<p>I am a high school senior applying to UChicago for the Fall '08 semester.</p>
<p>What I'm really looking for here is an "insider's" perspective on the University. Needless to say, this is a top university and academics are pretty important.</p>
<p>However, how would you say student life at UChigago is? Is there an academic/social life balance? How rigorous would you say courses are? Are there lots of social events and parties?</p>
<p>How are the students? I don't want to go out and ask if there are many pretentious people here, as there are many of those types everywhere, but is it a generally "normal" place? I wouldn't say that I'm the "intellectual" type. I work pretty hard to get good grades and participate in many EC's, but I tend to be more easy-going about things. I'm not heavily competitive, but I'm motivated.</p>
<p>Basically, I'm looking for a place that I can have fun at and at the same time get a challenging academic experience.</p>
<p>Chicago is a school for students who Love to Learn, above all else. If fun is as important to you as what you learn in college, then I'd suggest Chicago is not the right fit for you. It is not a college where you should expect to experience the "typical college life". You will be more academically challenged here than at most any other college in the US. If that doesn't make your mouth water, the you should look elsewhere. Chicago doesn't tout " the Life Of The Mind" for no reason.</p>
<p>You'll be fine. If you get in, make sure to choose a social dorm. That will greatly increase the chances that you'll find the types of students you're looking for.</p>
<p>Run a search for past threads on social life at the U of C for more information.</p>
<p>I think its a school where its what you make of it. I'm more of a laid back type as well, but I certainly enjoy my classes, but outside of them, just this first week, I've spent a night playing basketball, going to Chinatown, and every other night have spent with friends, and this during the week, not the weekend.</p>
<p>So you can certainly have fun, just don't over-exert yourself with classes right when you get here.</p>
<p>One of my roommates took Honors Analysis last year. For students who should and want to be in that level, it's great. For students who decide they find it too difficult or time consuming, they can drop down to regular Analysis for something less time consuming or (I believe they can do this?) drop down to 160s in order to better prepare themselves for taking Honors Analysis the following year.</p>
<p>The deal with 207 is that in reality the math placement test does not really give any indication of whether or not one really belongs in Honors Analysis. One question about upper bounds does not guarantee that one has also learned a decent amount of topology and basic real analysis that we are taking as a prerequisite for 207.</p>
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Phuriku -- Is it that bad? Are you staying in or going to the 160s? How much time are you spending on it?
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<p>I'm staying in. All of my friends are jealous that I got an invitation. I'm not going to blow it. As of now, I'm spending about 6-7 hours a day, every day, on it.</p>
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The deal with 207 is that in reality the math placement test does not really give any indication of whether or not one really belongs in Honors Analysis. One question about upper bounds does not guarantee that one has also learned a decent amount of topology and basic real analysis that we are taking as a prerequisite for 207.
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I've heard that Ryzhik is making the class much harder than in the past.
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<p>Yes, Ryzhik has basically assumed that everyone taking 207 has taken a very rigorous analysis course in the past, which is certainly not the case. As of the first week, we have already started measure theory (which isn't supposed to be taught until winter quarter). Our problem set for this week consists of 18 problems (many of which have multiple parts) which all take about 1-2 hours a piece. He's making the (supposedly) hardest course in undergraduate mathematics even harder, which can't be a good thing. Why isn't Paul Sally teaching autumn quarter like he did last year?</p>
<p>And yeah, knowing the axioms of the reals, basic definitions of continuity/the Riemann Integral, and supremums really doesn't guarantee that you know much of anything about analysis.</p>
<p>Phuriku,
Thanks for the feedback. Would love to hear how the class continues -- if it keeps up this pace or levels out. Maybe this is weed-out time?</p>
<p>a lot of it is just an image created by the admissions dept. there are all different types of people here, and they are all wonderfully weird. most people would rather not be studying on friday night, so don't believe the myth. a lot of people drink.</p>
<p>i agree people make what they want of it here--just like other colleges. The only difference that <em>might</em> exist here that I can see is that people are more responsible about their work. As for me, I've done a very fair amount of holding down the beer pong tables, playing any other drinking game, bar night, rum and coke mondays and what have you. Then there are other people I know who stay in and play board games in the lounge instead. </p>
<p>Another thing I want to mention--I have very very close hs friends at amherst, dartmouth, and brown--they all have dead nights just like we do here, and sometimes have to stay in on weekends. It's the cost of being smart and working for a degree thats holds some serious weight. I am convinced UoC social life is just like that of any of its peer institutions.</p>
<p>My point is, whatever type of social you are--geek, partier, what have you, UoC will fit what you want (unless it is state U style partying with tons of people). The only thing that really affects the social life is that we are not a big 10 school (anymore) or in the ivy league, so we don't have a nice rivalry to spice things up.</p>
<p>The only thing that U of C is not is a big party school. Relative to our peers, we might have fewer parties, but that doesn't mean that they are nonexistent or not enjoyable, or that people don't party.</p>
<p>I too have friends at the schools smirkus mentioned... my D friend is, in his words, "getting his ass kicked, UChicago style" as a CS/math major, another one of my friends, at A, is holding down a miraculous GPA is econ. Both are probably working much harder than I am.</p>