My oldest lives in Hyde Park as well and commutes to work. We’ve offered her a car and she has declined. Sees it as too much of a hassle and too expensive. The bus system works fine for her.
@quizwhiz, I took a look at what, if any, restrictions were placed on first years for cars or parking. The only thing I could find was that first years weren’t allowed to purchase campus parking permits (permits allow you to park for a discounted rate but don’t guarantee a space). The daily visitor rate would run nearly $30 per day. Street parking is available either via metered or free but at times isn’t available. It’s not unusual to circle a few times until you find a spot. Of course anywhere around the res halls is prime space so particularly difficult to find parking! Now, I still find spots for free at certain times of the day, but parking in Chicago can be a competitive sport and a first year undergrad is likely just going to want to hit the books and hang with his housemates. Once he arrives on campus he’ll meet older students who have cars and they can share the latest tips. My son will be moving off campus for next year and would LOVE a car, but his planned area of Hyde Park is particularly tough for parking, especially at night. He’ll be so close to 171/172, UGo and #2/#4 stops that public transportation around the neighborhood or to the downtown area just won’t be a problem. And right now he’s only three blocks away from the Green Line which goes right to the Loop. I’ve found that just doing a google map is a pretty good way to figure out your best transportation route anywhere, and if I already know my bus or shuttle I can track via Transloc or by texting the designated # once I get to my stop. Finally - yes! - as brownie has posted, your son’s tuition bill will include a “free” UPass for the CTA during the academic terms (the kids always say it’s free, the parents know better . . . ). This year they allowed students to waive that, I guess due to the large number who were staying at home this year. This fall it’s back to business as usual so that’ll very likely be automatically included again. Assuming that everything’s opened up, his house might opt to do a group outing in O-Week or throughout the year and they always take public transit. My son’s first year he was all over Chicago for dining, entertainment, and so forth. In a normal year it’s a great city to explore and his house did plenty of it.
Here’s the link with all transportation options, including all busses, shuttles and trains serving Hyde Park:
https://safety-security.uchicago.edu/transportation/
And here’s the PDF:
@ganseliesel The tour began at Rockefeller Chapel and was mostly outdoors. We did walk into 3 buildings but no dorms (which I believe is what was stated in the confirmation letter we received). We walked into the athletics building, the building that serves as the student center with a dining hall, and an academic building (sorry I don’t recall the exact names). All were pretty vacant, but campus was on lock down last week so it was very quiet all around. I bet by the time you visit there were be more life around campus and it will be full Spring. Of course we did see several dorm buildings from the outside.
Have you looked at the housing website? There are pictures of all the different dorm buildings and rooms, bios of the resident deans, etc. I found that useful.
The tours right now are pretty individualized - meaning it will be limited to just your accepted child and you (max 2 adult guests) with one tour guide (my D is a tour guide). If you let the guide know you’d like to see the dorms, he/she will bring you “by” at least several of them. They will not bring you in to see a room but can spend extra time discussing the style of the dorms - suite style vs. typical dorm, etc. As @Culbreath indicated, there is a good bit of info. on the website on room style/layout as well but the tour guide can add flavor.
First years can no longer specify res hall preference or at least that has been the intent for Class of '24 onwards. You might be able to specify whether you prefer a single to a double. The singles available to first years are mostly in BJ and I-House. Most singles elsewhere will be taken by returning students.
UChicago offers three “old dorms” and four larger “new dorms.” The newest one, WRC, is also the largest and seems to be recognized for having the best dining hall. Cathey runs second and is the dining facility serving BJ and South (aka RGG) house tables. Probably still I House as well. These designations may change now that the University has contracted with a new meal vendor. North house table is at Baker which is adjacent, Snitch and I believe Max P are at Bartlett which is the old athletic facility and really cool looking. Any student can actually go to any dining hall they choose but the house tables are a great way to get together with your house and socialize a bit while dining. I’ve been inside Cathey which consists of the newer fishbowl section and then the house table sections. The house tables are located at the back in a part that used to be the dining hall for Burton Judson. It has a Hogwartsian look to it. Was always looking for the morning mail delivery when eating there. My husband has eaten at Bartlett and loved the old plaque dedicated to the ‘manly sports.’
The student center is called Hutchinson Commons and has a dining area as well. That’s also a cool looking dining hall because you are surrounded by portraits of all the university presidents. Hannah Gray’s has been stolen a few times snd she once commented that she was always disappointed when it was recovered. She doesn’t care for it - the artist was an abstract painter who specialized in nudes. By the way, the portrait of Ida Noyes over in Ida Noyes Hall has been stolen a few times as well. Noyes is a lovely building.
Another great hall I hope they show off is Harper Study Center. It’s an amazing area. Unfortunately campus was on lockdown through today due to the large outbreak of that UK strain. Hopefully will open up again next week.
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Lol…as an intended Econ major, my S knows there is no “free lunch” (and I quote the great M. Friedman). Been drilling this into my kids’ heads for years. As a side note, I couldn’t be happier he was admitted to Chicago (free expression, free markets), but that’s another story.
@CUandUCmom @JBStillFlying @Culbreath @browniesundae , a huge thank you to all of you for all the invaluable info. I will make sure to write down my questions before the tour; in a way, I think we’ll probably get more out of the personalized tour than if there were a bunch of people at the same time. I actually like that. @CUandUCmom maybe your D will be our tour guide…?! 
Can’t wait! Thanks, everyone.
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Could be - she’s one of the few who has gone back to giving in-person tours and she does often work Fridays. Pick her brain - she absolutely loves the school and will eagerly fill you in on any questions… In any case, enjoy - campus is beautiful! Exciting time for your son!
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Here’s another question: does anyone know if a particular computer model is recommended or required?
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In general there is no computer requirement (too bad because if there was then you can use 529 funds 
). Specific courses or majors might be easier with sufficient processing speed or memory so that’s worth checking out but most students probably use their computers for submitting stuff online, checking their email, and using google docs. And watching movies or playing video games 
. Edit: also zooming for the past three+ quarters but hopefully that ends this spring!
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Mom and S21 did their personalized tour last Thursday. They then sat down with a current student we met through a family friend. They had lunch with him and then he went over to some places that the tour missed (S23 joined at the point). My wife is a question-machine gun…she says she ran out of bullets over the course of the afternoon.
This is a real random question, but do visiting parents stay in Hyde Park or downtown Chicago? And does that change for orientation/drop off versus a regular visit.
@ganseliesel how did you guys do on your visit?
I have stayed at the hotels near Midway Airport. We are able to drive there and I hate paying for hotel parking.
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There are 2 hotels in Hyde Park: The Sophy (53rd and Dorchester) and Hyatt Place (53rd and Harper). Both are walking distance to campus. They can be reasonable or expensive depending on demand, which means they are expensive at drop off, parents’ weekend, etc. There is also a Best Western (used to be La Quinta) on LSD and 49th St. It is less expensive and has free parking. We have also stayed in Airbnbs. I prefer these options over downtown as it saves back and forth travel time/hassles when you are visiting your student.
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This is my thinking! You can get free parking at the hotels out near Midway.
We’ve stayed at the Best Western - it’s my husband’s Go To place in Hyde Park (clean, not expensive). We used to live nearby. That used to be a Hilton once upon a time - before it was a La Quinta.
CR - Move-in (in a normal year - hopefully this fall) is on a Saturday morning and then the next day in the afternoon is Convocation. Parents usually take off by Monday morning. Many stay downtown, others stay in Hyde Park. Once your student moves in, they will be doing stuff with their house from late afternoon on. There are things to do around the campus as a family that weekend but once they do the procession out of Rockefeller chapel parents wave bye-bye and then go to a reception with the Dean and then usually head out to dinner somewhere in the city.
We went on Friday. Weather was perfect, no need for heavy coats. Asked many, many questions, but I’m sure we’ll come up with many more until move-in day…we rented a car and stayed at the Sable Navy Pier by the lake (the view of the city is simply spectacular). It’s about 20 mins. to UChicago, so not a bad drive. We did the guided tour and came back after lunch to just walk around campus on our own and- of course- take some pictures. In the evening we watched this light show and walked along the riverfront (had to drive and park, but easy to find a parking garage). In regards to parking, it was free because the pier is currently closed, however, once it re-opens, they will start charging for parking ($53 p/night, which I think is ridiculous). We went back to the school the next day to visit the OI Museum (free) - super recommend! All in all, we had a great time, but I can totally see why it’s such a hassle to have a car; we had to drive around a few times to park on the street when we went out for lunch…next time, we might stay near the school…we’ll def. check brownie’s hotel recommendations!
Ive been reading that in normal years there’s also a four day optional orientation for international students that usually takes place right before orientation for all first year students. I was surprised that it’s optional and that it lasts four days…a little different than what Ive seen at other schools.
I know we’ll get this info eventually, but my wife is a notorious planner (logistics coming in from Costa Rica makes it a little tougher). She had no trouble finding all the shops downtown on her own.
Looks like the have the dates for that! International Pre-Orientation | The College | The University of Chicago | The University of Chicago
It’s virtual so he needn’t travel for it. That means moving in the same general time as everyone else. Applying a “normal year” to the upcoming academic calendar: Move-In Saturday 9/18, Convocation and class procession Sunday 9/19 and O-Week programming (students only) for the next week. Classes start Monday 9/27. Most parents take off that Sunday/Monday unless they have another reason to stay in the area. Your wife should be able to work with those dates but should also wait till they are posted before booking flights and hotel. What’s not clear is how much of the other O-Week programming will be virtual vs. in-person and that will obviously impact things like Move-In.
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@JBStillFlying , out of curiosity, do you know if it’s common for professors to read the ‘uncommon’ essays? The level of detail that went into my son’s essay was mind-blowing and I swear I had to read it a few times to fully ‘get it’. I wonder if certain professors are asked by the AO’s to help out with the veracity of knowledge/depth that may go into those…?