The University of Chicago

This is one of the most unique environments I've ever experienced; everyone here, from undergrads to Ph.D. students working on their disserations, is well-read and well-spoken. More to the point, everyone is willing and very eager to engage in critical discussion on almost any topic imaginable. Indeed, it is the number one pastime. Panel discussions and lectures by prominent international scholars are a dime a dozen here, several a night if not more, and students flock to them to participate in critical dialogue and present their own perspectives. At the campus bar, you're much more likely to find graduate students drinking heavily and arguing loudly about the lastest publications in major journals (and dropping names and citations left and right) than you are to find them actually socializing or trying to find someone to take home.

If you are in sociology, you'll meet math and literature students in the dining halls that are prepared to offer you serious, challenging, and informed discussion about your research. If you are a math student, you'll find that the sociology and film students are prepared to do the same. The level of cross-discipline dialog is startling. It seems that most of the students at this school are simply exceptionally well-read and very interested in understanding a wide variety of phenomena, processes and histories from across all disciplines. It is, at first, shocking and intimidating: you don't expect such serious and insighful criticism from every direction, throughout the day and night, from every last person you encounter.

For the student who wants a pure, intense, intellectual experience, there can be no better place. Beware, however: there is no respite here. There is no room for nonsense or half-formed thoughts and opinions; any friends that you make will be happy to show you just how sloppy your thinking is, if you should let yourself slip, much less faculty members... they're helpful and friendly, but have no problem telling you when your work is half-baked or your ideas full of holes.

All in all, I would say that I have had an interesting and eye-opening experience, but I will also be glad when I am done, because once I have left the campus, I will finally be able to let my intellectual guard down for the first time in a long time.

For the serious student only!

I've heard people question the safety of the campus, given that it borders a 'rough' neighbourhood; I came here from a rural setting, in a country with a ridiculously low crime rate and I feel totally safe here- as long as I don't do anything stupid.

Socially, yeah, getting to town is a bit of a hassle, but I'm not paying all this money to be going out every weeknight anyway, and Chicago's a blast when we do got out (about twice a week, average, so it's not that socially inept).All-in-all, this has been the best money I ever spent. Being here, working with top professors, and students who are passionate about their subjects has definitely made me more passionate about my own work. I'd highly recommend this place to grad students (Personally, I'm not equipped to comment on undergrads).

CONS-faculty are arrogant; Chicago winter sucks; some groups are poor and students TA often; small-research choices are limited,except in theory; finding a date is impossible.Come to UC if you: don't want to commit suicide (Harvard), not be weeded out after TAing is done (Berkeley), live comfortably (not Stanford), work with normal people (not CalTech), enjoy life (not MIT), and you know who you want to work for.