<p>I'm going to chime in my two cents for the Chicago/Stern decision. Last year at exactly this time I had the exact same dilemma between Chicago and Stern (I'm currently at Chicago). Chicago and NYU-Stern, if you visit the two schools, are dramatically different places to be. Stern is a professional school, as someone previously mentioned, and so their goal is to gear you for the workforce. Chicago is rigorously devoted to a liberal-arts education. When I visited Stern, and ask my friends who are there right now, it is essentially a culture of professionalism, where most students are in school for the sake of advancing their professional careers, whether in i-banking, business law, politics, etc. Chicago is completely different. Many of us don't have strong urges toward specific majors (me included) yet, and are just trying to absord the Common Core as much as we can. I used to be bent on doing i-banking, marketing, or financial analysis, but I've picked up a growing love for the legal field here. For me, the Chicago experience so far gives me more flexible options for my future. Econ majors here can still go on to business careers straight out of ugrad...I know a person who graduated three years to work at Morgan Stanley. But unlike Stern, you will get a better exposure to a variety of fields like philosophy, literature, the classics, sociology, anthropology, which may drive your goals a different way. As for Stern, besides a very small requirement of a World Cultures course in your freshman year, the rest of your college experience is devoted to studying finance, accounting, marketing, and the other foundational aspects of business. Hope that helps.</p>
<p>First off, someone said they were choosing between Uchicago and Emory... I guess i am tainted by living in atlanta, but... please choose uchicago over emory. yes, emory is good, but chicago is so different! there is an entirely different atmosphere. </p>
<p>my decisions are: MIT, UChicago, Tufts (depends on FinAid), Emory, and then some safeties, and still waiting on Princeton.</p>
<p>I guess, it all depends on the financial aid at this point. I think I am gonna choose MIT over UChicago. those are the two really in contention here.</p>
<p>Help me out here everyone!</p>
<p>Right now it's between UChicago and Swarthmore for me... both I'm sure would be excellent choices but I'm very undecided at this point.</p>
<p>If I were you, I would send a letter to Swarthmore telling them that I am laughing at their acceptance letter (I put the Vanderbilt acceptance in the garbage can). But you are not me, so do whatever you want.</p>
<p>Don't be so quick to dismiss Swarthmore! It's a very fine school and very similar to Chicago in many ways. It also has great access to Philly, which is a plus. Personally, I would go with Chicago, though. It has more resources, and class sizes (an important factor, IMO) aren't that different. Chicago's stronger in the sciences (and some humanities), although Swarthmore is good all around (including engineering). You really cannot go wrong with either. I think you're going to have to decide whether you want a university or a LAC- that should definitely help you decide.</p>
<p>University of Chicago versus Wellesley...which one would be better than the other? </p>
<p>Now, what if it was economics? I personally prefer the environment at Wellesley better but UC's program in economics is the best ...</p>
<p>this is pathetic, im having the same age-old conundrum. Northwestern or Chicago?
its confounded by the fact that my brother is at northwestern, really likes it, and has that inherent NU bias against chicago. He says that the whole place feels "dirty."
but at this point, im about 65% sure on going to chicago, about 25 on NU, and 10% on Oberlin.
My high school is in an urban area very similar to chicago (nearby neighborhoods: some are seedy, some are ghetto, some are beatiful) and I love being in a city.
Anybody have any thoughts I can use to persuade myself, and my brother, that chicago is the better place?
NU is effin expensive, we'll see what kind of fin. aid Chicago gives (hasn't arrived yet) and oberlin gave me a 12k scholarship (big surprise!)</p>
<p>the good news is, with these great options, I could really care less right now that amherst waitlisted me.</p>
<p>he said chicago was dirty?</p>
<p>my friend had northwestern auditions a few weeks ago (guitar major) and said the campus was a mess--especially the music buildings which were run down and had leaves and dirt from the fall still on the floors in the practice rooms.</p>
<p>the guitar professer must really have liked him because he got waitlisted... NU is one of the schools that actually looks at grades and stuff for music students (the professor can say no, but cant really do much about saying yes) and though he should be getting an IB diploma, he has a major downward curve</p>
<p>yeah i dont quite understand either, everything looks so beautiful in their pictures. I know that colleges are obvously going to try to make themselves look good, but chicago's campus looks awesome.</p>
<p>swathmore seems like a typical ultraliberal campus. the varying degrees of this phenomonen can produce in me either a mighty yawn or dry heaves.</p>
<p>When I visited, my sunday on campus didnt feel so good which kinda scared me, but I discovered that it was parent weekend or something and most people were off campus (because there sure wasnt many people outside and the library was pretty empty).</p>
<p>On monday when I had my tour and interview, the campus felt more lively and didnt seem dirty at all. I also got to eat in the quadrangle club which is something that not many students get to do.</p>
<p>im going to visit in a couple weeks. I hope to god teh choice will be clear after that, i dont know if i can tolerate any more of my own indecision. </p>
<p>anybody else have thoughts on U of C vs. NU? i dont want me and otto to dominate this board.</p>
<p>Re grade deflation at Chicago. I think that one is true. My D told me that summa cum laude (that's the top one, right?) is a 3.7 because so few people do better than that.</p>
<p>TheCity--when I went back to Chicago last fall, having not been there for oh a couple of decades and a half, I thought it looked kind of dingy too. I guess when you remember things, the dirt just disappears!--Just like in the pictures! I have had the same thoughts upon visiting the Harvard and Berkeley campuses, though, so don't get the idea that I think Chicago is a mess. I went to an alumni lunch when I was there and while chatting with a couple at the table, St. Olaf college came up. I guess both of our sons had applied there also. The mom's face lit up, and she remarked on how clean St. Olaf was and how the buildings all matched. So, there you go--for clean, matching buildings, St. Olaf is the place!</p>
<p>thanks mstee? where in teh bay area do you live? I live in the city. </p>
<p>sorry, i guess its a little late for me to apply to st. olaf...</p>
<p>i dont think he meant dirtiness so much in terms of actual cleanliness, but just in terms of the place feeling scary or dark or excessively somber. </p>
<p>Ive looked at a lot of student websites, tehy seem like they know how to be cheery and have a good time.</p>
<p>There's a joking line at UChicago: "Northwestern--Chicago's greatest consolation prize." But seriously, Northwestern is obviously a great school. However, it's entirely different. No core, enormous, many separate undergraduate schools, and a decided emphasis on professionalism and/or specialization. Chicago is the opposite. Northwestern is also a suburban campus, while UChicago is an inner city campus. To me, those are some key points to consider that really should have an impact on your decision. To me, they weren't budgeable, and Chicago was right for me. I would consider those differences, and decide which school is right for you, in turn.</p>
<p>The city--I live on the other side of the bay--near Oakland. I guess you could say the campus has a sombre feeling, in the same way I imagine London might feel (have never been there). It is very beautiful, though. Then again, there is that ridiculous orange building that they put in next to the library that adds a kind of jarring, bright note! One thing that struck me after living in the bay area was how many bricks there are in Chicago.</p>
<p>hehe, yeah. Actually, bricks strike me wherever I go.. I guess their an economical way to build things when you dont have earthquakes. Even in chico, everything is brick. </p>
<p>Which is nice, because bricks look much better than the concrete and glass we're used to.</p>
<p>lsatly, my sincerest condolences for your having to live in the east bay.</p>
<p>I like it on this side! Less fog!</p>
<p>When I was in Chicago last summer (mind you, this is the city, not the campus -- I had been waitlisted and declined a spot (stupid!), so I didn't go visit), I actually thought it was one of the cleaner cities I'd seen (compared, especially, to San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles).</p>