Different Factors in Deciding How to Choose a College: Why I Picked Chicago (Part II)
By Karan Goel
Continued from Part I of How to Choose a College
Rice— in a big city (Houston), but yet with a campus that still seems nice. The overall academic reputation of Rice is strong, but its specific strengths lie more in the sciences and less in the social sciences. Rice has a strong reputation, but not one as strong as the other four colleges. However, Rice did offer me a significant merit scholarship and strong study abroad opportunities with some interesting special programs. My interviewer was extremely nice and helpful and gave me an excellent impression of the school, yet it did not stand out in my mind as a place that fit my needs in terms of an academic institution with a high power faculty. Eliminated from consideration.
Now I was left with Duke, M.I.T., the University of Chicago, and Wharton (University of Pennsylvania):
M.I.T. — in a big city (Boston), but with a gorgeous campus and some really neat buildings. M.I.T. clearly has a very strong reputation worldwide and has the world’s second best economics department with an extremely strong computer science department and biotech research abounds in Cambridge. M.I.T. would probably give me an amazing technical education, but I was not sure how broad-based or well-rounded it would be. Most of the students I met were very intelligent, yet did not strike me as people with a variety of interests. Many students at M.I.T. participate in Greek life (fraternities and sororities), which I am not a big fan of, and this was a significant turn off. I was very unimpressed by the study abroad options that M.I.T. offered and eventually decided that despite my extremely attractive tour guide, the school was a bit too technical and in some senses a little gloomy (for instance, M.I.T. has a high binge drinking rate) for me. Eliminated from consideration.
Duke — not in a big city (Durham), and in fact, not really much fun. Although the university does an excellent job of promoting student activities, Durham isn’t really a major cultural center with an international feel. Duke clearly has a very strong academic reputation, but perhaps not on the same level as M.I.T., University of Chicago, and Wharton, and its programs in economics and political science were not particularly strong (although Duke’s biology and computer science departments are amazing). Duke has a good reputation, but it is rarely considered an academic powerhouse. In addition, Duke offers very few merit scholarships and was willing to give me very few AP credits (I was going to have taken 11 AP exams). They did, however, have some excellent study abroad programs, and I really loved the student body. The students were jovial, friendly, and made me feel right at home. However, I realized that the combination of great weather, lots of parties, a freshman campus completely separate from the rest of the college, and the lack of academic seriousness would make Duke a poor fit for me as I would probably not spend much time studying. It was hard to do, but Duke was eliminated from consideration.
Now came the hardest part, thinking of the two schools that had been my top choices all along: The University of Chicago and Wharton (University of Pennsylvania). I knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur and start my own companies, and everyone thought that Wharton, the world’s number one rated undergraduate business school, was the place for me. Almost everyone, at least — my mother, my English teacher, my history teacher, and my principal/guidance counselor thought that I would like the intellectual feel of the University of Chicago.
Let me be clear: this was nothing short of the toughest decision I’ve made in my entire life. I spent the entire month of April agonizing over the decision. I visited many colleges before even deciding where to apply and went back for last minute visits in April of my senior year (the crazy April when most of you will have to make your college decisions) to the University of Chicago and Wharton (University of Pennsylvania) before I made my final decision.
During the month of April I spoke to all of my friends, my teachers, my family, even people I had met online through college message boards to see what others thought. I had friends from high school at both colleges and e-mailed them regularly with questions that might aid me in making my final decision. Here is how my thought process came out:
Wharton (University of Pennsylvania) — in a big city (Philadelphia) with a variety of cultural attractions. The area that the university is located in is nice, but not gorgeous. Obviously one of the top universities in the world in terms of academic reputation and especially in the field of business, Wharton is the undisputed leader in undergraduate business education. Not only that, but they accepted me to the special Wharton scholars program for the top 10% of the incoming class that would allow me to take special classes and participate in special programs. The program also offered a 5-year B.A./M.B.A. option that allowed students to sub-matriculate into the Wharton M.B.A. program after their junior year. The facilities were amazing — the school is extremely professional in its approach. However, what really made my decision was my final visit during the special Admit Event in April. First, sitting in on classes, I was struck by the segregated nature of the campus. Students of various ethnic minorities all sat together and did not seem to intermingle very much — this really bothered me. Also, the classes were somewhat prosaic and there were very few questions. Most students I spoke to were interested in very non-entrepreneurial pursuits — not what I had expected. My overnight visit and chats with various students showed that the students were not as happy as I would have liked and many were there as products of the “I got rejected from Princeton/Harvard/Yale so I came here” philosophy. I wanted to attend a school where students were truly excited to be there and this was not it. Just as my parents were about to put on the “Proud to be a Penn Parent” pins, I let them know, “I’m not going here.” Eliminated from consideration (ALMOST).
The University of Chicago — in a very big city (Chicago, duh!). The campus in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago was gorgeous, it’s close to the lake, near the Museum of Science and Industry, views of downtown and Chicago’s gorgeous skyline can be obtained from just the third or fourth floor of many buildings on campus. The University of Chicago is considered to be the world’s top liberal-arts education with the most Nobel laureates of any university (more than most countries in the world in fact) with the world’s most highly-reputed economics department of Hayek, Friedman, and Fogel fame. The CORE curriculum which requires students to study in the humanities, social sciences, arts/theatre/music, civilization-studies, and the sciences really attracted me. It was more than just the distribution requirements of other schools, but a serious effort to construct a well-rounded individual. The philosophy of “We don’t teach you how to think, we give you the tools to think and approach every problem” made me realize it was the place for me. I loved the student body, the students were friendly (though quite odd at the dormitory I stayed at), and the classes I sat in on were incredible from an excellent class on genetic engineering to a small seminar on advanced Sanskrit. The university also offered me a merit scholarship, had an excellent array of study abroad programs (which gave me the chance to spend three amazing months in Barcelona, Spain), and many interesting programs. There were some negative aspects, however. The university is not in the world’s safest area, though as I have learned by living here, you just need to use your common sense and you will be fine. The winters in Chicago are a little bit painful and dreary as well. However, I just fell in love with the school, I felt at home, and honestly, that feeling that you have that you are at the right place is the biggest indicator that you are making the right decision.
However, even after finishing these visits, I thought to myself — maybe it was just that weekend, maybe I am just being silly. Wharton is the best business school for undergraduates in the whole world. Do I really want to spend four years in the numbing winters of Chicago? Don’t I want to be connected with Wharton’s vast alumni network so that I can leverage that to start companies?
I thought some more, and not only did I realize my heart wanted me to go to Chicago, but I realized it made sense. Chicago’s economics department was and is the best in the world. I did not need to study business as an undergraduate to be a successful entrepreneur — that’s what work experience and an M.B.A. are for. Chicago also has THE WORLD'S BEST BUSINESS SCHOOL and I could (and did) audit and register in classes there to supplement my liberal arts education. I could learn about a broad array of subjects and be an “interesting” person. Wow, I could learn about Homer, Smith, and Nietzsche while studying price theory! I could be in an amazing city and gain contacts through the university and the community. I could be a better entrepreneur because I would be surrounded by creative, open-minded people.
I finally decided on The University of Chicago and I have not regretted my decision for one second. It is an amazing school and an amazing place. All of the other schools I considered were pretty amazing too, but Chicago was even more amazing and was the one that was right for me.
Rice— in a big city (Houston), but yet with a campus that still seems nice. The overall academic reputation of Rice is strong, but its specific strengths lie more in the sciences and less in the social sciences. Rice has a strong reputation, but not one as strong as the other four colleges. However, Rice did offer me a significant merit scholarship and strong study abroad opportunities with some interesting special programs. My interviewer was extremely nice and helpful and gave me an excellent impression of the school, yet it did not stand out in my mind as a place that fit my needs in terms of an academic institution with a high power faculty. Eliminated from consideration.
Now I was left with Duke, M.I.T., the University of Chicago, and Wharton (University of Pennsylvania):
M.I.T. — in a big city (Boston), but with a gorgeous campus and some really neat buildings. M.I.T. clearly has a very strong reputation worldwide and has the world’s second best economics department with an extremely strong computer science department and biotech research abounds in Cambridge. M.I.T. would probably give me an amazing technical education, but I was not sure how broad-based or well-rounded it would be. Most of the students I met were very intelligent, yet did not strike me as people with a variety of interests. Many students at M.I.T. participate in Greek life (fraternities and sororities), which I am not a big fan of, and this was a significant turn off. I was very unimpressed by the study abroad options that M.I.T. offered and eventually decided that despite my extremely attractive tour guide, the school was a bit too technical and in some senses a little gloomy (for instance, M.I.T. has a high binge drinking rate) for me. Eliminated from consideration.
Duke — not in a big city (Durham), and in fact, not really much fun. Although the university does an excellent job of promoting student activities, Durham isn’t really a major cultural center with an international feel. Duke clearly has a very strong academic reputation, but perhaps not on the same level as M.I.T., University of Chicago, and Wharton, and its programs in economics and political science were not particularly strong (although Duke’s biology and computer science departments are amazing). Duke has a good reputation, but it is rarely considered an academic powerhouse. In addition, Duke offers very few merit scholarships and was willing to give me very few AP credits (I was going to have taken 11 AP exams). They did, however, have some excellent study abroad programs, and I really loved the student body. The students were jovial, friendly, and made me feel right at home. However, I realized that the combination of great weather, lots of parties, a freshman campus completely separate from the rest of the college, and the lack of academic seriousness would make Duke a poor fit for me as I would probably not spend much time studying. It was hard to do, but Duke was eliminated from consideration.
Now came the hardest part, thinking of the two schools that had been my top choices all along: The University of Chicago and Wharton (University of Pennsylvania). I knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur and start my own companies, and everyone thought that Wharton, the world’s number one rated undergraduate business school, was the place for me. Almost everyone, at least — my mother, my English teacher, my history teacher, and my principal/guidance counselor thought that I would like the intellectual feel of the University of Chicago.
Let me be clear: this was nothing short of the toughest decision I’ve made in my entire life. I spent the entire month of April agonizing over the decision. I visited many colleges before even deciding where to apply and went back for last minute visits in April of my senior year (the crazy April when most of you will have to make your college decisions) to the University of Chicago and Wharton (University of Pennsylvania) before I made my final decision.
During the month of April I spoke to all of my friends, my teachers, my family, even people I had met online through college message boards to see what others thought. I had friends from high school at both colleges and e-mailed them regularly with questions that might aid me in making my final decision. Here is how my thought process came out:
Wharton (University of Pennsylvania) — in a big city (Philadelphia) with a variety of cultural attractions. The area that the university is located in is nice, but not gorgeous. Obviously one of the top universities in the world in terms of academic reputation and especially in the field of business, Wharton is the undisputed leader in undergraduate business education. Not only that, but they accepted me to the special Wharton scholars program for the top 10% of the incoming class that would allow me to take special classes and participate in special programs. The program also offered a 5-year B.A./M.B.A. option that allowed students to sub-matriculate into the Wharton M.B.A. program after their junior year. The facilities were amazing — the school is extremely professional in its approach. However, what really made my decision was my final visit during the special Admit Event in April. First, sitting in on classes, I was struck by the segregated nature of the campus. Students of various ethnic minorities all sat together and did not seem to intermingle very much — this really bothered me. Also, the classes were somewhat prosaic and there were very few questions. Most students I spoke to were interested in very non-entrepreneurial pursuits — not what I had expected. My overnight visit and chats with various students showed that the students were not as happy as I would have liked and many were there as products of the “I got rejected from Princeton/Harvard/Yale so I came here” philosophy. I wanted to attend a school where students were truly excited to be there and this was not it. Just as my parents were about to put on the “Proud to be a Penn Parent” pins, I let them know, “I’m not going here.” Eliminated from consideration (ALMOST).
The University of Chicago — in a very big city (Chicago, duh!). The campus in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago was gorgeous, it’s close to the lake, near the Museum of Science and Industry, views of downtown and Chicago’s gorgeous skyline can be obtained from just the third or fourth floor of many buildings on campus. The University of Chicago is considered to be the world’s top liberal-arts education with the most Nobel laureates of any university (more than most countries in the world in fact) with the world’s most highly-reputed economics department of Hayek, Friedman, and Fogel fame. The CORE curriculum which requires students to study in the humanities, social sciences, arts/theatre/music, civilization-studies, and the sciences really attracted me. It was more than just the distribution requirements of other schools, but a serious effort to construct a well-rounded individual. The philosophy of “We don’t teach you how to think, we give you the tools to think and approach every problem” made me realize it was the place for me. I loved the student body, the students were friendly (though quite odd at the dormitory I stayed at), and the classes I sat in on were incredible from an excellent class on genetic engineering to a small seminar on advanced Sanskrit. The university also offered me a merit scholarship, had an excellent array of study abroad programs (which gave me the chance to spend three amazing months in Barcelona, Spain), and many interesting programs. There were some negative aspects, however. The university is not in the world’s safest area, though as I have learned by living here, you just need to use your common sense and you will be fine. The winters in Chicago are a little bit painful and dreary as well. However, I just fell in love with the school, I felt at home, and honestly, that feeling that you have that you are at the right place is the biggest indicator that you are making the right decision.
However, even after finishing these visits, I thought to myself — maybe it was just that weekend, maybe I am just being silly. Wharton is the best business school for undergraduates in the whole world. Do I really want to spend four years in the numbing winters of Chicago? Don’t I want to be connected with Wharton’s vast alumni network so that I can leverage that to start companies?
I thought some more, and not only did I realize my heart wanted me to go to Chicago, but I realized it made sense. Chicago’s economics department was and is the best in the world. I did not need to study business as an undergraduate to be a successful entrepreneur — that’s what work experience and an M.B.A. are for. Chicago also has THE WORLD'S BEST BUSINESS SCHOOL and I could (and did) audit and register in classes there to supplement my liberal arts education. I could learn about a broad array of subjects and be an “interesting” person. Wow, I could learn about Homer, Smith, and Nietzsche while studying price theory! I could be in an amazing city and gain contacts through the university and the community. I could be a better entrepreneur because I would be surrounded by creative, open-minded people.
I finally decided on The University of Chicago and I have not regretted my decision for one second. It is an amazing school and an amazing place. All of the other schools I considered were pretty amazing too, but Chicago was even more amazing and was the one that was right for me.