Can you compare the social life of both of these schools. I understand they are both academically rigorous. I am trying to understand what students do for fun and how vibrant the social life is. Thanks.
Obviously a lot of that is going to depend on you–what you like to do, what friends you make, and so on.
But WUSTL is certainly known as a relatively social school (among its academic peers at least). They have a great setup for first and second year students in their “South 40” campus (it is hard to describe but it reminded me of living in a nice small European town), there are lots of things to do locally, lots more a metro or rideshare away, Greek life is present but not dominant, it is Midwest Nice . . . .
Probably the one big thing it is “missing” is just it is D3 for sports and sports are not really a big deal there generally. So that is going to distinguish it from your Wisconsins and such. Some people also criticize the students there for living in a sort of upper-middle-class collegiate bubble, but that is a roundabout compliment as well since it implies they are largely happy with the social life and events on campus.
Chicago in contrast prides itself on being a very hard-working school, and also has little in the way of sports. I think that hard-working culture is MAYBE breaking down some, and of course Chicago the city is great, with a gazillion things to do. But I do think in terms of normal, regular, on-campus social life, WUSTL would probably score at least a couple notches more social.
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These schools are more similar than different socially speaking, IMO. Both of these schools have hard working students and rigorous curriculums…and that means that there is a not insignificant proportion of students who will be in the libraries/studying on both Friday and Saturday nights.
Both have some Greek Life, but it’s not a big deal at either campus. Both are in cities, so there is plenty to do off campus.
Have you visited both schools? I would do that to see if the vibe is what you want. I can give you plenty of anecdotes about both, but they may not resonate with you or reflect what you are looking for in a school. If you want large, boisterous on-campus parties, these schools aren’t that. With that said, many students at both schools will find friends who want to do similar things in their free time.
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Have you visited both schools while in session ?
What type of social life do you want or envision during your college years ?
Not to call into question the rigor at Wash U, but by reputation at least, UChicago is among the most intellectual and rigorous schools in the country – including LACs. Some of that is due to an academic vibe which really promotes and honors debate, and some of it is due to the rigor and intellectualism which comprise the Core. Are you up for that challenge?
Now – it’s difficult for most of us to confirm things like rigor and academic vibe, since
a. We probably did not attend the school in question, and
b. Even if we did, we did not attend another school and (as such) have no basis for comparison.
In my experience, the University of Wisconsin’s BA in Journalism (and the school in general) is more rigorous than Belmont U, where I earned my MBA in Music Business. Now – maybe a BA in general is more rigorous than an MBA, or maybe I am simply more pre-disposed to Business-related courses than the breadth of a liberal arts education and depth of Journalism. Or… maybe UW just is a little bit more intense than Belmont. I’ve no idea how much of my experience is due to me or to the programs in general or to the schools themselves. Such is the plight of humanity: sometimes we just don’t – can’t – ascertain the why of things. In this case: why was School A harder than School B: was it me, the school, or the program?
I do know that I preferred blue book (essay-based) exams to multiple choice-style exams, whether at UW or Belmont – with one very memorable exception: the awful paper in Corporate Financial and Managerial Accounting at Belmont, in which we were required to discuss how a change in a line item on a financial statement would affect a company. That was sheer drudgery to me. But I figure that if there is a lot of writing at UChicago, I likely would have adored the place.
All my reflection aside, I figure Chicago has gained its rep from those who would know, who have had the opportunity to compare it to other schools.
I’ll comment on UChicago. I have two family members who attended.
The social life at UChicago is what you make of it. A lot of students are bookworms and prefer to sit and read in the library on the weekends. Others are into the frat/sorority life. Sports doesn’t play a huge role. Downtown Chicago is about 30 mins away so there are lots of things to do. The biggest social event of the year is the Scavenger Hunt.
The fall and spring terms are the best in terms of weather. Lots of outdoor activities near the lake. The winter term is brutally cold. The trimester system is fast paced. You’ll cover the same amount of material as you’d normally see in a full semester class. UChicago places high emphasis on theory instead of applied knowledge.
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Yes, when a school has a general reputation for hard work, there are really a lot of questions that raises. How much is that actually true, how much is it actually necessary, how much would be necessary for you as an individual in your actual academic track . . . .
And of course certain majors and tracks are pretty universally hard, like engineering or pre-med. And otherwise, as is often said, you can usually find your people.
Still, I do think a culture or norm of hard work can affect social life. Fewer people going out, fewer parties and social gatherings, just what people are talking about at lunch . . . .
So I don’t think this is something people should entirely ignore, but nor should they just accept this sort of branding as implying a universal effect for all students, either way. Just one more thing to consider as you see fit.
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I just realized, nowhere in that post did I mention social life. Facepalm.
So:
OP, we have heard that the UChicago social atmosphere is a bit more relaxed/enjoyable than the old “where fun goes to die” rep implies. Chicago is fairly easily accessible.
WashU is in a nice neighborhood close to the free-of-charge zoo and a bunch of good food options – though by rep, the food at WashU is pretty good, so you might not feel the need to venture elsewhere.
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So to me the campus of Wash I always reminded me of UChicago. Some of the buildings on campus have a similar style.
Knowing people that work on campus and some recent graduates you can be as social as you would like to be. The people I know that went there had a great time. Think the bus to downtown is back (check that) but getting downtown Chicago is pretty easy.
But I tend to see the students there in a different light. My friend was an adult RA and I have met many students just being students. I go to the Court theater on campus and their jazz music series a few times a year and other events. There is definitely a cool artsy intelligent scene on campus. I never here anyone talk about this. But I have seen it up close. Any kid I have met just seems like a good kid if that makes sense. I think you have to visit if you are able to and really see which university fits your expectations. If cost is affordable at both It comes down to where you see yourself succeeding. There are no wrong choices here.
This articulate student, who transferred from Williams, offered his perspective on UChicago’s academic and social atmosphere:
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The point about the South 40 campus is worth emphasizing. My daughter made a strong core group of friends in her dorm, people she’s still in contact with, including her husband–who was two doors down on the same floor. “Dormcest” and “floorcest” are real: quite a few marriages resulted from where you lived freshman and sophomore years.
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I have a child that graduated from UChicago recently. It’s definitely true that UChicago is academically rigorous, and you have to be ready for that. If you come from an academically demanding high school, it won’t be any more difficult at UChicago. Otherwise, there’s an adjustment period.
Having said that, my D had plenty of opportunities to have fun there, and she made many great friends there. She didn’t find it the place “where fun went to die”. She and several of her friends moved to NYC and they still meet regularly there.
The other thing that is relatively unique about UChicago is its support of free speech and open debate. Many topics that are taboo or result in loud confrontations elsewhere (such as say the Israel-Palestine conflict) can usually be debated civilly at UChicago. It makes sense that they are not in the news whereas many other top colleges are.
Can confirm.
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Thank you for responses. The question is not aimed at academics. Its aimed at the social life. What do people do for fun. Big 10, for examples, depend on Greek like and tailgating. What do people do at night at these 2 schools besides study.
Hang out, go out, party, do any of a long list of activities . . . normal young adult stuff.
Study… Then all the normal stuff you would do at college and probably not tell your parents about 
This is not a fair description of Big Ten social life. Big 10 schools–other than Northwestern University–are large state schools with enough students to create a wide range of social opportunities. Many involve theater, music, intellectual interests, business oriented clubs & activities, travel, and any other interest shared by college students regardless of size, location, or affiliation of school.
FWIW This is not a fair description of SEC life either.
In short, the larger a school’s student body, the greater the number and variety of social activities/opportunities.
With respect to your question,U Chicago is an academically intense university in a not-so-safe area of Chicago. WashUStL is in a nice area with a more relaxed student body although there is a large group of pre-med students who place a great deal of pressure on themselves.
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