<p>I suppose there is no 'better' university here. It's a matter of what fits one best. I see myself as a writer/journalist, therefore I intend on majoring in English and Creative writing and doing any minors/concentrations that have to do with media. The smaller the classes and the more interaction the better. I may wanna party every now and then but I don't see it as a priority. I prefer urban locations and am not exactly the most intellectual person. My ultimate ambition is to work in Publishing (books or magazines) and to ultimately write a book. I don't want a place thats too stuffy.</p>
<p>Since both of those schools are so difficult to get into (8.8% admit rate for Chicago, 5.7% for Stanford), I’m inclined to tell you to first get admitted to one (or both) of them before you fret over which is the best fit for you. </p>
<p>Undoubtedly, both UChicago and Stanford have top-ranked English departments. </p>
<p>“The smaller the classes and the more interaction the better.”</p>
<p>Neither is a liberal arts college, so your classes may be a bit big your freshman and sophomore years.</p>
<p>“I may wanna party every now and then but I don’t see it as a priority.”</p>
<p>Stanford has a more lively party scene than UChicago. You’re certainly not pressured to party, but parties are there if you want to attend them. UChicago, on the other hand, has a reputation for being anti-partying. It’s affectionately referred to as the place “where fun goes to die.”</p>
<p>“I prefer urban locations and am not exactly the most intellectual person.”</p>
<p>This is tricky. UChicago is certainly the most urban of the two, as it’s in a major city. Stanford, on the other hand, is extremely suburban, and students rarely leave campus. It’s been called a country club with classes. But you say that you’re “not exactly the most intellectual person.” In that case, I don’t think UChicago would be the best fit for you, as it’s highly cerebral and intellectual. There are certainly “intellectual” people at Stanford, though I think they’re outnumbered by techies, entrepreneurs, and engineers whose primary goal is to start a company.</p>
<p>Stanford will give you better need-based aid, as its endowment is substantially bigger. But UChicago may offer merit-based aid–something that Stanford does not do unless you’re a highly sought-after athlete.</p>
<p>@Bornemissza, I forgot to mention it, I am an international student with desperate need for aid (as mentioned above). northwestern isn’t generous when it comes to internationals.</p>
<p>I’m not sure about UChicago, but Stanford isn’t need-blind for internationals as it is for domestic applicants. This means that applying for aid will decrease your chances. </p>
<p>Perhaps you should look into Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, all of which are need-blind for internationals.</p>
<p>UChicago is actually located in Hyde Park, but you are a bus ride away from the city. It’s actually not as intellectual or “anti-fun” as people tend to think (remember that stereotypes tend to sway toward the extreme). Chicago is actually in the midst of an major institutional transformation in character:</p>
<p>I assume this is SCEA vs. EA? If so, I’d recommend maximizing your chances and doing ED + multiple EA. You honestly can’t go wrong with either school, so why not apply early to more schools versus just Stanford?</p>
<p>A school’s being need-blind or need-aware should be irrelevant to applicants; it doesn’t affect the desirability or quality of a school, but rather just the chance of admission.</p>