20 Best Mfa Programs In Chicago, IL (2022 Updated)

No a good place to take a home inspector class you have 60 hours to read a huge book, and triton college push you to get brand new book but all the material they show you is from 1900, therefore the teacher encourage you to just read the book because their old material doesn't Match with the new book, nothing is updated. Plus If you miss 1 point on your exam you lose the whole course and have to do it again because they don't give you another chance to take another test even for one point and expected to pay all again.so you waste your time,your money..and all over it the instructor says that if English is not your first language you are in the wrong place and makes comments all the time about people's accents. Othe places help you pass the state exam n everything.. Don't waste your time and money taking home inspector course at triton collegeNkos

The worst school to even inquire for a program.. they will charge you and send your info to the credit Breau if you don't pay!! The cashiers will emails you everyday and night and they will make you pay for not attending classes that you never even registered for! Didn't go into classes because it was covid and never even attended for any class online but they want me to pay for not providing any serviceJexlee Charles (Charles10)

Clean, friendly, cool school. I was in the A building, the lady in room A126 was VERY nice and quiet since it was a testing room. They even have FREE feminine products in restrooms for women. I asked about future classes and the lady who helped me initially was VERY pleasant and turned her computer screen around to show me how to navigate the schools website!! All around, GREAT experience!brianne Fondren

Do NOT do business with this school. I enrolled my middle schooler in a drawing class in the spring – it cost $300 for a week of 2 hour per day classes. The “instructor” showed up, gave them the option to draw what they wanted, then had them “share out” at the end of each class. With a BREAK in between. No instruction, no critiques. We’ve gotten more valuable classes from the park district for 50 bucks. To add insult to injury, they offered me a second class for another $300 which I declined. For the past seven months, I get a bill and freaking COLLECTION notice every month with threatening language for that 300 bucks. I’ve called, emailed – everyone is going to “look into it”. I’m done trying – wouldn’t do business with this organization again if they were giving it away for free. Buyer beware.Kim Reynolds

Hi!! My name is Katherine Nicholson. I visited SAIC today. Willow and Ahmad toured me throughout the campus; special thanks to them, because both of them were incredibly kind and assisted me with all of my questions, no matter how specific. To say the least, I was floored. All of the buildings were wonderfully designed, and the classrooms were very obviously arranged and built specifically for artists. The dorms were so spacious too!! As someone who's visited many other colleges, such as SCAD, MIAD, Columbia Chicago, and UIUC, School of the Art Institute of Chicago immediately goes at the top of my list. I am excited to apply here, and all-the-more inspired to keep working on my portfolio.Kit Nicholson

Over $5,000 per class? I researched on payscale and college factual websites and the ROI (return on investment) for this school is abysmal. Forget it. Over $50,000 a year just for tuition and then what? A ton of debt and a degree with a "fancy" name? It's all very well to be a "creative type" but my god be pragmatic too. My artist teen was interested in SAIC and visited but decided not to apply choosing a state school that is half the price and still offers all the art classes she wants for her focus.BMF

I had an amazing experience at Booth. The program and culture live up to the mantras of "Challenge everything" and "Independent thought" in my experience. Personally, I was drawn to the fact that there is no one path at Booth — you're not forced into a cohort, you're not told which classes you have to take, you're not assigned to study teams and instead, you have the freedom to chart your own course (within some guidelines of course!) and you gain much wider exposure (e.g., taking classes with 2nd years). Looking back, the LEAD course was extremely helpful and I apply those lessons about leadership and self-awareness everyday now. The student culture is very strong (and different than what many perceive) — it's a bit different from other schools where there's a concentrated campus that everyone lives near and again, things aren't dictated for you. I was incredibly impressed by my classmates — not just their intelligence and career drive but also their passion for traveling and experiencing the city of Chicago. I did not find it to be competitive at all – I think because of the grade non-disclosure but also in recruiting, I had so much help from my classmates. A bit about my experience: I was a career changer. I worked in HR before and worked in consulting afterwards (boutique/startup firm in Chicago). My course specializations were Strategy, Economics, and Marketing. I was very involved with the Admissions team while there, serving on the student adcom, leading tours, planning admit weekend, etc. I also loved the Business Solutions Group where I worked on a pro-bono consulting project for a non-profit education company. I lived in Hyde Park (rare for Booth students, but I loved it). My advice to future applicants: engage with the Booth community as much as possible. Visit campus, sit in on a class, talk to students and alums, connect with the alumni group in your closest city. Be prepared to have reasons for "Why Booth" beyond just the finance reputation and flexible curriculum.Jefri Tamba

The best business school in the galaxy. What makes Booth special is its relentless focus on rigour and compelling logic in pursuit of understanding business. The MBA program is ranked number 1 by The Economist and Businessweek. More than 600 students matriculate each year and join an alumni base of over 45,000 world-wide. The school features and extensive collection of modern art. Architecturally, the building echoes the gothic University of Chicago style in the Rothman Winter Garden. The over hangs in the back give tribute to the Robie house in the back, designed by Frank Lloyd WrightZvi Goldstein

Austin Golsbee is the economics teacher that is Arrogant and example of was wrong in today’s society that someone like this has position of influence on people . He only likes to look at one side and doesn’t look at all the information. he likes to brag about what he has accomplished. The only thing he has accomplished is a bad education stay away from the school they will miss inform you and give you are useless education. I would not allow anyone in my family to enroll in this school . Even on a full scholarshipBrian H

If your considering this school really weigh out the pros and cons. Overall, I would never recommend this school. Yeah it is cheaper but is it worth the pain the school will put you through. Worst school ever. I obtained my bachelors and masters at a GSU; Many of my friends in the other programs and I agree the most of the teachers favor students and are extremely bias. Also, some classes are only offered during certain semesters. The following happened to myself and many of my friends at GSU, One of your core classes that you really need in order to graduate is only offered in the fall. When the fall comes around, you’re going to be told that the college could not find an adjunct for the course so it will be offered next year in the fall. That really sucks, especially if your receiving financial aid, now you’re going to have to take a class you really don’t need in order to have enough credits to receive your financial aide. Another problem my peers and I had. You only get 4 tickets for your graduation. To make matters worse, If you do not finish your program in May. you have to wait forever for your ceremony; my peers and I finished in the winter and we had to wait the following year to walk across the stage. More so, many classes are offered at night ( 4:30-7:20 and 7:30-10:20) which was convenient for me. However, the cafeteria would be close early. Coming straight from work I would be extremely hungry. Why close the cafeteria at 7pm when many classes start at 7:30 and get out of class at 10:30?Ashley Lamb

This school is a lot better than College of Dupage!!! Here professors care about the students and their future goals for a productive life. Cashiers office treated me s lot better, Financial Aid office people are super helpful, and Veterans Office treated me and other military both former and current a lot better than COD. Of course no wonder why COD's enrollment is dropping is because of unorganized, unfair treatment, and rude attitudes the give to their students and cares more about a paycheck instead of the future of the students!! Also my former school is on accreditation probation which I hope and Pray they lose accreditation and go bankrupt!!! If you're looking to go to a cheap university In the state of Illinois this is a good fit for you. Feels like a community college, but it's a small university who treat students with respect and are more interested in the students other than a paycheckFrederick Waramit

Family Development Center is not only the name but it's the center purpose of this facility. From the administrators, the teachers, the cooks, the maintenance workers, etc. When you come into the facility you're greeted with smiles, and gestures of kindness. I love how you can share your concerns about your child and how they listen in order to assist you. Their concerns are not just limited to your child while they're in the facility but at home as well. They offer activities for family bonding, seminars for family development and so on. By doing this, it allows parents to see other parents who are experiencing the same things and coming to great solutions. Developing families early on, giving a great start to assist our children to have a positive school experience as they grow. It is in my opinion, the hope and comfort that's needed to raise a child. Thank you all at FDCWill

The University of Chicago Booth campus is one of the oldest higher learning institutions in Chicago. The Campus is spread across the South Hyde Park and surrounding neighborhood. Had a chance to stop into the Harper Building and the welcoming atrium and staff. The administrative staff here are very friendly and knowledgeable. The students come for undergraduate or the prestigious grad school at Booth. The world class research institution is considered one of the top universities in the Midwest.chad svastisalee

Pleased to visit one of the most important Universities in the World! Its gardens, its period buildings keep an incomparable history with other universities! All its facilities are in favor of encouraging research and studies! Impressed by its majesty in knowledge and educational experience! This is part of the quality of its professionals that make them competitive worldwide!miguel chang

I enjoy the mix of old buildings and new ones. Going in the old buildings, is like go into a time capsule. Student's seem to enjoy the campus, as well as residents of the neighborhood. Enjoy the small businesses surrounding the campus. Their are several things to do, you just have to venture out and find them.Jerome Scarborough

Months after earning my degree, I’m still recovering from the great mess that is NEIU. Our teachers ranged from grossly incompetent to straight up vindictive, although a few were good. We, as a collective, had to report one of our teachers to the dean due to her mind boggling incompetence, inability to stick to any sort of schedule, inability to create assignments, explain them, set deadlines, and provide directions or rubrics (i.e., teaching 101… and this teacher is in the Dept of Ed!)… the list goes on, but what’s worse is that the dean totally gaslighted us. She didn’t hear us out AT ALL and made us feel like idiots. The sequencing in our program made zero sense and the “required” classes weren’t even offered. Went to the head of the program (who was another teacher we almost reported for refusing to follow 504 plans which is a federal law, but we’d given up by then) and she said those classes weren’t even a thing even though their website had them up. Magically, the classes that we said attracted us to the program in the first place disappeared from the website that week with no acknowledgement from the program director. There’s just no direction here at all. It was hell. I’m so glad it’s over. 2 stars for cost and a few decent, kind, and smart teachers. If I could do it all again, I’d really consider going into debt at a more expensive university.Betty L

The school is very diverse and a lower budget choice. I graduated from their science/education programs. I found my degree in Biology to be challenging and largely based on book memorization with occasional hands on experience. Their lab experience seemed dated compared to other institutions. This tends to be the nature of Biology, but I wouldn't say they excelled in making the experience amazing or poor. Their education program however was very lacking. It seemed out of touch with employers/districts needs. There was little to no focus on methodology, classroom management techniques other than case studies. These are the two most important skills needed in order to achieve student mastery. They did not model what they taught and I found many of their classes to be instructor led discussions about student based teaching. There was an immense amount of time spent on lesson plans and preparing portfolio's. While both are important record keeping practices, they should have been interwoven into a curriculum focused on skills based learning.becky harwell

This review is based on a tour that I took, and I will talk about most of the pictures that I took. There are monitors in the hallways. They have the weather on them or events. There's a useful board that has all of the students’ activities. When you walk around you will see the balloons that were put together creatively. The presentation was about majors, tuition, and housing. They were kind enough to give us a tour of The Nest. There is plenty of parking space. The lobby was well designed. It had a quiet place to study, a gaming place, and a gym. When we went to see the model of the apartments. I realized that there were alarms and fire extinguishers, which is a good thing for safety. The apartment has everything in it! It has a dishwasher, microwave, and furniture. There were 4 rooms, 2 bathrooms, and a living room. The cafeteria was huge and I like the fact that students and professors eat there. The food wasn’t that bad. I like the fries and the chicken fingers more than cheeseburger.3b0p

Forever captivated by the beauty and history encapsulated in the Art Institute. Not a place to visit too often as the gallery is largely full of permanent installations, but there is always some sort of special exhibition/gallery taking place when they are open. Entire building is extremely clean with staff and maps scattered around in order to make your experience more enjoyable. Many famous works that one recognizes from pop culture or past studies are able to be seen here. One of the top art museums in the world and an undeniable staple in Chicago’s history. Do not miss out on viewing everything it has to offer. Visited on
Weekend

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
Yes

Price for adult entry
$16–20Dylan Ivanov

Thia museum was enormous and I am pretty sure a week in this place still wouldn't be enough time. I wish I would have had more time to appreciate each piece but what I did see was amazing in every single way. The museum is beautiful, spacious, and clean. They have attendants in every room to help you find your way. I would absolutely recommend a visit here and be prepared to spend the way and wear comfortable footwear. They have 4 levels and multiple buildings and wings. I typically don't use elevators unless its a high rise but I did today. There are multiple entrances and exits as well. Visited on
Weekday

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
Yes

Price for adult entry
$21–30Cassie Ware

The "One Hour Tour" is excellent! We found ourselves very short on time the day we were meant to visit the museum (about an 1hr 15min). Luckily, on the visitor's map there's a "short on time" suggestion page of the museum's highlights. It was perfect. It included a lot of the most well known pieces you can't miss (Rodin, Tiffany window, Picasso) and we still had time to see other rooms. This museum is not to be missed but if you feel like an hour is too short, do it. It's worth the trip and tickets are discounted. Visited on
Weekend

Price for adult entry
$11–15LatinaLibra

The Academy shaped the way I see and make art. While at time a bit disorganized and unstructured (a lot of empty time where students are encouraged to work independently), this school made me realize I want to make films for the rest of my life. The teachers are this school are very invested in their work as well as the work of their students. I feel very lucky to call myself alumn.Grace Melon

This school is a unique environment where students not only receive exceptional training in their discipline but, because of the structure of the program, they are also able to excel academically, due in no small part to the passionate teachers, very small class sizes, personal attention, and outstanding administration of this school. I could not be happier with this school!Karen Sugay

I recently attended the CAA production of 'Sense and Sensibility'. It was a wonderful, fast paced production, and totally well acted in a nifty black box theater. This school continues to surprise me with their performance and visual arts productions. I think it is a gem right in our midst. If you haven't seen this school, you should look it up!Christopher McKinney

The classes were informative and had a great atmosphere. They were fun and interesting, and the teachers were super helpful. The art in the front of the building is great to look at, especially while waiting. The classes also last long enough for the customers to learn how to use the tools, brainstorm, draw out ideas, make and dry them. There's also a variety of restaurants nearby, so when the building closes at one, you can go eat something warm, or have a snack if you so please.Oh Boy

Without a doubt, if you want to learn about mosaic art this is the place to be. The instructors are fabulous and eager to share their extensive knowledge. A great community being built here.MARY LEE KENNY

A lovely little gallery specializing in an under-appreciated art form. Both shows I've seen have been thoughtfully curated.Cecelia Burokas

I am very happy I transferred out of this school. Folks who are considering applying here, please proceed with caution. I strongly urge you to reconsider. I wish somebody had told me the truth about The Theatre School when I was a senior in high school. This conservatory could be of great value to up and coming theatre artists, especially given that Chicago has such a vibrant theatre scene. But due to the uncompromising rules surrounding theatre participation outside of the school (which is not an option for BFA actors and an enormous, often impossible, obstacle for other theatre majors), The Theatre School creates an insular bubble in which students can only grow within the walls of their conservatory. However, if the content of what TTS students were learning daily was as rigorous as promised in orientations and tour guides, experience outside of the classroom would not be as necessary. Sadly, the majority of professors (not all) at TTS are far more interested in lecturing on themselves than on relevant theatre topics. This may be part of the reason why there are such harsh rules surrounding theatre participation outside of the school. Without a captive and naive audience, TTS professors and faculty would be forced to do their jobs of catering to students, rather than themselves. Naturally, given all of these factors, the productions are less than impressive, despite the surplus of talented students. It is very hard to do you best work when the environment is so toxic. It makes me very sad that such a bland and disappointing conservatory resides in Chicago. Unlike elitist faculty at TTS (and some students, because attitudes spread), Chicago theatre artists are some of the most humble, authentic people I have been privileged enough of to work with. I hope that my review does not stop aspiring theatre artists from joining the artistic community here. There are plenty of ways to be involved in theatre in Chicago without wasting tuition money on The Theatre School.Grace Melon

A great place to see both classic and modern plays alike! DePaul produces a high quality theatre program, and many of our alumni have gone on to win Oscar's. So keep an eye on the students on stage, cause you might see them accepting an award next time you see them!Alexandra Beiriger

I went here from 2005-2009. They made a lot of claims that were not true to get you to enroll. The placement percentage was exaggerated and they touted a fully developed 3d animation curriculum. We didn't even start taking 3d classes until our junior year. Then, the good 3d teacher left and a new teacher took over the department our senior year. He decided that our portfolios were not up to his standards and that he'd fail all of us if we didn't change majors… IN OUR SENIOR YEAR. I went from making Dean's list and getting all A's and B's to suddenly being threatened with not graduating. Because, you know, that seems normal. They had one career services lady there who did nothing. We went to her office the spring of our junior year because we wanted to learn about internships and she yelled at us for not making an appointment. So we emailed her for an appointment and she never responded. After I graduated, they'd get a new career services person every few months and that person would call me to ask how my job search was going. I'd tell them every time that I was stuck in retail and needed help. Every time, they'd say they were going to send me a list of jobs and connections to help…and never would follow through. I kept in touch with the roughly 15 students who graduated in 3d with me. Only one of them got a job in the 3d animation field. But somehow, the academy was reporting on their website that 95% of my graduating animation class were placed in the field. It's an outright lie. Most of my class either went back to school (like I did) or changed fields completely. The best part is: now they're sending me letters that, as an alumni, I should be donating money to the school. They will never get another dime of my money.Alexa Andres

So I had moved across the country to start at this school as an independent and made it clear multiple times that since I'm an independent I'll need assistance with figuring out a payment plan or something for tuition, and was told that itd be taken care of. Even after multiple further attempts to figure things out before leaving out of state, they did not hold their end of the bargain. I was waiting for them to reach out to me with further information as we still hadn't set anything in stone in regards to payment, because again, I've been waiting for THEIR help. Thry decided to wait until a month before school started to send a letter saying that I needed to figure out how to pay $500 a month or approx $1500 every other month. After I reminded them ONCE AGAIN of my situation they had audacity to tell me the month before classes begin that they "don't have the resources" for helping students figuring out their tuition payments. Forcing me to drop out before starting and stranded in a city I've never even been in before.Robin *

Bureaucracy, politics, and drama mixed in a tiny school. This place boasts about how several "famous" artists have attended their school, all while giving students a terrible schedule. You can only go to this school as a full time student as there is no regard for you or your own time as a human being. It is the only college-level school that I know that fails you based on attendance alone, and not based on your actual assignments. If you have work, forget it. They'll assign morning classes at 8:00am and leave gigantic gaps of empty timeslots, only to have to crawling back to school at 5:00pm. Oh, and have I mentioned that you cannot transfer your credits? Forget this mediocre school. If you really want to major in the arts, go to California or Vancouver. Save yourself the headache and your money.YunSeung

Rude staff. There is not nearly enough benches to let people rest when they walk through a large amount of rooms. You're aren't allowed to drink from your water bottle which is absurd, even when the ground is stone. You're not allowed to wear a backpack on your back, instead they force you to wear it on your front which is boubd to hurt your back. This seems to be an excuse for them not properly adding barracades to protect art. People were using chairs that looked reasonable to use and the staff rudely told them they weren't for public use. If they aren't for public use them lock them up. The only reason people are rushing them is because there is not nearly enough benches to sit in the first place. I found one nice staff member that let me drink my water bottle. And to top it off you are also not allowed to eat anywhere in the building. They used to have a cafe but it was roped off. Needless to say, I had a terrible head ache by the end of it.Jason Gallavin

The galleries & exhibits bring back childhood memories. Saturday's at the Art Institute of Chicago. Georgia O'Keefe always inspires/ed me.Pamela Ketchum

Let’s see if they’ll allow a brilliant much needed professional service driver as myself to use the restroom seeing as I am female.Lavinia “Vinnie” Redmond

I'm really impressed with the level of attention and care the staff give to their students. John Bassmaji is my admissions advisor and has made enrolling to continue my education the easiest thing ever. He is extremely thorough and helpful and is proactive in following up with me on a regular basis to make sure I'm where I need to be during this process as well as ensuring that I'm aware of all of the resources available to me as a returning student. Bre Tsokolas is my career advisor, she also is very thorough and has gone above any expectations I had. When I needed help with creating a resume my first time as a student, I reached out to her and not only did she produce one that was beyond anything I could have done (it really is an amazing resume), but she took the extra step and created a starter cover letter that I could use as a template to create a personalized letter. Anytime other time I've reached out to her she has responded quickly, and has been so encouraging during my job search. These two have helped make my experience at DeVry wonderful, and the work they do is so very much appreciated!Tiffani Brock

I am an international student at Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University. After completing the program I have to say that the professors and the staff of DeVry work really hard to ensure the students' success. There are various scholarship opportunities at DeVry and pretty much easy to get accepted for a scholarship as well. Also, there are student worker opportunities for students on campus and the Students Clubs at DeVry are very much active in organizing events for students. Especially the International Students Club. I really want to mention the amazing work done by the career services department of DeVry for students to succeed in their career after graduating. Overall, I am very much satisfied with DeVry as an International Student and I highly recommend DeVry for undergrad or grad programs. Getting accepted is pretty competitive but worth the try.Dilini Illeperuma

Studying with DeVry has helped in getting my degree at not only a convenient pace but also an educational one. As an online student, I don't feel like I'm missing out on the classroom experience as the professors and tutors are always there to help. When I've needed help regarding my financial aid or in changing classes, the student advisors have always been helpful and personable. They provide feedback and suggestions without making you feel pushed or pressured. My main gripe would only be that sometimes you get a professor who isn't active within the course and you're left to learn the subject on your own. At those times, it can be frustrating to be an online student but I'm satisfied with DeVry University!Whitney Hales

Our drive to shatter Glass is over an hour. Gps stated we would get there on time and unfortunately we kept running into traffic. The time didn’t increase until we got to Chicago. Traffic would’ve made us 25 mins late. So it’s simple we need to come much earlier and obviously we wouldn’t be able to make the class as we intended which sucks. Our 1 star comes from the service we received when calling in. RUDE!!! I understand that we we’re late but that doesn’t mean customer service shouldn’t still be held. People run into traffic or unintentionally miss appointments it happens! However the guy was so rude who we spoke to. And told us we need to reschedule and hung up. He could’ve at least tried to reschedule us right then and there but didn’t care to. At this point I’m not sure if I want to. Again I understand that their time was practically wasted but we still paid ahead! Show some courtesy. We planned this in October and was excited to go.Zena Richardson

We had a great time and a wonderful experience. Lance had an interesting spiel on the history of glass filled with a lot of great facts. Lance was funny, personable and a magician when it came to working with glass. We enjoyed watching him work, that was a form of Art in itself. We loved that we got to choose the color of our glass as well as the shape. We learned about the tools and the machinery and enjoyed every bit of it. The cherry on top was getting to meet Lance's puppy, what a cutie.Mellymel

We came to Shatter Glass from Milwaukee to take a class purchased via Groupon. The owner, Lance, was a great instructor and took the time to explain not only the process of glass making, but also the history of the art before we delved into physically making the vase or beer glass we selected. The class was interesting and enjoyable, and I look forward to seeing the results of our work when we pick up the items!Lauren Seward

Maywood Fine Arts Association on 5th and lake aloud my daughter and a few other girls to be bullied a group of three girls and they basically told me I couldn't come to them and tell them my concerns that I had to shut up and let them talk only and tell me to take the high road. They aloud the mother of one of the little girls to approach me and let her daughter attack my niece but still wanted me to shut up and not protect myself or my niece. Kicked my daughter out of the program she has been in since 5 because I had to shut up and let her be bullied or allow another mother to step in my face and disrespect me. I hope that's not where you want your children to go.Asia James

My daughter takes Tumbling and Dance and she loves it.The only problem with this Arts School is that they are very costly.You would think they would take in consideration of the families that are struggling seeing how they are in a struggling city Maywood.Every week they want more money.They also have multiple fun raisers and if u dont sale what they ask you have to front the funds.From my understanding fun raisers are supposed to be fun and OPTIONALKristen Locke

I was interested in registering my child for tumbling but with all the gang activity around the area I am really reconsidering it. Just yesterday on August 27, 2019, there was a shooting right in the corner where tumbling is held. Is the area even secure to take my child for tumbling.Conchis Pena

Its a racket! They professors and staff do the bare minimum to get paid. I took a course with Professor Begum and it was the worst. She did not create a good learning environment and was just mean plain and simple. When I would send emails and chats, she didn't reply for weeks, not until I got the Dean's involved. Choose any other city college because Truman is the worst!Christine Carr

I am very proud of this Truman College. I learned so much English and I got my GED diploma here. I feel a better person now with all the achievements I made at this great school. I want to thank you to all the teachers and instructors for teaching and making us to improve our knowledge to better citizens.J. CARMEN VAZQUEZ

Great place to start your future at a affordable price. Truman college also offers cosmetology & Barbering as well. Financial aid available. Please consider Truman City College as your place to help build your future dreams.michael sacramento

The Music Department at Concordia University Chicago is a gem in the world of universities offering music education and piano pedagogy programs. The professors have degrees from top notch conservatories and universities, and are truly interested in seeing their students succeed in the classroom and after graduation. The classes are small and taught by the professors themselves. All professors take time to answer questions either in class or outside of class. The Chicago area is so fortunate to have this excellent program near-by.Kristine Konrad

Although I never attended this school, I've been on Concordia's campus quite a bit – from having my high school track & field practices held here to utilizing the library's resources if I needed to while attending school down the street, I've always found Concordia to be a close-knit, safe, and good looking campus with very friendly people all around. To say that it feels like a community-within-a-community here is no exaggeration, and at times I wished that I had gone here for college.Jeff Weber

The best location, professors and overall experience for an adult learner. CUC made it easy to go back to school after 20 years. Wonderful environment and teachers that work with you to make sure you learn and understand. I will steer my children to go here as well, which is coming up fast; especially since I just went through all the aspects of financial aid and registrations I would be able to help them a lot. Mike Kenny is an excellent counselor as well. Great school.April Kibler

The phrase that seems to follow this school around is, "You get what you put into it" and that pretty much sums it up. Care about the arts and your work or don't come here. Seriously, it's not "easier" than business school. Be passionate. PROS: In most cases (with a good advisor) you can craft a major to your interests, something that can't be done at most state funded schools. Columbia offers all arts (media, performing and fine) without barring other majors from taking specific classes. Columbia's pretty flexible with switching majors, so anyone can explore to the heart's content. The social networks are great, too (if you're willing to explore and find them – please see paragraph one). The portfolio center also offers useful tips and tricks. Also, SMALL CLASS SIZES (less than fifteen people usually), and people actually interact with you. Beyond studio classes Columbia offers a range of cultural studies, environmental science, literature, creative writing and business-art classes to supplement their programs. No Greek life, sports teams or colors. It's almost heaven. CONS: The bureaucracy. The administration doesn't keep up with students. This is why it's important to find a GOOD advisor. The school isn't nearly selective enough, and people who aren't motivated to be here are wasting resources. GPA isn't an indicator of intelligence, but ambition, and for the great resources the school provides, Columbia should raise its standards. If you don't want to repeat coursework you did in high school I strongly recommend AP classes or CLEP (it's what I did), and doing so leaves room for more interesting classes. Yeah, tuition is expensive, but so it is at any other school – if you did decent in high, you'll have a decent scholarship. Take advantage of the diverse range of classes and people that are eagerly offered to you. As far as standing out after graduation – do well academically, find an internship, do a final, independent project if possible, collaborate with other creative people and ALWAYS be doing creative projects outside of the classroom. I mean it.Jenn Endless

Wouldn’t recommend. I’ve made some long term friends and made some great connection however the tuition is 100% not worth it. It rises every year. I studied journalism and a handful of my instructors were part time and it showed in how much they cared about their course, sad. The housing is way to expensive and there’s no thought put in to how the roommate situation goes. They’ll put you with anyone. The only reason you should live in student housing is if you’re wealth, you’re an RA (free rent), or only do it for the first year or first semester to make friends. Live on the north, south, or west side and commute downtown. The school overall needs a revamping in my eyes. I think of the freshman that enroll every year and the production the school puts on and how quickly all that energy dies. If you really choose to come here be prepared to have to seek out of lot of work, findings, and city life on your own. Columbia doesn’t do much besides provide scraps and a roof with some instructors. A few teachers are definitely gems but the majority aren’t memorable. And lastly PICK UP SOME CHEAP COLLEGE CREDITS AT HAROLD WASHINGTON DOWN THE STREET OVER THE SUMMER!!!! Will save you a bucket of money while attending columbiaTravis Halliwell

I was a student here, but left after I was scammed. Columbia is a good idea that is currently VERY poorly executed. Many of the professors I encountered seemed to have chosen to "settle" teaching here because they could not make it in there respective professional areas or no longer had relevant skills. The base tuition is low compared to other schools in the area, but Columbia WILL NOT invest that money back into students. The Financial Aid department lost scholarship checks coming from my home community foundation and threatened to keep $7,250 in third party scholarships when I wanted to transfer out mid year. Expect that they will charge you for everything possible, especially in housing. My roommate was a dirty, drugged up, thief and I was not even allowed to move rooms. Please don't put yourself through this situation! You can be creative for a lot less money at a school that actually cares about the health, wellness and success of their students. Columbia could improve tremendously when it starts seeing it's students as people instead of dollar signs.Mathew Townsley

This summer sunshine, golden beach and surfing people gave me an illusion that Northwestern University has a campus towards the vast ocean. But in fact, it just next to the Michigan Lake. When I came here in the early morning, this beautiful campus was in tranquility and peace. Some people playing beach volleyball and sand statues, some surfing and sailing. Yes, it's just one plain day, but also one perfect day, perfect campus!TIANWEI CHEN

I addressed Northwestern University as a university with personal beach. Always prevails a wholesome weather to keep your mind fresh. Architecturally so enriched with proper needs of environmental protection. A beautiful university with multidimensional brainiers.Mayisha Tahsin Mou

Would not recommend. Administration has consistently shown it does not actually care about its students and workers. Only 2 stars, bc there are a lot of really cool people here.Steven Du

July 30 2022:. Kentucky sees Noah Arc devastating floods. Tennyson's The Battle of the Light Brigade. Ours is not to reason why. Ours is to do or die. June 3, 2022:. Hothouse Forecast – carbon dioxide increased 50% over revolutionary-industrial levels from 19th century (exceeds 417 parts per million). UI climate scientist Donald Wuebbles said without cuts in carbon pollution "we will see ever more damaging levels of climate change, more heat waves, more flooding, more droughts, more large storms, and higher sea levels.Mona Este

Place is not good. No help for the freshmen at all. You go there and you are just lost. No one tells you anything. They didn't even tell you you needed to waive the medical insurance if you had one, otherwise it was automatic. Horrible environment as well. Every class has corny presentations that you need to do MOSTLY once a week. Not to mention, its a total rip off. Price has skyrocketed over the past years. College ain't it.longjohn silver

The university has a modern and big campus. Famous singers and comedians go to their arena to perform there and it’s for free if you study there! There’s a lot of things there. There’s a bank, Amazon, and a lot of restaurants. We had lunch there. There were a lot of choices to choose from. It was good and two students talked to us about how it is there. I really like this university and I might go there.3b0p