<p>Hi guys,</p>
<p>I'm having trouble making my final list of colleges this summer. So far, I'm sure that I'll be applying to 5 colleges already. I need to decide about the last 5 colleges I'll ultimately apply to.</p>
<p>I'm planning to major in Political Science, but I want the flexibility to change that major in case I don't want to study PS after all. My stats are strong, so I'm not worried about that right now.</p>
<p>Here are the questions I need answered (anyone can answer; alumni or current student answers would be amazing):</p>
<ol>
<li>Are students taught by professors or TAs or other?</li>
<li>What is student/faculty ratio?</li>
<li>Sequence of courses in majors?</li>
<li>When do you have to declare major?</li>
<li>How hard is it to change major?</li>
<li>Enough majors to transfer into later?</li>
<li>Graduate school placement rates?</li>
<li>Where do those graduates go?</li>
<li>How many students go on to post-graduate study?</li>
<li>Any special relationships w/ post-grad institutions or medical or law schools?</li>
<li>What is the general atmosphere of the school?</li>
<li>Quality of related majors (sociology, economics, etc.)</li>
<li>Overall school quality?</li>
</ol>
<p>If anyone at Columbia is currently studying Political Science, it would be great to know what you think about the program.</p>
<p>I was also wondering if there is any undergrad Journalism/Communications program @ Chicago.</p>
<p>Thanks! =)</p>
<p>Well, I’m not a student (but hopefully i will be in about a year), so I can’t answer all of your questions. But what I can tell you is that the Poly Sci department is consistently ranked top 10 by US News and World Report. The Econ Department has an entire school of economic thought named after it (Chicago School of Economics), is always ranked #1 by USNWR, and has produced economic geniuses who have won the Nobel Prize in Economics like Milton Friedman and Gary Becker (aka rock stars of academia). As well, from what I’ve heard, UofC practically INVENTED sociology, so that department is solid too.</p>
<ol>
<li>Are students taught by professors or TAs or other?</li>
</ol>
<p>Students are taught by a combination of professors and graduate students. The ratio changes from quarter to quarter and from discipline to discipline. I have found both profs and grad students to be helpful and good teachers-- and for some of the grad students, who face an awful academic job market, they will go the extra mile or seven, just to perhaps get positive feedback from students and increase their chances of getting a job.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What is student/faculty ratio?
I believe the U.S. News and World Report has this information for Chicago and other schools.</p></li>
<li><p>Sequence of courses in majors? 4. When do you have to declare major? 5. How hard is it to change major? 6. Enough majors to transfer into later?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Check out collegecatalog.uchicago.edu. 3 and 4, it will vary on the major. 5 and 6, it will vary based on the major requirements and how far you are into the major.</p>
<ol>
<li>Graduate school placement rates? 8. Where do those graduates go? 9. How many students go on to post-graduate study?</li>
</ol>
<p>caps.uchicago.edu has this information.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Any special relationships w/ post-grad institutions or medical or law schools?
We have both right on campus :-). I do not think they do any sort of preferred admission or advanced admission program, although I heard the school of Social Work is starting a five year BA/MSW program.</p></li>
<li><p>What is the general atmosphere of the school?
I like cue7’s description very much-- at the average school, partying and social life might be the centerpiece of the college experience, while academics might hang out more on the fringes. At Chicago, academics are the centerpiece of the experience, and social life and parties are more at the fringes.</p></li>
<li><p>Quality of related majors (sociology, economics, etc.)
Chicago has a lot of great researchers and teachers across many different fields.</p></li>
<li><p>Overall school quality?
I’ve been very happy with my experience here!</p></li>
</ol>