While the University of Chicago's official motto is, "Crescat scientia; vita excolatur," which translates to, "Let knowledge grow from more to more; and so be human life enriched," some students refer to the school as the place "where fun goes to die."
That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but it gets to the heart of UChicago's reputation for academic intensity. The college uses a fast-paced 10-week quarter system, and all 7,500 or so undergraduates work through a substantial core curriculum, mostly in their first and second years.
The student body is intellectual and prides itself on being so: Many credit the school with teaching them to think critically. Downtown Chicago, a few miles to the north of the school's Hyde Park campus, is a playground for students and an important part of university life, providing job, internship and volunteer opportunities, as well as athletic and cultural activities.
Starting in fall 2027, the University of Chicago is expanding its financial aid policy: It will offer free tuition to families earning less than $250,000 with typical assets, an income cutoff that places the university among the country’s most generous universities.
