<p>well, i’m going to depaul starting this fall so as far as admissions process/questions on the area/all of that go, i may be of some help. i’m in chicago frequently since i live in the burbs, i’ve been through the admissions process, and know lots of people that go there now, including siblings.</p>
<p>honestly, i was surprised with the bad reviews about getting in touch with the university. i had no problem at all, but then, i took the initiative. i emailed and expected a reply within 1-2 business days; when i didn’t get one, i’d call. the one time i didn’t get a prompt email, it was because they were examining my case and their response not only provided a solution to my problem but they made my life easier by going beyond what i asked for. the people were extremely helpful and courteous and i didn’t get any attitude whatsoever. with a few interactions like these i got my financial aid appealed and received another 6k. soooooo they might make a few mistakes-- from my experience applying to colleges, these were the same mistakes all unis with thousands of applicants made.</p>
<p>um, about partying – i get conflicting comments, haha. the school obviously wants to remain reputable so they don’t call themselves a ‘party school’ and its not like they have frats or stuff like that (fun fact: in chicago a household with 8+ people of only women is considered a brothel). furthermore, there is an attendance requirement that becomes factored into your grade. easy as it is to stay at home and get the entire lesson/notes online, depaul wants its students attending class. but i knowwwww that most of the chitown unis go to depaul to party. so.</p>
<p>i don’t understand this rich brat stereotype at all. depaul is consistently rated in the top ten of most diverse universities in the nation by the princeton review, and i think it placed top three, if not first, in 2007. people come from all walks of life – racially, religiously (most at depaul are not catholic, and following christianity in its majority is islam), and income-wise. all places have rich jerks who pay off tuition with a shrug of the shoulders, but i don’t sense that this population is overwhelming at all. campus seems relatively humble, seeing as we’re talking lincoln park here. if you want to see rich *****es, look at northwestern (maybe that was a low blow, sorry ;p ).</p>
<p>i don’t make much of the 54% grad rate, honestly, because i don’t see how this is far from other universities. i’m also intrigued by the amount of people that return to depaul for graduate degrees.</p>
<p>finally-- housing – yeahhhh it sucks, but i dunno. we’re talking downtown chicago. there are also dozens of apt opportunities in places shared by other universities, especially if you’re thinking the loop. out of state and athletes are given priority, and from there, its the normal race to get dorms but the people i see whining about getting them are mostly people who are just picky about what building they’re in, or put it off and didn’t apply as soon as able. i have a couple of friends who lived all four years. plenty of sophomores don’t have this issue. what mostly see are people assuming that they will, and are often eager to, live off-campus. bear in mind that several buildings depaul offers housing in are ‘off campus’ but literally across the street from campus. and even if you’re in other parts of chicago, commute is ridiculously easy with the upass. most people decide to leave their cars at home because they just don’t use it.</p>
<p>soooo thats it really, just pitching in my few cents. (:</p>