I agree that a student really should visit U of C. I lived in Hyde Park for 8 years and crime in the immediate neighborhood was never a huge daily worry though of course there was a typical amount of urban crime. U of is a very unique school with a big emphasis on a classic core curriculum which a student should be certain they are interested in before applying. Additionally the school is predominantly a graduate school so there is a very different campus atmosphere than you find in most other schools that are predominantly undergraduate. Northwestern of course has it’s own personality and vibe but it’s not nearly as taste specific as U of C is. With a 3.5 GPA unless you really would like to visit Chicago I probably would wait. It takes a certain kid to want to go where fun goes to die!