Considering grad school in Chicago- comments for a South Florida native? (Elmhurst: construction, law school) - Illinois (IL) - City-Data Forum

NSX1990 · 10-24-2007, 10:23 PM

Hi, I will be graduating soon and am considering law school in Chicago, maybe at Loyola or DePaul. I'm assuming you don't have to be Jesuit or Catholic to go to them...? I'm not really religious.

I hate South Florida because 1) full of the elderly where I live, 2) so damned hot, and 3) you can't walk anywhere unless you live near the water and public transportation is a joke.

I was in Chicago for 3 days over the summer; I went downtown and to a suburb (I think?) called Elmhurst; I loved both. However, I was only there for a short time. I did my research on the suburbs... apparently the 20-somethings live in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and the surrounding areas. I guess my main question involves how different is the lifestyle up north in Chicago, besides the weather? As sick as I am of Florida, I am very apphrensive to move all by myself to a big city.

Also, I'm ethnic Slovenian- I heard there are a lot of Eastern Europeans in the city?

Thanks for any comments.

prairiestate · 10-25-2007, 05:12 AM

Well, we have more Poles then any city but Warsaw. If you stay out of the bungalow belt (the working class communities of the southwest and northwest sides), you can avoid the largest concentration of senior citizens. Summers will certainly be more tolerable, still this year was hot. There were a lot of Florida like days, off and on until October this year. You can definitely walk around here, in many suburbs too. Elmhurst is a great example. They have a beautiful downtown with all the shopping and dining you need for everyday living, and a lot of new residential construction. Public transportation will be a vast improvement, but it badly needs expansion to bring it to where it should be for a city this size. Don't hold your breath waiting for that, though. The way things are going, we may be down to one bus making a loop around the city next year. (With the transit agencies being broke, and the state, city, and Cook County budget negotiations being a farce of unimaginible proportions.) What else do you mean by lifestyle?

jessiegirl_98 · 10-25-2007, 12:59 PM

I moved to FL from Chicago for a year. I love Chicago. It has a lot of young people, much better weather than FL, public transportation, and you can walk. I can tell you that there is a LOT more going on in Chicago, I like the culture of Chicago better, and I enjoy the seasons :-)
As for law schools, there are several in the city (and no, you don't have to be Jesuit to go to them). Loyola is a great school, especially if you want to go into litigation or public service (it's good for other things as well!). DePaul is also fine. Northwestern and U of C are also there, of course, but are very hard to get into.
My advice would be to apply to these schools and if you get in or get an interview, then come back and spend some more time in the city.

JesusisLord · 10-25-2007, 02:19 PM

Florida may be to hot for ya' buddy, but Chicago is ice cold in the winter.

Yes average night winter temperatures are in the Teens, and as other posters have mentioned has wet summers.

Stay in Florida or another low latitude state(Which aren't many without cold)!

Some like the cold, and if that's you, you'll be in love with the gorgeous city of Chicago!

grapico · 10-25-2007, 03:18 PM

move to chicago for the culture, jobs, and good schools... florida doesn't have much compared to chicago... I lived in Florida all my life both north, south, and at the beach (i do miss the beach)... and a few years back moved to Chicago... if that is what you are into... you can deal with it.. from May-October the weather is pretty awesome... I wouldn't say it was hot at ALL here this summer... but, coming from Florida, I guess it is another perspective. Very mild in comparison to Florida scorching heat over 100 30+ days in a row, high humidity etc.

I did the same thing you were thinking 2 years ago... the winters ARE pretty brutal if you haven't lived in it, but...its doable... if you can get over that I think you'll love it. Much more to do, more people, better food, better transportation.

As Jessie said, definitely excellent schools here, if you are doing law though...don't overlook John Marshall Law School. It is downtown.

NSX1990 · 10-25-2007, 03:52 PM

Thanks all for the variety of advice. I didn't know Chicago had so many choices for law! Northwestern or Loyola would be a dream if I could get a scholarship of some type...

I think the cold is just something I'd have to put up with for all the other advantages.

grapico · 10-25-2007, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NSX1990

Thanks all for the variety of advice. I didn't know Chicago had so many choices for law! Northwestern or Loyola would be a dream if I could get a scholarship of some type...

I think the cold is just something I'd have to put up with for all the other advantages.

There is still more to do where you don't have to be *out* in the cold... for instance... in the winter, I don't go out on the brutal days, I have a shuttle that takes me around to my office in the loop... so I am really only *out* in it for less than a few minutes...

Same or similar can be managed living at other places in the city as well... More indoor activities, a lot of the loop is walkable under ground... heated subway cars/buses/waiting stations, etc.