Jack Horner

Tuition without any scholarship/fellowship is $39k. Yes, I realize that the majority of applicants who are accepted are accepted with 50% tuition reduction. Still, that's $20k/year in tuition alone. For comparison, tuition at Boston College (another private university in a big city) is $14-15k/year before any fellowships. So we have a starting point of $20k + rent (minimum of $8k/year) + living expenses (minimum of $5k/year) + medical insurance ($1k/year) + books and supplies ($1-1.5k/year). Before you know it, that's $35k/year after they've shaved off $20k of tuition! That's insanity.


I wasn't aware of the quarter registration requirements. Still, it's absolutely insane that tuition and fees are anything over $15k/year, especially when you factor in the living expenses of a big city. It shocks me that people even *consider* UChicago without a full tuition grant.


Do your future self a favor, and find a cheaper program. The last thing you want to end up doing is teaching high school with $50-70k in student debt and only a Masters degree to show for it. You can find a program of equal caliber that will set you up just as well for future PhD studies without mortgaging your future like you would have to if you went to UChicago.

Chicago is NOT a cheap place to live. If you live there already and are not paying rent, you could get away with the budget you're proposing. All the same, if it's $22k per year, that's $44k over two years, and I don't know anyone who can survive on $3k a year (based on your estimate of $50k total debt, or even $8k, based on your calculation of $60k) in Chicago. Please remember that you have to factor in things like insurance and food, as well as transportation. I got into UChicago a couple of years ago, and declined the offer. I calculated that it would cost about $100k for the degree (AM). Thankfully I had a good offer at Boston College, so it made the decision easier. I grant that there are lots of great folks at UChicago, but as with everything else, it depends on what you're looking for. It might be wise to see if you could get in touch with students who are currently in the program to see what their budget is like (most students get 50% tuition). Best of luck in your discernment!

P.S. Most of my friends have been devoting about $20k to living expenses (rent, utilities, insurance, transportation, food, books) in Boston, and I'd imagine that the figure would be somewhat similar in Chicago (I lived there for four years, and it's slightly less expensive there, depending on where you live).