<p>How to compare U of C, with its Core Curriculum, with UVa Echols Scholar, which waives many academic requirements for graduating, and allows specialization early. Also, more likely, if not certain, to be a much more fun college experience. And, in order to get into the best graduate school, which is the better school? Finally, what to make of the schools' respective US News rankings?</p>
<p>What is U of C?</p>
<p>University of Chicago</p>
<p>“How to compare U of C, with its Core Curriculum, with UVa Echols Scholar, which waives many academic requirements for graduating, and allows specialization early. Also, more likely, if not certain, to be a much more fun college experience. And, in order to get into the best graduate school, which is the better school? Finally, what to make of the schools’ respective US News rankings?”</p>
<p>OP, I am a graduate of one of the schools, and a current parent for the other. Are you in-state for UVA? Is there a significant cost difference between the two schools for your student? Would you have to take out loans? What type of graduate school is your student interested in - law/medicine/other professional (probably not funded) or humanities/sciences/other academic (probably funded)? Back in the day, I would have said that you would find more students intested in academic graduate programs at U of C than at UVA (though there were plenty of people who got professional graduate degrees). I don’t know if that is true today.</p>
<p>If your concern is academic quality, I don’t think either school will prevent your student from suceeding in their career path. However, my impression is that the two schools don’t tend to appeal to the same people. Does your student have a preference? Do you? My UVA student did not apply to U of C. Did your student get to visit both schools and sit in on a class? </p>
<p>U of C’s trendiness and high rankings are great if the school appeals to you… If not, there may be other environments where your student will be equally or more successful. Good luck.</p>
<p>Out of state, so no cost difference. No loans. No law school. Maybe Med school. Most likely graduate school for Sociology (but that is hard to pin down at this point). Got to visit both schools but was not able to sit in on classes.</p>
<p>There is such a different vibe to the two schools. Where did your child feel more comfortable? Both are schools for bright, eager learners. Both offer very fine educations. But you have urban vs. medium college town campuses. And the biggest difference is in the extra-curricular interests of the students. Does your student want to attend college with students who see themselves more as intellectuals above the usual college student fray, or is your child more social, and interested in mixing with students with more of a work-hard-play mentality. Of course these are gross generalizations of the two student populations, but if your student is more comfortable in one atmosphere over the other, that may make the decision easier.</p>
<p>On the sociology grad school front – UVa’s current president is a grad of Mich. State, but did graduate work in sociology at U of C. So, U of C is an possible option for grad work is your student prefers UVa for undergrad.</p>