Academics
Described as “an academic paradise near an awesome city,” the University of Chicago is a research institution dedicated to “cultivating a rigorous mentality that enables students to think through and solve any problem they might confront.” Students say, UChicago “is a rigorous institution,” but they celebrate the fact that “you can’t just stick up your hand and not expect to be challenged by your professors and your peers,” and note that the professors “are really good at asking students ‘Why?’ instead of the usual ‘What?’” Classrooms are small and foster a “collaborative learning environment.” It’s a place that “pushes smart people to make new discoveries, challenge their limits, and find new ways of understanding the world.” Students say of the faculty that “there’s really nothing that compares to working with people on the cutting edge of research and discussing books with their authors,” and that they are “very focused on inspiring conversation between students.” The “wide array of strong academic programs” offered at UChicago are set on the quarter system, which can be “a bit intensive.” “The sheer amount of material one covers in any given quarter is simply massive.” If you are up for it, you can “learn a ton” in this fast-paced system.
Student Body
Students find it difficult to describe a typical student except as someone “you wouldn’t expect. Football players are computer programmers, sorority girls are poets, nerds are hip-hop dance prodigies,” and “the lead role in the play is going into investment banking.” “It runs the gamut from complete nerd to complete jock. It even includes people who are both!” What students do “have in common is a genuine interest in ideas and a profound investment in the life of the mind.” While “students almost always looked stressed...they also look like they are loving their stress.” Students “fit in by finding other like-minded individuals—either through the House system (the easiest method), by joining clubs, or through classes.” Continuing the theme of having dedicated and intelligent students, one notes that “everyone here is so intelligent that sometimes people think they’re unintelligent for being surrounded by so many smart people. Everyone is dedicated to something and most everyone has been through significant struggles of some kind.” “A typical student loves to learn, does a lot of homework, enjoys their time here, but also loves to complain about it, is probably not religious, has probably considered majoring in econ at one point,” driving home the point that economics is, in fact, popular.
Campus Life
The College Houses are a very important aspect of student life and gets rave reviews for being a “supportive, fun, community environment” with a “family atmosphere.” “Your house becomes your family and the center of your social life on campus. You go to parties with your House, your best friends come from the House, and you will likely move off campus with members of your House. The House system is truly one of the great aspects of the University of Chicago.” Although the “harsh Chicago winter” may not appeal to everyone, the city of Chicago clearly does. Students report that “there are a lot of really cool lectures and events for undergrads on campus that enable us to take advantage of the whole university.” Students feel that “the nice thing is that everyone here is so unique; you can go from talking about a TV show to religion to career plans—really anything is fair game. And the Common Core gives every student some grounds of connection.” In terms of social life, one student reports that “I like to have the option of going downtown for fun, or just staying in with friends, or going out. You really do get the best of all of these worlds and have choices, but never are you pressured into doing anything. There is always a group of people willing to do any of those things, so you never have to go through it alone!”
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