Is chicago right for me?

unalove
Sat, 15 Dec 2007 08:49:05 +0000

I like to say that “Where Fun Comes to Die” is only as true as you make it for yourself. If you like to hang out, watch TV, go to parties, and do normal people things, you’ll find people to do them with. The slogan is something that Chicago students use to poke fun at themselves and that outsiders ask about with fear. I think of “WFCTD” as similar to RISD’s cheer for its non-existent sports teams: “Go Nads!”

Every year there’s always a person or two who wants to establish their internet reputation as “the person who’s gonna bring the fun back.” That person is inevitably ridiculed once school begins, because he or she realizes that there were parties before he or she came.

Phuriku is absolutely right in that workload varies widely by major. I think that happens at every school. As an English major at Chicago, I can say that the friends I have who work harder than me include a bio major at Cornell, an engineering major at Cornell, a comp lit major at Smith, and a journalism major at Syracuse. Chicago is not the only school in the country that offers students rigorous programs.

Like courseload, I’ve found grading to be very inconsistent. This quarter, I got an A- in a course that I felt I hardly worked for (a course for my major) and a B- in a course I did much more work for.

I don’t know how the recruiting at Chicago compares to other elite schools, but I do know Chicago degree will take one far in fields where the prestige of a degree matters. I have a few friends whose parents are in finance and banking… all of them go wide-eyed when I mention Chicago. (Two of them wanted their children to go).

Additionally, a Chicago diploma signifies that you’ve got some killer analytic and writing skills, something that will come in useful wherever.