Would my son fit???

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
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<p>Every time we get material from the University of Chicago, it makes me stop. It is always so interesting, such a different take on all of this admissions stuff. But I read things here, and hear things from an admissions counselor I know that say that my son would not "fit" at the U of Chicago socially. I figured I would ask here, and hopefully,000000 people who really know the school would be able to help.</p>

<p>My son took the SATs with no prep, from a rural school, and got a 1400 M and V combined first time. He has always been intensely curious and a sponge intellectually. He loves the period of WWII, watches the History channel when he has free time (or the Discovery channel, found him watching a live birth of a baby when he was about 8 and watching downstairs!) likes to sit and talk with adults about politics/history/science, but would rather talk to adults or read another book about the Civil War than do his homework, which he does, but as quickly as he can.</p>

<p>He loves to learn and loves to live, but does not love to study. He still has a 93 average unweighted in a school in which he had to design his own curriculum, as they didn't offer a lot of what he wanted. He has one one AP, US HIstory, taken as a sophomore (got a 5) and is taking Honors English this year to prepare for the AP English tests next year, but will be going out of the school, attending a regional medical program that he had to apply for, is taking a college history course right now, honors math/science, and is going to the National competition for the quiz bowl team for the second year in a row. He plays three varsity sports, volunteered for his ski team, and does a number of ECs as well. He is busy, and loves it that way!</p>

<p>Whew!! My question: would a 3 varsity sport athlete, who loves to learn, loves to socialize, loves to talk intellectually, but is not a "nose to the grindstone" kind of kid, fit in at the Univ of Chicago, and be able to succeed if he does not want to study 8 hours a day? </p>

<p>I would appreciate any opinions/ideas/answers on this - thanks so much,
Adigal</p>

2

<p>What does your son think?</p>

<p>IMHO, we parents MUST let our kids make these decisions. When I made the rounds with my D a few years ago (she's now 3rd year at UofC) I saw many places I thought she should have liked, but didn't. And there were some I thought she should not like but did. And so on. </p>

<p>But ultimately, she made the decision, to my savings account's dismay but her happiness.</p>

<p>Now, with preaching out of the way, I don't see anything in your son's discription that screams "chicago misfit". But if he visited, spent time in classes and such, I'm quite sure he'd come away with a clear reaction pro or con. I know my D did.</p>

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<p>Another Chicago parent here. Uncounted hours and money get wasted visiting colleges only to learn that the buildings there have windows and classrooms in them. But it really does make sense to visit Chicago (when the students are around) if you're not already familiar with it. The students aren't all clones of one another, but they share some important traits (some of which you describe in your son). Still, it's really a question of whether he feels turned on by the possibility of joining that community (and taking the core courses, handling the "where fun goes to die" comments, etc.). Some kids instinctively love it, others not so much at all.</p>

<p>I don't think not loving to do homework disqualifies him, if that's what you're worried about.</p>

<p>Chicago has less of a sports culture than almost any other school with a bunch of teams. Still, it does have a bunch of teams, and people are able to find spots on them who might not be able to play in more competitive DIII schools.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the response - he doesn't know what to think. It sounds like it would be right up his alley - intellectually interesting kids, who are engaged in thinking. Cool! He loves that idea! Then this counselor he knows told that they kids are not social, they proudly shun social graces, I think that sounded a little ridiculous. I think we should go visit, although it is a plane trip for us from the East Coast. It just seems like such an interesting place, and he does not know quite what to think, since he doesn't have much info on it except for the mailings he receives and what is on these boards. </p>

<p>Thanks again for the advice -
Adigal</p>

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<p>Thank you for the info - I am going to plan a visit for us right now. I think he might be able to decide after a visit.
Adigal</p>

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<p>There is a distinct feel you get when you stay overnight at a college. I did about 18 college trips with the tour/info session and more often than not, they said the same thing. </p>

<p>The are lots of places for the kid who loves learning. I thought Chicago was a place that I could do well in, but ended up choosing Columbia, because I felt for me, it was better socially.</p>

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<p>"Then this counselor he knows told that they kids are not social, they proudly shun social graces, I think that sounded a little ridiculous."</p>

<p>The counselor is wrong, clearly. It's simply something trendy people like to say about the U of C.</p>

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<p>By that I mean that the saying is trendy, not that trendy people say it. Stupid language.</p>

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<p>Your son would certainly have to work hard at Chicago, but my guess is he won't mind the work here as much as he minds high school work. The work here is mainly reading, writing, and problem sets, so he wouldn't be doing any of the dumb activities some high schools encourage. Socially, he'd be fine. People have friends, go out, meet new people, hang out, party, and whatever else. At the same time, the students aren't shy about their intellectual pursuits and regularly bring up Marx or Freud jokingly in conversations (at any time, on any topic) or have serious discussions about important issues. At Chicago he'll certainly be busy and challenged, and it sounds as if he would make lots of friends and be genuinely interested in the material. Do your best to visit, take a tour, and talk to some students. In the mean time, encourage him to look around the Chicago website, read about the core, learn about the housing system, etc.</p>

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<p>I would be very skeptical of anything that a high school guidance counselor tells you. They have their own agenda and limitations. Really take their advice with a very, very large grain of salt.</p>

<p>The only way to know if the University of Chicago is a fit is to visit. Plan a visit while school is in session, and preferably not during exam times. Eat in the dining halls. Sit in the Reg Library for half an hour and just observe. Visit the Seminary Coop Bookstore. Sit in one of the coffee shops and just observe. By the end of a one to two day well-planned visit, your son will know if he would fit into the University of Chicago.</p>

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<p>He sounds like a Chicago kid, but he also sounds like he could be a Dartmouth kid, IF he can get his SAT's up. Dartmouth appeals to very smart, busy students who are also social and athletic, and they even have their own mountain to ski on!</p>

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<p>I don't know if I can contribute anything that hasn't already been said here, but I must say I think Chicago gets a bad rap for being asocial or socially awkward. Like every school, Chicago attracts a range of personalities, from prom queens and class presidents to That Really Annoying Kid. And considering that nearly everybody here likes what they're learning in the classroom (note that I didn't say, "likes doing lots of work"), it's quite remarkable.</p>

<p>If you're not able to visit the school, I find that the admissions office does a great job of being true to the nature of the school. The Uncommon App is also a great litmus test-- for some students, it's what got them to apply, for others, it turns them off immediately. Does your son like what he reads in the mail as much as you like it?</p>

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<p>I understand what you said - that is what I was thinking too. She was trying to be a smart aleck about the school, and she was not really familiar with the university. Thanks.</p>

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<p>Yes, my son always reads the stuff from Chicago when I tell him that it is there. The other schools, they go into a big pile in his room. I will have him take a look at the Uncommon application. Thank you!</p>

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<p>I know with his avg (about a 93 unweighted) Dartmouth would be a real reach, but he does ski on two ski teams, and he would like that mountain! He just took his SATs with a course, so we will see how he does. </p>

<p>He doesn't stress all this too much, thankfully. Mom does it for him. :)</p>

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<p>Thanks for the information - something you said made me think he would love the school: that kids bring up Freud in joking. He always does stuff like that, and his friends at school all mock it, don't get it, generally are not too intellectual, even the few kids with higher averages. He is into learning stuff like that and most kids, well, they are just not.
Thanks again,</p>

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<p>Adigal, my son fell truly, madly, deeply in love with Chicago when a friend of his sent him this:
<a href="http://phoenix.uchicago.edu/testprep%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://phoenix.uchicago.edu/testprep&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Have him take the practice exam:)</p>

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<p>OMG!!! I wish I were going back to college - I would go to the U of Chicago!! Hilarious! I noticed that mostly everything on their website is funny - the dorm descriptions, the dining hall descriptions, the course descriptions. It that is being nerdy, then count me in!!</p>

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<p>I really don't know if that is being nerdy... because I sorta add interjections like that too... hmmm...</p>

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<p>My S was not much of a hard worker in HS, but took to Chicago. He drank, no guzzled, the Maroon Kool-Aid. He has two black belts and won international competitions, he was/is quite athletic, and has found others at Chicago just like him. (He even participated in the U of C fight club, but don't tell anyone.) He has an active social life and finds plenty of time for fun, and even has a girlfriend.</p>