University of Chicago Top Questions

U of C is known for workaholic, socially incompetent geeks. What you're more likely to find, however, is a mass of smart kids across the social competency scale. Sure, there are some kids who look like they could be on the Big Bang Theory. But there are also sorority girls who could be on Greek. The great thing about Chicago is that everyone you meet, no matter what they look like, ends up being smart and interesting -- otherwise they wouldn't have gotten in!

We all hear the same self-deprecating UChicago joke, "UChicago: Where fun comes to die" and the equally self-deprecating quote, "UChicago: Where the squirrels are cuter than the girls/Where the squirrels are more aggressive than the boys." Truth is, the squirrels are just unnaturally cute in Chicago with their ungodly furry tails (I swear, you've never seen anything fluffier and quite dangerous too), and, like any college, fun comes to die(t) once in a while (it's not all fun and games like the movie "College" makes you believe). What binds all UChicago students together is, at the same time, what makes us all different; we are unique in our thinking and quirky in expressing our thoughts. The quintessential UChicago student is not just one person, it is a combination of football players, Model UN-ers, Human v. Zombie-ers, musicians, community activists, sorority girls, artists, and intellectuals, all aspiring to transform the world with their knowledge and actions. There is no stereotypical UChicago student, unless you consider being fabulous stereotypical.

We all hear the same self-deprecating UChicago joke, "UChicago: Where fun comes to die" and the equally self-deprecating quote, "UChicago: Where the squirrels are cuter than the girls/Where the squirrels are more aggressive than the boys." Truth is, the squirrels are just unnaturally cute in Chicago with their ungodly furry tails (I swear, you've never seen anything fluffier) and quite dangerous too), and, like any college, fun comes to die(t) once in a while (it's not all fun and games like the movie "College" makes you believe). What binds all UChicago students together is, at the same time, what makes us all different; we are unique in our thinking and quirky in expressing our thoughts. The quintessential UChicago student is not just one person, it is a combination of football players, Model UN-ers, Human v. Zombie-ers, musicians, community activists, sorority girls, artists, and intellectuals, all aspiring to transform the world with their knowledge and actions. There is no stereotypical UChicago student, unless you consider being fabulous stereotypical.

I recently found a website that ranked schools based on "The Number of Nerdiest Students." Needless to say, the University of Chicago was ranked number one. U.Chicago is supposedly known for having students that love to spend time in the library and in conversations with their friends, discuss the thoughts of Plato and Aristotle. We are known to only study and not participate in school activities or sports. In fact, it seems like people think that people who graduate don't find jobs because we don't have pre-professional majors like Finance or Engineering. All of these things are true, but that isn't the average U.Chicago student. I would be lying if I said that I had never walked buy a lunch table that had students fervently arguing about a humanities subject, but that doesn't mean that everyone does. In fact, it isn't that students at the University of Chicago like to spend time in the library, but it is more that we like to learn and accept the challenges that our professors pose on us. We may not have the best sports team, but our sports team dominate our division. We have one of the best women Volleyball teams in our division and our schools has one of the best Intramural sports programs that hundreds of students participate in. We have school formals, an active greek life and parties every weekend! Our housing system allows for people to make great friends and we have hundreds of student organizations for every kind of person. As for the rumor about pre-professional majors, yes, we are a liberal arts school. But that doesn't mean we graduate without jobs. In fact, the top corporations come recruit from our student population because we have been taught to learn quickly and to think differently from our peers at other schools. U.Chicago students know how to face a challenge and that is why we dominate in school and once we graduate as well, whether it is in Grad School or in the work force. In fact, U.Chicago has the #1 Business School (Booth School of Business) and amazing Medical and Law schools as well that love to recruit from the undergraduate program. So in all, yes we are nerdy. But we welcome every kind of person. Whether you think you will be a frat brother, a nerd, a jock, or a class clown, we welcome you. The University of Chicago is for every kind of person and we love to prove our stereotype wrong!

For the longest time, UChicago was known as the place "Where fun comes to die." The stereotypical student was nerdy, unattractive, and socially awkward. This may have been true in the past, but things have changed in the last few years. There is a new admissions director and high schoolers apply using the Common App, so as a result the student body as a whole has become more socially diverse.

UChicago students are stereotyped as bookworms with no social lives; and admittedly, one need only read "Where the only thing that goes down on you is your GPA" on a student-sold t-shirt to glean that we're not shy about our commitment to intellectualism. But if there's any common trait among UChicago students, it's a love of learning - beyond just in books. UChicago students are of all types and love meeting new people. There are partyers and those who stay in and read; campus-dwellers and those who like to explore the city; Chicago natives and international students; straight-edge and druggies alike. The fact that all types are around makes it an extremely tolerant place of whatever you want to be or do.

Students at University of Chicago are really intellectual and focused on schoolwork. This isn't all bad though--they actually love discussing hot button issues, debating everything from politics to philosophy to this year's Oscar picks at the dining table.

There are two stereotypes of the UChicago student. The more widespread one is that of the geeky nose-in-a-book type whose idea of fun is to power through mathematical proofs. He may also translate obscure Greek poetry for kicks. The second type is the super-hipster, big-sweater wearing, Foucault obsessed kind of kid. He spends much of his time at the cooler coffee shops on campus and thinking deeply while smoking a handrolled cigarette. Neither of these stereotypes is particularly accurate. While classes at UChicago are very demanding, and students certainly experience academic pursuits as fun, most people manage a good balance of schoolwork and social life. As for the second type, it is inevitable that even the ones wearing the skinniest jeans and most ironic t-shirts are individuals with a great deal of depth and diverse interests, just like every other student at UChicago.

There is perhaps no other school in the United States that has as specific a stereotype as the University of Chicago. Rather than the general opinions of certain types of school, UChicago has been transformed, at least in lore, to a type of its own: "Where Fun Comes to Die". While most reflect on the college years as a time of unabashed excitement and freedom, most also imagine that nothing positive can overcome the soul-crushing workload and cold of the UofC. This, however, is simply not the case. Although one could make the claim that the population here is perhaps a little more invested in the "Life of the Mind" than the average collegian, I would say that the real classification of the UChicago student ends there. As part of our intense investment in intellectual life comes intense investment in all walks of life, many even that can classify as good-ole-traditional fun. Those whom only know the University by rumor would be surprised to know that fun does live here, and in ample and varied opportunities. Yes, some of us are "geeks", but mainly in our commitment to our beloved pursuits: from theater to investment, and everything in between. There are jocks too, but also those who simply love sports. There are frat kids, but also those whom love a different ancient greece. You can find stoners too, and those committed to changing society's "foundations". In short (certainly something foreign to UChicagoan writing), there is perhaps less of a real "type" here than most places. Sure, most come here to be immersed in learning, but that learning is by no means independent, or mutually exclusive, or "fun".

When people think of the University of Chicago, they almost always bring up out school's unofficial motto - "Where fun comes to die". With our strong academics, fast-paced schedule, reputation, and even climate, people get the impression that all we do is work hard and stress out. In realty, of course, life is never that difficult. Like any other school, we have demanding classes and sometimes work long hours, but we also have plenty of fun. There are a number of greek organizations on campus, arts groups, sporting events, concerts, plus a lot of really interesting, unique, kids and, of course, the city of Chicago! Fun is in the eye of the beholder, and most people at UChicago would tell you that if you're open to it, there are tons of opportunities for fun on campus .