Chicago, IL

[tiny_trevor]

Hi, 

I'm wanting to apply to UChicago for 2017 and was thinking of visiting this summer to see the University and get a feel for the city. I'm wondering:

1) would it be helpful for me to try and get in touch with a faculty member and see if I could chat to them about what my aims are for postgraduate studies

and 2) Is there any way to get put in touch with current or former UChicago English grad students to ask them about their experience and how they liked the university?

 

Thanks for any help!

[johnnycomelately]

On April 24, 2016 at 5:37 AM, tiny_trevor said:

Hi, 

I'm wanting to apply to UChicago for 2017 and was thinking of visiting this summer to see the University and get a feel for the city. I'm wondering:

1) would it be helpful for me to try and get in touch with a faculty member and see if I could chat to them about what my aims are for postgraduate studies

and 2) Is there any way to get put in touch with current or former UChicago English grad students to ask them about their experience and how they liked the university?

 

Thanks for any help!

I would absolutely recommend reaching out to a member of the faculty whose research most interests you/is a good fit with your own, and looking through the departmental website's listing of current students, and reaching out to a few via email. They (faculty/students) may not be around during the summer, as most go do research abroad/vacation/visit family at home, but you could meet with someone from the grad admissions office if you are already going to be in town. Good luck! 

[lpa95]

Great information! I have been struggling to find rooms with reasonable rent. I got an admit from DePaul University. Do you know an area where the students from this university generally live in(apart from University Center bcoz I read the reviews and they were mostly negative)?

[BrianR]

RE: The competitveness/availability of grad housing at UChicago. As of last year, almost everyone who applied got a room, although it may not have been their first choice. However, the University just sold/is in the process of selling a significant majority of the buildings they own, so a lot of what was UChicago grad housing will now be privately owned. 

As a result, there will be a lot more Grad students looking for private housing this fall (both incoming and returning). While my experience with Grad housing has been good, I highly recommend that everyone be aware of what other options there are so that if they don't get into grad housing they aren't caught unawares and with little time to make alternative arrangements. 

[Cogitodoncrien]

14 hours ago, lpa95 said:

Great information! I have been struggling to find rooms with reasonable rent. I got an admit from DePaul University. Do you know an area where the students from this university generally live in(apart from University Center bcoz I read the reviews and they were mostly negative)?

It's going to be hard to find a decently priced place right around DePaul because it's in Lincoln Park, which is a ridiculously expensive neighborhood.  Most of the north side is expensive due to gentrification and a contrived "cool" atmosphere.   Avondale is next to Logan Square and is a good, cheaper place to live if you want to stay on the north side.  If I were to recommend anything, it would be to stay away from the north side and instead find a place in Bridgeport, Pilsen, Little Village (not too far west in this neighborhood), or somewhere around UIC.  You will have to take public transportation or ride a bike, but that's not such a hassle in Chicago.

The south side neighborhoods I mentioned are the cheapest places in the city, besides some weird far west or south neighborhoods.  They are also, in my opinion, the best neighborhoods in the city, though I'm sure that a lot of people would disagree, especially about Little Village.

[Lc1127]

Neighborhood? Best/ safest Places to live? 

[PlieThenRose]

Beverly is a nice neighborhood in Chicago it's down the street from SXU. Oak Lawn is nice too. However, if you aren't from Chicago and want the actual city closer to downtown, Lakeview/Lincoln park/wicker park and west loop are really popular and nice places to live. Living closer to lake shore drive and taking that route down makes the commute to SXU easier than taking I-90. Just experience from a Chicago commuter! There's more to do in the neighborhoods I listed, even though being in grad school is very time consuming and last thing you want is to drive 45 min to an hour each way. But just my two cents from my experience going to SXU and living in Lincoln Park. Hope this helps! 

[eyinyangb]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how bad would it be if I have to walk a mile in Chicago winters? (everyone I have spoken too have warned me enough about the harsh winter). I am looking for places close to UChicago and trying to narrow things down.

[Allons-yDarling]

@eyinyangb So, this entirely depends on the day to day weather, because Chicago weather is absolutely insane and bipolar. You completely can, but you probably won't know until you get here and actually experience the winter weather. Everyone reacts differently to the weather (3 weeks ago, almost everyone was back in decent weight jackets, I wore a tee shirt. It's subjective.)

A mile is not too far. I just got done with my undergrad in Chicago, I lived about a mile from my closest school building, I've walked that before. If you have the proper winter gear, you can. It's not advisable sometimes, like when it's 10 degrees out plus whatever the wind chill is, or when it's snowing. See if UChicago will provide a Ventra UPass with your tuition. You'll get unlimited bus and L rides for the semester, so it's very easy to justify a bus ride to campus when it's nasty out. Plus, you know, invest in a down parka, a ton of scarves, hats, and good gloves, and nice sturdy boots. 

On the flip side, we had a really mild winter this year (as in, the temperature hovered right around freezing with a few significant drops, but nothing too bad). And if the wind isn't blowing, the cold isn't that bad. 

[themmases]

Walking a mile in Chicago is usually not a big deal. That's like a 15-20 minute walk for most people. We will occasionally have days where the wind or rain/snow is really bad and you might want to wait until that's over to walk, but it's still possible. You will also have a transit pass called UPass as a full time UChicago student. It gives you unlimited transit rides during the semester for a low flat fee (and it's not optional-- if you are full time it will be in your fees), so being close to a bus line could be another option for you.

When it's very cold out, it's more comfortable to walk than to wait around for a bus-- the walking keeps you warm. CTA has mobile bus and train tracking so it's not difficult to see if a bus is coming and walk up the line until you run into one.

Definitely get good rain and snow boots. I have ruined shoes before because I didn't have a good pair of rain boots, and snow boots will let you walk even if people haven't done a good job of shoveling. I rarely wear my heaviest coat because the buses and trains are quite warm, and I like to walk so that keeps me warm too. Personally I would get boots, mid weight winter coat, and hat/scarf/gloves, and wait on any serious winter clothes or a ton of sweaters. Some people feel the cold more than others.

[qt_dnvr]

Reviving this thread for the 2017 season!

I'm planning my move from Denver and am having a whole lotta nonsense with the UChicago Grad housing people. It appears they're using two systems right now to determine apartments. 

If we don't get university housing we're planning on flying out end of June for showings for an end of July move date. Are apartments typically on a 30/sub30day cycle here? I know in more "college towns" it can be way more seasonal to college schedules. 

[rheya19]

On 2/28/2016 at 3:09 PM, beerkatmanor said:

Hi all!

I'm looking to attend University of Chicago and would really appreciate any perspectives on university graduate housing. Safety and proximity to the shuttles are my main concerns, price won't be prohibitive. I'm wondering which of these are the "nicest" (i.e. recently renovated) too. Most of the university apts offer street or city permit parking, how difficult is it to actually find a spot close to the building?

I'm limited to pet-friendly options and 1 bedrooms, so I've narrowed it down to:

•  1401 E. Hyde Park Blvd ("Carlson") , 
• 5110 S. Kenwood Ave (Shelbyrne),
•  5301-23 S. Kimbark Ave, and 
• 6052-57 S. Drexel Ave. (906-14 E. 61st St). 

Any stories--positive or horror--about these properties or grad housing in general?

Most of the university apts offer street or city permit parking, how difficult is it to actually find a spot close to the building?

 

Thanks  Reading through the posts here has been really helpful!! Hope everyone is excited about their moves

I lived at 5315 Kimbark with my now-husband for 3 years. I absolutely recommend you live there. Park behind you that a lot of the apartments look out over, Hyde Park Produce across the street, the shuttle and bus pass there as well. And Hyde Park Produce. Let me sing its praises for a moment- every kind of produce you can think of, locally grown as much as they can, as cheap as they could be, all sold in bulk. I used to go out, cross the street to buy one single leek, a sprig (one sprig) of fresh thyme, and a head of purple cauliflower for dinner, and spend $1.50 on the three things combined. Plus, Reijko is probably still takes care of the buildings. He is awesome. If you call him with a problem in your apartment, he'll come directly up from wherever he is and fix it. We miss this place soooo much! If you get apartment 2A, tell it that Andrea and Christian say "hi". 

[tonydoesmovie]

3 hours ago, rheya19 said:

I lived at 5315 Kimbark with my now-husband for 3 years. I absolutely recommend you live there. Park behind you that a lot of the apartments look out over, Hyde Park Produce across the street, the shuttle and bus pass there as well. And Hyde Park Produce. Let me sing its praises for a moment- every kind of produce you can think of, locally grown as much as they can, as cheap as they could be, all sold in bulk. I used to go out, cross the street to buy one single leek, a sprig (one sprig) of fresh thyme, and a head of purple cauliflower for dinner, and spend $1.50 on the three things combined. Plus, Reijko is probably still takes care of the buildings. He is awesome. If you call him with a problem in your apartment, he'll come directly up from wherever he is and fix it. We miss this place soooo much! If you get apartment 2A, tell it that Andrea and Christian say "hi". 

Going to be moving here in the summer, been looking in the Hyde Park area. I immediately bookmarked Hyde Park Produce and sent it to my wife with that review.

[tonydoesmovie]

Also, if any are interested, Chicago Tribune runs a crime tracker on their site here.

Full of great breakdowns and maps so that those of us unfamiliar with the area can try to better understand the onslaught of neighborhoods around beautiful Chicago. It also helps to destigmatizes (or rather put in perspective) the "unsafe" and "dangerous" tag Chicago often receives. As a Baltimore native, I can greatly appreciate this.

Edited March 22, 2017 by tonydoesmovie
clarity and filler words

[rheya19]

9 hours ago, tonydoesmovie said:

Also, if any are interested, Chicago Tribune runs a crime tracker on their site here.

Full of great breakdowns and maps so that those of us unfamiliar with the area can try to better understand the onslaught of neighborhoods around beautiful Chicago. It also helps to destigmatizes (or rather put in perspective) the "unsafe" and "dangerous" tag Chicago often receives. As a Baltimore native, I can greatly appreciate this.

The Tribune crime tracker is very useful. The U of C emails crime alerts to its students.... when UC students, faculty, or staff are involved. Otherwise they just kind of ignore it.

[millencolin]

Hi there,

 

I was moving to attend UIC and was looking for advice: the graduate accommodation there appears quite cramped/sterile, and so I was looking for my own studio. I've heard good things about Pilsen/Bridgeport, as well as Logan Square (I'm a hipster). Can anyone else recommend any neighbourhoods I may have missed, that's quite cheap, and close to the L? 

 

Thanks in advance

[rheya19]

6 hours ago, smqn said:

Hi there,

 

I was moving to attend UIC and was looking for advice: the graduate accommodation there appears quite cramped/sterile, and so I was looking for my own studio. I've heard good things about Pilsen/Bridgeport, as well as Logan Square (I'm a hipster). Can anyone else recommend any neighbourhoods I may have missed, that's quite cheap, and close to the L? 

 

Thanks in advance

I'd recommend Pilsen or Bridgeport. UIC is close to South Chicago, so cheaper places are likely to be in sketchy neighborhoods. I would say find an apartment in a place like Bridgeport and then look for cheaper places once you have a feel for the city. Logan Square is fun, but I don't know how affordable it is.

[millencolin]

On 25/03/2017 at 1:04 AM, rheya19 said:

I'd recommend Pilsen or Bridgeport. UIC is close to South Chicago, so cheaper places are likely to be in sketchy neighborhoods. I would say find an apartment in a place like Bridgeport and then look for cheaper places once you have a feel for the city. Logan Square is fun, but I don't know how affordable it is.

Thanks for the advice! What about Uptown? That was the only other place I'd been recommended. 

[Oddich55]

3 hours ago, smqn said:

Thanks for the advice! What about Uptown? That was the only other place I'd been recommended. 

Hmm. Uptown isn't too bad, but is a little sketchy. I live right north of it in Edgewater. If you're going to UIC - Uptown is going to be a pain in the ass without a car (you'll have to take the red line into the loop and the blue line west). If you're looking for a hip area that's easy to get to UIC, I would pick Logan Square or Wicker Park (but they are a little on the pricier side). I've been living in Chicago for most of my life, so if you have any questions - let me know =)

[ayim93]

I have recently been accepted into the Master's program for Rhetoric, Writing, and Discourse at Depaul University in Chicago.  I am looking at living in Lincoln Park or other surrounding neighborhoods.   Are there any areas that people would recommend that are affordable and is pretty close to Lincoln Park?

Edited March 29, 2017 by ayim93

[Oddich55]

On 3/29/2017 at 1:14 AM, ayim93 said:

I have recently been accepted into the Master's program for Rhetoric, Writing, and Discourse at Depaul University in Chicago.  I am looking at living in Lincoln Park or other surrounding neighborhoods.   Are there any areas that people would recommend that are affordable and is pretty close to Lincoln Park?

Lincoln Park is fairly pricey but very nice... I would look into Edgewater (the most affordable, off the red line), Lakeview (lots of bars) or perhaps Andersonville, although Lakeview and Andersonville are more expensive, they are fun. I know a lot of DePaul students live in Uptown (but personally I'm not as big of a fan of Uptown - a little less safe).

[qt_dnvr]

We're still waiting for word on grad housing but I thought I'd get some neighborhood advice if it doesn't work out.

I'm looking for a quick commute into UofC but hopefully a little more access to the city at large by public transit, bar culture isn't important to me but food options- especially ethnic food/good produce grocers are

. I was thinking Kenwood, Bronzeville, Bridgeport and maybe McKinley Park and other Southwest areas with access to transit. I'm bringing my car, at least for the first year, and would like a place I could park it multiple days without worrying about tickets or parking rules too much. Am I missing other options?

[rheya19]

1 hour ago, qt_dnvr said:

We're still waiting for word on grad housing but I thought I'd get some neighborhood advice if it doesn't work out.

I'm looking for a quick commute into UofC but hopefully a little more access to the city at large by public transit, bar culture isn't important to me but food options- especially ethnic food/good produce grocers are

. I was thinking Kenwood, Bronzeville, Bridgeport and maybe McKinley Park and other Southwest areas with access to transit. I'm bringing my car, at least for the first year, and would like a place I could park it multiple days without worrying about tickets or parking rules too much. Am I missing other options?

Everywhere has access to the city via public transit. Parking is more tricky. There is street parking in Hyde Park, but it's a pain to find. Most of it is metered, some of it isn't. And in HP the police will ticket your car over the smallest violation; it's absurd! Commuting via car can be tricky as well, as traffic is unpredictable. I would try to stay as close to campus as possible, but that's just my opinion. 

Chicago is nothing but food options. Pick any neighborhood and you will find them.

[lorear2]

Hi All,

I've been accepted to UIC to get my PhD in Epidemiology. I'm vaguely familiar with the city based on a few visits, but I'm still kind of iffy on the housing situation. I've heard that there are some good realtor type services where the apartments pay the realtors their commission/fee. Does anyone have one they can recommend?

[Antebellum]

On 3/29/2017 at 1:14 AM, ayim93 said:

I have recently been accepted into the Master's program for Rhetoric, Writing, and Discourse at Depaul University in Chicago.  I am looking at living in Lincoln Park or other surrounding neighborhoods.   Are there any areas that people would recommend that are affordable and is pretty close to Lincoln Park?

I know quite a few people who live in Logan Square and go to DePaul. It's a relatively easy bus ride away from campus so that's good. Other than that, you can definitely find relatively affordable apartments in Lincoln Park or Lakeview but you just have to really do some digging! They are out there but will be tough to find. Still, it's nice to be able to walk to campus if you are close enough and those neighborhoods are incredibly beautiful.