<p>Can anyone please tell me what the area around the school is like? I am not familiar with Chicago at all. Is it safe? What do students do on the weekends? Is the surrounding area safe? </p>
<p>Any and all opinions appreciated!</p>
<p>I don't go there but I visited there a couple times last month.</p>
<p>The college itself is as safe as anywhere you can think of. Some of the surrounding areas can be dangerous at the wrong times but if you know where you are going you will be absolutely fine.</p>
<p>Chicago is a great city. Personally, it's my favorite in hte country (although, before I make such a claim i should probalby visit NYC). lol</p>
<p>Hyde Park, the University's immediate neighborhood, is sort of a quiet, residential area, and, to me, not very city-like. I don't know where you are from, but from a New York point of view, I like to compare it to sections of Brooklyn. The Hyde Park neighborhood spans from about 10 blocks N/S and about 8-9 blocks E/W, so it's nicely scaled for walking and you'll see a lot of people on bikes.</p>
<p>A lot of profs and students live in HP, and some ABD grad students, who want more of a city-ish feel, migrate to neighborhoods like Ukranian Village and commute. There is some retail action, and, finally, two solid options for groceries, and a lot of little cute places to grab something to eat, and, of course, lots of bookstores. Students like to complain that HP is devoid of nightlife and stuff to do, and what's here isn't particularly high-end, but that's what the rest of the city is for.</p>
<p>I think stoneimmaculate's impressions are more or less correct-- there are nearby neighborhoods that aren't doing so well. However, for better or for worse, the interaction between these neighborhoods and HP are minimal. As long as you use your judgment and avoid deserted places at night, I think you'll be fine (I say that as somebody who is quite vigilant about safety-- the more time I spend in the neighborhood, the more comfortable I feel).</p>
<p>Also, the campus is well-protected, with cops in cars, on bikes, and blue emergency phones.</p>
<p>**</p>
<p>There are a lot of things to do on the weekend, and I think it's up to your s/d what he or she is up for. Frat parties? check. Concerts in the city? check. On-campus events? check. Dorm and apartment parties? check. Hanging out in the house lounge, watching Rambo, and making lewd comments? Also check. There isn't one thing that most students do on a typical weekend night. If they're anything like me, they'll like to vary it up a bit-- I get bored partying three nights a week and I also get bored going into the city three nights a week.</p>
<p>Thanks unalove,</p>
<p>I really appreciate all your input. This helps. We are from southern california (orange county). We live in a very nice area of OC and I have heard that the area around UChic is not good or safe. I think it's just because the people that live in our area are sheltered and don't really have a very good view of life. I know Uchic is a great school. </p>
<p>Any other info would be appreciated!</p>
<p>I live & go to school VERY near the University, so I am very familiar with it. It is located between 59th and 55th street on the North/South directions, and it is between Cottage Grove Ave. & Stoney Island Ave. on the West/East directiong. The area starts getting bad once you pass 63th street, going the other way. However, there is a very large park separationg 59th street and 60th street, so 63th street isnt as close as you would think. The area on the other side of Cottage Grove can also be considered bad, but once again, there is a huge park between the university and the bad section. The west side and north side of campus is COMPLETELY safe, bordered by Hyde Park (one of the most artsy & diverse neighborhoods in the city) to the north, and the Museum of Science and Industry to the east.
There were a few incidents this year on campus or in Hyde Park where (unfortunately) some people were injured and one student was killed, but that was EXTREMELY strange.
Overall, if you stay in the bubble made by the parks, or in Hyde Park, you are perfectly fine.</p>
<p>I've visited the campus, but I was wondering how often students actually go to downtown Chicago, since it's only a 10 minute bus ride away.</p>
<p>Also, are those fares covered with your ID, or do you have to pay?<br>
Does anyone take the El train, or do students mostly use buses?</p>
<p>You pay for the bus, which is not that much as I remember. It is, however, far more than ten minutes to downtown. Presuming you catch the bus perfectly, you are looking at 30 minutes minimum if you go at a non-rush period. On average, though, you wait about 5-10 minutes for the bus and then spend another 35 or so on it. So all in all, about a 45 minute go.</p>
<p>When I was there last month I took the 6 bus about 4-5 times to congress, near the loop, and I don't remember it taking more than 15-20 minutes. Then again some current students probably know better than I do...</p>
<p>Distance wise it's about 8 miles from downtown Chicago.</p>
<p>Is chicago a college-friendly city? I kind of like the idea of a college town, where the kids at bars are college kids. Are there usually lots of college kids around, or are there going to be sketchy people sitting next to me on the bus and I should avoid it?</p>
<p>-- I like taking the 6 or the Metra "downtown." I think the problem here is that we are defining "downtown" differently. I would say getting to the Loop is about 15 minutes once you're on the 6 bus or the Metra. I've gotten to Lakeview (one of Chicago's more chic areas) in about 45 minutes. </p>
<p>-- Chicago is not really a college kid city, at least not the way Boston is a college kid city. I wouldn't say it's a college kid unfriendly city (though some is 21+). I see a lot of young people on the North Side, and I've been at parties where DePaul, Loyola, and NU kids have attended.</p>
<p>The Metra will get you downtown from the university in exactly 20 minutes. I just took the 6 from Hyde Park to Downtown today, and it took about 15 minutes.
I would advise buying bus cards ahead of time. If you dont have a bus card, each ride is $2. There are many different options for amounts of rides on each card.</p>
<p>I thought, as chicago students, we got some bus rides for free?</p>
<p>There are buses you can take for free that run around campus, but you need to pay for the ones that go downtown. It's $2 to take the bus downtown, but you can (and should) buy a Chicago Card Plus which gives you a better deal. The Metra is a little more expensive but fast, on time, and clean. It usually takes me 15-20 minutes to take the bus downtown.</p>
<p>Chicago sucks, by the University makes up for it.</p>
<p>The caveat on bus times is when you go. Anything during rush hour is going to screw you over as you crawl through traffic in either direction. But if you are going out on Saturday night it is a breeze.</p>