<p>If, as behind the scenes policy, U Chicago really wants to be competitive with the universities mentioned above, then it has to improve its financial aid policies. I know of students who weighed going to U Chi & elite LACs, such as Williams, Amherst, & Swarthmore, who chose the LACs. A good part of the decision came from not wanting to go into debt. I would imagine, given the discussion above, that Chicago would become even more of a “safety” for students applying to Ivies who do not check the financial aid box.</p>