University of Chicago Top Questions

The Unveristy of Chicago is unique because it places emphasis on learning for the sake of learning and asks students to question peers and professors before taking information as fact. Even though it has a relatively large campus, the way in which housing is organized creates a familial atmopshere and dilutes competitiveness between students.

My school requires students to think critically in all their their classes. My coursework has focused more on reading and writing than any of my friends' at other schools--writing well and often is necessary. The students have a quirky sense of humor (look up the T-shirts we make; if they make you laugh, you'd probably fit here). Everyone comes from different regional and socioeconomic backgrounds, and no one cares at ALL. If anything, we're more interested in people who are different, and we don't try to fit others into boxes for our own comfort.

Their essay questions were wacky and interesting to think about. They love to have fun and made sure to emphasize their awesome annual scavenger hunts and other interesting traditions. They emphasize growing as an intellectual and learning how to think intuitively instead of just learning how to memorize effectively.

The University of Chicago is unique in that they expressed a sincere interest in understanding and connecting with my philosophy, rather than just that which showed up on my resume. The only essay that I wrote specifically tailored towards any of the schools that I applied to was the University of Chicago's. This was a function of the quirkiness of the essay questions and of the connection that I felt with the school and the city. This connection existed only with Chicago because only Chicago was communicate its unique features in ways that departed from the standard university boilerplate.

My school creates well rounded through our unique curriculum, The Core This was, at first, frustrating; why do I need physics when I am studying culture? However, I can now see how much The Core has benefited me. I can see philosophical arguments in my anthropology readings. The Core has helped me to connect all knowledge gained in all classes, enhancing my academic experience in school and ensuring a healthy mind and love for learning the future. The University of Chicago is a place where the educational experience is an odyssey of overlapping and correlating subjects, ideas, theories and concepts.

The University of Chicago is unique in that it is truly a haven for the academic thinker, a place where one is embraced for being a ?nerd.? It is a place where one can see any number of self deprecating t-shirts which take pride in the fact that we are not your typical university, one of the favorites displays the phrase, ?where fun comes to die.? You will often find students studying on the weekends rather than attending the nearest fraternity party. The University is unique in that there is a student culture unlike any other in the country.

Its better than alot of places. Very unique and smack dab in the middle of the city

It is an ivy-league quality education in an urban center in the midwest. The students are nerdy and quirky and take academics seriously. The library system is fantastic. The community service center is highly developed and continues to improve. There is the oppertunity to become meaningfully involved in urban issues and make a tangible difference. We have an outdoor iceskating rink and beautiful gothic architecture. The undergraduate dormitories and dinning halls foster "house life" that builds a unique sense of community.

The liberal education

It provides world class education without the grade inflation and career focused fluff of the ivy league

The Life of the Mind!

I was waiting for a hamburger at the grill yesterday and I overheard what I think is the quintessential Chicago conversation: Guy 1: Hey, what's up? Guy 2: Not much. I didn't go to bed until 4 am last night because I was working on an honors o-chem problem set. Guy 1: Yeah, I didn't get to bed until 6 am. Guy 2: What were you doing? Guy 1: Oh, Johnny and Sally and I were watching Family Guy and talking about cultural relativism. Chicago tends to run hot and cold with students. Some students absolutely know they don't want to be here, and some students are extremely attracted to it. Very few people have no opinion on the school. If you think this school is right for you, there's no better place on earth for you. That's not saying this school is perfect, but it's going to come pretty close.

The students here are querky. Academics is always paramount, and the students here enjoy surrounding themselves with individuals who challenge them intellectually. Even in our spare time, conversations are peppered with bad math jokes or references to dead philosophers. We're strongly motivated and very active. Many students conduct private research during their undergrad years.

I'm really sick of the reputation we have--fun doesn't die here! We have plenty of fun, just sometimes you have to make your own kind of fun. If the school is right for you, you'll know.

This school is very focused on theory- we don't have "practical" majors. In fact, my major is very new because of the fact that it is considered to practical for the school. Despite this, kids get plenty of hands on experience through school sponsered internships with some of the best companies in a student's field of interest: you get one of the best educations in the nation AND you walk out of the University with an extremely well-built resume.

On the Quads at University of Chicago during Summer Breeze Festival 2005. (Ramon, Adam, & Shane)

This school, and the people that attend it, are very academically driven. The University of Chicago is more rigorous than the other schools I considered.

Some students complain about the weather and the campus food, and I complain about them.

The University of Chicago invokes strong emotions. People love it, hate it, are horribly bored with it, passionately want to change it, desperately wish it would stay the same.... the whole gamut. You might be any of these. I myself am very happy here. There are some incredible people, including professors, and it's a lot of fun, when it isn't finals week. The thing is, nobody is going to come after you and make you enjoy yourself-- they're going to assume you're one of those anti-social kids. You make of UChicago what you want, and you get out of it whatever you put in. But I guess that's college.

It's hard but awesome.