For Three Quick Questions, I send the same three questions to admissions representatives at colleges all over the country (the subject line of the e-mail is “Three quick questions”), and then I hope to hear back from them. When I do, I post them on Apply with Sanity. It’s that simple.

The three questions are meant to probe some of the things that make a school unique but that aren’t easily captured as a stat to go in a book or web search.

This response is from Rebecca Kahn-Witman, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois.

What is a course, tradition, program or event that is unique to the University of Chicago?

There are so many incredible courses, programs of study, traditions, and events that it’s hard to choose just one, but I love talking about our annual tradition of Kuviasungnerk/Kangeiko, most commonly referred to as “Kuvia” (derived from the Inuit word for “happiness” and the Japanese word for “winter training”). During the second week of winter quarter, students gather for this week-long festival, participating in morning stretches and workshops and feasting on bagels and juice afterward— all before 8 a.m.! Those who wake up for all five days of Kuvia get a commemorative t-shirt, which serves as a campus-honored emblem of the rigor and dedication it takes to participate. My personal favorite tradition, however, runs year-round: Dollar Milkshake Wednesdays. Every Wednesday, Hutchinson Commons sells milkshakes for a dollar. They’re arguably less healthy than a fitness festival, but just as beloved.

Naturally every college wants to recruit the perfect student--high grades, high test scores, involved in their community, leadership...everything. But what kinds of imperfect students tend to flourish at UChicago?

UChicago is a widely diverse community of individuals from all walks of life—and that makes everyone perfect and imperfect at the same time! Students who are drawn to UChicago are students with a keen love of learning who seek outside-the-box solutions to problems. This is manifested in our discussion-based classes, residential housing communities, and our civic engagement both as a university as a whole and as members of the Chicagoland community.

When people come to visit Chicago, what's a place off campus that you recommend they check out while they're there?

There are so many answers to this because Chicago is such an amazing city! My first answer will always be the neighborhood food scenes. Each of the 77 neighborhoods in Chicago have their own distinct identity, food specialty, and vibe. Our students will often travel to Chinatown to for dumplings, to Pilsen for tacos and street art, to Andersonville for Swedish pancakes, or out into our own neighborhood of Hyde Park to explore. Chicago is also home to world-class theater, music (the best Blues in the universe), and cultural destinations like the Art Institute, but a little known gem is the Chicago History Museum, which features rotating exhibits that explore all of the contributions that Chicago has made to the United States and the world beyond.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, here are three easy things you can do:

1. Share it on your social media feeds so your friends and colleagues can see it too.

2. See which other colleges and universities answered the questions.

3. Is there a school you’d like to hear from? Let me know, and I’ll make sure they get the questions.

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Photo by Angela Elisabeth. [The banner photo is not of U. Chicago. I use the same photo for all Meet the Class posts so you can spot them easily.]

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