University of Chicago Reviews

"At Harris School you can gain strong quantitative skills, but you have to make up your mind that quants are all you can get. Lower your expectations for everything else. The career office staff recommends students to find a job through Glassdoor. Go to for an MBA. You can acquire the same set of knowledge (microeconomics or statistics), meaningful networking, and better career development."

"Pros: a lot of quantitative courses which are really helpful to learn some skills. Cons: Quarter system sometimes leaves a short time to gain a deep study."

"The competitive environment and high energy required for coursework drives students to dig deeper for motivation and the ability to devise solutions to their problems. Highly recommend the Harris school of public policy."

"Good financial aid package for the first 5 years, but not so great after. The faculty is top notch, but the size of the department makes things feel a little insular. It's a really great community of nerds, but you have to understand you're stepping into a world of nerds and awkwardness. Career support is tough, but only because there just aren't that many careers in the field. My biggest complaint is that I wish there was more support for ABD students. Unless you really press your advisors and form groups on your own, you get very little support, feedback, resources, etc. But you won't find a better education."

"Valuable education, competitive program and full access to knowledge enhancing network and capacity."

"Very rigorous program. Great support system"

"Pros- great professors, great network cons- having to be afraid of being mugged/shot/hit with a baseball bat in Hyde Park every day and seeing some of these things happen to your friends"

"It's is one of the best schools in the nation for a reason. Academically it is second to none. However, for those in Masters programs, affordability is a struggle, and rent in Chicago is expensive."

"The biggest positive is the willingness of the faculty to work on projects that students design, even if these projects do not coincide exactly with the professor's interests. The problematic aspect is that it is sometimes difficult to find interesting courses in all three quarters - the interesting classes tend to cluster in one quarter."

"The program is constantly improving and innovating. There's more junior faculty now, and student-professor interactions and joint projects have increased compared to previous years. This makes a huge difference when you're on the job market!"

"Pros: quality faculty who are very competent as researchers on the whole. Cons: faculty less competent as teachers and mentors on the whole. mine are great - most aren't."

"Pros: - Academically rigorous (whether you are prepared or not, you will learn a lot.) - Small, discussion-based seminars (often three hours long) push students to engage with one another, and very critically with a course's texts. - Depending on the dynamics within an incoming cohort, one can become very close with other students--this makes academic life, and life in general, immeasurably easier. (Though unfortunately, sometimes the dynamics within a cohort are not good, which can make it really tough to create a social circle.) - It is motivating that, for the most part, other students and professors are very passionate about their academic lives. Cons: - Academic rigor is good, but often professors expect all students have a similar scholastic background. Thus, even students who have the ability and desire to do well can fall behind because their professors assume that all students understand the foundational concepts that structure their courses. Often, this issue could be fixed by spending a little bit of time defining those foundational concepts before jumping into material and 3-hour long seminar discussions. - There are good career resources on campus, but within the department, one receives very little professional development advice. Advanced grad students don't learn much about how to go on the job market. They are simply expected to figure out how to do so, although the process can be difficult to navigate. - Professors assume that graduate students are pursuing academic careers, so it can be intimidating to broach the subject (or inform oneself) about other post-graduate options. - Public transportation to and from campus to the rest of Chicago is cumbersome. Hyde Park is a nice neighborhood in which to live, especially if you enroll in a 1- or 2-year MA program. However, it doesn't provide nearly as much opportunity for entertainment or social activities as the rest of Chicago, which leaves some advanced graduate students feeling atomized when their friends start graduating. I recommend cultivating friendships with people outside of Hyde Park and outside of graduate school."

"It's a great place if you know what you want to do and don't need a lot of hand holding."

"pros- great mathematicians, nice community, affordable living cons- extremely unsafe area, no career preparation unless you want to do academia"

"pros: The teaching opportunities cons: The lack of social life!"

"In my specific program (Evolutionary Biology), UChicago is a juggernaut of quality research full of respected scientists. I couldn't be happier as a graduate student anywhere else - we're well funded, supported in all manners, and there's an almost overwhelming social scene among the graduate students. Hyde Park is south side Chicago, but it's quite safe and really charming. Current projects are bringing top chefs to open restaurants in Hyde Park, so I think it will only get more hip in the years to come. A quick bus or elevated train can bring you anywhere else in the city, so there's no end to options for getting away when you need a break."

"Leading MBA program with extensive alumni network."

"The Graduate Student at Large Program is a great program for those trying to figure out what they want to do or are at a Crossroads on how to get to what they want to do. However, There is no financial aid for GSAL students and I'm not really sure how many are in the same boat as I am academically. The education is UNMATCHED by any University and that's why I love this place!"

"I am overall pleased with U of C. It is a great program designed for those with academic careers in mind. The biggest downside is that the administration bureaucracy can be a hassle, though departmental staff is very good."

"The environment for studying physics here is enriching, stimulating, exciting, and the students are motivated. There is much less negative competition than I expected. All students are respectful and encouraging. I feel lucky to have a collaborative and supportive environment rather than a competitive environment. I really love my graduate program."