University of Chicago Top Questions

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The academics at the University of Chicago are tough but excellent. On one hand, there are the classes like calculus and chemistry which can seem impossible. Calculus is difficult because the university requires that all first-year students learn how to do proofs (i.e. proofs by induction, delta-epsilon proofs, etc.--not the easy things you do in geometry) and all first-year calculus courses are taught by graduate students who don't always speak English very well. Chemistry is difficult because of the subject material and the time commitment. For example, labs last about three and a half hours each week, and students go into exams worrying that the fourteen hours they spent studying weren't enough. Calculus, chemistry, economics, and some other classes are graded on a curve, which is good in the sense that getting a 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} on a midterm might earn you a B+, but it also means that the number of A's and B's awarded is limited. On the other hand, there are classes that are as awesome as calculus can be awful. This year I took a social science sequence called Self, Culture, and Society. We read books like Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, Max Weber’s The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Emile Durkheim’s The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, and Michel Foucault’s Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. The books and the class discussion about them were fascinating. Going to Self became one of the best parts of my week. Students here study a ton. We still have fun, but getting away with not studying for an exam or not doing extra problems to understand the material just does not happen. Most weeks students go out to frat parties or other events on Friday nights, but then they stay in on Saturday nights to get work done. The University of Chicago fosters an excellent learning environment, so students here are not very competitive. Although in some classes like chemistry and economics students are competing with their classmates for the higher grades, mostly the attitude is that "we're all in this together," where "this" is surviving exams, studying for crazy amounts of time, and making it through this school. Also, with so many student organizations (over 500) and other things to be involved in, everyone can excel in their own way, so neither the academic or extracurricular environments are highly competitive. Professors are very accessible, and they are always available to help you and answer your questions. Many classes, such as calculus and chemistry, also include discussion sessions and problem sessions led by T.A.s that are designed to help students better understand the course material. Granted, these sessions are not always useful, but in the case that they aren't, there are college tutors and other resources for students. The university puts forth equally as much effort and resources toward creating a thriving learning community as it does toward preparing its students for post-graducaiton. The Career Advising and Planning Services (CAPS) is absolutely outstanding. CAPS advisors are available to help students write excellent resumes and cover letters and work on interview skills. Also, the Chicago Careers In... (CCI) programs are truly incredible. They are an excellent way to explore careers, make connections, and get internships and jobs. The CCI programs consistently hold events designed to give students the opportunity to talk to people in different fields, hear experts speak, and network. For example, over spring break, I went to Washington, D.C., with Chicago Careers in Public and Social Service (CCIPSS). We met with alumni at the White House, State Department, Peace Corps, USAID, the Brookings Institute, and Senator Durbin’s office. We had lunch with a Senior Advisor to the President and dinner with a Foreign Affairs Officer with the State Department who spent six months in Iraq working directly for General Patreus. The university completely understands the importance of career exploration and networking in order to get internships and jobs. CAPS also runs Chicago Career Connection (CCC), an online resource for students. Through CCC, students can schedule appointments with CAPS advisors and research and apply for thousands of jobs (there are at least 60,000 posted on CCC). The only downside to CAPS is that it takes about two weeks to get an appointment.

Classes are small and personal for the most part--especially as you get more advanced in your major. My favorite class has to be a Human Rights Seminar aptly titled What is a Human? We read such diverse materials and the class was small--we had really rousing discussions and the professor let us choose our final paper topics--mine ended up motivating my BA thesis. My least favorite has to be anything in the math requirement. I just feel like our basic level math professors are generally not that easy to follow, but then again I'm not all that great at math! Class participation is very common--you will always be encouraged to speak up--but professors realize not all students are outgoing and they are often understanding. My major is so cool (Comparative Human Development) because it's interdisciplinary. I can take classes in all the subjects I'm interested in--anthro, philo, socio, human rights, law--and generally I can make them count toward my major. It's given me a really wide breadth of knowledge and interests that I'll keep with me for life. Education here is definitely about learning for its own sake, but having the Uchicago name behind you is great on the resume too.

The academic environment here sometimes can be overwhelming. Most classes are made up of 25 people or fewer and are heavily discussion-driven, which I love. This isn't always true. In, say, economics classes or science core classes, there can be over a hundred students in a single class. And yeah, the academics are pretty difficult here. I can't tell you how many times I wonder how much higher my GPA would be if I were at a different school. Being a paid dispenser of caffeine (read: barista), at the library, I have seen the eyes of desperation during midterm and finals week. However, I love it all. I have been in several classes where it always seemed we didn't have enough time to finish talking about a work because students wanted to participate. It's not uncommon to make jokes about whether or not Plato would think a Rolex approaches the form of a watch more than a cheap watch that still tells time. There are awesome, awesome classes available (there are also some not that awesome ones).

Academics are rather intense at the University of Chicago. It is impossible for any student here to enroll in stereotypical "slacker classes" that you might find at other universities, but I would say that most students here are happy with that. Each students spends their first year or first two years fulfilling the Core requirements. The Core is our liberal arts curriculum, designed to give all students extensive experience in all academic fields before selecting a major. Humanities and social sciences classes are small (capped at 19 students) and discussion-based, and the math and science classes are usually lecture-style, but rarely include more than 50 students. Students study quite often, but we make time for relaxation and fun. The best part about UChicago is the fact that nearly all of the students genuinely enjoy learning, which means great class discussions and participation.

Academics are rather intense at the University of Chicago. It is impossible for any student here to enroll in stereotypical "slacker classes" that you might find at other universities, but I would say that most students here are happy with that. Each students spends their first year or first two years fulfilling the Core requirements. The Core is our liberal arts curriculum, designed to give all students extensive experience in all academic fields before selecting a major. Humanities and social sciences classes are small (capped at 19 students) and discussion-based, and the math and science classes are usually lecture-style, but rarely include more than 50 students. Students study quite often, but we make time for relaxation and fun. The best part about UChicago is the fact that nearly all of the students genuinely enjoy learning, which means great class discussions and participation.

The academics at the University of Chicago are as to be expected, very challenging. USA today ranked us #5, and we are #5 for a reason. I am only a freshman, so my core has been relatively harmless thus far in terms of time and hardness. The biggest thing that I have taken away is how much more I have learned in my time at this school. To get to listen to the #6 best economist in the world every Tuesday for four hours is simply incredible. I always thought that Plato and Socrates were pretty boring, but when your in a class of 20 with an open discussion on the book with some of the smartest kids our there, you really embrace the competition, and the truly genius ideas that are being said. The class sizes here are awesome, as all the professors know your name, and want you to approach them on a first name basis. This does make it vital to participate in class, but that just helps you as a student. In overall terms, going through the Uchicago education will teach you how to learn, and because of its reputation among companies and America as a whole, you will have one of the best opportunities out there to get a great job.

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Academics at the University of Chicago are known for their intensity, and they really deserve it. Classes are difficult, and many students spend the majority of their time coping with coursework. However, its not just busy work--virtually all assignments are actually beneficial. Problem sets, while long, usually can really enhance your math skills and the readings, while equally long, are most often quite interesting. The University makes a big deal of learning for its own sake--hence the famous core system--and most students really embrace it. While it may be frustrating at first to take a class that holds no appeal for you, many students seem to eventually come around and appreciate what they're learning, no matter how far outside their eventual major it may be. Students in most majors do not compete with each other, excepting pre-meds and chemists.

Academics at the University of Chicago are known for their intensity, and they really deserve it. Classes are difficult, and many students spend the majority of their time coping with coursework. However, its not just busy work--virtually all assignments are actually beneficial. Problem sets, while long, usually can really enhance your math skills and the readings, while equally long, are most often quite interesting. The University makes a big deal of learning for its own sake--hence the famous core system--and most students really embrace it. While it may be frustrating at first to take a class that holds no appeal for you, many students seem to eventually come around and appreciate what they're learning, no matter how far outside their eventual major it may be. Students in most majors do not compete with each other, excepting pre-meds and chemists.

Classes are not as bad as they are depicted as. In fact, professors are often nice and easier on grading, especially in the literary departments. People participate a lot in class, which is nice. Obviously, academics are taken very seriously and you will often see students studying until late at night. However, you won't have so much work that you cannot do it and still have fun, guaranteed.

The academic experience here probably really does depend on your major. Professors have known my name in every class I have taken thus far, and go out of their way to be available to students for extra help. Classes are hard...this is definitely a place to be if you get some kind of sick joy out of writing papers. Class participation is not only common but oftentimes a required part of your grade (again depends on the subject area though, clearly philosophy classes require more discussion than statistics.) Students most certainly have intellectual conversations out of class...it is really nicely woven in with more casual conversation. You do get the odd kid every once in a while who is super competitive (we like to refer to them as "that kid"), but people are far more supportive of one another than you may expect. None of the talk about the work load is meant to scare anyone away. I came to school quaking in my boots for fear of the piles of coursework I had been assured I would receive here, but overall I find it to be pretty easy to manage. Once you find your own "academic rhythm" so to speak (i.e. whether you are a crammer or need more organized study time) it's easy to feel like you have things under control.

We're renowned for being difficult. It's true. Don't come to Uchicago unless you're willing to put in serious library time. Grade deflation is a fact of like though it's widely said that grad schools know this and consider our gpas seperatley. I came to U ofC unsure how I felt about the Core, but I now love it. My classes have been great foundations for anything else I do academically. Core classes are kept small, which is nice. The best change from high school has been that everyone here is engaged in the material and in learning. Everyone's a geek. Intellectual discussions outside of class are prevalent. The whole "Life of the Mind" campaign the admissions office has been putting out is true-- we don't just discuss Occupy Wall Street here, we discuss it as relating to Marxist revolutionary theory. Academics are everywhere here

We're renowned for being difficult. It's true. Don't come to Uchicago unless you're willing to put in serious library time. Grade deflation is a fact of like though it's widely said that grad schools know this and consider our gpas seperatley. I came to U ofC unsure how I felt about the Core, but I now love it. My classes have been great foundations for anything else I do academically. Core classes are kept small, which is nice. The best change from high school has been that everyone here is engaged in the material and in learning. Everyone's a geek. Intellectual discussions outside of class are prevalent. The whole "Life of the Mind" campaign the admissions office has been putting out is true-- we don't just discuss Occupy Wall Street here, we discuss it as relating to Marxist revolutionary theory. Academics are everywhere here

Humanities and social science classes (that everyone will eventually take to fulfill the Core) are generally small enough that you could tell if somebody was absent. The professors make an effort to remember and call you by your name by the second week of classes. They are discussion based classes so you not only develop a relationship with your teacher, but your fellow students as well, as you debate and discuss ideas and texts. What I loved about my humanities and social science classes was the teacher's dedication to meeting your needs. They ask us for our opinions on texts, what works? what doesn't work? and their office hours are flexible and most teachers are very willing and excited to meet with you and go over your paper. In larger lecture classes like Intro to Micro/Macro, the student and teacher relationship is inevitably different. The first few lecture classes which was capped at 150 somehow ended up upwards 170, as 20 extra students magically trickled in. Such classes require a lot more dedication on the student end to speak up and ask questions or seek out teachers or T.As. on their own free time. The workload is completely dependent on the courses you choose to take. Some people argue that certain majors are harder than others but logically, more popular majors have more students and therefore, more competition. 3 classes is a full course-load and 4 classes is the maximum number of courses a student can register for (unless he/she decides to petition this in which he/she meets with the Dean of students in the college). 3 classes for one person can be a completely different commitment for another person. While I had only 3 classes and 8 hours of classes a week (Social sciences, humanities, and intro to micro), my friend who took 3 different classes (humanities, core bio, and spanish) had ~11 hours of classes plus 50 minutes of Spanish recitation/ conversation a week. I feel that the University of Chicago uses its core curriculum to help students bridge the gap between the comforts of high school and the spirited academic inquiry of college. Its core curriculum is specially designed to generate great thinking minds for all students regardless of their future field of study.

Class participation usually comes down to 3-5 students in each class with some people participating once in a while. Each class will have a "That kid" which is a person who talks for the sake of talking and our classes usually bond because of that person. I think that that is a good example of how important academics is to U.Chicago. People here study a lot, with many people living in the library during Finals Week. The students are very competitive, but it is more competition against the class then with other students. Anywhere, you will find people willing to help and and the school provides free tutors. As an Economics Major, I am a student who has problem sets each week and takes some of he most challenging classes in the school. Some interesting classes I have gotten to take though, have been outside my major for the Core. The COre is a set of classes each students has to take such as humanities, civilizations, math and science. I got to take "The History of Natural Deserts" which was really fun and I even got to study abroad to get credits for my major. The school is a liberal arts school, but there is a lot of preparation for people to get jobs afterwards, although many people go to Grad School. People here just really enjoy learning and will spend time to do so because they study for the purpose to learn more, not for a grade.

Academics at University of Chicago are top-notch. Speaking from personal experience, I have had great interactions with my professors. Most of my classes are very small (<20 students) and serves to facilitate a lot of class participation. With great instruction comes high expectations, and students here study a lot. While I have never felt competition from other students, there is still a pressure to do your best. I am a Political Science major with a minor in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations or NELC. The Poly Sci department is great in that I can take many classes from other departments that count for the major, giving me the chance to explore. The NELC department is wonderful and the teachers are top-notch. The language teachers in the department, in my case my Arabic professor, are really passionate about teaching and put in time in and outside of class to make learning fun. The best class that I have taken would be "Power, Identity, and Resistance." It was to complete part of the core requirement of classes and really set up a foundation of great political intellectuals that I draw upon for almost every class. My least favorite class was "Chemistry in the Atmosphere," but that was probably due to my passion for the social sciences. On a whole, UChicago gives you a liberal arts education. You really learn how to think. This does not mean that you are in some bubble outside of the current economic conditions. The college has a extensive program from helping students chart their path to internships, grad school, and jobs after college. They really do care about the prestige factor for the university and the success of its students is a great part of that.

It's also no secret that the academics are anything but lax; but as an environment that encourages intellectual growth, it's intent on making sure the students actually get what they're learning. If you have a problem set for your homework, there will be hours to ask your professor or TA for help; if you have a paper, there are writing tutors available just about all the time; if you just don't get the reading, the housing system ensures that an upperclassman is around to talk it over with. Grades are high-pressure, but the students aren't competitive with each other. And while the school has a rep for focusing a bit too much on the theoretical, students always have internships and professional opportunities on their minds.

It's also no secret that the academics are anything but lax; but as an environment that encourages intellectual growth, it's intent on making sure the students actually get what they're learning. If you have a problem set for your homework, there will be hours to ask your professor or TA for help; if you have a paper, there are writing tutors available just about all the time; if you just don't get the reading, the housing system ensures that an upperclassman is around to talk it over with. Grades are high-pressure, but the students aren't competitive with each other. And while the school has a rep for focusing a bit too much on the theoretical, students always have internships and professional opportunities on their minds.

It's also no secret that the academics are anything but lax; but as an environment that encourages intellectual growth, it's intent on making sure the students actually get what they're learning. If you have a problem set for your homework, there will be hours to ask your professor or TA for help; if you have a paper, there are writing tutors available just about all the time; if you just don't get the reading, the housing system ensures that an upperclassman is around to talk it over with. Grades are high-pressure, but the students aren't competitive with each other. And while the school has a rep for focusing a bit too much on the theoretical, students always have internships and professional opportunities on their minds.