<p>Chicago is my first choice, but my parents aren't too thrilled about the school. (My mom thinks that I've been deluded by all the UChicago propaganda, and they both want me to go to a school on this side of the country.) The distance is probably the top concern. Does anyone from the east coast have the same problem? And how difficult would it be to travel from Uchicago back to home -- what is the average cost of going back for holidays and vacations by plane?</p>
<p>You didn't tell us where you live, but I'm assuming it's Long Island, based on your moniker.</p>
<p>Chicago feels a lot like New York and Philadelphia, but the people are a little less intense and the pace is a little slower (except for the Loop and the Magmile, which are every bit as exciting as Times Square). Chicago is my favorite city in the USA, and I've been to 40 states.</p>
<p>I don't really consider Chicago that far away from the East Coast. It's not like you'd be at Stanford or UCLA, where not only does your travel take 5 hours, but you have to adjust to a 3-hour time zone difference once you're home.</p>
<p>As far as airfare, I'm not sure, but a roundtrip flight from Chicago to Detroit is usually less than $100. I can take Northwest, American, United or Southwest nonstop; if you fly out of LGA, it would probably be between $100 and $200 roundtrip. If you don't mind a long ride, you can take Amtrak for probably about $80-90 roundtrip.</p>
<p>Southwest flies into Midway Airport. Midway is very convenient to the University, a short, straight bus or taxi ride straight to the campus. Cuts a lot of time off of any trip from college to home.</p>
<p>If you feel apprehensive, maybe you should take that as a sign that maybe you would be happier someplace else.</p>
<p>I'm having the same problem with my mother...she has some sort of separation anxiety or something :p
I think she'll just have to learn to adjust...</p>
<p>My husband and DS1 flew to Chicago for a visit -- tickets were $43 each R/T. Got a great deal, but fares aren't horribly expensive anyway. From the NY area, there are regular shuttles. It is a fabulous school -- no arguments from me on that one!</p>
<p>I'm putting on my mom hat now :) : If your parents have concerns, perhaps the three of you should sit down and start talking about your goals and college list, and their concerns (money, distance, etc.). Better to do it now than after you have a list of acceptances that don't match your (or your family's) reality.</p>
<p>We don't know you, your study habits, financial situation, family relationships, etc. -- but step back and consider that your parents may feel that some schools are a better fit for you than others. Chicago itself may not be the objection, but another, underlying reason -- so that's why it's good to start chatting now. Part of your parents' confidence in "letting go" will stem from the mature, adult way you present your thoughts and listen to theirs.</p>
<p>Airfare from Chicago to New York is usually around $200-$300 depending on the time of year. Taking a train or bus would be much smarter, but it really isn't very far away. </p>
<p>In the end, it really is YOUR choice, not your parents'. This is the time to break away; however, the concern may be more financial than distance.</p>
<p>It also depends on how often you plan on going home. Obviously if you'd only be going home for winter and summer, and maybe spring, breaks then the overall cost will be much different if you feel a high need to go back for thanksgiving, birthdays, random weekends, etc.</p>
<p>There are nonstop Southwest flights from Islip, LI to Chicago Midway airport. Only a couple of hours, if that. Advance fares tend to be quite reasonable.</p>
<p>longislander, I wonder if you could visit Chicago with your parents. Maybe, they could sit in some classes with you and walk around the campus. My high school son spent nine weeks last summer in a language immersion class at Chicago. He hasn't been on any official college visits (he will be applying this fall), however, he has been to a few college campuses because of his EC.But for him, Chicago is the gold standard and the colleges he has seen so far are always compared to Chicago by him. He just returned having spent the weekend taking part in a competition held at a top (ranked 5th or 6th) college. He told me he would not be applying to that college. In his words " mom, the students look too polished, it does not feel like U of C". I wonder if he would have had a different impression if he had sat in some of the classes and talked with more undergrads. My son loved the classes, profs, and students at Chicago, but it was probably the most grueling nine weeks of his life. He must like the rapid-fire pace and intensity of Chicago though, because he can't wait to apply there - hope he gets in (fingers crossed).</p>
<p>longislander,
the trick is to buy your tickets well in advance. You probably will only be coming home at the quarter breaks, and maybe thanksgiving. Schlepping your stuff to Chicago as a first year is a bit of a pain, but you will probably be able to store it in your residence hall over the summer. </p>
<p>Of course, Chicago is many miles from home for you - but looked at another way, its just a non-stop plane ride.</p>
<p>micromom -
best wishes to your son in the applications processes. I don't believe I uncrossed my fingers until I was sitting next to my son at opening convocation!</p>
<p>Sigh. I have this problem too.. but I live on the west coast :(</p>
<p>I immediately wondered 3 things: are your parents familiar with air travel?
is there anything scholastically unique about Chicago that draws you there? have your parents ever lived outside the NY Metropolitan area? Each might play a role in how they view your situation right now. I'll peel back some layers of this onion. </p>
<p>Do your parents ever travel by plane, either for business or pleasure? There are plenty of families who they live and work all over the NY area, where there's so much one can live a lifetime and never want to leave. Kids who grow up around there often want to return post-college, saying it's the only place on earth they could live. If the families want a vacation, many have a lifestyle that takes them to Cape Cod, Maine, Vermont or New Jersey shore, all within a 4-hour drive by car. </p>
<p>What this does, mentally, is give parents the understandable impression that distance = roadmiles on a map.</p>
<p>But if you're a "flier", Chicago from NY is "close" (miles are irrelevant) because many people use that route. The market (demand) means good, frequent flights with competitive fares, many non-stop flights. </p>
<p>That said, there's a parochialism some New Yorkers have (and I'm one, too) that the best is right there, so why go elsewhere?</p>
<p>I'm not sure what the UChicago "propaganda" is, but if there's something very compelling about their program (core academic lists of classics, for example) that would make you do your best there and find great challenge and inspiration, that's your strongest, best reason to attend there. I'm sure your parents can name long lists of comparable schools within close reach, including Columbia University which also has a classics program, or if you want to try another big city, well: Boston, PHiladelphia are easily reached by train, bus or car. So why would anyone want to go to Chicago?</p>
<p>Well, there are hundreds of reasons, but New York has all the same opportunities. You'll say Chicago Institute of Art, they'll counter Metropolitan.
You'll say Second City, they'll say Broadway.</p>
<p>So if I were you, I'd try to help them come to terms with your sheer desire to ADVENTURE, to see another part of this country, to get off the East Coast for a moment in your life. Or, find the things that UChicago offers programmatically that are very compelling for you. </p>
<p>I kind of understand their thinking in one way. When our two oldest wanted a "well-balanced, intellectually oriented LAC" we said, Great! You have l00's of them in a huge triangle between Maine-Chicago-North Carolina. Apply anywhere inside of there, because we can afford to get you there and back. They didn't mind being restricted to our "don't apply west of the Mississippi" for undergrad.</p>
<p>THe youngest, however, has a specific interest in screenplay writing, so made a compelling case to be allowed to apply both on the East Coast and California. I resisted at first, but when I looked at the airfares, I saw that it'd cost me the same to fly him to Cali as to Washington, D.C. After a while (and he persisted) I got my head around it, so he's applied on both coasts. If he wanted to study Government or Economics, I can't see why I should fly him across the nation for that, but the specifics of screenplay writing make his a different case than for his two older sibs. So..what exactly is it that "only" UChicago provides? I think you can find that out, and if so, that's your case to pitch. If they think it's "propaganda" then my hunch is they have that NYParochialism thing going. </p>
<p>Try googling up Expedia.com or ORbitz. Find out the airfares for a RT ticket that you might purchase 2 months from now (not on a holiday weekend). Look for the best fares. Compared to gasoline and their lost work time to a campus 4 hours from Long Island, I think the Chicago airfare might start to appeal to them. But it does take a while for parents to get over their firstborne leaving, if that's who you are. Give them time; it's hard for us, too.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>longislander, you should check out the Southwest flights from New York to Chicago that idad mentioned. If it is just two hours by plane, and provided you did not spend hours traveliing to the airport(s), then the travel time would not be anything to be concerned about. But you are wise to be thinking about the nitty gritty of travel. It is important that travel to and fro from college be not arduous - there will be times when you might feel homesick and feel like making a quick visit to see your family. After having read many stories on CC about college students who come down with mono and other illnesses, second semester blues, roommate problems, etc, the convenience factor involved in the student getting home, or the family coming to see him/her, should be an important consideration when picking a college. Take care and hope things work out for you.</p>
<p>ohiomom, thank you for the good wishes. Toes ands fingers will be crossed this coming year :-)</p>
<p>paying3tuitions -
"That said, there's a parochialism some New Yorkers have (and I'm one, too) that the best is right there, so why go elsewhere?"</p>
<p>We have that in Ohio, too, lol. Although I'm a big believer in the big boot out of the nest, I am just as glad that my kid is an easy plane ride away. Maine, while picturesque as all get out, is a bit of a hike - just as well the schools there didn't pan out.</p>
<p>I flew from Chicago Midway to Islip with my kids to visit east coast colleges last September. The reason we flew to Islip was because the fare were the cheapest- $39 apiece one way each on Southwest.
I can tell you that it took longer to get to Princeton, New Jersey by rental car from Islip than it did for us to get from Hyde Park to Islip!</p>