<p>I remember the other day that My friend and I were talking to this lady.
My friend told her that he was applying to NYU, and she freaked out on him and told him what a prestigious school it was, and how good of an education he'll get there because he'll be studying with some of the best of the best in one of the world's greatest schools.</p>
<p>When I told her I was applying to UChicago, she said "oh, good for you." She didn't know anything about it so she just assumed that I was just a unacademic nobody... :(</p>
<p>Doesn't it seem like no one knows about UChicago?? I've never heard of it myself until a year back, my friends still don't know about it... there goes my bragging rights</p>
<p>if some random person doesnt know it, who cares? u'll bet that the important people (grad schools, companies that will hire u, etc) will know the caliber of uchicago</p>
<p>You get that with a lot of top schools. People continually confuse Penn State with U Penn, and many people haven't heard of any of the Ivies expect HYP. It's not really unique to U Chicago, although it may seem like that. U Chicago has always had a self-selected applicant pool. </p>
<p>It's the poor LACs that get the worst treatment- what ordinary person has heard of Swarthmore or Williams?</p>
<p>I'm from the Chicagoland area and even people here (I live about a 40 min drive from UChicago) do not know how amazing the school is... even some of my teachers are like "University of Chicago? Um, okay. OH NORTHWESTERN OMFG AMAZING SCHOOL!" The only teachers that I think really know of how challenging the school is are my Social Studies teachers... </p>
<p>Ahh and when I tell people I want to go to the University of Chicago they start talking about UIC and saying I should be looking at harder schools.... I've gotten really snappy towards some people. "No. University OF Chicago. Not University of Illinois in Chicago. No. Don't ever confuse them again. U of C is not UIC. End of story, go away."</p>
<p>It does kind of suck around people who dont know that it is one of the BEST schools in the world but the people who matter should recognize it for what it really is.</p>
<p>A lot of people who live in IL get the problems where they are talking to someone and they say they go to U of C and the person is like "OH! my cousin goes there!" "No, No they dont."</p>
<p>One day I was picked up by a Chicago cab driver, when I told him where I wanted to go (UofC campus) he got excited and started to tell be all about the school. He talked about all of the Nobel winners, the history of the Hutchins plan, how he wished his grand daughter could some day go there etc. But what most impressed me was how he spoke with such pride that this magnificent university was in his city. Though I have heard many in academe express their very high regard for UofC over the years, none have had quite the personal impact as the recognition of that cab driver. I hope all who attend one day have a similar experience, it is surprisingly humbling and gives one a certain strange sense of responsibility to always represent the school well.</p>
<p>Whoa...that's definitely not true. That lady must have been living under a rock or something. Chicago is regarded as one of the best research universities and boasts some of the most prestigious graduate schools.</p>
<p>U of C students, faculty, and alumni are quietly proud. We know what a tremendous place it is and how many of its graduates make their mark on the world. Besides the many Nobel Prize winners that have been associated with U of C over the years, another little factoid that is a testament to U of C's academic strength and quality is that over 100 heads (chancellors and presidents) of colleges and universities throughout the country are U of C alums (thus the University's appelation "Teacher of Teachers"). The current president of Northwestern got his masters and Phd at U of C. I understand that the Chancellor of the University of California System is also a U of C grad.</p>
<p>Addendum to my last post re U of C as "Teacher of Teachers" - Per the online Wikopedia, here's a quote from a 2004 article: "(Additionally, Chicago students and faculty have gone on to head several other major academic institutions (i.e. Presidencies, Chancellorships), namely: Stanford University, The University of Oxford, Northwestern University, Yale University, and the University of California."</p>
<p>I can relate to the cabdriver- I live in the chicagoland area, and I had never really considered U of C as a real option for undergrad (I couldn't see myself staying in the midwest) but I've always had a sense of pride at having such a legendary university in my "hometown". University of Chicago may not be that well known amongst the random people you encounter, but it is one of the most interesting schools as far as the stories and traditions attached to it. If you want a taste of Chicago in the past, I suggest you read "the Compass" about the U of C improv troupe that invented improv- the first chapter or two gives a good picture of the school.</p>
<p>Well that was long and rambling. Forgive me- I'm in love.</p>
<p>The recent past "President" of the entire Univ. of California system was a UofC grad, prior to that he was "Chancellor" of UCSD.</p>
<p>Believe me the academic world knows of the academic reputation of UofC. Countless times I have been asked if it is really that hard, serious, intellectual, etc. Other times the high regard for the school astounds even me. I was once a convocation speaker for a CA college and when I was introduced by the president, he said "...and he is a graduate of 'The University'." He paused and said (to paraphrase), anyone who does not know to which university I refer does not understand American higher education and the preeminent role played by that university in Chicago. Perhaps he was referring to UIC, but I don't think so.</p>