<p>I am very interested in the University of Chicago. I don't live an obscene distance from campus, I love the intellectual atmosphere, and I would really like to go to college near a large city. So, UChicago seems perfect for me, but I need to prepare a list of similar colleges I can apply to, since chances are, I won't get into UChicago. What other schools out there are like UChicago? I want an intellectual school, and preferably near a large city. I wouldn't be interested in anywhere ultra liberal and eccentric (from what I hear, that's what Reed is like). Midwest/northeast preferred. Also, I wouldn't like a school that is extremely small, UChicago seems to be the right amount.</p>
<p>Columbia is probably the first that comes to mind.</p>
<p>Well, I didn’t have the most fantastic 2 years of high school, so Columbia is out of the question. I am still holding onto a thread of hope with UChicago. I’m a junior, and so far I have a 3.9 UW GPA, but I had a 3.2-3.4 my first two years…</p>
<p>How are your SAT/ACTs?</p>
<p>Haven’t taken them yet.</p>
<p>Edit: Macalester College in St. Paul, MN looks interesting.</p>
<p>Investigate Emory if you don’t mind going South.</p>
<p>Brown, Tufts, Occidental. It’s actually pretty hard to think of schools that match both “intellectual” and “large city.” I’d take a hard look at some rural liberal arts colleges.</p>
<p>Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago
Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (may not be as intellectual as UChicago, but still…)
Drexel University, Philadeplhia
MIT (!), Cambridge
Harvard, Boston</p>
<p>What is an intellectual college?</p>
<p>How rigorous is your curriculum?_All the students admitted in the last few years from S1’s public school came from the IB Program. Chicago is making an effort to recruit more students from the area. Try this link:</p>
<p>[UChicago</a> Promise benefits incoming class | The University of Chicago](<a href=“http://www.uchicago.edu/features/uchicago_promise_benefits_incoming_class/?utm_campaign=UChicago%20Promise%20connects%20with%20city’s%20high%20school%20students%20/%20UChicago%20News%20/%20Oct.%203%2C%202013&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=UChicago%20Promise%20benefits%20city%20and%20Class%20of%202017 ]UChicago”>http://www.uchicago.edu/features/uchicago_promise_benefits_incoming_class/?utm_campaign=UChicago%20Promise%20connects%20with%20city’s%20high%20school%20students%20/%20UChicago%20News%20/%20Oct.%203%2C%202013&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=UChicago%20Promise%20benefits%20city%20and%20Class%20of%202017 )</p>
<p>What do you want to study? The suggestions you’re getting are all over the place. Do you see yourself at a university, a school that specializes in technical fields, or a liberal arts college? You could find schools in any of these categories where students are intellectually curious. There are many schools from the first two categories in urban locations. But there are few LACs located in cities - Macalester, Occidental and Barnard (for women) are some of the few. Personally, I’m a fan of LACs for the personal educational experience they offer. But many, who may never have experienced a wonderful LAC, fear they won’t have the breath of classes a supper STEM student may need to take.</p>
<p>I’d echo what Dunbar said. The formula (medium-large + overtly intellectual + urban + not-too-liberal) is going to yield you pretty much U of C and Columbia. You’ll probably have to make peace with three or two out of four for the rest of your school. </p>
<p>Cool that you found Macalester.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t bank on getting into either UofC or Columbia, but why not apply?</p>
<p>Well I’m applying early action to Chicago no matter what.</p>
<p>Look up Swarthmore - from my experience, the students from here are most similar to those at UChicago. It’s relatively near Philly too.</p>
<p>Expand your definition of city and you’re in business. Or, rethink the way you think of a city or the role of a city in your college career. Honestly, you have the rest of your life to live in a city. But you’re talking to somebody who has spent extensive time in three major cities.</p>
<p>Without any further context about your ability to pay or academics, I’m going to pop University of Washington (Seattle), Boston University, Boston College, and NYU on your list. All are big enough that you’ll find your niche. Perhaps also GW, Georgetown, American U and Catholic U in DC if the city is really calling to you.</p>
<p>Lift the city requirement and I think of a few more schools…
- Wheaton College in Illinois (religious, but when you ask me about mellow kids, intense academics at a self-selecting, less-selective school, I think of Wheaton)
-Davidson College in North Carolina - St Olaf/Carleton in Northfield, MN
- St John’s College in Annapolis (narrow fit, but worth looking into)</p>
<p>Look at Rice (Houston) and possibly Carnegie Mellon (Pittsburgh). </p>
<p>I’d suggest a visit to Mac. If you are turned off by Reed, Mac might not be a good fit. It maybe isn’t as far left on the spectrum, but certainly has its share of eccentric and ultra-liberal students.</p>
<p>S2 is considering similar schools as the op if he can’t get into UChicago as his brother did. We have looked at Wash U in St. Louis and Case Western in Cleveland.</p>
<p>Reed and Mac are pretty different. Mac has less drug use, nicer dorms, a more international student body, and a somewhat more practical view of preparing students for the world after college. It isn’t in the intellectual class of U of C, but few schools are…</p>
<p>Mac seems to be pretty interesting to me. It’s a step down from UChicago in pretty much all aspects, but they sound interesting. I hear they has superb financial aid. Some of the DC schools are appealing to, as is Swarthmore, but Swarthmore will be more difficult to get into.</p>