| I'm bumping this thread, with new questions....
*So, unalove, you must be thrilled that Chicago became so competitive this year, rejecting almost 75% of its applicants!
Actually, I'm pretty close to tears right now (me, who went through this nutty process years ago) and I'm also pretty close to tearing off my U of C sweatshirt. I'm really upset to see so many awesome people post on the U of C boards so often, demonstrate their wit, insight, and interest in becoming my classmate, and then I see them get waitlisted or rejected. I want to stage a one-woman riot at Rosenwald Hall tomorrow morning, but I'm sure that if I were allowed access to the super-secret files, I would find very few people I couldn't find in some way awesome.
I'm happy for the lot of you that have other very awesome schools in your future, welcoming you with open arms. The college admissions process is not over yet, and really, the fun has only got started. You might find yourself at your reach-- or your safety-- and you might love it or hate it for reasons unforeseen. Just promise yourself to keep an open mind and promise yourself to be good to yourself. Don't let college rejection be a blow to your self-esteem. Or you can do a Hemingway, and use the rejection letter as wallpaper, and later on in life, when you're a happy, successful person, you will scoff at the fact that you ever even cared about what some admissions officers thought about you.
*When should I visit?
Not during the spring program, if you can help it. Visit when you can get a real taste of the U of C, not when you're surrounded by hundreds of students who don't even go here and are being wined and dined by admissions.
*Would there happen to be a really cute cafe that serves homemade gelato and deliriously good coffee?
Check out Istria Cafe-- on 57th street and "the tracks." Basically, orient yourself on the quads so that you are facing the big ugly monstrosity of a library head-on, and turn right. Keep on walking. Keep on walking. You'll also pass 57th street Books, Edwardo's Pizza, the Medici, and other worthwhile establishments. Istria is a few blocks further, across from Powell's and under the tracks. Tell them you're from out-of-town and you got the recommendation from a website-- you might score a free gelato.
*What's the GLBT scene like?
It's solid. I won't pretend there isn't infighting (G's versus T's, T's versus B's, G's versus G's) but that sort of infighting is widespread across the queer community, as definitions of gender and sexuality and common perception of them keep changing. You will find GLBT-focused support (do seek it out!) but, more importantly, you'll get validation from your peers, not because you belong to a certain subset of people but because you are who you are. Check out 5710 South Woodlawn-- it's a house for the GLBTQ community and minority students.
*What's the on-campus experience like for underrepresented minorities?
It's also solid, with room for improvement. You will probably also find a lot of respect and validation coming from your peers because of who you are and how you think, but you may feel part of a small group, particularly if you're coming from a high school that is primarily under-represented minorities. The University just re-opened in Multicultural Student Affairs office on 5710 South Woodlawn, and it's a great building with lounges and spaces for events, speakers, etc. |