Couple Of Questions For Chicagoans (Washington, Atlanta: credit, job market, transfer)

[MerceydesGal]

I'm considering a move to Chicago and other cities for my grad studies next fall. I'm looking at Northwestern and University of Chicago. I have done some research, but I still have a few questions for the good people of Chicago.

-Between U of C and Northwestern, which one has more rep in Chicago and around the world? I know they are great schools, but I'd like to know which one has better alumni and connections.

-How far are these schools from the city center?

-As a grad student, can I live decently on $3000 per month?

-How is the job market for a Phd holder in Foreign Affairs/Politics/International Relations outside accademics?

-How expensive is public transportation, is it monthly or daily subscription?

-What do you love most about Chicago?

-What do you hate most apart from the weather?

-If you are a transplant, do you intend to leave? If yes, why?

-Is the city friendly for young professional girls in early 20s?

-Which area has the most number of churches? Are people spiritual?

-I learnt that Atlanta doesn't have enough well off single men . Is the situation better in Chicago?

-I like inter racial relationships. Are those common in Chicago? If yes, what combination is the most common?



Answers are appreciated. Thanks for your time

[chirack]

Don’t worry too much about distance from the city center. Chicago’s loop is the city center but it isn’t a party zone. There are clubs all over the city with areas like lakeview and river north being more party orientated. The loop is sort of business and touristy with maybe some broadway style plays and a few restraints thrown in. Not a very residential area and not a place where singles mingle.

$3,000 a month is plenty assuming you don’t have a lot of debt.

Right now the cost of public transit is in flux. We do have monthly CTA passes but there is currently an attempt to switch to a different system for fair collection: Deprecated Browser Error

[MerceydesGal]

No, I don't have any debt. I'm an international student. Thanks for the info.



I still need answers to my other questions. Maybe people here aren't as nice as I thought

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by MerceydesGal

-Between U of C and Northwestern, which one has more rep in Chicago and around the world? I know they are great schools, but I'd like to know which one has better alumni and connections.

Depends what it is you're studying. U of Chicago overall is more well known, but Northwestern isn't terribly behind. Honestly you can't go wrong with either. I think U of Chicago is top 15 rated institution worldwide and Northwestern is top 30 or 35.

-How far are these schools from the city center?

Chicago is a neighborhood city. This is semi irrelevant in a way. You could live 5 miles from "downtown" and still be in an active area.

-As a grad student, can I live decently on $3000 per month?

Like $3000/month for everything including rent, utilities, phone, internet, tv (if any), food, etc? GOD yes...more than enough, unless you are eating $50 worth of meals everyday thennn you might run into a little bit of a problem maybe. You could get a one bedroom for $1000-$1100/month here in some hot areas. For Hyde Park (U of Chicago), it's probably under $1000/month. After Utilities, phone, internet, and tv, that might be say $1250/month. Add in an unlimited CTA pass for $100/month then that's $1350/month.

If you want roommates, then you could easily pay less than $1000/month in neighborhoods. My girlfriend is paying $750/month for her place with one other roommate right near the lake, near tons of restaurants/bars/etc and right near tons of public transit and her area is extremely walkable.

-How expensive is public transportation, is it monthly or daily subscription?

Both. You could do unlimited by month, you could just pay as you go and it automatically deducts from debit/credit. etc

I think it's now $100/month for unlimited rides. $2.25 per ride basically and transfers up to 2 hours are 25 cents. Transfers within the loop are free.

-What do you love most about Chicago?

The fact that I can do a lot of things of varying interest.

-What do you hate most apart from the weather?

The weather thing is overrated. Unless you come from a warm climate, then whatever. There's people here from all over the world in areas that are hotter than most of the US and they have no problem adjusting.

Honestly, I wish there was more street food type of action. I just came back from a few countries where there are 24 hour food streets and it's all outdoors. I wish there was something like that here. There are areas that can be like that, but it could be even more social. Don't mind me though, because honestly it's fine. I'm at one extreme.

Other than that, more "chill" lounges. Places that play chill electronic music and you can relax on couches. There's a few places like that, but again I'm just being weird.

-If you are a transplant, do you intend to leave? If yes, why?

I don't intend on leaving, but if I do, it would only be to a few cities outside of the US. I don't have a huge urge to live anywhere else in the US right now except maybe San Fran or something, but that's not a big urge.

-Is the city friendly for young professional girls in early 20s?

Yes, very.

-Which area has the most number of churches? Are people spiritual?

No idea. Probably somewhere on the South Side or West Side. Are people spiritual? Depends on where you are. Some areas in the South/West sides are more than others but....even if people on the north side are, they don't shove it in your face.

Nobody really cares what religion you are in parts.

-I learnt that Atlanta doesn't have enough well off single men . Is the situation better in Chicago?

There are many single people in Chicago. Depends on what you're looking for, but remember...Chicago is much larger than Atlanta. Like 5-6 times.

-I like inter racial relationships. Are those common in Chicago? If yes, what combination is the most common?

Eh, yes and no. Some people might care, but my current relationship is interracial and I have yet to run into anybody who gives a ****. Not say you wouldn't, but I haven't. Hopefully you wouldn't...and I don't know which are most common.

[MerceydesGal]

Marothisu, that's a wealth of information. Thanks

[mjtinmemphis]

I'm going to answer as many questions as possible. I was going to recommend neighborhoods near the university of your choice but mentioning interracial dating, spirituality budget and wealth brings me to Hyde Park.

Chicagoans generally don't wear their religion on their sleeve but just like anywhere else there are spiritual people. IMO, depending on what type of interracial relationship, you may have a lot of company especially in areas around the universities. I've noticed a lot of interracial relationships in Hyde Park especially involving White men.

I've been in the city for 5 years and I love it for the urban landscape, personal friends I've made and sophisticated lifestyle. I hate it for the neighborhoods divisiveness and segregation. Too many people live on one side of town and their mind can't leave the block. IMO, it's just like any place you take the good with the bad and do your best.

I do plan to leave due to personal reasons it's not because I don't like my life here or hate the city.

These are just my opinions.

[chet everett]

In regards to the employment prospects for holders of advanced degrees not directly related to some kind of professional licensure (which mostly excludes healthcare and law) the long term trends are not positive in most of the US. Aside from academic roles the next biggest category for science / engineering PhDs are the "think tanks" which largely exisist as a primary means of generating ideas for the highly partisan world of US electoral politics. Only a handful of such jobs are outside "the beltway" surrounding Washington.

There is no signficant need / desire on the part of Chicago based employers to have any signficant employment of people holding advanced degrees in Foriegn Affarirs/Poltics/Internstional Relations. The handful of firms that have roles where such skills are a part of the job tend to strongly prefer someone that has a top tier MBA and perhaps lived / worked abroad for a signficant portion of their career. Such roles in business are largely about having personal connections with foriegn executives and not about the theoretical knowledge one is exposed in a university setting...

If one has the credentials to gain admission to a program at UofC or NU and is not pursuing either an academic path or combining the political/ foriegn affairs coursework with an MBA the better choice is to focus on schools in/around the nation's capital or the schools whose prestige / sucess in churning out poltical leaders is more well known..

[MerceydesGal]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

I'm going to answer as many questions as possible. I was going to recommend neighborhoods near the university of your choice but mentioning interracial dating, spirituality budget and wealth brings me to Hyde Park.

Chicagoans generally don't wear their religion on their sleeve but just like anywhere else there are spiritual people. IMO, depending on what type of interracial relationship, you may have a lot of company especially in areas around the universities. I've noticed a lot of interracial relationships in Hyde Park especially involving White men.

I've been in the city for 5 years and I love it for the urban landscape, personal friends I've made and sophisticated lifestyle. I hate it for the neighborhoods divisiveness and segregation. Too many people live on one side of town and their mind can't leave the block. IMO, it's just like any place you take the good with the bad and do your best.

I do plan to leave due to personal reasons it's not because I don't like my life here or hate the city.

These are just my opinions.

Thanks for your imput

[MerceydesGal]

Originally Posted by chet everett

In regards to the employment prospects for holders of advanced degrees not directly related to some kind of professional licensure (which mostly excludes healthcare and law) the long term trends are not positive in most of the US. Aside from academic roles the next biggest category for science / engineering PhDs are the "think tanks" which largely exisist as a primary means of generating ideas for the highly partisan world of US electoral politics. Only a handful of such jobs are outside "the beltway" surrounding Washington.

There is no signficant need / desire on the part of Chicago based employers to have any signficant employment of people holding advanced degrees in Foriegn Affarirs/Poltics/Internstional Relations. The handful of firms that have roles where such skills are a part of the job tend to strongly prefer someone that has a top tier MBA and perhaps lived / worked abroad for a signficant portion of their career. Such roles in business are largely about having personal connections with foriegn executives and not about the theoretical knowledge one is exposed in a university setting...

If one has the credentials to gain admission to a program at UofC or NU and is not pursuing either an academic path or combining the political/ foriegn affairs coursework with an MBA the better choice is to focus on schools in/around the nation's capital or the schools whose prestige / sucess in churning out poltical leaders is more well known..

Wow. Thanks for answering the most important question on my list. I appreciate the way you broke it down perfectly.

I know that DC or Boston would probably be better for me, but there are things I like about Chicago.

In general, do you think going for a Phd now is a waste of time? Should I go for an MBA instead? I already have a Master's degree and it isn't business related. I'm 23, I don't have much job experience.

And yeah, I have credentials to get into U of C and NU. Not sure of HYP though.

Thanks for your time.

[ToriaT]

I think a PhD can work against someone in the business world. Unless you want to go into academics, it would be better to have an MBA and the worth of that could even be questioned in this economy. Regarding international relations as you know there are way more jobs in DC for someone who has that background.

Regarding churches, there are quite a number around and quite a diversity. By doing research you will find one if you are interested in that where you can be part of a spiritual community.