<p>My wife recently audited a class at a very highly ranked Ivy League university. The professor had taught at Chicago for many years. One day after class, she asked him for his thoughts on Chicago and the Ivy League school. </p>
<p>He said that the differences were rather striking. The focus on academics and general level of preparation for class was much higher at Chicago; the focus on extracurriculars at the Ivy League school was much stronger.</p>
<p>Wow, that’s pretty interesting! I suppose since almost everyone is about equal academic-wise in Ivy League schools (due to inflation & what-not) students need to focus on extracurricular activities to distinguish themselves.</p>
<p>UChicago is a great academic school with no school spirit and a weak alumni network. Great place to go to if one wants to be a college professor or do research work. Not a well rounded atmosphere.</p>
<p>Once again, someone ragging on Chicago without ever being a student there. Chicago is a great environment, not just in terms of academics. Students are passionate in general, about their academics as well as their socials lives and ECs. Go visit it and see for yourself.</p>
<p>“% accepted has nothing to do with quality. There is no correlation whatsoever. If there were, universities like the University of the Ozarks, Livingstone College or Lane College would all be better than Dartmouth, Penn or Cornell. Colleges like Wilberforce University, Alcorn State University, Albany State University, Tougaloo College and Concordia University would all be considered equal to Duke, Cal-Berkeley and Johns Hopkins.”</p>
<p>Great point Alexandre! A lot of people tend to confuse the % of students accepted with prestige and quality.</p>
<p>I think U of Chicago is an incredible university and place. However, with that said, it is a place for some ppl and not for others. I was fortunate enough to have been accepted to 2 of the top places in the midwest–Northwestern and U of Chicago. When I got accepted to these places, I visted both of them–they were entirely different. Both are great schools but excel in different areas. Chicago is inherently more intelectual and Northwestern is more pre-professional. Both are phenomenal and I definetely will be applying to graduate school (hopefully med school) at both places.</p>
<p>Just curious…what kind of questions does U Chicago ask on its app?</p>
<p>They’re weird. One last year asked you to write about “super huge mustard.”</p>
<p>Responding to Mesaboogie’s note that the University of Chicago is “in the ugliest neighborhood” or close to it, and advising to factor that in to any decision. Apart from any aesthetic comments on whether the surrounding UC neighborhood looks ugly or not, let’s throw out a few facts that in sum say that the UC neighborhood, Hyde Park-Kenwood, has a lot going for it and any student that might go to the University of Chicago. First, on a consistent basis 75 percent or so of UC’s faculty lives (and raises their families) in Hyde Park so the “ugly” isn’t in the eyes of these beholders. (No other urban university can make such a claim about the majority of faculty living so close to their University.) Second, Hyde Park is an eclectic neighborhood having everything from 35 story apartment buildings to turn-of-the-century mansions with several acres of well-kept grounds (about one mile north of campus on University Avenue). Those ugly mansions cost over $750,000 to over $1 million apiece. Also, the ugly architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, built a number of homes in Hyde Park (including the nationally known Robie House next to the UC campus). As a personal aside, as a student I liked to walk around all parts of Hyde Park, and I admired one three story brick home in particular that turned out to be a Frank Lloyd Wright designed house. The Museum of Science & Industry, one of the foremost museums of its kind in the world, is in Hyde Park. “The Point”, a city park that juts out into Lake Michigan and where one can “commune with nature” in virtual solitude is also in Hyde Park. Yes, Hyde Park/Kenwood is not pretty, but “one of the ugliest neighborhoods”, etc. Come on!</p>
<p>Also, another often overlooked fact about the University of Chicago is its role as “teacher of teachers”. Over 100 presidents/chancellors of colleges and universities throughout the country have had some prior affiliation as a student or faculty member at the University of Chicago (including the president of Northwestern U.) To quote from the Northwestern’s biography of its president:</p>
<p>“Mr. Bienen received a bachelors degree with honors from Cornell University in 1960 and a masters degree from the University of Chicago in 1961. He was awarded a Ph.D. from Chicago in 1966. He received the University of Chicago Professional Achievement Alumni Award in 2000.”</p>
<p>Nuff said.</p>
<p>The most recent NRC rankings have it ranked this way. Harvard and Yale lead with six top ranked programs. Chicago and Berkeley follow next with five top ranked programs, Stanford and MIT follow with four and three respectively. The top ranked programs at Chicago include Religion, Sociology, Anthropology, ecology and economics. Other highly ranked Chicago programs ranked at number five include mathematics, astrophysics and astronomy.<br>
Chicago is a special place that requires a focused student. I believe there are many Ivy League students that would not consider Chicago because of the intense reputation it has. Chicago tries to identify these unique students through it’s application and essays.</p>
<p>When I was applying to college, a very well known professor at UC Berkeley told me that the two schools that were best for undergraduates in the entire country were Chicago and Princeton (he was valedictorian at Princeton as an undergrad).</p>
<p>“He said that the differences were rather striking. The focus on academics and general level of preparation for class was much higher at Chicago; the focus on extracurriculars at the Ivy League school was much stronger.”</p>
<p>This statement is most definetly true. The following excerpt from a writer says that: “Granted, the academics are tough at Cornell, but that does not seem to be the only reason why students struggle. Life at Cornell is a challenge because the students are incredibly ambitious. Double majors abound, and people seek academic challenges. Students volunteer in the community, participate in intramural sports, attend student organizations, and play musical instruments. And, of course, they party. In fact, first they party, and then they do all of those other things. The challenge of Cornell is in the breadth of the students’ interests.”
<a href=“http://www.seanmichaelgreen.com/logcornell.html[/url]”>http://www.seanmichaelgreen.com/logcornell.html</a></p>