UChicago vs Columbia ED Dilemma
I'm currently a rising high school senior who wants to get into IB, looking for advice for my ED choice. I go to an elite NE boarding school, in which I have the opportunity to ED1 UChicago with an almost guaranteed acceptance (this year we had a 70% ED1 acceptance rate and my stats/extracurriculars were similar/better than those who were accepted). I could also ED1 Columbia, which has a much lower chance (prob like 15-20% chance for me). I like Columbia more since it's more social and is in NYC (pref NYC IB > Chicago IB), but I'm pretty sure if I ED there and don't get in, there's a decent chance I won't get into any target school since RDs haven't been good recently. (I could also ED2 UChicago but much lower chance, or ED2 NYU CAS with almost guaranteed chance). I think I can handle UChicago's workload since I'll be doing the business econ track, and during HS I've completed some of the relevant math coureses. I'm just concerned UChicago's social life will make me bored and depressed for another 4 years. What should I do?
Im the same boat lmfao idk what to do (except I’m deciding btwn UChi and Williams)- I do think Chicago has gotten less « quirky » or whatever recently which is good (for me at least) and from what I’ve heard u can def get some good offers from small Chicago shops + it’s a target for bigger banks / funds. However one thing that threw me off was how “academic” people were when I visited. For example, I felt like at all the other schools people studied x and y but also did a and b, whereas Chicago felt like people just studied x and y. But, like I said it’s a big school and u will probably be able to find ur people. In terms of placement either is fine, u shouldn’t let that be a deciding factor to be honest. Colombia has more traditional “prestige” but I think Uchicago is a better overall uni. Both in a city + similar size aswell.
If you are really that confident then just ED UChicago since it’s still a top school and on par with Columbia.
UChicago student here. I'm a CS major and I have a 3.6 gpa as a senior even with putting in minimal effort. If you major in biz econ, it should be pretty easy to have a 3.7+ in your sophomore year. The social scene is not as vibrant as other places, but it's not too bad either.
Question- did you enjoy your time at Chicago? Did you feel like everyone was strange there or was it a fun college experience. Not to talk down on the school it’s just there are stigmas around the people there
I think I could've enjoyed it more. Other schools definitely have a more vibrant, all encompassing social scene, whereas at UChicago you have to be a little more proactive about building those experiences for yourself.
You shouldn't worry about this. Basically 99% of the people here are normal people you'd find at any other college campus. If you're into the typical college experience of parties, going downtown, etc. you won't miss out on that here.
I don't have direct experience with Columbia or UChicago, but having attended also attended an "elite NE boarding school" I can share what I've seen anecdotally regarding admission to these two schools. The students who were accepted to and ended up attending Columbia from my school (I can't speak to the raw acceptance numbers) were overwhelmingly either (1) diverse - in a broad sense, (2) from NYC, or both. UChicago, on the other hand, seemed to attract really sharp, non-diverse people who didn't necessarily "stand out" as much as the kids who went HYPSM and Columbia (many had the grades to get into these schools).
I encourage you to consider which of these buckets you fall into, and to confirm whether these macro level dynamics exist at your high school - after all, every high school is different. I also encourage you to reach out to students who attend both of these colleges for perspective and advice.
It's also worth noting that many of the kids from my high school who now attend UChicago have chosen IB/finance for a career path, while fewer from Columbia have done so. Knowing older students who can mentor and guide you through the IB process from day one can be an incredible benefit.
Final disclaimer: I'm not at all sure how the AA ruling is going to affect all of this. I've just discussed how I've observed that in a broad sense, for candidates from my elite NE boarding school, Columbia seems to strongly prefer diverse candidates while UChicago will gladly accept any non-diverse candidate who is bright. It's unclear how these dynamics will change (if at all) if race isn't supposed to be considered in admissions decisions.
UChicago is a great school. Have visited a few good friends while they were attending. Really smart group and they are all doing impressive work after graduating.
It’s definitely not the most fun social environment but there are pockets of people who would be social. I went to a fun west coast school so it felt a lot tamer than what I was used to, but people still had fun.
If you think you have a good shot at getting in I would go with UChicago for ED. Really top tier opportunities. My friends were in the Blue Chips and Promontory and did well in recruiting. Definitely more of a STEM slant to the average student so keep that in mind. Both good options though if you can get in. Best of luck.
Do you know how difficult it is to get into TBC/Promontory? I haven't had that much exposure to econ/finance as I'm primarily a STEM student. I heard students will typically apply a few times, but I'm wondering if I'll be able to take advantage of the full opportunity if I join late because of my background.
Quia ab earum distinctio harum aut omnis error. Ad quo cum doloremque vitae.
Deleniti ut facilis repudiandae distinctio dolorem suscipit consequatur. Nostrum natus aut cumque sit eius et debitis. Sit nulla molestias occaecati voluptatum.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...