<p>Um I like Chicago. Naturally :)</p>
<p>considering i went to a summer program and NU last summer and have decided to go the university of chicago, i'll give you my two cents.</p>
<p>Northwestern
- in one word: haughty.
sure the majority of the people there are nice, but there's just something in the air there where you can tell people think themselves better than most.
- has a subpar campus. there's a few churches that are nice to look at, and a few trees and paths that are enjoyable, but overall, it's a lot of concrete and blah.
- evanston isn't great. it has quite a few good community restaurants and there's a B&N, a movie theatre, an urban outfitters, + some other things, but overall it leaves something to be desired. Of course, Chicago is only a 15-20 El ride away.
- is heavy into greek, which is either good or bad depending on who you are.</p>
<p>Chicago
- is more "love of learning" and the class sizes are smaller.
- there's a stereotype that Chicago kids are really really weird, and i'm sure a few are, but for the most part they're hilarious and quirky if anything. they don't care what others think.
- it's BEAUTIFUL. neo gothic and botanical, you can't go wrong.
- it's all about the hyde park location.
- better dorm selection IMO.
- more diversity in more ways than one.</p>
<p>Do a search for a thread about 5 months ago on this same topic. I got blasted for supposedly insulting Northwestern. Both schools have a lot to offer and are very different from each other. My vote goes to Chicago, though. I went to a Big Ten school undergrad and Chicago for law school. If Chicago appeals to you, go for it.</p>
<p>"Nice attempt at putdown. Didn't work but the effort shines through." - ramses 2</p>
<p>What is wrong with you? Clearly you misunderstood my post.</p>
<p>Search CC for threads on NU vs. Uchicago. You'll find that this subject has been done before--ad nauseum--and that it's provoked hostility.</p>
<p>I received my bachelor's from Northwestern and respect UChicago... I wrote what I did to remind CCers of how heated this argument became about 5 months ago, hoping to prevent a repeat.</p>
<p>Try to be less flippant from now on, ramses 2.</p>
<p>JuJu, apologies but you did use the words 'this thread' and not 'this topic'. Surely you can see how I might have misunderstood? And for the OP and myself who haven't seen threads and threads on the subject, how could we possibly read your terse comment as a gentle steering away from hostilities?</p>
<p>Apology accepted, ramses 2.</p>
<p>By the way, I did a search, couldn't find all those threads, so the OP's question might not be all that ridiculous after all. Both are top notch institutions and it seems to me that a thoughtful discussion would be a whole lot better than snide put downs and terse statements.</p>
<p>dude, it's all about Chicago...where is this conversation going? we already know where the answer's out.</p>
<p>A LOT of people at Northwestern (including myself) got into UChicago. In fact, all statistics reveal that Northwestern beats Uchicago in terms of cross-admits. That says something about the overall perception of Chicago among college bound students.</p>
<p>And Momofwildchild, she can keep referring to NU as a "Big 10" school. With all due respect, Stanford is just I guess a "pac-10" school and Duke is just an "Acc school." I guess because NYU is in the same sports league as Chicago and Wash U, it is better than Northwestern academically.....</p>
<p>ramses 2:
174 posts on Northwestern vs. UChicago at:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=249800%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=249800</a>
(Sometimes a "thoughtful discussion," but often UGLY.)</p>
<p>To respond to your post #27:
No one said that the original poster's question was "ridiculous." It's a legitimate compare/contrast--and clearly, neither of you were around for the original NU vs. UofC battle royal.</p>
<p>Regardless, if they're not deserved, I don't tolerate "snide put downs." However, you're new to the board, and didn't understand my meaning, so it's fine--water under the bridge. I appreciate your apology.</p>
<p>NUGrad, can you provide me with some of your "all statistics" that reveal that Northwestern beats Uchicago in terms of cross-admits?</p>
<p>I was admitted to both Northwestern and Uchicago, but ultimately chose Chicago. Some of my best friends are going to NU though, and I have nothing but respect for Northwestern.</p>
<p>DigitalDragon,
I could be wrong, but I believe that NUGrad's writing about "A Revealed Preference Ranking of U.S. Colleges and Universities," a paper by the Nat'l. Bureau of Economic Research. It uses statistics, (explained at length,) to rank LACs/universities based upon students' revealed preferences. You can find copies of it here:</p>
<p>Northwestern ranks #23, (btw. Wesleyan, #22, and Pomona, #24.) UChicago ranks #28, (btw. Cal-Berkeley, #27, and Johns Hopkins, #29.) </p>
<p>I haven't done the math--table three allows one to do so--but eye-balling it, it seems N'western "wins" cross-admits vs. Chicago approx. 55-58% of the time.</p>
<p>
[quote]
<a href="http://phoenix.uchicago.edu/testprep/%5B/url%5D%5B/quote%5DHahahaha">http://phoenix.uchicago.edu/testprep/
[/quote]
Hahahaha</a>, that is amazing!</p>
<p>lol, i guess i already know enough about the university o Chicago...hooray</p>
<p>LOL, thank you JuJu for the link, imagine my suprise to see how quickly that thread turned ugly, right around post #5. How thoughtful of you to tell that poster that if they were masochistic and preferred torture they were good to go at Chicago. Bless you dear for your thoughtfulness.(And a small note, I didn't apologize. I tried to nicely point out that your abrupt 'oh crap not this thread again' appeared nasty and condescending. It in no way linked logically to the thread you posted from months ago. And repeatedly thanking me for 'apologizing' is a debate for dummies technique that never works, you should lose that. )</p>
<p>And yes, that thread certainly was rancorous. For what it's worth, and I'm an aging crone from the mid atlantic region, Chicago wins hands down up in these parts for prestige.(Lots of prep schools, lots of money, lots of parents clinging to USNews rankings and their own aged memories of good schools) Northwestern is known but just wouldn't be any place than mom and dad prepster would send their child. Too big, too average, too far away. For that matter, Chicago isn't #1 either. Northeastern LACs rule around here, Chicago is known as an academic powerhouse but good kids don't write weird essays. People are very impressed...and yes, here in mainline PA, Chicago is the intellectual equal of the ivies but 'different'. Different as in slightly suspect, a little too smart for your own good. Stanford falls into this category as well. But no, sorry not Northwestern. That doesn’t mean that Northwestern isn’t Chicago’s equal in reality. It’s just a really narrow minded knee jerk reaction that some people have….rather like the view that Chicago is just a place for boring nerdy masochists.</p>
<p>I think this Northwestern vs. Chicago question among us college-mongers is like going to a comic books convention and saying, "So... Marvel or DC?"</p>
<p>And the reason it never gets resolved and there's lots of back-and-forth thrashing is because the schools ARE indeed EXTREMELY DIFFERENT.</p>
<p>I'm not surprised that cross-admits who applied to both schools end up turning out in slight favor for NU. The kind of student that applies to both NU and Chicago probably has some reservations about attending Chicago and may think that NU will have more well-rounded students and a bigger social scene.</p>
<p>Chicago's a bit more of a commitment. You have to know you want it, and there's no way you're going to convince somebody that they're going to like reading Kant; they have to be sure of it themselves. I would like to clarify, though, for students and parents who are considering both schools, that Chicago is unfairly characterized as a wasteland of social misfits. In all honesty, you'll be able to have fun here however you choose to define it, whether it be attending or frat party or helping out with some items on this year's Scav Hunt list (Scav is in process as I write):</p>
<p>I agree Amykins, comparing Northwestern to Chicago is like comparing Penn to Deep Springs. Or DC to Marvel. Totally different animals.(Though Batman would so kick Superman's butt)</p>
<p>The Scav Hunt list is hysterical. And scary. Just a leetle bit:)</p>
<p>Scav is pretty hardcore, and nobody is going to force you to do it. It is a chance, though, to see people going to class in prom dresses (as is the case with the captains of one team) and holding major parties.</p>
<p>Speaking of Scav Hunt, if any of you want to help out this year, there's a really easy way to do it. Check out this item:</p>
<h1>80: For Every 500 People that Join This Group, A Scavvie Will Get It In The Beanbag. [2 points per bags beaned]</h1>
<p>Do a search on facebook and five or six groups will come up. Feel free to join them!</p>
<p>NUGrad- I think it's funny that you keep getting so offended by my "Big Ten" school characterization. I happen to think its a compliment! Of course, I actually care about athletics and think they contribute a lot to the college experience.<br>
ramses is dead-on in his assessment of the mid-Atlantic perception of the two schools. Northwestern isn't considered worth the money by most of the "prep" set- there are exceptions, of course. Why not just go to Brown and stay in the civilized part of the country? :)</p>