Chicago has many great universities. I have hopes though that one day Chicago can become a great College Town having many top notch schools. Let's exclude Norwestern and U of C from this though. They are in a category in all their own. I am talking more about DePaul, UIC, and Loyola. Many cities have a great variety of universites like Boston. Sometimes I feel Chicago has too many extremes. For instance we have two schools ranked in the top 20 (NU, U of C) then IIT (again that one is in a moreso in its on category), and then it drops to the three i mentioned which are third tier schools. I feel like there is no happy medium. The happy medium I talk about is like U of I. Chicago needs a UCLA, a USC, or something like a Marquette. This is what I think should be done.
Loyola: Great, great, great school. I think it is extremely underrated though, both locally and nationally. I don't know this school all this well so I can't comment on that much. I really think the school really needs to get itself out there and have a bigger prescence. I think having Northwestern so close in a way overshadows it. DePaul kind of rules its area, UIC dominates its area. From my opinion, I don't see Loyola dominanting its area (of course I am not talking about their downtown campuses). Also, correct me if I am wrong but I heard Loyola is lowering its admission so it will be easier to get students. I hope it doesn't knock it lower on the list.
DePaul: Great school as well, and I feel gives the best college experience. I see this school with a lot of potential. It might not be a big research school but it is good enough. One thing DePaul needs to do is add more student housing and I mean a lot. I am on the waitlist until Winter for housing. This school also has released news that they are going to make it harder for admissions and the school is going to do a lot to improve academically (For all you depaul peeps it is in Campus Connection). Also I think DePaul needs its own stadium for Basketball. Then DePaul will really have a big prescence in its area. Add a stadium and add a lot of dorms and DePaul will feel like your sterotypical college. Also out state student attendence is on the rise, I think that it is at 25%. It is much higher than UIC and even U o I (at 8%), which will benefit the school in people becoming more aquainted with it other than in Chicago and Illinois. Only problem with DePaul? Its in Lincoln park and downtown, which means difficulty in expanding. (I would love for DePaul to add a football team, it is in the Big East Conference with the ranks of the big boys like Norte Dame)
UIC: Out of all three I feel this school has the most most potential. It is expanding like crazy and they have room for it. I think it has ugly architecture, but it does look like a college campus once you set foot in it. Like DePaul UIC needs to have a lot more housing options (which it is adding) and get a better sense of community. UIC is way too much commuter. UIC has an attractive price tag, but they should raise it to make more improvements. I really really see UIC like the next UCLA, or the next UCSD. UIC should also have a football team and and a stadium. They have the room and I am sure they can get the money. Big problem though? U of I, will most likely get in its way from becoming better. U of I has dominated the Illinois University system for a very long time, and UIC is a young school with a lot potential, but U of I certainly has its edge. That is one advantage that DePaul and Loyola have. They do not have to share funding with other really big schools.
Overall I see UIC with the most potential, DePaul next, and then Loyola. I'll shut up now? What do you all think?> |
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