<p>I'm very interested in Wash U, and I'm also looking into U of Chicago... I'll probably major in Poli Sci, History, Religious Studies, or Economics... Which school has the better programs? What are the political leanings of the programs/professors? Would I be at an advantage/disadvantage attending one University over the other?</p>
<p>If someone could tell me about Wash U v. Chicago who knows all about both, that would be AMAZING!!! Please HELP</p>
<p>I don’t know enough to compare them, but I either one would be a good choice academically.
You have to figure out which one will be a better fit for you - something only you can know.</p>
<p>Look into campus cultures, U of C core curriculum, etc.</p>
<p>In general, educators tend to lean toward the left. You’ll find that everywhere.</p>
<p>Hoosier-
WHen you’re talking undergrad - especially when choosing between top schools like these - do NOT base your decision on some notion about which school is stronger in traditional liberal arts departments like these. Go with which school’s atmosphere you like better, and what is generally called “fit.”<br>
When you are looking at grad school programs, the comparison is more appropriate.
You really can’t lose with either of these terrific schools.
That being said, the city of Chicago is certainly more exciting than St. Louis. While students at both schools are extremely intelligent, U of C students are generally regarded as being more intellectually aggressive. Wash U has a beautiful, well-run campus with some of the happiest students in the country.
My kids like WashU better than U of C (although they both ultimately chose other schools that they liked better still), but it’s a very individual and subjective call. Visit both schools, attend some classes, hang out and maybe even stay overnight. Then you’ll be able to make your own educated choice.</p>
<p>UChicago for humanities/sosc, WashU for science/engineering.</p>
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<p>You do know that Chicago’s primarily known for its science programs, don’t you? It just doesn’t have engineering.</p>
<p>^And that there are some excellent h/ss departments at WashU.</p>
<p>Chicago is primarily known for business, law, the social sciences and humanities. I’ll admit, certain physical sciences as well . WashU for its med school and the biological and chemical sciences. Certainly everything the OP has mentioned, especially Religious Studies and Economics, UChicago is a better choice academically.</p>
<p>Quite. I understand the mentality that one should choose based on fit, but in this case, Chicago would inevitably give the student a considerably larger advantage than WashU.</p>
<p>NRC Rankings:
Economics: Chicago #1; WashU #29
Religion: Chicago #1; WashU Unranked
History: Chicago #8; WashU #44
Political Science: Chicago #6; WashU #24</p>
<p>In other words, Chicago is top 10 nationally in all fields you’re interested in, and WashU is firmly outside the top 20 in these fields. Your best bet is to go with Chicago. Of course, you need to get IN to these institutions before you make any decisions, anyway.</p>
<p>Yes, and Chicago has Bill Ayres from the Weather Underground there, too.</p>
<p>He teaches at University of Illinois at Chicago, not University of Chicago. U of C is pretty conservative as far as colleges go.</p>
<p>You choose a school based on department rankings for PhDs…not for undergrad. You’ll take a fraction of your total classes in any given department, and the quality is comparable among all top universities.</p>
<p>Choose an undergrad based on the atmosphere, the location, the students, where you envision yourself, etc.</p>
<p>Not to mention you still have to get into both places first.</p>
<p>Says a student going to WUSTL. Trust me on this one. If you’re completely set up any or any set of those majors, go with Chicago.</p>
<p>^^Well, I’m not a student going to WUSTL, and as you can see from post #4 above, my view is consistent with marcdvl’s. We’re talking undergrad here, and the choice is between two great schools. The best advice is to choose the school where you think you’d enjoy the OVERALL college experience more, not which school is ranked higher for graduate work (or even undergrad, as between two good schools) in a specific department. That’s just a bad approach to deciding where you want to spend the next four years.</p>
<p>I am not a student either, but I agree that fit is very important, especially at schools like U of C. (Pretty much anyone can be happy at WUSTL, but U of C with its core curriculum and the “fun goes to die” motto is not for everyone, though it can be a perfect fit for the right student.)</p>