Advantages & Disadvantages of Studying in Chicago

You think about studying in Chicago but want to get additional information about student life and the city in general before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you the pros and cons of studying in Chicago in the following chapters.

Table of Contents

Studying in Chicago – Overview

Number of Universities10 public colleges and 3 major universities in Chicago.
Quality of UniversitiesChicago has many prestigious universities and colleges that often rank pretty high in global university rankings.
Networking OpportunitiesExcellent networking opportunities in Chicago since you can meet many ambitious students.
Student LifeGreat student life in Chicago since you will have many student unions and other organizations you can join so you can socialize and also take on additional responsibilities.
International StudentsChicago is a popular place to study for people from all over the world and you can therefore meet many students from foreign countries.
Career ProspectsAfter graduating from University of Chicago or other renowned colleges, you will have excellent career prospects and almost freedom of choice regarding whom you want to work for.
NightlifeChicago has many great bars and clubs and you will find many opportunities to hang out with your favorite people after school and you can also party until the early morning.
Living CostsLiving costs in Chicago are pretty high and many students really struggle to cover their expenses.
HousingHousing shortage is a big problem in Chicago and it may be quite hard for you to find a decent place to stay at an affordable price.
Weather & ClimateChicago has nice summers but really cold winters and if you can’t stand the cold at all, you may be better off studying in a warmer place.
advantages and disadvantages of studying in chicago

Advantages of Studying in Chicago

  1. Many renowned universities in Chicago
  2. Huge selection of different majors
  3. You can learn from the best in your field
  4. Many renowned guest professors at the University of Chicago
  5. University of Chicago is well-known across country borders
  6. You can build a strong network of talented people in Chicago
  7. Many student jobs in Chicago
  8. You will have an easy time finding internships
  9. Studying in Chicago can be great for your CV
  10. Many renowned corporations hire from University of Chicago
  11. Great student life in Chicago
  12. Interesting student unions in Chicago
  13. Many opportunities to play college sports
  14. Many libraries in Chicago
  15. You can engage in extracurricular activities
  16. You can learn from other talented students
  17. Chicago is a tolerant place
  18. You can meet many international students
  19. Great nightlife in Chicago
  20. Easy to get around by public transport
  21. You find everything you need within walking distance
  22. Many of your friends will visit you in Chicago

Many renowned universities in Chicago

One advantage of studying in Chicago is that you will have many good colleges and universities to choose from.

In fact, there is a decent number of universities ranking very well on a global scale and studying in Chicago therefore has a pretty high reputation in general and many people will admire and envy you for having this opportunity.

Huge selection of different majors

Since there are many universities in Chicago, you will also have a big selection of majors to choose from and you can also enroll in many rather exotic specializations you may not find in many other parts of the country so there will be something for everyone and you will never run out of courses you might want to take.

You can learn from the best in your field

Many professors at University of Chicago are also real experts in their field and do important research that is highly recognized on a global scale.

Thus, similar to people living in Boston, you can learn from really smart people and can get in touch with important people in your field and this can be exciting and pretty helpful since you can have real experts answering your questions so that you can gain lots of important knowledge in the long run.

Many renowned guest professors at the University of Chicago

Since University of Chicago has excellent reputation, it also attracts many guest professors from various parts of the world and you can therefore also get in touch with renowned people from foreign countries and can learn quite a lot from those characters.

Moreover, since universities in Chicago have many connections with other universities from all over the world, you will also have a rather easy time spending a semester abroad if you like to explore different cultures and traditions in foreign countries during your studies.

University of Chicago is well-known across country borders

You should also know that many universities in Chicago are well-known across country borders and studying in Chicago may therefore also make sense in case you consider moving to a foreign country sooner or later since you will still have excellent job prospects all over the world.

You can build a strong network of talented people in Chicago

Since there are many smart and ambitious people studying in Chicago, you can also build a strong network of really talented people and this network will greatly help you find fancy jobs in the corporate world later on since the more important people you know, the easier it will be for you to climb the corporate ladder quickly.

Many student jobs in Chicago

Another benefit of studying in Chicago is that there are also more than enough student jobs you can choose from and can make additional money on the side so that you can cover your expenses at least a little bit.

You will have an easy time finding internships

Since there are many big corporations in Chicago, you will also find more than enough opportunities to work as an intern and this can help you find a decent job later on since you can make connections early on and can use these connections after graduating from college to find a good job soon.

Studying in Chicago can be great for your CV

Since University of Chicago has a pretty high reputation, studying in Chicago can also be great for your CV in general and many people will really admire your educational path and many doors will open for you in the long run.

Many renowned corporations hire from the University of Chicago

Since University of Chicago is well-known all over the US and even the world, there are also many big corporations hiring directly from campus and with a little bit of luck, you may get a fancy job even before graduation.

Great student life in Chicago

Studying in Chicago can not only be great from an academic standpoint, but it can also be great since you can meet many interesting people from all over the world and can have a great time together so you will never get bored as a student in Chicago.

Interesting student unions in Chicago

There are also many student unions you can join in Chicago and can make really important connections and also friends for a lifetime.

Many opportunities to play college sports

Since Chicago has some pretty big universities, there are also many opportunities to play college sports if you are an athlete aspiring to a fancy professional career later on and you may even get a scholarship if you are really good at what you are doing and may therefore be able to save lots of money on tuition and other expenses related to college.

Many libraries in Chicago

Another upside to studying in Chicago is that you will also have many libraries where you can hang out after your classes to study in a quiet and peaceful atmosphere so you can prepare for your exams in the best possible manner.

You can engage in extracurricular activities

There are also many clubs and other extracurricular activities you can join in Chicago and you can therefore meet many like-minded people with whom you can have a great time together and can also make friends for a lifetime.

You can learn from other talented students

Since there are so many talented students in Chicago, you can also really benefit from meeting those people since you can study together and in case you don’t understand the topic yet, you may find another student who can explain it to you so that you will have a higher chance of getting good grades in your exams.

Chicago is a tolerant place

Studying in Chicago can also be great since it is a pretty tolerant city where you will be welcome no matter where you come from and you can therefore also get to know many interesting people from all over the planet.

You can meet many international students

Since University of Chicago has a pretty high reputation and Chicago is a tolerant place, it also attracts many international students with whom you can have a great time together and can also make many new friends with people from all over the world and this can not only be pretty interesting but can also be pretty helpful in case you want to travel the world since you will already have many important connections to locals and may also have opportunities to stay instead of having to spend lots of money on fancy hotels.

Great nightlife in Chicago

Studying in Chicago can also make sense since you will find excellent nightlife and many exciting bars and clubs where you can party until the early morning and can really enjoy your youth.

Easy to get around by public transport

It is also pretty easy to get around by public transport in Chicago and this can be great for students since you will not urgently need a car and can save lots of money in this regard and will also not get stuck in traffic jams often.

You find everything you need within walking distance

Since public infrastructure in Chicago is pretty decent, you will also find most things you need for daily life within walking distance and don’t have to spend lots of time in this regard which means you will have more time studying.

Many of your friends will visit you in Chicago

Since Chicago is a pretty popular city, many of your friends from different states will also visit you and chances are that you will never feel lonely as a student in Chicago.

Now that you know the reasons for studying in Chicago, we also have to talk about the drawbacks of studying in Chicago so you can better decide whether you still want to study in Chicago or rather want to study in Los Angeles or other places instead.

Disadvantages of Studying in Chicago

  1. Students in Chicago are pretty competitive
  2. You may not feel smart enough
  3. Many classes are pretty theoretical
  4. Living costs in Chicago are high
  5. Housing shortage is a big problem in Chicago
  6. Rents have skyrocketed over the past decade
  7. Tuition is often pretty high in Chicago
  8. Student jobs often don’t pay enough to make a living in Chicago
  9. Student loan debt may become a problem
  10. Studying in Chicago is no guarantee for finding a good job
  11. You may miss the beach

Students in Chicago are pretty competitive

One problem with studying in Chicago is that since there are many talented students, many of them are also pretty competitive and just want to be the best and this may make it hard to find really good friends since competition may make it hard to really connect to people on a deeper level.

You may not feel smart enough

Since there will be more than enough smart people around you, you may also feel kind of inferior and not smart enough to compete at this level and this may really demotivate you and may also make you sad in the long run since you may just not feel good enough.

Many classes are pretty theoretical

While quality of education at University of Chicago is excellent, many classes are still pretty theoretical and don’t give a realistic picture of reality and some models are just not useful to describe how the world really works since there are simply too many variables that may not be covered by those models at all.

Living costs in Chicago are high

Another downside to studying in Chicago is that living costs are pretty high.

In fact, everything is pretty expensive and you will therefore have to spend lots of money on many things of daily life and should have a pretty big budget so you don’t get into financial trouble as a student in Chicago or rather move to St. Louis or other cheaper regions instead.

Housing shortage is a big problem in Chicago

You should also know that housing shortage is a big problem in Chicago and many students really struggle to find a decent place to stay at an affordable price and many students search for many weeks or even months to find a decent place to stay.

Rents have skyrocketed over the past decade

Not only is it pretty hard to find a place to stay in Chicago since the housing market is pretty competitive, but also rents are pretty high and you may simply not be able to afford to spend those amounts of money.

Tuition is often pretty high in Chicago

Another disadvantage of studying in Chicago is that tuition is often pretty high and you will often have to spend a six-figure amount of money on your degree and should make sure that it is really worth it to you before deciding on studying in Chicago.

Student jobs often don’t pay enough to make a living in Chicago

While there are many student jobs in Chicago, most of them still pay pretty poor money and you will therefore often not be able to make a decent living from those student jobs in Chicago and may need additional income sources or financial support.

Student loan debt may become a problem

Since studying in Chicago is pretty expensive, you may also have to use student loans to finance your degree which would mean that you will have to pay back huge amounts of money later on.

Studying in Chicago is no guarantee for finding a good job

While studying in Chicago can help you find a decent job since graduating from a renowned university is always a plus in this regard, there will still be no guarantee of getting a great job later on and some people just never get the opportunity to start a fancy career.

You may miss the beach

Since Chicago is not located at the coast, you may also miss the beach and may really envy your friends living in coastal areas where they can go surfing on a regular basis.

Top 10 Studying in Chicago Pros & Cons – Summary List

Studying in Chicago ProsStudying in Chicago Cons
Many renowned universities in ChicagoLiving costs in Chicago are pretty high
Studying in Chicago is good for your CVMany people can’t afford tuition in Chicago
You can learn from the best in your fieldHousing shortage is a big problem for students
Many renowned guest professors in ChicagoRents are pretty high
Great student life in ChicagoMany students have to deal with student loan debt
Many decent bars and clubsNo guarantee for finding a great job
You can join many student unionsStudents in Chicago are pretty competitive
Many opportunities to play college sportsYou may not feel smart enough
You can build a strong networkChicago is not located at the beach
You can learn from other smart studentsStudent jobs often don’t pay great money

Should You Study in Chicago?

While studying in Chicago can make quite a lot of sense since there are many renowned universities and you can learn from the best in your field while you can enjoy great student life, you should also know that tuition, living and housing costs are pretty high and housing shortage is a big problem.

If you not only want to study in Chicago but even consider living there, you should also have a look at all the pros and cons of moving to Chicago as well.

Alternative Cities To Study

If you don’t want to study in Chicago anymore, you may also want to have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of studying in Phoenix.

Sources

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en.html

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.

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