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Please discuss the differences between the 2 universities, and which one you consider is better (and why?). Thanks.

By Drusba (Drusba) on Thursday, April 03, 2003 - 10:38 am: Edit

Being from Chicago and familiar with both, on the educational level I would place them about the same and both very high (in this area of the country those two are considered by employers as good as or better than HYP). If you are looking for a true difference it is really one of atmosphere. U of C has a rep for being cerebral and where fun is considered an afternoon discussing the many works of Herman Hesse. That is a false rep as most actually do have fun there and party but still it is on the more conservative side. U of C has a very nice campus with historic buildings in Hyde Park on the south side of Chicago. Hyde Park is a very nice neighborhood with many classic buildings and homes. However, the neighborhoods around Hyde Park are not that good which is the school's only real downside (other than winter weather in Chicago).

Northwestern is in Evanston, a north suburb with a city flavor and very nice and bordering to the north and west some of the more expensive suburbs in the Chicago area. Many of the buildings are more modern. It also borders the lake and parties likely happen a bit (a lot) more than they do at U of C. It has an NCAA Division I sports program including football.

Both have easy access to most of the hot spots in Chicago by train; if you have not been to Chicago, its train system, including the city El's, is actually one of the more convenient train transportation systems you will find anywhere in the nation.

If your problem is you have to choose between one or the other then you have a tough choice but not a wrong one.

By Thedad (Thedad) on Thursday, April 03, 2003 - 12:25 pm: Edit

GREAT take, Drusba.

By L76 (L76) on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 01:43 pm: Edit

Thanks, Drusba.

By L76 (L76) on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 02:19 pm: Edit

Just a misconception here, but since I wasn't familiar with either, I thought perhaps University of Chicago was more prestigious than Northwestern because it participates in the Graduate Student Exchange Scholar Program with Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Columbia, Stanford..., whereas Northwestern doesn't.

By Ibd (Ibd) on Sunday, April 06, 2003 - 11:01 pm: Edit

UC has better academics. Graduate schools will know that you learned a lot at UC. Personally I would pick UC over Northwestern because of the quality of the education that you receive.

By Tenisghs (Tenisghs) on Sunday, April 06, 2003 - 11:07 pm: Edit

L76, University of Chicago is primarily for graduate studies. Their graduate school population is LARGER than their undergraduate.

By Bbalin (Bbalin) on Tuesday, April 08, 2003 - 06:19 pm: Edit

If you are looking for liberal arts, U of C is superior. Northwestern is better for engineering, business, and many of the sciences. Also, U of C is in the south side of Chicago, one of the poorest, most-crime ridden places anywhere in the county, while Northwestern borders the lakefront and Evanston, an affluent North Side suburb. In addition, U of C students are conservative and very concentrated in their studies, even on weekends, while Northwestern loosens up on the weekends, especially during the football season (they are in the Big 10).

By Hash (Hash) on Tuesday, April 08, 2003 - 06:31 pm: Edit

How come Uni of Chicago has such a high acceptance rate ? However only the intellegentsia are fit for that college
( That's what i have heard )

U chic : Acceptance 45 %

NU : Acceptance 34 %

By Divingin (Divingin) on Saturday, April 12, 2003 - 03:24 am: Edit

think about the applicant pool. ppl who are dead serious about working hard and want a freakin awesome liberal arts school will apply to chicago... its where the fun comes to die, and with that rep i don't think slackers would apply. think about it, admit rates may tell you smtg but it doesn't tell you anything about WHO applies. think about harvard- there are many i'm sure who apply for the heck of it. btw, i'm for chicago if you can't already tell. chicago is a classic school, up there w/ the ivies. northwestern recently got good and prestigious- chicago has been that way for ages.