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University of Chicago - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler4.24

Local Atmosphere

A-
Where does this grade come from?View all Local Atmosphere rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Local Atmosphere Grades:

Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. The brownie was invented in Chicago by Bertha Palmer, wife of business mogul Potter Palmer. She wanted a portable sweet snack for people at the Chicago World's Fair.
  2. The Great Fire of 1871 decimated the city. It started at the O'Leary's family farm on the South Side and wiped out the entire downtown area and much of the North Side. The motto after the fire was, "Chicago will rise again," which is partly where the University of Chicago's Phoenix mascot comes from.
  3. The Midway was once the fairgrounds of the World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair in1893. The Museum of Science and Industry is the last remaining structure from the event.
  4. There are a series of tunnels under the downtown area that were originally intended for merchandise transportation. However, they're now sealed off, partly because of the Great Chicago Flood of 1992. A small leak turned into a big problem when the tunnels were completely flooded and Loop basements were destroyed, costing the city almost $2 billion.
  5. The word "skyscraper" was first applied to buildings by a Chicago newspaper. William LeBaron Jenney designed the first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, in 1888. It was eventually torn down in 1931.
Notable Natives
  • John Belushi – actor
  • Al Capone – mobster
  • Hilary Clinton – politician, former First Lady of the United States
  • Stephen Colbert – host of "The Colbert Report" (attended Northwestern University)
  • Nat King Cole – singer
  • John Cusack – actor
  • Philip K. Dick – writer
  • Walt Disney – entrepreneur
  • Mike Ditka – NFL coach
  • Roger Ebert – film critic
  • Hugh Hefner – Playboy entrepreneur
  • Ernest Hemingway – writer
  • Jennifer Hudson – actress, "American Idol" singer
  • Barack Obama – President of the United States
  • Danny Pudi – actor ("Community")
  • Mr. T – actor
  • Vince Vaughn – actor
Local Slang
  • "L": The Chicago "L" is the system of trains run by the CTA that circle downtown and extend out to the surrounding neighborhoods. It's mainly concentrated in the area downtown known as "the Loop."
  • Pop: Make sure you call it pop, not soda
Points of Interest
  • The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Chinatown
  • The Field Museum
  • Grant Park
  • John Hancock Tower
  • Michigan Avenue
  • Millennium Park
  • The Museum of Science and Industry
  • Navy Pier
  • Shedd Aquarium
  • Soldier Field
  • Willis Tower
  • Wrigley Field

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

There is no other city in the world like Chicago. It's big-city life meets Midwest, and the result is fantastic. The city is teeming with things to do. On any given day, you can check out the museums, the Lincoln Park Zoo, the downtown shopping, cultural neighborhoods, Lake Michigan, movies, concerts, Broadway productions, and free local events. The best part is that getting downtown is incredibly easy. One quick bus or train ride and you're at one of the major cities of the United States. While there are other schools in the area, like Northwestern and DePaul, chances are you won’t see many of the students except downtown at night. However, you will see a ton of people between the ages of 21 and 25. It’s a vibrant youth culture that you have more than enough access to.

As for Hyde Park itself, it's definitely city living. You have to be aware of your surroundings. There is some crime, but the University Police and city police do their best to keep everything under control. The University is very safety-conscious, so there are multiple programs in place that help you get from point A to point B without any concerns. However, along with the crime, you also get a ton of local flavor. Hyde Park has a lot of local restaurants and some street fairs that can keep you entertained if you don't feel like making the trip downtown. It's kind of like the city of Chicago is the University's "Uptown."  How many places can say that?

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Chicago Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Local Atmosphere at University of Chicago

mallorycmorse

'15

Chemistry

4.6
A

Chicago

What else do I have to say? It's a great city and safety in Hyde Park isn't an issue if you have some common sense.

Sep 01, 2011

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Local Atmosphere at University of Chicago

dmariew

'12

Computer Science

3.1
B-

Get Off Campus!

Relations with the nearby area are not the best, as the University has taken some actions that have caused a strained relationship between it and the rest of Hyde Park. But that doesn't mean you can't find super fun things to do off campus! Downtown is full of great things to do, even a short trip on the Red Line can get you to a mecca of restaurants and movie theatres.

Aug 21, 2011

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Local Atmosphere at University of Chicago

smpen45

'14

Physics

4.2
A-

Uchicago and Hyde Park

Hyde Park is a really cool neighborhood located on the South Side of Chicago. It has a college town feel, since the University is inseparable from the community, but all of the benefits of a huge city are a short ride away.

Aug 16, 2011

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Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • Block 37
  • Water Tower Place
Major Sports Teams
  • Chicago Bears: NFL
  • Chicago Blackhawks: NHL
  • Chicago Bulls: NBA
  • Chicago Cubs: MLB
  • Chicago Fire: MLS (soccer)
  • Chicago White Sox: MLB
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities Milwaukee: : 1 hour, 50 minutes
Did You Know? "Taste of Chicago" is the world's largest outdoor food festival and attracts more than 3 million visitors per year.

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

AMC Loews North Michigan 9
600 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago's Loop
(312) 255-9347

AMC River East 21
322 E. Illinois St.
Chicago
(312) 596-0333

Max Palevsky Cinema
Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th St.
Chicago
(773) 702-8574

ShowPlace Icon
150 W. Roosevelt Road
West Loop
(312) 386-7440

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Chicago

Name: Liane Rousseau

Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio

Major: English Language and Literature

Grad Year: 2012

see all student author bios > Become a student author to help update the guide for this school

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