<p>All i've heard from friends/family/counselors/etc when I mentioned that Chicago is one of my top choices is "Don't go there." I have a friend who currently goes there and he even told me he doesn't care for it much. It says the social environment is weak, the workload is excessive, and city isn't great. I wouldn't really value this opinion so strongly but it's what I have heard from absolutely everyone I've talked to about the school. Can a current student or someone who has actually visited the school please tell me otherwise?</p>
<p>My daughter tells me she has never been happier in her life than she is at UChicago. Her house (dorm) is very social and she often tells me about the fun she has with numerous friends. She also is taking advantage of the city and seems to go downtown almost every weekend. While I can tell that she studies a lot and sometimes gets stressed out, especially around finals week and midterms, she clearly has time to just hang out and do the fun things college students do. She recently told me that if she had to do it all over again, she'd make the same decision, hands-down.</p>
<p>I have relatives who attended/are attending the U of C now.</p>
<p>"It says the social environment is weak"
--yeah.. the U of C is known to be the nerd school. That's why the social scene is all the more exciting. Think about it-- all the nerds at your school go off to college, and in the first year, they all start partying.. hm :) Just to let you know, there are LOTS of partiers at the school, and my relatives tell me that the social scene is FAR far from tame.</p>
<p>"the workload is excessive"
--Yeah.. they do give you lots of work, but it's not unmanageable. To be highly edified, that's why you go to the U of C in the first place.
--Life of the Mind-- sounds familiar?</p>
<p>"and city isn't great."
--Are you kidding? Have you been to Chicago?</p>
<p>NYRock,</p>
<p>Only you can decide whether Chicago fits. And this is true about any school. Read the older posts here and in the archives:</p>
<p>Then visit and draw your own conclusion. There is really no substitute.</p>
<p>When you visit, you will know.</p>
<p>For parents who have kids at U.Chicago, what specific recommendations do you have for me and my D during an upcoming visit?
U.Chicago seems to be the most-maligned great school.</p>
<p>everyone knows that chicago isn't for everyone. so the people who are giving you their opinions, are they like you? if they are, and they aren't the type of people that like chicago, then maybe you shouldn't go if accepted. but if you're the kind of person that likes what chicago advertises itself to be, then you might be in luck. i have a close friend that is a freshman at chicago this year and she absolutely loves it. as far as work goes, she says she isn't as strong in the math/science areas, and has said that the classes she takes to fulfill her math/science requirements are simply intro classes. as a result, the work that could potentially crush her isn't unmanageable. the work she is doing within her potential major is likely the most difficult, but of course, being a chicago student, she loves it.</p>
<p>choc,</p>
<p>Tough question. Here are some thoughts:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>lose the kid, head downtown to the Art Institute and North Mich. Avenue for shopping.</p></li>
<li><p>Go see the eclectic shopping on Belmont near Clark on the north side.</p></li>
<li><p>Make sure to check out the U. Chicago discounts for lodging. </p></li>
<li><p>walk, explore.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Finally, don't do what my D did last year, not that it was her fault. She came down with acute gastroenteritis Thursday night about 2 AM, was rescued by an admissions officer who happens to also be a head resident, who cleaned her sleeping bag (you can guess why) and nursed her through Friday and Friday night until her flight back left Saturday.</p>
<p>i spoke to a few teachers who told me that they had students who loved chicago. i don't, i have no vested interest to defend chicago yet.</p>
<p>Right, newmassdad. If my daughter decides to go to Chicago, I will have plenty of time to explore. I am really more interested in how to explore campus in the most rewarding way, as we have barely have 1 and 1/2 days, and it's on to the next campus...</p>
<p>If she does the overnight, are there particular recommendations you have for her and for me?</p>
<p>NewMassDad gives excellent suggestions. My S is 1st year studying math and he also loves Univ of Chicago. He is home for spring break and believes he made the absolute right decision. He believes there is no other school that would fit his needs the way Chicago has. The campus is not large so you should be able to cover what you want to in the period of time you are there. One suggestion would be to eat lunch at Bartlett hall where many 1st years eat (upper class as well) and start a conversation with some of the students. When my son was looking this was a srategy we used. Students were more than willing to open up about the school good and bad. Have your D try to sit in a class in her major. That might help her decide. My son went to a math class at Chicago and was sold after that.
Good luck. I could go on and on about the merits of Chicago but I too am sold so I am now biased.</p>
<p>Choc,</p>
<p>Chicago's campus is nicely compact. To just see the campus and a few select buildings, 1/2 day would be fine. While you are there, you should not miss the oriental institute, which is really a museum of the U's collectings from mideast digs in the 20s-30s. Fabulous. Robi House, a Frank Lloyd Wright gem, is right next to the new Grad School of Bus building, which many locals do not like at all. Note, though, how it effectively mirrors the prairie school lines of the Robi House across the street. To and from U. Chicago, the only way to drive is on LSD (no, not a drug, Lake Shore Drive..)</p>
<p>Other than that, relax and explore.</p>
<p>Thanks for that advice, newmassdad. We are flying into Midway, and 55th street seems to be the most direct route in to the campus, but now I am hearing that we may be driving through some dangerous neighborhoods. Is there an alternate route?</p>
<p>Grasslands, please do go on about the merits of Chicago? </p>
<p>Last week when I was making hotel reservations, the young lady at the desk and I got chatting, and she told me that she had graduated from UC. So we chatted for 25 minutes after that, and she actually told me that she had quite a rough time at Chicago, for 2 reasons: one, she was not able (?) to make friends, and the other, that she found some of the math core really hard.</p>
<p>So really, people that have problems, could have those problems anywhere they went.
At another campus visit, I met this very bright tour guide, who asked where else we were looking, and when we said Chicago, she went on a rant describing her own visit to Chicago last year, (April 2004), and how the tour guide was a complete social failure, who could not get anyone in the group excited about the school.</p>
<p>My D's interviewer's son goes there and absolutely loves it, as well as one of her teacher's D.</p>
<p>Well, we shall soon find out for ourselves...</p>
<p>My S is a second year at Chicago and loves it. My only suggestion while visiting campus is to make sure you spend some time just sitting in the quads...check out Harper Library and have a snack and sit and listen to students in the Reynolds Cllub. You might also want to check out Ida Noyes Hall and see if there are any student productions up while you are there. The new quarter starts on Monday, so I don't know what will be going on.
As for driving from Midway..I find it takes about 20 minutes to get to campus and the neighborhoods are fine....If there is no street parking there is a lot at the hospital and one right across from Ratner (the athletic complex). Prior to choosing Chicago my S was interested in environmental Studies (has changed his mind 3 times since then) and e-mailed a professor about sitting in on a seminar while he was visiiting. The professor welcomed him and even sought him out before the class started. He has found the workload tough but manageable. He has taken 4 courses every quarter and will (by the end of next quarter) have fullfilled all core requirements except Civ. The social life is there if you want it...and there's a lot to get involved with if you are so inclined. It seemed quite easy for him to get involved with lots of different activities within weeks of arriving. Good luck with your visit.</p>
<p>Check out the Reg (and make sure to wander into the stacks for a minute)</p>
<p>Also be sure to look at the coop bookstore.</p>
<p>How could I forget the Co-op bookstore. I must say that if asked, my S might say that's why he went there!!! He actually wrote about the Co-op in his Why Chicago essay!</p>
<p>Lots of great ideas. Thanks everyone.
If only Chicago did their overnights earlier than April14/15 and 21/22. That is waaaayy too close to deposit deadlines.</p>
<p>what is the coop book store?</p>
<p>The Seminary Co-op bookstore is in the basement of the Theological Seminary. It is aisles and aisles and nooks and crannies of all the books you could hope to find! They carry textbooks, as well as a very, very , very complete and comprehensive selection of fiction and non-fiction.</p>
<p>so, it's like a Barnes and Nobles with textbooks?</p>