I just visited UChicago yesterday, and I have to say that I was truly surprised. It was way better than what I'd read on this forum. Other people said that it was a school full of nerds who are not sociable and blah...blah.. Anyways, I really liked the few students that I met and found the campus really warm and comfortable. My only concern is the distance from the city. It's 7 miles, and about 30-40 mins of a bus ride away. This is a drawback when it comes to internships and jobs. UIC is much better in that sense, because it is located in the heart of the city. So I'm really split on which one is better. Also the Core was a little alarming. I don't want to go to college only to have to be restricted like I was in highschool. Is the core a good thing or a bad thing in the long run?
you will be MUCH better off when it comes to internships and jobs if you have a Uchicago degree...even though it may be farther away from downtown. and the only reason it was warm is that it's late August--come back in February and you'll see what everyone is talking about. very different schools...how did you get split between them?
- you probably don't understand it. Go online, find the catalog, and read what the requirements are and what flexibility you have.
- if, after reading and understanding what the core is, you still have doubts, then skip U of C. It demands a lot of work in return for a well rounded education. If you won't value the well roundedness, then you won't be happy with the work.
UIC will give you a generic college degree like any other middling state university. It's greatest value will be close to home (Chicago). U. of C. will give you a degree recognized by academics and intelligentsia worldwide. Of course, a lot of non-intelligentsia confuse UIC and U. of C...
People Like Us....hmmmmm.....nerds.....perhaps. Intellectuals gather and have fun too. Maybe you are a PLU and you just didn't know it 'till you got to UChicago. Smart is not a bad thing.
I guess I wasn't really clear before. I'm split because of two reasons. One is that I want to go pre-med and UIC has the GPPA program which will guarantee a spot in their medical school. U of C doesn't have a program like that and it will be very competitive getting into Pritzker, whether I go to U of C or not. The second is the cost. I'm not so sure I want to graduate with $150,000+ in debt. I know there's financial aid, but UIC offers more oppurtunities for scholarships. U of C only offers 30 merit based scholarships. I definetly felt, though, that the student body at UIC was really mediocre. I felt like I was back in highschool. But then again I dont want to commit myself to a school just because it's more selective.
Also, I'm interested in becoming the best doctor I can, for that reason, I don't mind not having a degree from a school that is recognized by intelligentsia. I'm unlike other smart kids, because prestige isn't very important to me. My ambition is to get a position in a hospital, something like Rush or Mercy, and work with either pediatrics or oncology. I have no desire to become a nationally acclaimed doctor or a reasearch scientist. I don't even want to be very rich, just well off. I know this may sound crazy, but I'm a very practical person, and I want to live a comfortable life. This may be rambling on and on, but I don't want to stress myself out going to a school that will teach me things and force me to do things that won't necessarily be an asset to my ultimate goal.
For that reason, I'm split between the two schools. I understand UIC is just a state school, and I definetly could get into much better schools, but comfort and practicality are two important things to me in a college. If that helps, could you guys help me out.
The University of Illinois school of medicine is quite good. Once one graduates with an MD, one is seldom asked where they went to undergraduate school. If your interest in undergrad education is solely as a route to med school, then perhaps UIC is a good way to go. By the way, I know plenty of smart and successful people who graduated from UIC.
Thanks idad your post really relieved some stressing I've been doing. I am only going to undergraduate school as a route to med school. If in the end I realized that I cannot cope with becoming a doctor, my second option is psychiatry and possibly child psychology. So basically I want to go somewhere that will give me a good chance to get into the medically related field.
Abstar...just in case you don't know:: psychiatrist is a medical doctor with a specialty in psychiatry. A psychiatrist can/does prescribe RX and a psychologist who is a PhD or PsyD does NOT. If you cannot make it as a doctor you will not have the secondary option of making it as a doctor.
Sorry, I worded that stupidly. I know that both are doctors, I meant that I know several psychiatrists and psychologists, who chose to specialize in those fields because they find going into a field such as cardiology, oncology, pediatrics, etc. is much harder. I was only referring to the specialization at the end and/or after medical school.
I just wanted to be sure you understood. Many people don't understand the difference btwn psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers. It is amazing but they don't. Good luck with your plans.
that last explanation certainly does clear things up a bit. since you seem like an intelligent, motivated person (and, since you're considering U of C, probably are one), you will reach your goal no matter where you go. considering your financial situation, I would choose affordability over prestige....HOWEVER....UIC is not that great, even in comparison to other state schools (not an expert, here, just telling you what I've heard). U of I-Urbana Champaign is a relatively affordable school with a great med program and high-quality students, though they're not quite Uchicago-caliber. yes, it's farther away from the city, but considering you're problems with "mediocre students" i would highly suggest this school, esp. the honors program.
