<p>If you had to choose between the school with the location you absolutely love and the school with the academic program that is considered 'better', which would you choose? I would really love to be in Chicago, and DePaul University has such an excellent location, right in the heart of Lincoln Park. However, I know I'll be able to get into better places, just not in Chicago. Northwestern and UChicago and reaches, and I'm not even sure that I'd be interested in UChi anyway given what I hear about lifestyle.</p>
<p>So...in the end...would a GWU or American be considered so much better than DePaul? I know my abilities and I know I can do well at a higher level institution, but I also know where I want to be.</p>
<p>1) You may change yoru mind about a lot of things between now and the time you have to decide where to go. Cast a wide net.</p>
<p>2) You can always get a job and live in Chicago, no matter where you go to school, if that’s your heart’s desire. The purpose of going to college is to get the best education you can in a place you’ll feel comfortable. It doesn’t have to (and probably won’t) be the “perfect” place.</p>
<p>3) If you’ve never lived in Chicago, what happens if you go to DePaul and find out that Chicago’s not really what you thought it would be?</p>
<p>This is easy for me. “Fit” is far more important than prestige for me, and location is a huge part of “fit”. I would never go to Harvard or someplace similar simply because of prestige. For me, it’s about location, location, location.</p>
<p>If you go to UChicago, I doubt you will have time to enjoy Chicago anyways. Their curriculumn keeps you busy… I think you will rarely step foot off campus ever (maybe more during your first year… but). It’s sleep, eat, study, activities, hangout, sleep, eat, facebook…</p>
(maybe more during your first year… but). It’s sleep, eat, study, activities, hangout, sleep, eat, facebook…</p>