University of Chicago

"If I wanted an A , I would have gone to Harvard" Definitely under-rated, it deserves at least top five in ranking. Very intellectually stimulating, a huge bunch of ambitious people Definitely not a school for those who just want to get through college with am impressive degree though, the academics is tough

The University of Chicago's reputation for quality is unjustified. They do not guarantee any kind of career success. In certain fields, a graduate degree from this institution can become a career liability.

This is a terrific school academically. However, the location of the school deserves a word of caution. While the campus itself is relatively safe, it is an oasis in the middle of Chicago's dangerous southside. Walk in any direction away from the campus itself and you'll find yourself smack dab in the middle of a slum. Naturally, this means its very difficult to travel into other areas of Chicago. Unfortunately, the neighborhood surrounding UofC is devoid of dining / shopping / nightlife and traveling downtown is a must for your sanity. In order to get out you'll be taking the bus or the el (Chicago's rail system)- these can be more than a bit dicey at night (e.g. you don't want to be standing alone at the garfield stop waiting for the 55 bus after dark). The university really needs to provide some safer transportation options to allow for its students to travel to downtown Chicago without jeapordizing their safety.

Excellent academics, but little else except for cold winters.

I went to both Harvard and the U of C, as challenging a workload as Harvard has, the U of C's is even harder.

a.k.a. "teacher of teachers"

Just look at the number of nobel prize winners... most impressive.

Basically the only true University in the world. Top-notch education, top-notch research. The best...

This is one of the top ten institutions in the country.

If you want to die of hypothermia and frustration over the lack of Cubs wins, go here. Safety school

Marvelous ! Never seen the social scene / congenitally asymetrical faces @ the school itself, but the U. of Chicago Press has transformed the political debate by publishing many wonderful libertarian economists / philosophers. The world is richer for the U. of Chicago.

If your idea of your collegiate experience is to take classes with socially retarded dorks,cutt-throat pre-med and suit-wearing business people, and segregated cliquish international students on a campus with absolutely no social life and some of the most hideous dumpy horse-faced girls I've ever seen all in one of the blandest, most american cities, chicago is the place for you! Seriously, one of the worst decisions I've ever made. The core completely restricts your ability to take courses that actually interest you and, if you haven't picked your major by 1st year, you're screwed. The people here seem to be proud about how completely lame they are. Sure, my education was top-notch, but at the expense of a college experience: pressure not to go abroad, no social life, etc... I came out of there with good grades, etc.. but I still have no idea what i want to do because of the stifling academic atmosphere.

Not Harvard or Yale, but one of the very finest Univeristies in the world. Although it is not Harvard or Yale, it still gets a 5 star rating based on it's close proximity to Wrigley Field, Soldier Field, and Jenos East!

Time pressure and competition doesn't make for the contemplative mind, it makes for stressed-out narrow students who scurry to please the instructors. I eventually left the classroom rigors behind, and explored the world in the fantastic library. Surfing the library in a timeless atmosphere was a much better education than the arrogant professors with ridiculously long syllabi could offer.

Kind of a lame school. Go to Northwestern or UW-Madison instead.

From an academic standpoint very good, but a thoroughly miserable place to be. Actually takes a sort of sick pride in its high suicide rate among students. Also, undergraduates are generally ignored by professors and graduates compete for attention. The neighborhood is not that bad, but it's surrounded by neighborhoods that are and you better learn quick where you should and shouldn't go (you never want to go West of Cottage Grove, or even to Cottage Grove for that matter, South of the plaisance or North of about 51st is pretty questionable though it's harder to draw a line there), and it is very hard to get out of Hyde Park to anywhere better. In short if you view college as a Darwinian competition and want to do nothing but read for four years then it's a fine place. Otherwise there are a lot of wonderful schools in the midwest that aren't nearly so cutthroat or depressing.

This school would be a 5 if not for the fact that the neighborhood will get you killed.

UC is smack in the middle of an ugly, dangerous slum. And you'll have to work hard to keep up your grades. But so what? There are plenty of diploma mills located in sunny places, that cost half as much in tuition. People come to UC because it is the best school in the Midwest (best grad school too), and one of the top 5 in the country. You'll get a more rounded education here too. Not quite as good as it was 20 or 30 years ago, but UC is still among the best.

Outstanding professors and great academic atmosphere. Not a party school.

This school is able to attract and maintain a hugely intelligent student body without the Ivy League facade. Because of its emphasis upon its graduate school, capable undergrads can publish their name by following graduate level projects, leading to huge benefits. All in all, you have to be willing to work to get where you want to be.

Not as good as number 5 Cornell, but still very good.

at this point, chicago is rated just beneath new mexico state university . . . right - they have equal calibre education

I'm a senior and absolutely hate the college. In high school I was an A student and didn't even work to my potential. At Chicago, I work my ass off just to maintain a 2.5 GPA. I tried to transfer out during my first 2 years at Chicago, but I could't make a good school because of my Chicago grades- and I can't even think about applying to graduate school. I'm majoring in Economics at Chicago and the tests are so difficult and I have to repeat 2 courses that I failed. The Professors only really care about the graduate students here. There is NO school spirit here, the athletic facilities are horrible, the surrounding neighborhood is a dangerous all black ghetto, and most people at elite east coast private universities consider Chicago a "safety school" because of its high accaptance rate. I'm so depressed and jealous of my friends at Michigan who have high GPAs and are having a great time in college.