<p>^ Yeah, I actually voted in that.</p>
<p>Those anonymous polls really bring out the egotistic, insecure parts of people. :P</p>
<p>just wanted to update with: i’m definitely applying to nu!! it’s rapidly becoming a top choice for me. 
thanks for all the answers, guys!</p>
<p>I just want to add that I am 25 yrs post-graduating from NU and I would do it again in a minute. Exactly the college experience I wanted (major, social life, location, type of people). NU wasn’t well-known on the east coast when I attended; now (largely because of football), the reputation has soared. And the list of notably alumni is way beyond impressive - in media, politics, theater, business and more. There are even NFL players who went to NU - and to think they broke the NCAA losing streak record when I was there - HAH!</p>
<p>Also - when I was at NU, DIY was big (Do-it-yourself – as opposed to “going Greek”). Didn’t matter if you were Greek or not; there was always something to do, whether it was a party or anything else.</p>
<p>As someone said earlier, just get a warm coat, hat, gloves and boots and you will have a great time. I was there for my reunion in October and just wish I could turn back the clock and do it all again!</p>
<p>“Regarding the false dichotomy of social stereotypes between the two schools that are being espoused by the NU homers here, Tucker Max(alpha male) went to Chicago and Stephen Colbert(pretentious nerd) went to Northwestern.”</p>
<p>“We should just admit the obvious. The student body at the University of Chicago is ugly. And it’s only getting worse”-Tucker Max </p>
<p>Just wanted to point out the irony.</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.tuckermax.com/archives/entries/are_people_at_the_university_of_chicago_actually_as_ugly_and_unsociable_as_we_think.phtml]TuckerMax.com[/url”>http://www.tuckermax.com/archives/entries/are_people_at_the_university_of_chicago_actually_as_ugly_and_unsociable_as_we_think.phtml]TuckerMax.com[/url</a>]</p>
<p>I also think anyone who dismisses Stephen Colbert as “pretentious nerd” without adding “who I would LOVE to hang out with” is lying or has an agenda.</p>
<p>Wow man, you must live such a boring life if you have to satisfy your own insecurities by posting negatively. You seem like a perfect fit for UChicago–you’re only smart behind your computer screen or when your nose is in a book.</p>
<p>Hey guys…</p>
<p>Okay, this UofC, NU thing is crazy. I was accepted to neither nor did I apply to them. I am an OSU grad (now we KNOW football) and not overly fond of either UC or NU. However I did summer school at Northwestern. There are two important academic facts to know about both NU and UofC. NU has a quarter system which someone aptly mentioned is daunting. It is. We had the same at OSU and the pace can overwhelm anyone. UofC is notorious for grad deflation. Anyone who is pre-med or pre-law should seriously reconsider going to UofC, though NU is difficult as well. To be honest my classes at OSU were far more interesting, less cut-throat and more (based on working with NU Kellog MBAs) useful in the business world than what I sampled at NU. Not that anyone is asking about OSU vs. NU 
I think NU’s students are more well-rounded than UC but they were extremely competitive and did not work well together. The UC undergrad students I met were just odd and way too serious for me. (and I graduated top 3% of my class and was known as a very serious student in HS). If you are in theatre or journalism than NU is a clear winner and well worth attending for those majors.</p>
<p>Okay, this UofC, NU thing is crazy. I was accepted to neither nor did I apply to them. I am an OSU grad (now we KNOW football) and not overly fond of either UC or NU. However I did summer school at Northwestern. There are two important academic facts to know about both NU and UofC. NU has a quarter system which someone aptly mentioned is daunting. It is. We had the same at OSU and the pace can overwhelm anyone. UofC is notorious for grad deflation. Anyone who is pre-med or pre-law should seriously reconsider going to UofC, though NU is difficult as well. To be honest my classes at OSU were far more interesting, less cut-throat and more (based on working with NU Kellog MBAs) useful in the business world than what I sampled at NU. Not that anyone is asking about OSU vs. NU I think NU’s students are more well-rounded than UC but they were extremely competitive and did not work well together. The UC undergrad students I met were just odd and way too serious for me. (and I graduated top 3% of my class and was known as a very serious student in HS). If you are in theatre or journalism than NU is a clear winner and well worth attending for those majors.</p>
<p>Just want to reiterate the ■■■■■ goes to Duke, not UChicago. It’s been rare to see a ■■■■■ from UChicago. But there had been quite a few from Duke; at the same time, there were also quite a few people bashing Duke. I guess what goes around comes around. :)</p>
<p>Actually, I think UChicago suffers from one of the highest grade inflation in the country even if their average GPA is lower than its peers. I remember reading this in an article somewhere, ill post the link if I can find it.</p>
<p>^that doesn’t make sense. higher grade inflation does mean higher average GPA, when the schools are peers. based on what i read, UChicago’s grade deflation is a myth but it is also far from the most grade-inflated.</p>
<p>there’s a very unscientific study by boalt’s law school using its applicants data. they used LSAT vs GPA. but it’s difficult to establish those applicants are representative. it’d be better to just use the GPA vs SAT since most of the student body took SAT. either way, that’s assuming standardized test scores and college grades are closely correlated.</p>
<p>^^North2South-
NU’s quarter system is not a distingishing feature of the school in terms of a comparison with Chicago, since I believe Chicago is also on a quarter system.</p>
<p>UChicago has neither grade inflation nor deflation (although it used to have the latter, but so long ago that it is by now irrelevant). It also is very secretive about average GPA, so that the last known GPA leak was in 1999, and at the time it was 3.26. I’m sure that over the years, this has inched up to 3.3-3.4.</p>
<p>
Ah well, you know how memory fades as time passes; I guess I exaggerated a bit there. :P</p>
<p>Anyway, heres the article I was talking about:
[GPAs</a> get a .76 boost from gradeinflation - The Chicago Maroon](<a href=“Quartet-in-residence again awes the Mandel faithful – Chicago Maroon”>Quartet-in-residence again awes the Mandel faithful – Chicago Maroon)</p>
<p>Ummm, I did not go to duke, and I am not a ■■■■■</p>
<p>Ah, I don’t think Sam Lee was referring to you; hes talking about lesdiablesbleus.</p>
<ol>
<li>NU kids are the best of the best, be ready for competition in class and elsewhere for leadership positions. Many students are superstars: getting the grades, doing work outside class, etc.</li>
<li>NU is notorious for it’s rigorous programs like MMSS, the pre-med track, journalism, etc. These programs are extremely well known in the area and even in other areas like NY, so getting a job with these majors behind you speaks volumes.</li>
<li>Greek life does not dominate NU, nor does any one singular thing on campus–which is nice. Social life exists in many pockets on campus.</li>
<li> Winters are killer. Actually, it’s not that bad, but buy a North Face before coming here.</li>
<li>Professors are ballers in their respective fields and there are tons of opportunities to work with them, most are really interested in students and are great resources for independent research and future work.</li>
</ol>
<p>Excellence is definitely the norm here. It’s easy to take for granted because it’s everywhere but you become more aware of how exceptional the people around you truly are when you venture outside the NU bubble.</p>
<p>I want to second, third, fourth and fifth what brebuff said just now. Having spent a term away from NU with students from other schools (both of similar caliber and not), I came to appreciate how amazing NU students are.</p>