Questions about University of Chicago?

kdflove · October 23, 2012, 8:35pm

Hey!
So I've recently decided to consider UChicago as an option for where I'd like to go to school next fall. I know, super late in the game for picking a new school to apply to. I'm just curious about getting some more information before spending $75 and valuable time applying there.
I know it has the reputation as the place "where fun goes to die" and I'm also aware that every school has partying and fun at it (which I'm definitely interested in), but how much of that is on campus? I'm not going to lie, the fact the school is so close to Chicago is a major factor in why I'd like to go there. Do students actually go the city a lot? If it's just one weekend every month or so, I'd definitely be turned off.
I'm just curious about what the school is really like and not what you'll find on the website or from interviews.
I've also been looking at a good bit of student reviews and I'd say about 40% of the ones I looked at were very disappointed in their choice of college and desperately wished to transfer or had already done so and warned students about going there.
Would any of you know why they were so upset with the school? Is there something about it that turns a lot of students off?

warblersrule · October 23, 2012, 10:34pm

The [search</a> function](<a href=“http://i43.■■■■■■■.com/1zx8kt0.jpg]search”>http://i43.■■■■■■■.com/1zx8kt0.jpg) is a very useful feature. Odds are extremely good that any question you ask will have been asked dozens or even hundreds of times before.

Why is this an issue? You’d have free time to explore Chicago if you so desire. Whether or not others do the same seems irrelevant. I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t take a lot of arm twisting to get friends to do something in Chicago with you.

Pretty standard for reviews of any college. You’re going to get the people who really, really loved it and those who really, really hated it. I’d say the vast majority of Chicago students are pretty content, and noticeably more so now than 10-20 years ago.

tk21769 · October 24, 2012, 5:35am

Here’s how Chicago’s freshman retention rate and 4-year graduation rate compares to figures for several other midwestern research universities, according to USNWR:

College (freshman retention rate, 4 year graduation rate)

Chicago … (98%, 86%)
Northwestern (97%, 86%)
WUSTL … (97%, 86%)
Notre Dame . (98%, 90%)
UIUC … (94%, 66%)
Michigan … (96%, 73%)
Minnesota …(89%, 47%)

There are many reasons why some students might be upset with a school. Did they not express those reasons in their negative reviews?

Chicago has long had a reputation for being academically challenging. In recent years, admission has become extremely competitive. Students are entering with average GPAs of 4.0 (presumably weighted) and average SATs of 730+ on each section (M, CR and W). Some kids who are used to being star students in high school may find it hard to hold their own at first in small classroom discussions of difficult questions about difficult books. However, if the retention and graduation rates are any indication, most of them eventually find their grooves.

warblersrule · October 24, 2012, 11:45am

I’ve long wondered how much of that reputation is based on its quarter system. The quarter system means you fit exams and papers into a much shorter period of time (~10 weeks instead of ~15), which can lead to more stress but not necessarily more difficulty. For example, I once compared notes with a classics major at Chicago and found that they were actually doing fewer lines of Greek and Latin each week than we did at Duke. Certainly some courses, like honors analysis, are notable for their difficulty. I suspect the vast majority are not noticeably more difficult than courses at comparable universities, however.

Chicago has an enduring reputation for “grade deflation,” but this is patently untrue. In fact, posters have recently claimed that Chicago may have grade inflation, with an average GPA at least in the 3.3-3.4 range.

<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-chicago/1161905-stuff-i-learned-convocation.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-chicago/1161905-stuff-i-learned-convocation.html</a>

Consolation · October 24, 2012, 8:05pm

I know many people who have gone to the U of C at both undergrad and grad levels over a span of three decades.

They all had plenty of fun. Including me.

The school isn’t “close to” Chicago, it is IN Chicago. Maybe you are confusing it with Northwestern in this regard. When I was there, I went to Chinatown, the Gold Coast, the Near North Side, and so forth pretty much on a weekly basis.

Softballhead · October 24, 2012, 8:15pm

U of C is located in Hyde Park, which in in Chicago, yes. A train (stations are very close) takes you to Millennium Park, Michigan Avenue, or anywhere else in minutes!

Ivyt · October 24, 2012, 8:41pm

Just remember that people are more likely to write a review if they have strong feelings (usually negative) about something

Crimsonstained7 · October 24, 2012, 9:29pm

If you want great academics, close to Chicago, but more of a social, upbeat atmosphere, rather than an intellectual, quiet atmosphere, you could consider Northwestern. I think people have fun at UChicago, but they have a different brand of fun than the rest of the world haha.

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