DePaul University

Education: Class size is generally between 20-40 people. The higher the class level, the smaller the class will be. Most of the teachers I've had are extremely intelligent and excited about their subject matter, but that doesn't always translate into being a good teacher. Some wonderful exceptions include Matt Irvine, Deborah Tudor, Toby Arquette, and Tim Cole in the Communications Department. Avoid Ken Bill at all costs -- he is incredibly rude and unhelpful.

DePaul is on the quarter system, and their general education classes include a lot of filler that doesn't transfer over to other schools, i.e. "Discover Chicago," "Sophomore Seminar," etc. Tuition is steep -- for the amount I dropped here, I expected a much better quality education. I wish I had transferred to Northeastern sooner -- I'm getting a better quality education here for a tiny fraction of the price.

Offices: Very few people in DePaul's offices (parking, admissions, ID services, housing, etc) actually know how to do their jobs. Expect to be given the runaround every time you need to visit an office, because your issue is not their problem and they don't know who to actually refer you to. Speak to a higher up if you can to minimize your time wasted.

People: Most people are commuter students from the surrounding city and suburbs. I never got a sense of community at this school like I did when I visited friends at their schools. People stare straight ahead when they walk down the halls, no one wants to make friends in classes, and in general, people don't talk to people that don't look like them. The people that join sports and clubs are the people that live on campus and can afford the time for it. I'm generalizing here, but the majority of students come from sheltered suburban lifestyles and think they're getting a taste of "big city life" in Lincoln Park. Having grown up in Chicago, some of the naive comments I heard in multicultural and sociology classes were laughable, though I suppose these students just don't know any better.

Neighborhood: Lincoln Park is an attractive neighborhood, yes, but my friends and I have a saying: "no one from Chicago lives in Lincoln Park." There are a lot of beautiful parks, but there is also a Starbucks on every corner and an underage bar every three feet. It feels very bland and gentrified. If you're a commuter student and don't want to pay $570 a year for parking, you'll be circling the neighborhood for a while and then walking half a mile to your classes. Take the train, the Brown Line and Red Line both stop at Fullerton. Classes are in several different buildings, so walking four blocks to your next class in the blowing snow isn't fun. Don't take classes in McGaw Hall if you want to avoid this, this eyesore of a building is on Halsted and Fullerton while most of the other classroom building are centered around Belden and Kenmore/Clifton.

Fitness Center: This is probably one of my favorite parts of DePaul. The Ray Meyer is better than any gym you will join after graduation -- it is gigantic, clean, well-maintained, and aesthetically attractive. There is a juice bar and sandwich shop on the ground floor, an Olympic sized lap pool, a basketball court on the third floor, and an elevated track running above the courts with a fantastic view of the city skyline.

Food: Food is in the student center, not bad tasting but a little overpriced. You can get the same cheeseburger for $3 cheaper at Branko's on Fullerton. I personally think their "Bean Blend" coffee smells like armpits and has the worst aftertaste known to man. Nooo thank you.Every school is what you want to make of it, but in general, I did not like it here. It is a very attractive campus, but people aren't friendly and I feel education is very average. If you're paying your own way through college, go somewhere more affordable so you don't end up with crazy student loans and a mediocre education to show for it.