<p>I am transferring from Kenyon College. My reasons for transferring are the widespread drinking culture, the lack of intense intellectualism, and the lack of quirky, artistic students. I am looking for an intellectual climate in which students are academically engaged, quirky, active, and artistic. I am especially looking for a top-notch English program, which is the reason I went to Kenyon in the first place, but was turned off by the lack of intellecual engagement. I am now attempting to decide between Swarthmore and the University of Chicago. Can those of you are quite well-informed about these schools, the difference between liberal arts schools and urban universities, etc. help me out? I have waited till the last minute simply because the whole transfer process has stressed me out a great deal. I have been advised not to attend a university, but attend a selective liberal arts school instead, but am attracted to the greater access to resources that Chicago would provide, as well as its top-rated English program. If you can respond soon, I would greatly appreciate it. As I have not visited most of these schools due to being a transfer, any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! I have posted this before, but at that point had not narrowed down my decision to two schools. Chicago expects a final response today.</p>
<p>I love Swarthmore. And I'd go to U. Chicago, at this point. (By the way, if you were a first-year, I'd advise just the opposite.) The main reason is you know what a quality LAC looks like (Kenyon is one, despite all its negatives), and you may now be in a position to understand and take advantage of the resources Chicago has. For all its good qualities (and there are so many), Swarthmore is smaller than Kenyon. You do know that in your second year at Chicago, you will still be in their "core curriculum" (for better or worse - a matter of taste.) </p>
<p>You could decide on the basis of city v. suburb, though Hyde Park is pretty much a community unto itself, and it takes about the same amount of time to get into "real Chicago" as it does to go from Swarthmore to Philly. (Neither school is known for "artistic", though I think you are more likely to find them in the larger student body at Chicago.)</p>
<p>i'd definitely say go to Swarthmore...if you are looking for "quirky, active, and artistic" students, you certainly are not going to find them at the nerd haven that is UChicago. While it (in my opinion) has a better location, the student body and your instincts are more important.</p>
<p>wow what choices!
I would also go to Chicago
BOth fantastic schools really two of the best in the world
but I think it sounds like you are partial to Chicago and are more than ready to benefit from its offerings</p>
<p>Have you visited Swarthmore? Are you in need of the graduate opps at Chicago? Early research type? If not the Swarthmore is probably your style.</p>
<p>Intense intellectualism? Academically engaged students? That definitely describes the University of Chicago. But quirky, artistic types will be very, very, very hard to find there. It really is a nerd school. (I can say that because I went there and I am one!)</p>
<p>I don't know about that I know about 5 students who attending Chicago and they all are very different, intelligent- fun loving but I wouldn't describe them as "nerdy" ( Ok well one of them is- but he is definitely quirky!)</p>
<p>this is cutting it pretty close- but many colleges have livejournals and students are more than willing to answer questions
you also might peruse the respective student publications to get a better sense of the campus
<a href="http://maroon.uchicago.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://maroon.uchicago.edu/</a>
<a href="http://phoenix.swarthmore.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://phoenix.swarthmore.edu/</a></p>
<p>You would need to describe this a bit more......musical, fine arts?? Purple hair but no art???</p>
<p>I would have thought (with no information) that there would likely be well more "artistic types" at Kenyon than at Swarthmore or Chicago. I doubt the OP should use this as a qualification, or s/he's likely to be disappointed at either place.</p>
<p>What I mean by quirky and artistic is that students are interested not only in academics, but in the production of and participation in art (including visual art, theater, creative writing, and music). I am myself especially interested in music, but I am looking for an atmosphere of students who are actively engaged in and enjoy discussing a variety of interests, including politics, the arts (as mentioned above) and are aware of their surroundings (and have a desire to change them). You all seem to be generally saying that students at Chicago are intellectual, but not interested in the arts or politically engaged. Is this actually the case?</p>
<p>No more than at Swarthmore - the overlap in the student bodies is very, very large. And participation in the arts happens at both schools, just not to the degree you'd likely find at many other fine schools. Folks generally choose Swat and Chicago BECAUSE they really want a stress on heavy-duty academics (rather than other things), and see that as a plus, not a minus. That's what makes these two fine institutions what they are.</p>
<p>This is causing me to feel concerned. Will I not find quirky, artistic students at Chicago and Swarthmore that are interested in both academics and politics and art? Or should I have gone with Brown rather than these two schools?</p>
<p>I still don't know what you mean by artistic??? To answer your question in a word?? YES</p>
<p>Which question are you answering YES to?</p>
<p>And if you are saying I should have gone with Brown--why?</p>
<p>I was being serious but in a humorous way. Also the Parsons/Pratt/CooperUnion/NYU/Columbia/Juilliard would give you serious but artsy. Artsy is too vague for me......I went to Interlochen Arts Camp and so I would need some additional def. on this.</p>
<p>forget about Brown- didn't you say you have to decide between chicago and swarthmore today?
Spend some time making criteria and how those schools fit if you haven't done it already</p>
<p>Maybe that is the immediate question???</p>
<p>The reason I mentioned Brown is that I have already committed to Brown, but changed my mind to Swarthmore or the University of Chicago. However, I could go to any of the three. I have been accepted into all of them, and have the opportunity to go to any of them. And by artsy, I meant students that are not only interested in academics, but enjoy participating in art too--students that are well-balanced and have multiple interests.</p>
<p>One reason my S chose UChicago is because he is trying to decide between cinema studies and pre-med (one of the largest movie libraries anywhere). He is torn between "arts" and "crafts," and feels the Core (which includes the Media Aesthetics: Image, Sound, Text Humanities sequence) will lead him to his true love. Whether or not it will lead you to yours, is for you to decide.</p>