Ask a Current Student! - Page 5

heyheylbj · 06-11-2009, 03:47 PM

I was accepted from the waitlist and so will be filling out my housing application very very late. Are small dorms like Breckenridge and Broadview out of the question now, since housing is first-come first-served? Or do people not sign up for those as frequently? Any other suggestions for housing? I'd prefer places with some kind of community, that are close to campus (although not necessary), and with singles (again, not really necessary). Interesting buildings are nice, too.

Thanks!

kodama · 06-12-2009, 09:55 AM

Close to campus, architecturally interesting and tight knit?

Snitchcock: On the quads, everybody knows everybody. National landmark for the bizarre quasi-gothic architecture. ~150. Do it.

BJ: Bigger, so more likely to get. One block from campus. Like a casltle.

amanahill · 06-14-2009, 04:42 PM

Are the placement test like ridiculously hard or are they doable and is there a placement test to get out of P.E.

What is the best P.E. class? Condititoning or Jogging? Are they intense

I hope to get into Calc- i took it in high school but most likely won't get a 4 or 5 on the test
is there anyway to sign up for it or do i have to place into it

Also are they a lot of black people

a book said it was only 4.5%- but this is Chicago- Richard Wrights Chicago

RelaxedParent · 06-15-2009, 02:34 PM

Hi, my daughter (Class of '13) told me that UChicago recommends specific laptops. Is there any advantage for purchasing the recommended ones (which usually are much more expensive) over using any other? Thanks.

wisteriawings · 06-16-2009, 02:13 AM

It's funny how questions pile up. I'm going to try to help.

amanahill:
I don't know about the difficulty of placement tests, but I hear that there's a fitness test to place you into/out of P.E. It's pretty simple, like swimming a few laps, etc.

The course catalog says that you have to take a math placement test no matter what. Since you've taken AP calculus, you'll take the calculus one. You should place into either Calculus or Honors Calculus, I think.

As for the last part, I have no idea.

RelaxedParent:
I'm not at the University yet, so I can't tell you if there are specific things that you really need in a laptop at Chicago, but I doubt it's anything extra-special. If your daughter has a prefererred type of laptop, it's best to go with what she's comfortable, I guess. As long as it's got a reasonable memory (most of them have at least 160GB hard drives by now), some sort of word processor (like Microsoft Word/Office), and internet connection (I think all Chicago dorms have ethernet)--then she should survive. If she wants to watch movies or play games on it, you'll need to be a little more picky about the processor.

Any current students or others, please do supplement or contradict whatever invalid claims I just made.

RelaxedParent · 06-20-2009, 02:01 AM

Thanks for the answer to the PC question.

I think there are something like 8 from Portland entering the UC class of 2013. (We are in Portland). How could we contact them for a get together? Does the UChicago admissions office help in any way? Who should I contact?

mUser · 06-21-2009, 07:13 PM

^ You should join the facebook group. I know that some people from CA and NY have already organized get togethers. I'm not sure if uchicago actually sponsors its own meet and greet type of thing over the summer though.

Litlhurry · 07-02-2009, 12:32 PM

Hello all! ^_^

I posted a brief (Har har) post in the class of 2012 section, but then I thought I'd check out this section too.

I'll sum it all up as quick as possible :3

I'm in love with the University of Chicago. It's my number one choice, and I would give anything to go there.

The only thing is I'm a little worried about everything. Everyone is telling me not to put all my eggs in one basket, and I'm sure they're right in saying that. I probably don't have the best odds at getting in, but I take comfort in knowing that UoC holds the Essay and Interview to a higher standard than the statistics. Hopefully personality can help, not hurt.

Anyways, I'm going to visit in early August (I'm so freaking excited, I've never been out midwest ^_^) and I'm also scheduled for an interview. What suggestions do you have for the interview? I've had one before at UoRochester, and felt totally comfortable. I feel like UoC might be a little more intimidating because it's more competitive and because it's my number one school.

Also, What is the curriculum like at UoC? Is it very rigid (You must take this this and this) or is it more open, so that you can explore your passions and really create the path that is best for you? I need that freedom, and I'm afraid that UoC (Not that believing rumours is good, but it happens) might be a little too cutthroat.

Also, I ask only because it's common with big cities, is UoC a suitcase school? I know that a good number live on campus, but I mean more in terms of social life rather than living. I would love to go into the city now and then with friends to do this and that, but I would also love to have some campus activities to take part in. I don't want to go to a school where the students leave campus to have fun, you know? So I'm just wondering about student life on campus.

Also, just because I'm REALLY passionate about music, what concerts have you had in the past few years? Anybody big that I'd maybe know? Because I know I'd end up going to each and every concert >_>

Also, are there a good deal of internship programs at UoC? I would really really love to intern at the FBI or the CIA (Although I think the latter doesn't even do internships, although I could be mistaken) So that's something I'm thinking about.

Also in terms of classes, I know you can't really generalize but please bear with me, are the professors helpful? I'm the kind of student that likes getting in touch with my teacher, to get to know them and to contact them if I need help. I want to know if the professors are open to that sort of connection, because at some schools it seems like you're just a number and they don't know the face behind the term paper at all..

Thank you, I think that's it for now, don't wanna bog you down in all the little stuff ^_^ I cannot wait to go visit UoC, it's going to be so hard to leave ;_;

But yes, if you could also read my post in 2012 and tell me what you think my chances are, that'd be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much!
Brooke

Hlover · 07-08-2009, 04:30 PM

i know i'll probably get a lot of info about this at orientation, but is it difficult to take your Hum and Sosc sequence at the same time?

unalove · 07-08-2009, 09:05 PM

^^ It wasn't difficult for me, but I am a reading/writing oriented person.

Hlover · 07-08-2009, 11:00 PM

cool. thanks. now i just have to start picking them out!

chococat · 07-13-2009, 02:37 PM

Hi, when did you start to apply for federal loans during the summer before entering college? I tried calling and emailing the college aid office but their responses were extremely confusing. Are students supposed to find their own lenders? how and when? I am trying to apply for a stafford loan, by the way (: thanks!

wisteriawings · 07-13-2009, 08:31 PM

Chococat, your filing of the FAFSA determines your eligibility for a Stafford loan, among other types (I believe?). You'll file it in January (Chicago's deadline is Feb. 1 or 2, but the FAFSA for 2010-11 won't be released until Jan. 1) and find out with your financial aid offers whether you're eligible for a loan. If you are, then you'll have to file a few more papers: a loan request form (just saying you want such-and-such amount out of the maximum offered you by the government and the school), and a Master Promissory Note, saying you agree to pay back the loan on time and understand all the rules and interest rates.

You do have to find your own lender. Chicago has a list of links to about eight that it supports as reliable and with good offers on its College Aid website, but you can choose any bank that offers Stafford loans. Again, you'll get information about the loan and what deals to look for when you get your FAFSA filled out and your financial aid letter. I found Chicago to be by far the most helpful in sending me literature on what to do, what to look for, and when to do it all--they mailed me a full-size, several-page booklet on financial aid decisions for grants, work-study, loans, etc. It was really, really helpful! But I didn't get it until April or so, and loan stuff wasn't due till early June. After all, you can't really decide what kind of loans you need until you know what college you're accepting, and that's done on May 1!

In other words, don't worry too much about loan details yet. You should start talking to your parents about gathering old tax info in time for January, and try to get them to start preparing (or having accountants prepare? My dad does that) their taxes for the coming year. Just google "financial aid forms" or something and do a little reading. Relax. Look up some scholarships if you want. The main thing to think about for the next several months is college applications. Loans come later.

Hope some of that helps!

mom22girls · 08-23-2009, 08:16 AM

My d is considering UC for math/physics. She has a quirky sense of humor and would benefit from a cooperating atmosphere rather than working for yourself. I think MIT, Caltech and Harvey Mudd all have that style of living/learning. What about Chicago?

mathgrad · 08-23-2009, 09:24 AM

There may be some majors that are more competitive than others (I'm thinking of Econ here, although as a math major I don't know that firsthand), but the overall feel of Chicago is supportive and cooperative. I think that between the workload, which definitely becomes more manageable if you've at least got someone to commiserate if not actually work with, and the average UChicago student's academic passion and excitement, which encourages sharing and discussion of lectures/problem sets/course-inspired speculation, there is a lot of cooperative effort. Because of this, the library is actually often a social area - there are places to go work by yourself in absolute silence, but also spaces to talk, work, and hang out (some of each is done in any given study session) with classmates.

Without much firsthand experience in physics, I cannot speak directly for that environment, but the physics majors I know were very chill, not really the cut-throat types, and I do know a lot of the physicists who were in my math classes first and second years were pretty friendly with each other and had study/problem sessions together. The math major I find to be incredibly collaborative, especially if you take an IBL class (they're really awesome!) or Honors Analysis: similar phenomenon, I suppose, that the workload inspires teamwork for the sake of sanity. That, and the undergraduate math curriculum is a lot more like math grad school than at most other colleges, the problem sets more proof-based and so more researchy - students are encouraged to practice working together, because that's how work is done for those continuing in the field. What I found really incredible re: collaboration in UChicago mathematics is how close the math grad students are with the undergrads, through the Directed Reading Program, actual teaching positions instead of just TAship, mentorship in the summer REU, and sometimes just plain hanging out at math club or elsewhere. I've never heard of anywhere else where grad students will even give undergrads the time of day, but upon graduation this spring I find that my grad students friends are some of my closest, whom I will miss the most. At UChicago I found very strong social bases in both the math department and my dorm - having to leave may be the greatest heartbreak of my life. I am excited about my own upcoming mathematical graduate experience, though!