<p>I heard that most students at UChicago just study all the time, don't do anything for fun, and everyone's super competitive about grades, rankings, etc. I know there are a lot of really smart students there so naturally more people will study more and be more competitive, but apparently it's more extreme there. Is this true or just a generalization? I mean, I want to go to UChicago, but I don't know if a really, really cutthroat environment would be good for me...</p>
<p>Perhaps a current student can answer this. My DD don’t tell me everything. However I can tell you, if you want a good high paying job after graduation, you will be into a highly competitive cutthroat environment. Especially in the finance/investment banking field. </p>
<p>If you cannot take the heat, don’t come into the kitchen.</p>
<p>UChicago tends to get that stereotype because of the “intellectual” sort of students. However, it’s really not competitive and there is a strong atmosphere of nurturing each other because of the fact that students appreciate learning itself. Students collaborate with each other, and even the pre-med students aren’t competitive with each other.</p>
<p>Not cutthroat!</p>
<p>Students can be found doing a myriad of other activites like the hundreds of RSO’s on campus. Students are passionate about so many other activities like music, theater, sports, debate, dancing, research, and other unique activities like hunting ghosts o.O They certainly don’t study all day. Although the studying is taken very seriously.</p>
<p>100% wrong on supercompetitive. At least among the students I have met (i.e., my kids’ friends), it’s clear that any discussion of grades or rank would be completely out of character. I don’t even think they knew what each other’s grades were most of the time. People work collaboratively all the time, even pre-meds.</p>
<p>As for working all the time, that’s silly, no one does that unless they can’t help themselves, and there are some of those people everywhere. But, compared to most other colleges, including most other highly selective, elite colleges, do students spend more time on class work and less time on extracurriculars (and to some extent, socializing)? Yes, probably. One of the ways in which Chicago is a little different is that it’s in the culture to care a lot about whatever you are studying right now. Or, more accurately (since I think people do tend to care about what they are studying everywhere), it’s not in the culture to pretend not to care.</p>
<p>Don’t come to Chicago if your not a fan of studying very very hard.</p>
<p>A few things make it difficult to be ultra competitive at UofC.</p>
<p>First, the U does not put out any information regarding grade or GPA distribution. Is a 3.5 GPA very good? or mediocre? We don’t know.</p>
<p>Second, because so many courses are offered in different ways or levels, especially in math and science, it may be hard to compare your A in math with another’s A. </p>
<p>My own observation of competitiveness at UofC is that it ultimately is no different from any of its peers. Some students (and some programs) are hyper-competitive. Some (if either) are not.</p>
<p>It is true that many courses demand a lot from students if they want to excel. But it also offers students opportunity to stretch, grad courses for undergrads for example, if they want to do so.</p>
<p>I would definitely not call UChicago super competitive with regard to grades and rankings. Yes, there is definitely some degree of competition among students especially in science and math classes where grades are often curved. In general, however, people care more about actually learning, understanding the material, and succeeding for themselves. In my opinion, I often feel like I am trying to beat my own expectations for myself rather than beat my fellow classmates. While it is true that most UChicago students spend a lot of time studying, people certainly take breaks. Many people I know try to set aside at least one day of the week to take off from studying. There is always something going on: RSO activities, parties, or house dinners/events. Yes, there will be some weekends during which you will have to lock yourself in the Reg, but if you plan your time wisely, you will be able to have some fun too.</p>
<p>Thanks for the clarification, everyone! A friend of mine went there and said the people were way too competitive, but I guess he was exaggerating. Then again, he was also a math major…</p>
<p>based on what I heard from my son, I have to agree with all the statements about U Chicago NOT being competitive. He said it’s very gauche to look like a grade grubber or super competitive. It’s frowned upon to be like that. It sounds like students are helping each other a lot. </p>
<p>Regarding whether students work all the time… Again based on my son’s report: NO. it does not sound like it. He seems to have a lot of time to do a lot of other things. However, he is not a heavy partier. His GAP is closer to 4.0 than 3.5, but he does not see either obsessed or stressed out about it. </p>
<p>so, if you ask me whether a U Chicago student can party hard, do a lot of EC, and then study hard to get top grades, probably not. But then, can anyone do that in any top fight intellectually rigorous university?</p>