University of Chicago

Visit Report by Humbert (Member since March 21 2006 with 30 posts) Visit Date - July 2008

5 of 6 people found this visit report helpful
Visit to University of Chicago in July 2008 by Humbert ()
Visit Activities:
Information Session: Yes - The information session, as expected, provided lots of quirky details about the history and traditions of the univeristy. Overall, the information was Campus Tour: Yes - The tour guides were all current students, and were friendly and helpful. The tour covered pretty much everything that you'd want to see, except Classroom Visit: Yes - The two classes I visited, a film class and western civ, were both interesting. True to the spirit of Chicago, they featured extensive discussion amon
University of Chicago Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 4 - Very Good - Again, with the exception of some of the hosts, all the students on campus were very helpful. Students would approach you and your family and offer to Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 5 - Excellent - All the professors were welcoming to the students who chose to visit a class. The administrative staff offered to call taxis down for any families tha Appearance of Campus: 3 - Good - Everything was clean and in order, but it's no secret that Chicago is in a very poor neighborhood. Emergency phonebooths were everywhere, which i Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 4 - Very Good - Didn't run into any problems. Dormitories: 4 - Very Good - I stayed in one of the older dorms (BJ). Didn't really like the community bathrooms, which seemed small for a whole floor of people. The dorms th Security/Safety: 3 - Good - The phone booths and campus police are a real presence, but nevertheless, Chicago is in a high crime neighborhood. You just have to use common sense Overall Campus Impression: 4 - Very Good - I left Chicago with a better impression than I had before the visit, though this was true for most of my visits.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 2 - Fair - Not much to do, just a few restaurants and bookstores. Most students do not wander around Hyde Park, due to crime and lack of night life. City/Town/Community: 5 - Excellent - Chicago is a great town to live in. The only problems are the winter weather and the difficulty of getting to downtown Chicago from campus.
Campus Visit Notes for University of Chicago:
Visit Description: Visiting Chicago is a must for all applicants. Chicago is a very polarizing school, in that students (and parents) tend to either love it or hate it. My visit was pretty good overall. Most important was meeting current students. I was relieved to learn that not all students are geniuses who live in the library 24/7 (though these types certainly are around.) Actually, I was impressed by how many of the students had talents or involvements in a variety of organizations. Staying in the dorm was a decent experience. However, a lot of the hosts did not make an effort to show their prospies around or talk with them about their experience at Chicago. Overall, it was worth the experience, and I learned a lot about the university that I could not have otherwise. Do not attend Chicago without visiting! Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments: I stayed on campus, which I recommend for all students. Not sure about a good hotel for parents; just don't feel like you need to stay close to t Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments: Don't be scared to eat in one of the dining halls; they're not as bad as you might think. Also, if you are a student, participate in all of Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.): Take a taxi, don't count on parking. There's not a huge variety of restaurants in the immediate area. If you are out of state, try to see so
5 of 6 people found this visit report helpful