The University of Chicago
The University of Chicago
5801 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637
The University of Chicago is a private university in IL, founded in 1890 and offers Bachelor’s degrees for undergraduates and Master’s and Doctoral degrees for graduate students. The undergraduate enrollment is 6,989, and the graduate enrollment is 8,289. The University of Chicago is a hyper-selective school, receiving 34,350 applications and accepting 7.3% of applicants. The University of Chicago’s athletics teams competes at the club, intramural, and varsity levels. Additionally, the University of Chicago employs 1,521 full-time instructional staff (100% of whom hold doctorate degrees) and has a 5:1 student to faculty ratio.
Empowerly Score®
97
University Score
- School Performance
- Extracurriculars
- Standardized Tests
- Essays
Empowerly Score®
At Empowerly, we prioritize data to customize our approach to student counseling. College admissions is becoming more selective by the year, so it’s never been more important than now to prepare in advance and give yourself the best chance for success.
Take the Empowerly QuizESSAYS
Applicants applying to the University of Chicago will apply through the Coalition Application, the Common Application, or the Questbridge Application (if qualified). Applicants will be required to write one personal statement based on a set of prompts within the application and will also be required to answer specific questions pertaining to the university.
Deadlines For Submitting Applications
Early Decision I Application Deadline
November 1st
Early Action Application Deadline
November 1st
Early Decision II Application Deadline
January 4th
Regular Application Deadline
January 4th
ATTENDANCE FACTORS
- Extracurricular Activities - Very Important
- Character/Personal Qualities - Very Important
- Application Essay - Very Important
- Recommendation(s) - Very Important
- Rigor of Secondary School Record - Very Important
Average Acceptance Rate
7.30%
Empowerly Acceptance Rate
22.00%
STUDENT LIFE
Hyde Park, the culturally diverse neighborhood home of the University of Chicago, is one of Illinois’s best places to live. The school’s picturesque 217-acre campus provides the best of both worlds, with its small college town vibe just 20 minutes south of downtown Chicago. Student life is supported by programs devoted to the campus community’s mission to change the world through ideas. You can experience the University of Chicago through over 400 organizations extending from intellectual to personal interests. These include Doc Films, the U.S.’s longest-running student film society, the national Debate Society, Model United Nations, and the award-winning college Quiz Bowl tea. Likewise, the school is proud to be where Chicago’s own Second City traces its improvisational comedy origins.
Housing
- 52% of students live on campus
- Guaranteed housing for freshmen
- Freshmen and sophomores required to live on campus
The University of Chicago requires first-year students and sophomores to live on campus and guarantees you a spot in seven residence halls divided into 48 individual houses. Over half of undergraduates live in college-owned housing for all four years, thanks to the supportive and inclusive community that residential housing fosters for its students. It can be said that each location is a world unto itself! For example, the Burton–Judson Courts, referred to as “B.J.,” houses more than 300 students in a spectacular Neo-Gothic building that once housed alumnus Carl Sagan. The six thriving communities within act as academic support and a personal lifeline for the students who call it home. Apart from assigned student rooms, buildings have in-house library and lounge areas for students to use, and the buildings themselves have easy access to residential dining commons.
Life as a Student
Life as a University of Chicago student is diverse and unparalleled, offering a well-rounded academic experience with over 50 majors and 45 minors for applicants to pick from. If that still doesn’t cover your interests, students are encouraged to double-major, explore interdisciplinary studies, or create their own major. With an ideally sized 5:1 student-faculty ratio, you will have the luxury of student and faculty engagement in close, discussion-style seminars. This academic setup reflects the openness and lively inquiry that the school maintains throughout, including its extracurricular activities and events. The campus takes advantage of its location near the global city of Chicago to provide a broader perspective, whether it’s music, theater, commerce, politics, and neighborhood life, so you will be likely to live life to the fullest during your stay.
TOP MAJORS
Economics
Mathematics
Public Policy Analysis
Biology
Political Science and Government
Computer Science
SERVICES
Heath and Safety
- 24-hour trained security on campus
- Student security patrol
- Late night ride/safe escort service available
Student Services
- Health Center
- Psychological Counseling
- Women's Center
Athletics
Varsity
Varsity
Baseball
Basketball
Football
Soccer
Softball
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track & Field
Wrestling
Cross-Country Running
Basketball
Lacrosse
Soccer
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track & Field
Volleyball
Cross-Country Running
Club
Club
Triathlon
Cheerleading
Crew
Fencing
Golf
Gymnastics
Rugby
Sailing
Squash
Water Polo
Triathlon
Cheerleading
Crew
Fencing
Golf
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey
Rugby
Sailing
Squash
Water Polo
Intramural
Intramural
Badminton
Bowling
Basketball
Racquetball
Soccer
Softball
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track & Field
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Badminton
Bowling
Basketball
Racquetball
Soccer
Softball
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track & Field
Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
The UChicago Empower Initiative increases access to UChicago through admissions policy enhancements and a guarantee for free tuition for families with incomes under $125,000 per year (with typical assets) and families earning less than $60,000 per year (with typical assets) will have tuition, fees, and room and meals covered by financial aid.
*All costs below are estimates and may differ based on your circumstances.
- Tuition (On-Campus) - $59,256
- Student Life Fee - $1,707
- Room & Meals (On-Campus) - $17,685
- Books - $1,800
- Personal - $2,400
- Total Estimated Cost of Attendance (On-Campus) - $82,848
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP / AFFILIATES
HISTORY
The University of Chicago was first founded by a group of Baptist educators in 1856 on a ten-acre campus in the neighborhood known today as Bronzeville. This earlier incarnation ultimately closed in the 1880s due to foreclosure, but a brand-new Hyde Park campus opened in 1890. This new campus was established by oil magnate John D. Rockefeller (who cited the school as the best investment he ever made) and the American Baptist Education Society. At the same time, Marshall Field, owner of the Chicago department store, donated the land to Rockefeller and the American Baptist Education Society. While Baptists founded the University of Chicago, the university was non-denominational and admitted women and minorities during an era when its peers did not.
A more modern university then rose from the ashes, reflected in the University of Chicago’s emblem and mascot, “Phil the Phoenix,” adopted in 1910. It wasn’t until 1929 when Robert Hutchins, the University of Chicago’s fifth president, achieved much of the institution’s advancement that it’s celebrated for today. These advancements include many undergraduate academic breakthroughs, such as dedicating an interdisciplinary education curriculum, incorporating comprehensive examinations in place of course grades, and emphasizing discussions over lectures. Meanwhile, its athletic department contributed to many firsts, foremost being a founding member of the Big Ten Conference. Amidst much controversy, significant changes involved the school’s undergraduate curriculum in the 1990s, resulting in a new curriculum introduced in 1998.
Today, the University of Chicago has a well-earned reputation as the “teacher of teachers” since one in seven alumni choose teaching as a profession. The school has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,989 and a graduate enrollment of nearly 9,000. With its 6.3% admissions rate, the University of Chicago maintains high admissions standards. If accepted, you will enter a consistently top ten-rated institution in Illinois and the entire United States. With 91 Nobel Prize winners in its ranks, the school prides itself as an intellectual destination by empowering students with a varied education. It also embodies a rich campus life in diverse Hyde Park which includes its Chicago Maroons athletic teams that compete in 18 NCAA Division III teams, including basketball and wrestling. Noteworthy University of Chicago alumni include film critic Roger Ebert, astronomer Carl Sagan, and Senator Bernie Sanders. Furthermore, 44th U.S president Barack Obama taught at its law school for over a decade.