@barrons UChicago is a world leader in archanne sciences QPhysics and Astronomy … granted it has a relative weakness in life sciences. But we are talking about the undergraduate experience. Teacher student ratio, pedigree and overall reputation simply cannot be compared. UW Is a safety school for ivy and UChicago applicants.
Seriously, if you want to be an engineer go to UW. UW has an awesome engineering program. Everything else UChicago.
I’d have no problem at all picking Wisconsin over UC…for probably the vast majority of students who could get in both, UW would be the better choice. You don’t pick a spouse just because he/she has a huge brain…
Wisconsin isn’t just another huge state school on the prairie…It’s one of the most well-rounded universities in the country.
I know 3 brilliant students who considered Chicago recently–2 were completely turned off by the super-nerd factor. The third ended up there but is not particularly happy…Would have fit in much better at Northwestern.
Go visit both before you decide. Chicago has a rather special ( nerdy, really intellectual) vibe and culture that is certainly not for everyone. It is quite different from UW. Also will the extra cost cause a big strain for you/your family? no college is worth really training your family budget.
I went to visit UC with both sons, one didn’t even apply, the other didn’t take the acceptance. Both said that it was just not a “fun” environment. They both said that (2 years apart). It was a just a feeling they both had that they were too well rounded to be in such a one dimensional environment. Both felt that UW and NW were much different feel during the campus tours. The older one eventually went to Furman and loves it. The other is still deciding, but did not apply to UC after the tour. I think everyone is right, when it comes right down to it forget the $, that’s not much of a difference in the grand scheme of things. Put together a pro and con list of the subjective factors, then just look in to your heart. The answer is there. (I’m sure you will do well wherever you go, everyone feels that self doubt that someone will discover you do not belong, it happens in medical school too)
Good luck
Here’s one nicely summarized set of findings related to STEM PhD production:
https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf13323/
Table 2 reports absolute numbers, Table 4 adjusts for school size.
Now, it’s possible that some of the per capita difference is merely telegraphing differences in admission selectivity, or that UChicago (for whatever reason) is attracting a higher percentage of students who are pre-disposed to pursue doctorates. Outcome statistics can be tricky that way.
Starting in the 1990s, UChicago increased the population of undergrads relative to graduate students, largely for financial reasons. I don’t think one can say it is now “more of a grad school”. In fact, in some respects it seems to be one of the most LAC-like of the highest-ranking research universities. Look at average class sizes. UChicago has one of the smallest percentages of large classes (>= 50 students) of any research university. Look, too, at the number of senior faculty winning awards for undergraduate teaching (http://www.uchicago.edu/about/accolades/35/). Even before the restructuring, many senior/ distinguished professors did teach undergrads (not just in big lectures but in small discussion classes, too). If you care, ask current students/faculty/staff about this. They shouldn’t have too much trouble rattling off a list of distinguished professors who teach undergrads.
I think you need to decide which environment you want to be in. A very academically intense, intellectual environment surrounded by top-notch students, where you feel pushed to your limits, but reap the rewards of a highly focused and highly regarded undergrad experience? If so, go to Chicago - $10K/year will be more than worth it. But if that doesn’t sound appealing to you or what you want from college, then go to UW, enjoy a very good education, and have a great time in a more diverse (in terms of activities, environment, not race) and relaxed setting.