 15 core courses. The other 4 will be completed by 2nd Q junior year.</p>
<p>He had the Physical Education requirement waived.</p>