r/uchicago

What’s the pizza scene like in Chicago? Anything outside of Jets and pizza capri?

How is the dating pool for wlw people? Yes cliche question I know, but can the CURRENT student body speak and provide their own experiences on this. and please don't be saying "join lgbt club/orgs" because it's just not my scene. do girls tend to be straight here or is there still a big wlw group present. lmk thank you

Got a guaranteed transfer offer for 2027, not sure if I'll take it but I'm considering the option.

I've already done my research and I see that Hum/Soc core credit is not given, and that everything else is mostly on a case by case basis (which ngl is super vague imo).

Is there any pattern to what fulfills core/major requirements (for me it more concerns the Arts/Writing core req as well as CS/Math reqs)? Can I expect to get credit for these courses (I'm going to UMD next yr if that makes any difference)? Obviously I'm aware it would depend as it says on the website, but I don't want to transfer to UChicago and discover that 90% of the CS, Math, and gen ed courses I took are completely worthless or all count toward general elective credit that I don't really need.

I would say this is pretty important for me because UChicago is expensive and if I want to do CS+Math, I'd want to finish in 3yrs after attending another place for 1yr. I'd like to do quant/SWE, something like that. I'm also considering pre-med, but if I do so I shouldn't have a problem finishing on time.

Another tangentially related question, does UChicago offer good support for transfer students? If you transferred, would you recommend it?

I'm considered a heritage learner for chinese and the module says I would only need to answer the essay question. I was wondering if anyone knew what kind of question this would be? Would it be asking something like describe a story based on images (similar to AP)? What would they be looking for in a response? Any information is appreciated!

I’m a second-year international student at UChicago, and I’m honestly feeling really disappointed and frustrated because after almost two years here, I still haven’t made any genuine friends.

I talk to people in class, and the conversations are usually nice, but they rarely go beyond small talk. I’ve tried asking people to study together or hang out, but somehow it never actually happens. There was one girl I tried to become friends with, but I realized I was always the only one suggesting we meet or do something, so it started to feel one-sided.

At this point, I’m worried that everyone has already found their friend groups and isn’t really looking for new people anymore. I usually don’t have a problem starting conversations, but here they just seem to start and end in class. Strangely, I’ve had better luck meeting people outside of UChicago, just in Chicago generally, than on campus.

I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong, if this is common here, or if I just haven’t found the right people yet. It’s been frustrating enough that I’ve ended up focusing a lot more on my own start-up and another job, but I still really want to have a social life and feel connected to people at school.

Has anyone else experienced this? How did you actually make real friends here after your second year?

Would people recommend having a car as a grad student living in East Hyde Park? I'm getting mixed responses on previous threads, and I thought it'd be helpful to gather more advice. Thank you!

I’m currently an electrical engineering major at UIUC and am considering transferring here for physics or math. I’ve spent a year at UIUC, so I’d be transferring in as a sophomore. Here are some of the points I’m considering.

The Core: Looking at the classes, I do find some topics like philosophy or psychology interesting, though the amount of readings in a quarter is quite fast paced compared to what I’m used to. Still, I honestly think widening my knowledge would probably be a good experience and be useful.

Major: I think I’d major in physics, though I’m also considering math since as math historically has been my favorite subject, but I also like physics and it seems more practical. Electrical engineering seems like a more direct path to a future job.

Housing: Of lesser importance but still matters, but I’d be able to get a decent apartment at UIUC, while I’d be in a dorm at UChicago. It’d be pretty nice to be able to cook and all the other benefits of an apartment.

Difficulty: While I haven’t struggled a lot with any of my classes at UIUC, I wouldn’t say I breezed through with zero effort or anything. I’m sure the jump in difficulty would be quite jarring and a big change to my lifestyle.

Overall, there’s just a lot of uncertainty going to UChicago. I honestly have had a pretty decent time at UIUC, and the EE classes are pretty interesting. It’s hard to say whether it’d be worth going to UChicago and possibly having a worse experience than what I have now. Sometimes it feels like I’m idealizing UChicago a bit too much, but it’s really hard to tell without having been there obviously.

I like the classes available and the opportunities at UChicago, and the general culture there of being focused on learning and stuff seems to fit my mindset when it comes to school pretty well.

The deadline for my decision is coming up soon, so I would appreciate some thoughts on what you think or what I may have failed to consider.

Which should I choose if I want to pursue graduate studies later:
the undeclared Mathematics and Physics program at University of Toronto, or Mathematics at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

Reinforcing the University of Chicago’s commitment to providing an education that is transformative and affordable, UChicago is launching an initiative that will guarantee free tuition starting in Autumn Quarter 2027 for undergraduate students from families that have annual income less than $250,000, with typical assets. The College will also provide free housing and meals and other fees for students from families with income less than $125,000, with typical assets.

The announcement is an affirmation of the University’s core belief that costs should not prevent a student from joining UChicago’s community of extraordinary scholars. 

Since its founding in 1890, UChicago has been defined by distinctive principles, including a commitment to free expression and rigorous inquiry, the power of education to improve lives, and the importance of bringing together students with a cross-section of life perspectives. Defined by the influential Core curriculum, a UChicago education teaches students how to think, not what to think. The breadth of the student experience at UChicago includes wide-ranging study abroad programs, hundreds of recognized student organizations, research opportunities with world-class faculty, and a campus culture that fosters fearless questioning and discussion across differences. UChicago is continuing to build on these strengths and expand opportunities and financial support for middle-income families, first-generation students, families in rural communities, and those committed to public service, preparing all students to become leaders, thinkers, and innovators in the fields of their choice.

UChicago is a national leader in preparing College students for success after graduation, showing the deep value of a UChicago education. The College connects undergraduates with more than 5,000 paid internships annually—far more than most peers—and 99% of students complete a substantive internship or research experience during their time in the College. Among Class of 2025 students, 98% received offers for employment, graduate school, and other post-college opportunities. 

“The University of Chicago is proud to sponsor a learning environment characterized by intellectual curiosity, ambition, and rigor, to shape the next generation of great thinkers whose ideas will benefit the American people and the broader world,” said President Paul Alivisatos. “By deepening our commitment to affordability, we are helping to ensure that the brightest minds can join us.”

Hi everyone,

First of all, congrats to all the soon-to-be graduates! UChicago is an amazing institution to graduate from.

I’m reaching out to see if anyone will not be using their three tickets for the graduate ceremony. My family is pretty large, and as someone who’s first-generation, it would mean a lot to have them see me walk the stage in person rather than on a screen. I’d greatly appreciate it!

Hi all, im a high school student who got into a summer session abt black hole https://summer.uchicago.edu/courses/black-holes/

on the website, it said that this course is Part of UChicago Core Curriculum, does this mean anything?

And i wonder how competitive and valuable the UChicago summer session is for UChicago undergrads.

Do you think NU will follow U Chicago with the announcement of the increase in financial aid for up to $250k? Or any other improvements to the current formula?

Hi everyone, incoming transfer in fall 2026 incoming as sophomore. I really want to pursue economics (especially research) and maybe the honors math sequence or CAAM (seems super cool) (I know both departments are absolute world class!)

I’m worried I lack the rigor to just jump in and was hoping to get some perspective from previous transfer students or first year students who jumped right into high level coursework.

The Business program I’m transferring from was quite hierarchical and industry placement was strongly based on clubs with tiny acceptance rates (1-2%) which recruited within the first few weeks (solidifying the hierarchy) and I’m curious and slightly worried that will be similar at Uchicago. Is this the case or are there open clubs and orgs that help develop skills for quant finance/trad finance/research projects.

Also curious how difficult it is to work with profs on research and what steps I should be taking to have a chance.

If you have any tips for how to hit the ground running with ECs while staying afloat in classes I’d appreciate it a lot. Also how attainable is a double major with three years at Uchicago?

Thank you all!

In the 80s, there were large circular areas with oddly shaped pillows for lounging on the floor and reading. Or napping. Do those "pits" still exist?

I’m moving to work at the med center area this summer and looking at an apartment where the bus stop would be at 49th & Cottage Grove. How is this ? Firsthand experience only please, not opinion. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I am an Asian myself and I am not here to spread hate or negativity.

I feel so blessed to get past the first round in the rolling admission, yet after following their transfer2026 account on instagram, I found that most of the incoming students are Asian (like 80-90%). Is there an explanation for this? What is UChicago’s typical demographic? Thank you

My preceptor is pushing back my graduation because I’ve yet to submit my thesis to him (it’s technically due tomorrow but he wanted it beforehand).

Does this mean I don’t go to the June ceremony?
Or does this just mean I don’t get my formal degree (paper) until August?
Does this mean I need to do/pay for the summer quarter?

Can someone explain?

Hi,

I’m an incoming international student starting at Uchi in Fall 2026. I’ve never been to Chicago before, so I’m trying to understand what daily life would actually feel like before signing a lease.

I’m considering Shoreland Apartments at 5454 S Shore Dr, and I’d really appreciate comments from people who currently live there, lived there recently, or know the area well.

I have a few specific questions:

1. How safe is the walk from Shoreland to the main UChicago campus during the day and after dark?
2. For lower-floor units at Shoreland, how quiet are they? I saw some comments about lakefront/parking lot noise in the summer. Is it noticeably loud at night, especially during warm months?
3. How often do the elevators break down in practice?
4. How convenient is grocery shopping from Shoreland?

Any advice for someone new to Chicago would be very helpful. Thank you.