University of Chicago Reviews

"Academic excellence with many services to support the student experience; competitive and narrowly focused department (though career services is more broad in scope)."

"Excellent faculty and resources but very expensive and not a lot of grant/scholarship money."

"This program is incredible for students who are a good fit - the program is less "clinical" than other social work programs. If you are a student who enjoys academia and intellectual pursuits (as opposed to the purely practical), this program is perfect. The professors and courses are interesting and stimulating. It is pretty expensive, but the cost of living here is low (versus New York, where many of the social work schools reside). Also, the program is quite generous with scholarship funding, unlike the other programs I was accepted into. Graduating students will have access to an excellent network, especially if they plan to stay in the Chicago area."

"High level of academic rigor, commitment to teaching students how to think quantitatively, great network for those interested in political work. Surrounding area is not ideal, but Chicago itself is wonderful."

"The pros of this graduate program is that it only takes one year, so is cheaper than many master's programs even compared to public universities where a student might be a resident. The cons of the program is that it is only for one year! Taking 3 classes per 3 terms plus designing, implementing and writing up a thesis does not leave much time for sanity. My concentration is psychology so that means actually running an experiment then writing a scientific paper. But I am told psychology students actually usually finish before other kinds of social scientists.... We will see. The university is highly collaborative compared to others, is known for high academic standards, and for placing graduates in PhD or jobs afterward."

"Classsmates are ambitious, intelligent, and inspiring. Booth has a sense of excitement and passion from professors and faculty"

"The University of Chicago Law School offers one of the very best programs in the country. UChicago is known for its emphasis on law and economics, and really lives up to the expectation. Faculty are very accessible, easy to get support and recommendation letters. The Office of Career Services needs some improvement, but it's great for government and public service. Highly recommend, if you can get in."

"The Middle Eastern Studies MA program at the University of Chicago is among the best in the world. Its prestige is unmatched by most institutions. While the focus of most of the faculty lies in the history of the Middle East, there is an increasing number of modernists in the program. As a student, you have access to an immense amount of resources, whether they be in the form of books or actual individuals who are willing to help with research, homework, or the pursuit of personal interests. You spend two years in an academically enriching environment surrounded by peers and professors who challenge you. While it is true that the workload is intense, the reward is undeniably worth it."

"It really depends on what you want to study and how much hand-holding you need. Chicago is great if there's someone you want to work with, and you're generally good at getting things done on your own. While not as nurturing as some place out there, it certainly is better than others, and of course that depends on your advisor. Don't expect to be done in five years, and if current trends continue, year six will likely be without funding unless you find it yourself (dissertation-year funding within the university has been going to seventh and eighth years). Otherwise, a great place to be with a good financial package for the first five years. Hyde Park is fun, but definitely not a safe place to be outside at night in the summer. You just need to be smart and a bit more cautious than usual."

"This is one of the premier programs in the country, with well respected faculty members, great library resources and support. I am most fortunate to be apart of this wonderful program."

"The quality of the faculty is impeccable. Additionally, the methods utilized by the faculty and administration to push students to learn how to think and be innovative leaders in our prospective fields is the reason why I chose U Chicago in comparison to other schools."

"The University of Chicago provides quality education with ability for hands-on-experience in the hub of where social work is needed most, Chicago neighborhoods. Despite the high cost of education, SSA provides opportunities for financial aid to get a variety of students to attend."

"I am lucky to be attending such an exceptional institution."

"This is a wonderful program where you are constantly surrounded by people like you, want to make the world a better place. It is challenging, has opportunities to make valuable connections and the school as a whole has infinite resources. Area is not so safe but the closer you are to campus the better."

"Competitive but awesome. Everyone from faculty to career services to students are collaborative and are always available to answer your questions. The faculty is also one of the best in the world, literally."

"The big advantages are definitely the quality of teaching and rigorous academic engagement of this department. I have found interactions with peers and faculty very comfortable and helpful. The excellent library is another huge pro, and of course Chicago is a great city to be in if you get to know it. The disadvantage is that it is possible you won't get out of Hyde Park much, and of course the winters are brutal. The funding in the graduate program can be precarious and uneven- that to my mind is the major problem with the program. Other than that I would unhesitatingly recommend it to anyone wanting to be an anthropologist as one of the best they'll find anywhere."

"The part-time program allows you to work and study with amazing Booth professors and students. It is a lot of work and very expensive, but the quality of the education is great and the people are very smart and focused. It is also a very fun time."

"The Harris School of Public Policy creates a healthy, collaborative environment. The diversity of student interests and backgrounds allows us to learn from each other and broaden our perspectives on policy topics."

"This is a great program, which provides you with a strong set of quantitative tools for data analysis and it provides students with the opportunity to pursue studies in their field of public policy interest."

"I am in the Weekend MBA program and I absolutely love the flexibility that Booth provides. I am able to tailor my schedule to balance out with my work workload. The teachers are fantastic and within the first class you can tell how passionate they are about their subjects. There are a lot of social events for weekend students, so I don't feel like I am missing out on the social component of getting an MBA. I think the biggest con is not necessarily a reflection on Booth, but on Weekend programs in general. It is just a lot of work to balance school and work. Fortunately I feel like what I am learning at Booth is so applicable to my job that I know I made the right choice."