<p>As of now I'm trying to decide between Stanford and UChicago.
I'm looking to do some kind of biological sciences (but not pure bio) and am also interested in policy/political science type courses (but not sure if that's exactly what I want to major in). </p>
<p>Any advice on where to go?
Please let me know anything you know either about either schools social culture or those particular academic programs. </p>
<p>Anyone else in the same boat with this cross-admit?</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/stanford-university/1482575-stanford-chicago.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/stanford-university/1482575-stanford-chicago.html</a></p>
<p>another person’s dilemma b/t Stanford and UChicago</p>
<p>heyyy i’m in the same boat as you. not interested in bio, but between chicago and stanford. i’ve always loved stanford, and honestly, i’ll probably end up going there. but i wanna make a completely educated decision. perusing through college confidential shows a clear favor towards chicago (with more chicagoans posting responses). i think the thing about a lot of stanford students is that they don’t really spend their time on this site. so i’m not sure. not enough of a balance in the responses i’ve seen.</p>
<p>Both are obvs. great great universities and no one can deny it. To claim that one university is better than another, especially when it comes down to Chicago and Stanford, is going to get down to subjective, gritty little details. I don’t have much of my own opinion to offer because I’m deciding between some schools now too 
But my cousin who’s in UChicago said it was the best decision in his life!!! And yes, with those exclamation point- enthusiasm. There were many resources in UChicago and lotssssss of benefits that came with living in a huge city-- esp for research opportunities, potential job opps, and just exploring on his own. He’s made a lot of great connections there. It’s funny because he says that he met several Stanford alumni there who seem to have the utmost respect for UChicago’s curriculum and really love UChicago students haha. Personally, I don’t believe in rankings when it comes to UChicago and Stanford-- they are both really prestigious!!! I really really really wish I had applied to UChicago whenever I see posters trying to make decisions b/t UChicago and another school…</p>
<p>Regardless of what choice you make, they both great academically, and I don’t think a degree from one is far superior to the other. I think it just comes down to where you “feel” better at - city or suburbs, California or Illinois, etc.</p>
<p>Honestly, oustside of America, Stanford is better known. If you will ever consider job employment overseas, go to Stanford. I have no affliation to any of them but I am assuming that you have come down to final choices. Both are excellent Universities except that until CC Uchicago was just another school in the States to me. I am better informed now but I still think that for biology, Stanford is better.</p>
<p>Without question Stanford is world famous for its academic and all the entrepreneurs that the university have produced.</p>
<p>However, The University of Chicago has been extremely well known not only in the academia, but also in the political arena outside of the United States. Well, to put it bluntly, people in the know know. Just off the top of my head, Lien Chan, former Vice President of Taiwan, got his PhD from UChicago; Masaaki Shirakawa, 30th Governor of the Bank of Japan, a graduate from UChicago; a couple of highly ranked government officials of Hong Kong, earned their PhD from UChicago. </p>
<p>It is unfortunate for one to say “until CC Chicago is just another school in the States.”</p>
<p>I am in the same situation. I’m planning on studying physics, so Stanford seems to be superior in this respect, but I am in love with Chicago’s core curriculum and the academic atmosphere that pervades in the student body, the libraries, and the education. I also love the fact that Chicago has seasons (I’m from LA), as well as the city itself. It seems much more exciting than Palo Alto and more exciting and new than San Francisco. But the thing is Stanford is giving me $5,000 more, its 5 and a half hours from home, and, honestly, the name can do wonders. I am extremely conflicted and I wish money weren’t a problem. Oh well, Ima go to Chicago’s overnight next week and hopefully make my decision soon.</p>
<p>Oops i didn’t see that the link above led to a thread that I posted in.</p>
<p>I think Chicago is a bit more stiff, rough in terms of competition and the winters are colder. Stanford is more laid back and in terms of opportunities about as good as it gets nowadays, and you get better weather too. It comes down to what kind of personality you have and where you would see yourself.</p>
<p>If I may ask… what were your grades, SATS, extracirriculars and your “hook” for these schools?</p>
<p>I went to the UofC Booth Business School… all I can tell you is UofC is a great place to go to school and a wonderful city to enjoy… !! You can’t go wrong with either pick but there is something really special about Chicago!</p>
<p>UChicago’s name can do unbelievable wonders too… It’s surprising that on CC, ppl think Stanford is more prestigious than UChicago just because the name has been around longer. So untrue! College isn’t a time just to learn-- it’s a time to really explore the world and become independent! It’s the perfect chance for you to leave your nest in LA and call Chicago, an amazing culturally-rich city, your home! Having lived in San Francisco for a while and then going to Chicago was the best thing I did in my life.</p>
<p>FYI… Chicago is not “stiff”-- the people there are incredible. Absolutely, positively wonderful.</p>
<p>I noticed many of you comparing the different locations, Chicago to San Fran/Palo Alto.
Maybe a little more information would help you all advise me?
I live just a couple blocks from the University of Chicago (and have for almost my entire life). I walk around on campus every day and even go to do my homework with friends at Regenstein (UChicago’s library). I know how awesome UChicago is–I really don’t know much about Stanford. </p>
<p>Any new advice? And thank you to all who’ve responded!</p>
<p>@jordan2: uchicago is actually older than stanford…by one year. but yes, it is older. stanford’s a very young university but its rep comes from the beautiful start up culture they created and basically inventing the silicon valley. chicago’s rep comes from it’s like 5805048257489678456 nobel laureates (an over exaggeration of course - but they do have so many).</p>
<p>Parent here:</p>
<p>S is deciding between Stanford, Yale, MIT etc. D has a good friend at Chicago that loves the place. I think the cultures are very different, as well as the weather. Do you like the rah, rah Div 1 sports/entrepreneurial environment or the more intellectual, some say ‘nerdy’ vibe? Quarter system at Stanford, or not? More $$$ is a big plus. But I think the biggest thing is your proximity to Chicago and prior experience there-I would recommend Stanford for the change of environment and new experiences, if nothing else. And Stanford is awesome too!</p>
<p>Congratulations. Two great options!</p>
<p>“I noticed many of you comparing the different locations, Chicago to San Fran/Palo Alto.
Maybe a little more information would help you all advise me?”</p>
<p>You probably wont see much snow. You will bike a lot because the campus is 8000 acres. Climate is pretty nice year round.</p>
<p>You will encounter Olympians, International/national athletes in different sports in your dorms. Your dorm might adopt specific sports to cheer because of the dorm mates playing such sports. You will find no sport is unimportant at Stanford because points in all of them lead to the annual NCAA director’s cup which Stanford routinely wins.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone!
Social culture aside, I’m looking to study some kind of biology with a minor in policy/political science (I did a lot of Model UN/Debate type stuff in High School). I do know I want to go to grad school, but not sure if that means med school or to pursue a PhD, or something else.
I don’t know much about CS or Engineering so I’m not sure how much of an advantage the “start up culture” or Silicon Valley will be to me at Stanford. Nevertheless, Stanford still apparently has fantastic research opportunities and the #1 undergrad Bio program. </p>
<p>Can anyone speak to these points? Thanks again for all your help.</p>
<p>Stanford starts out with something like 650-700 kids expecting to be premeds each year. By third or fourth year, about 2/3rd to 3/4th find other passions. There are people who take one computer science class and get hooked on it or a class in some other area and something similar happens. </p>
<p>Human Biology might be more suited to your interests than Biology. Human Biology is quite a popular major but many do not end up going into being a physician once they start since they find a lot of other areas of health to explore. </p>
<p><a href=“https://humbio.stanford.edu/[/url]”>https://humbio.stanford.edu/</a></p>
<p><a href=“https://humbio.stanford.edu/node/166[/url]”>https://humbio.stanford.edu/node/166</a></p>
<p>@Hadiram Just to give you a different POV and provide more information about UChicago (since you did post on Stanford)-- I did a lot of Debate at my HS too and I heard a lot of great things about U Chicago’s pub. policy and political science program. My teacher is an alumn from UChicago and he actually majored in biology. He said that he did a ton of research as an undergrad and that it really helped him to become a scholar int he science field. UChicago also has one of best bio programs in the nation. </p>
<p>[Undergraduate</a> Research | Biological Sciences Collegiate Division](<a href=“http://bscd.uchicago.edu/content/undergraduate-research]Undergraduate”>http://bscd.uchicago.edu/content/undergraduate-research)</p>