University of Chicago Top Questions

There is more school pride here than anywhere I've visited but it isn't the kind that manifests itself at basketball games. It's more in the respect we show our fellow students by doing all of our work before class and contributing when we get there -- a mutual respect for the academic environment. We are all secretly or openly proud of the fact that we're intelligent, and when we want to impress each other we deconstruct Hobbes. When I tell people I go here, they're impressed and I'm up six points in their esteem already. If I could change something I'd add heated bus stops and a more challenged bio core, but it is hard to say that this school could get much better as what it is. We work hard and we love that. We have one dollar milkshakes on Wednesday, a five dollar movie theater on campus, and we live not too far from the lake. We have Reg tans -- the Reg being the library -- and sometimes we get out of Hyde Park and go downtown. It's a tame college town in the middle of a huge city, and it's lovely.

The best thing about UChicago is its location. It's in a very nice urban community on the south side of Chicago called Hyde Park and is only about 15-20 minutes outside the city by bus/train. Going downtown to see shows, movies, shop and just hang out is a big hit for students here. There is also a wide variety of things to do on and around the campus. There are many restaurants just a couple blocks away and it's like a mile from Lake Michigan which is awesome for barbecue on a nice, chill weekend afternoon. The school has a moderate population size of about 4500 undergraduates, which might seem like a huge number in comparison with small, liberal arts colleges. However, most of these people you do not see unless there's a really huge event taking place on campus, such as our popular Summer Breeze Carnival and Concert in May in each year. The entire campus is pretty big, mostly as a result of the graduate division. The college campus is pretty small and is primarily just the main quandrangle which is about a block in width and 2 blocks in length. Our campus boasts lush flowers and lawns, a botanical garden (with pond) and of course the neo-gothic architecture with ivies.

Many of the students here seem obsessed with the self-image they are afforded by the University. Many of the students here at first considered the University of Chicago to be a backup school, and have inferiority complexes towards the Ivy League institutions that they were not accepted to. Thus, the people here can be quite arrogant and at times rude. Many students are satisfied just appearing intelligent, using words they do not understand and passing off second-hand ideas as their own. Nonetheless, there are also many people here who are truly passionate about life as well as their academic pursuits. There are students who think carefully about their perspectives and refine them if needed, well-rounded individuals who can enrich your life if you aren't too stubborn to listen to them.

When I tell someone that I go to the University of Chicago, I get one of three responses: 1. UIC? 2. Brrr, it's cold up there. 3. Wow, congratualtions.

I like the size. I spend most of my time on campus either in class, in the library, or in my dorm room. I would change the location of the school. It is kind of hard to get anywhere in Chicago from Hyde Park without a car. It takes a while to get downtown or to the Northside, especially when there is construction on the red line or when the red line was getting diverted through the loop. I think the admin is kind of out of touch with the student body. We kind of have school pride. but not in the typical sense. I have never been to a sports game, but I got into scav.

The University of Chicago is exactly what a university should be--a place for research and learning. Other aspects of university life, such as athletics and the Greek system, are appropriately deemphasized.

There is often a love/hate relationship that students have with this school. It makes you want to hurl yourself off the tallest building you can find, but there is also a great feeling of accomplishment that comes with getting through this place.

My #1 suggestion to people looking into the University of Chicago is to make sure that the core is something that interests you. While I was aware of it, I did not fully understand what it was or the role it plays in the personality of the University. Make sure you understand what it is and if it sounds like something that you would like, then this may be the place for you.

if you are really in it for the quality of education, this is the place to be.

The best thing about this school is the intensity of everything. They don't teach you what to think, but HOW. They make you look at the world in a different way, and you start to notice things about yourself that you never would have found otherwise. The biggest drawback is that people either know UChicago, or they don't. If they know it, then they appreciate how good of a school it is. If not, you get the classic "Soooo, you go to UIC, huh?" No, I don't. School pride... hmm, well I don't think I could tell you what our mascot is! We have gargoyles all over campus, our team name is the "Maroons," there was a man in an armadillo suit at a football game, and we're known for nuclear chain reactions... In the end, I wouldn't trade places with anyone at any other school. This place drives you crazy, makes you think that the world's gone mad, and shoves self realization in your face. But you walk away after the battle victorious, and you understand something amazing about our society.