What is University of Illinois at Chicago like? (neighborhood, living)

[wellmabt]

Speaking of UIC, my girlfriend is currently enrolled there for her PhD in community psychology. Her take on the university has been that it's a great place for a lot of graduate programs, but not so much for undergraduates. As was mentioned earlier, it is more of research university geared toward those attaining masters or doctorate degrees. However, it doesn't really offer the full college "experience" that most people are looking for when it comes to their undergraduate degree.

[Gelasia]

Thank you for your input. I was already under that impression about UIC and my husband has been in the Air Force the past 8 years and has completed 60 hours of college credit so I think hes just ready to finish and get on with it. We are thankful the Air Force is providing him with free education but unfortunately the location where we were stationed lacked engineering programs -- the closest once was 1 and half hours drive and that was pretty much impossible with a full time job. So after all this time he is pretty much over the college experience lol. Thank you for your insight- he is also planning on pursuing his masters soon after. I am more interested in finding us a neighborhood to live in. Something that would be convenient enough for him but would allow us to really enjoy the city and of course be as safe as possible. I have been doing extensive research and I am still just not sure. I think its going to be one of those see for myself decisions. But in the meantime I am loving the input from others on this forum so thanks!

[Gelasia]

if anyone else has more to add to this forum I would really appreciate it. Thanks yall!

[Basekamp]

if going to UIC look at living in Logan Square near the blue line, it is just a short train ride away, inexpensive, within easy reach of Lincoln Park on the Fullerton Bus line, also has a bunch of good deals o appartments. UIC is a growing university moving up the ranks, and attaining additional investment from the state. I say go for it.

[UICJohn]

Just trying to add my two cents to this thread.

I graduated from UIC in 2005 in Psychology. When I began at UIC, I hated it to be honest. It wasn't exactly what I expected. And to be honest, some people that I know didn't like it either. However, I was a commuter. I decided to try to do a lot more on campus and the more involved you get, the more you enjoy it. It's as simple as that. If you just commute there and go to class and leave, you will hate it. If you stick around, meet people, get involved, you will enjoy it. I decided to move on campus for my last year and absolutely enjoyed it. There are a lot of things to do on campus if you actually try. The thing that most people would rather do is complain.

The dorms at UIC are actually very nice. They are all pretty new (I think all built within the last 20 years) and are incredible especially when compared to other Illinois universities (mostly NIU and UIUC). UIC as a whole is still a commuter school. However, it has drastically changed, even since I went there. The south campus has sprang up and I believe there are dorms for about 7,000 students on campus now. Also, many upper level students live right off of campus, so the campus like feel is a lot more strong than many might think.

The location of UIC to downtown Chicago is also a great quality. You can see the Sears Tower and other buildings from the campus. I actually had a view of it from my dorm at UIC, which was nice. When you enroll at UIC, you also receive a U-Pass, which gives you unlimited use of the CTA, which include Chicago buses and El train. It's a 5 minute ride to downtown.

The surrounding areas have also gone through big changes, and are continuing to do so. When I started, the south campus was just a bunch of rotting buildings. Now, they have thousands of new dorms to go along with shops, restaurants, and hundreds of new town homes in a mini - community fittingly named University Village. The south campus honestly feels like a small community near downtown Chicago. To the west of campus is little Italy and to the south of campus is Greektown. Both also have excellent food choices.

There are some complaints of larger classes and that's true. I had an intro to Chem class with about 400 students. Intro classes are going to be this way at any large university. However, as some have said, it might not be for everyone.

As far as academics, UIC has changed a lot in that phase. Years ago, UIC was pretty much a glorified community college. Now, it's listed as a "very selective" university. The standard have gone up. I have known several people who within the last two years have been rejected to UIC but been accepted to other colleges that some might think are "better" like DePaul.

All in all, I really liked UIC. To be completely honest, everyone I know that dislikes UIC either 1) is going off of old stereo types surrounding the school that most are long gone or 2) have gone to UIC but not lived there or spent anytime there after class. Just like any college, it is what you make it.

[LucasS6]

It seems as if you're asking more about the area surrounding the school than the actual school itself, is that correct? If so, I can probably help. I went to St. Ignatius for high school, which is right next to the university, and I spent my younger (until I was like 10) living around that area until I moved 2-3 neighborhoods south (Bridgeport, about 20 blocks away) until I left home for good.

Looking at google map will help you a lot, but since you're not really sure what the boundaries are, I'll try to supplement that. Little Italy is a nice, working class neighborhood that stretches from about runs along Taylor from the Dan Ryan (90/94) to about Ashland, and north to Ashland. Most places in there are going to be okay for you, basically safe with lots of restaraunts and corner groceries and such. Not much night life right there, but I'm sure there's a couple corner bars in the area. None that I ever hung out at, though.

On Halsted, south of Roosevelt, is University Village. To be honest, this was built up after I left (around 2000ish), so I'm not sure what to tell you. I wouldn't say crime is a big problem there, though, I'm almost positive about that. South of the viaduct (where the train crosses over Halsted) is Pilsen, which stretches south to the river. There are some good places there and bad places there, some artist colonies and some Latin King hangouts, so I generally wouldn't live there unless I was familiar with the area. Unless the price is really right, I'd forgoe looking around there until you know Chicago a little better.

South of that is Bridgeport, where I grew up. Mostly single family homes, and a few condos near Sox Park. Generally, apartments and such there aren't the nicest of places, but you may be able to rent a floor of a duplex or something, and that wouldn't be bad at all. I turned out all right.

North and east of UIC are two areas, the West Loop and South Loop, that have been heavily, heavily gentrified. Lots of apartments and condos in the area, but I couldn't tell you what the price range is. I would say that South Loop- right now anyway- is much inferior to the West Loop as far as nightlife and restaurants and such. Dugan's on Halsted in Greektown (part of the West Loop, basically) is a fun bar and a notorious cop hangout.

I'm not going to get into the neighborhoods past that- I'd eventually be describing the whole city- but anywhere that you can access the Red or Purple Line on to the North Side will generally be alright until you're like miles and miles from the Loop. If it were me, I'd want to live in Little Italy or University Village, just because your boyfriend could literally walk to class and you stand a decent chance of finding a job around the area in retail or whatever if that's your game. If you're more white-collar, you're one quick bus ride (the 38, I think, runs down Taylor, and the 12 down Roosevelt) from the Loop. Nightlife is nightlife, but if you're going out at 7 planning to be home at 1 or something, you're not going to be doing that in those areas. On the other hand, at least when you go out it'll really be OUT, like out of your neighborhood and you'll feel like you're interacting with the larger city.

[Gelasia]

You are awesome
Thank you for taking the time to do that. Youre post is extremely helpful. We really do enjoy nightlife and eating out. I am from the city so I am use to having everything close by, my husband on the other hand is a country boy and his only concern is being close to campus. Ultimately I have the final say but I do want to be considerate. We have been looking at West Loop and River North. I am also having a hard time dealing with giving up living in 1900 sq foot apartment to move into a 600. My reasoning is it wont be so bad if you arent home all day and out doing things which is the point of living central. I tend to be more high maintance I will admit. I have down the college town life and Im pretty much over it. So I have no idea where we will fit in. Thanks again!

[aragx6]

Myssa I think you're just going to have to come and see for yourself. I still think that Wicker Park, Bucktown or Ukrainian Village seem to fit with what you are most looking for, but you'll definitely have to see the neighborhoods in question to really get a feel for what fits you and your commute best.

[Gelasia]

I agree
I think its going to come to just that. Im driving myself crazy reading all the info on everything and trying to make up my mind about what I think a particular neighborhood is like. Totally impossible!
I would like to narrow my search down a bit though lol
I feel like Im all over Chicago.

[LucasS6]

Well, in the Loop area, the bars and clubs are in River North and the northside of West Loop. That's where you have your bars like Emmit's (multi-level Irish pub where Clooney convinced Damon to join his crew for Ocean's 11), and clubs like Reserve or Stone Lotus where you'll see famous athletes, models, actors, stuff like that. And about a billion restaurants. My only thing is...do you really need to within walking distance of that? An $8 cab ride on a Friday night isn't good enough? Only you can answer that- I'm a big party and club guy myself- but remember that he might have a study group at 6pm every Tuesday and Thursday, well after all his other classes are over, and if you're going to be within walking distance of either serious nightlife or the campus, which one would be the more convenient choice?

Honestly, though, either way you're probably going to enjoy the hell out of the place. I'm going to Hawaii for government security work myself in the next month, but I can't help but be jealous of you guys. I'd love to get back home again, and the places I ticked off would be on my short list of places I'd want to live when I did.