University of Chicago

Summary

University of Chicago is a private institution that was founded in 1892. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,066, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 203 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. University of Chicago's ranking in the 2011 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 9. Its tuition and fees are $41,091 (2010-11).

The University of Chicago, situated in Chicago’s Hyde Park community, offers a rich campus life in a big-city setting. The Chicago Maroons have more than 15 NCAA Division III teams, the majority of which compete in the University Athletic Association, and have strong basketball and wrestling programs. At Chicago, freshmen are required to live on campus, and about 60 percent of students choose to remain on campus, while others live in off-campus apartments and houses. On-campus students are placed in "houses" within their dorm, which serve as tight-knit communities and provide academic and social support. Chicago offers more than 400 student organizations, and about 10 percent of students join the small but active Greek life community.

The University of Chicago is comprised of the College and a number of graduate and professional schools. Its postgraduate offerings include the highly ranked Booth School of Business, Law School, Pritzker School of Medicine, Harris School of Public Policy Studies, and Department of Geophysical Sciences, as well as a top-ranked graduate program in economics and a well-regarded Divinity School. Since 1987, the school has hosted the four-day long "University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt," now a venerable university tradition. Famous alumni include former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics recipient Milton Friedman, civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, and author Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

School mission (as provided by the school):

Read More

Applying

When applying to University of Chicago, it's important to note the application deadline is January 2, and the early action deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due February 1. The application fee at University of Chicago is $65. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 27.3 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.

Selectivity	most selective
Fall 2009 acceptance rate	27%
Application deadline	January 2
SAT/ACT scores must be received by	February 1

More About Applying

Academic Life

The student-faculty ratio at University of Chicago is 6:1, and the school has 77.6 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at University of Chicago include: Biological and biomedical sciences; English language and literature/letters; History; Mathematics and statistics; and Social sciences. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 98.0 percent.

Class sizes
Student-faculty ratio	6:1
4-year graduation rate	86% - High
Five most popular majors for 2009 graduates
Biological and biomedical sciences 11% English language and literature/letters 6% History 5% Mathematics and statistics 7% Social sciences 34%

More About Academic Life

Student Life

University of Chicago has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,066, with a gender distribution of 50.7 percent male students and 49.3 percent female students. University of Chicago is part of the NCAA III athletic conference.

See what students are saying about life at University of Chicago.

Total enrollment	12,332
Student gender distribution
Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity	N/A
Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority	N/A
Collegiate athletic association	NCAA III

More About Student Life

Campus Info & Services

University of Chicago offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, health service, and health insurance. University of Chicago also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at University of Chicago.

Students who have cars on campus	N/A
Health insurance offered	Yes
Students required to own/lease a computer	No

More About Campus Info & Services

Paying for School

At University of Chicago, 48.5 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $33,027.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.

Tuition and fees	$41,091 (2010-11)
Room and board	$12,153 (2010-11) - High
Financial aid statistics

More About Paying for School

Student Reviews Ratings data provided by Unigo

Chicago is a fantastic city, and the University of Chicago can only be as fantastic as you make it. It's not an easy place to go to school, but if you're willing to put a lot of work into it, it's an incredibly rewarding place. There are a variety of reactions to people hearing that I go to the University of Chicago: 1. "UIC?" (NO!) 2. confused look 3. impressed look. People who know the school and can differentiate it from the U of I know its superb academic reputation, but it's a pretty well-kept secret to a lot of people. Once discovered, it's full of bizarre quirky people and places. My favorite... Read More

Amelia Sophomore

I think U Chicago is just the right size. It's not too small where you know everyone, but it's not too large that you might get lost. Well, people in California don't really know of the school. So when I was first telling people that I was going to attend the school, most of them just warned me about the weather and said bring a heavy coat. Out here, however, people often mistake U of C for UIC and it can be very annoying. Not there this anything wrong with UIC but it's just not the school that I go to. People who understand that I mean University of Chicago usually assume that I must be... Read More

Cela Sophomore

One thing I would change about the University of Chicago is the discourse that goes on about race. I think that there are gross perceptions about certain races, particularly African Americans that circulate around this school by people who are not educated in that subject. Many times it seems to make a joke about a certain neighborhood and warn people to avoid that place, but we should really take pause and ask ourselves and those who say such things why they say them. I wish that the University would get to the root of the extensive race issues that are underneath the surface of its pristine lawns and neo-gothic buildings. Race is an issue that this University must deal with at one point or another and whether we like it or not we contribute to the problem, by not making it more of an issue to those in charge.

Abimbola Sophomore