<p>So who do you blame objectiveperson? Did UChicago pull wool over your eyes when you were considering the school? Are you to blame for not doing enough research? What?</p>
<p>It’s fine to blame the school when you think it’s merited, but then perhaps also worth your time to explain just what happened, and how to make it better. This way, some other 18 yr old thinking UChicago is the land of Terkel and Vonnegut and racial harmony won’t be steered astray. </p>
<p>On the other hand, if you think the info was out there when you applied, and you just didn’t seek it out, then the bulk of the blame is on you. I wasn’t really surprised about the domineering influence of the Econ dept. on campus because, well, from talking to other folks who had attended UChicago, Econ was the giant on campus - much bigger than the strains of thought churned out by Terkel, Vonnegut, Bloom, etc.</p>
<p>Hmmm. I wonder how many current applicants to the University of Chicago even know who Studs Terkel is? Or that Kurt Vonnegut went there?</p>
<p>I would say that my kids expected a little Philip Roth and Saul Bellow, a little Allan Bloom, some When Harry Met Sally (and maybe a touch of Ferris Buehler and the Blues Brothers), a little Freakonomics, some David Axelrod and John Mearsheimer and Nate Silver, some Wilco and Andrew Bird in the background, and in general a bunch of serious social sciences. And Scav. And you know what? They pretty much got all that.</p>
<p>The immediate neighborhood of Hyde park is the second most expensive neighborhood in terms of real estate. This is why they look down on the rest of the South Side.</p>
<p>So it is in a small bubble.</p>
<p>Unfortunately the bus system in Chicago is so good, the disreputable people from other places can and do visit.</p>
<p>I heard Chicago has the2nd largest private police force in the USA. So you are generally safe. Just be careful, its still a city not a leafy suburb.</p>
<ol>
<li>University of Pennsylvania </li>
<li>Temple University</li>
<li>Columbia University</li>
<li>Johnson & Wales University</li>
<li>Washington University in St. Louis</li>
<li>Morgan State University</li>
<li>Rutgers University-Newark</li>
<li>Harvard University</li>
<li>Tufts University</li>
<li>University of Michigan-Ann Arbor</li>
</ol>
<p>The after-hours shuttle services are the “evening campus routes” (fixed routes) and Safe Ride (pick up and drop off to your location). Busses free with a UChicago ID are the 170, 171 and 172 (171 and 172 are the most commonly used Hyde Park neighborhood routes for students; 170 is a train shuttle mainly) through the CTA.</p>
<p>UChicago,
Can you kindly clarify something about the security staff in the academic buildings? Are they armed? How harshly would they question a visiting prospective student who came into a building to get a drink of water? This is being addressed elsewhere in CC and I am wondering if the story being told has any truth to it. Thanks.</p>
<p>PMCM, the 171 and 172 are Hyde Park routes and do not go downtown. It takes about 20 minutes to get downtown on the CTA’s #6 route or #2 route, about 20 minutes on the weekend shuttle (free), and variable time (from 20 minutes to longer depending on how well both are timed) to take the #55 bus to the Red Line train.</p>
<p>Yeah, I remember taking about 20 minutes by car to get from the campus to downtown so it surprised me reading about hour long commutes. I guess those posts were about other routes. Thank you!</p>
<p>jym, we do hope to make campus a safe and welcoming place for all, which includes both general security guards/crosswalk guards as well as UCPD officers (some of whom are armed, as they operate as extensions of the CPD in Hyde Park, and thus carry the same responsibilities as CPD officers) in the campus area. However, I do not see a reason why a person would be questioned for entering a campus building unless the building was a restricted area (after hours entry without UChicago identification, construction zone, lab with hazardous materials, etc). All of our residence halls have front-desk staff that require identification upon entry of the residence but these staff members are not armed and are not members of the UCPD. The only situation in which I could imagine a student encountering a UCPD guard at entry is if the student had accidentally entered a restricted section of the hospital system, which, for patient privacy, does have UCPD guards at some entries requiring identification for entry. (Since the hospital is directly on campus-- one entry is right next to the bookstore-- it is possible to confuse it for a general classroom building). </p>
<p>In my time as both a student and a staff member on campus, I have found the UCPD to be very friendly and helpful; they are present in the neighborhood as a positive resource. If a prospective student or parent has come to you with a concern about an unpleasant or unfriendly encounter with a security officer, I would urge them to provide feedback here, as we do not hope this is the experience students or parents will encounter when visiting campus: [Department</a> of Safety and Security | The University of Chicago](<a href=“http://safety-security.uchicago.edu/police/commendations.shtml]Department”>http://safety-security.uchicago.edu/police/commendations.shtml)</p>
<p>Thank you, UChicago. Would you mind sharing what you posted above (post #42) in this thread <a href=“Some Northwestern/UChicago admissions insight - Parents Forum - College Confidential Forums”>Some Northwestern/UChicago admissions insight - Parents Forum - College Confidential Forums; where in the very first post it is claimed that re: U Chicago <a href=“Off%20topic:%20I%20talked%20to%20the%20mother%20of%20one%20of%20the%20students%20who%20was%20admitted%20and%20is%20not%20going.%20The%20deal-killer%20-%20when%20the%20student%20had%20to%20submit%20to%20a%20grilling%20by%20an%20armed%20security%20guard%20when%20she%20wandered%20into%20a%20classroom%20building%20to%20get%20a%20drink%20of%20water%20during%20an%20accepted%20student%20visit.”>quote</a>
[/quote]
Several posters later in the thread have questioned the veracity of this comment, especially as it is second or third hand.</p>
<p>You have direct experience and can address the conjectures. Thank you.</p>
<p>jym-- I try to keep my posts to the UChicago area only but you are welcome to quote what was said here and indicate that they may ask questions on this page. Unfortunately it is just very difficult for me to try and monitor multiple pages and I would not want to miss any questions if they were posted in a different location. Since I was not at the encounter in question I also certainly want to note that we do not want to cause offense to the student or parent if that was the situation they truly encountered, but rather to encourage them to file a complaint if they did feel unwelcome on campus and their encounter was outside of the possibilities I mentioned above.</p>
<p>OK, though that thread is clearly about Northwestern and Chicago. Your direct input to address the issues being addressed there would certainly be helpful. If you are not comfortable posting there, I would invite you to read the thread and respond here, if that is your preference.</p>
<p>UChicago,
Thank you for your responses. I noted that you added a sentence or two and wanted to assure you that the incident is being reported third hand. The person who supposedly was involved in this incident is not posting here. I do not think there would be any likelihood of offending someone who is not posting here. Neither the student nor the student in question’s parent is posting. I understand your reticence to address the claim directly, but your explanations above were extremely helpful. It would be unfortunate if other potential students or their parents were frightened away by such a claim, especially if it has taken a few turns in translation as it was passed along.</p>
<p>Thanks Jym. I will have a look at the thread (it’s pretty lengthy!) and respond there if appropriate. You may still feel free to quote my response here if you are already participating in that thread.</p>
<p>Yes, it is indeed a long thread, but I think, if you have the time, it is worth a read. There are many comments about the admissions process and conjecture about communication between the admissions staff and HS college counselors. You might find it interesting.</p>