Newly Admitted Students

Congratulations on your admission to the Harris School! This site is designed to help you manage the information you will need to:

• Notify us of your enrollment here - Admission Reply Form
• Complete financial aid forms
• Learn more about housing options
• Meet your visa requirements, if you are an international student
• Plan for math camp and fall orientation

You will need Adobe Acrobat to download some of the information and forms. If you do not have the program, you may download it for free here. If you have any questions, or need further assistance, please contact Maggie DeCarlo, Director of Admission at mdecarlo@uchicago.edu or (773) 834-0136, or Elizabeth Spellmire, Admissions Coordinator, at eas1@uchicago.edu or (773) 702-8401.

Message from the Office of Admission (PDF)

Connecting with Other Admitted Students

The bulletin board is an excellent way for newly admitted students to communicate with each other.

Visiting

We welcome your visit to the Harris School so you can visit classes, meet current students and faculty and get a feel for what your time at Harris will be like. We strongly encourage you to come for our visit day especially for newly admitted students, On the MaPP: Discover the Harris School. This two-day event is filled opportunities to interact with students, alumni, faculty and staff and also provides a half day introduction to the city of Chicago. If you would like to sit in on an actual class, plan to arrive the day before (please let us know you will be coming early). Please RSVP to let us know if you are able to attend.

If your schedule will not allow you to attend On the MaPP, feel free to schedule a visit at a more convenient time, either through the RSVP form or by contacting Elizabeth Spellmire.

Campus and Area Maps

• The University of Chicago Maps
• Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) system maps
• Metra
• Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau
• City of Chicago

Enrollment Notification Forms

• Admission Reply Form (required for all enrolling and non-enrolling students)
• Acceptance Deposit Coupon (PDF) (enrolling students only)
• Aid Agreement (PDF)

Deferring Admission

Deferral requests are evaluated on a case by case basis. To be eligible, students must complete their admission reply form and pay the $350 deposit by April 15th. Deferrals should be submitted in writing to Maggie DeCarlo, Director of Admissions, via email (mdecarlo@uchicago.edu) no later than May 1st. A request made after the deferral deadline must also include an additional $350. The admissions office is happy to work with students as they go through the decision making process. Please contact us regarding decision deadline extensions, concerns regarding the deposit, or other information that will aid you in your decision and enrollment.

Financial Aid / Tuition

The Harris School awards merit scholarships to new masters students at the time of admission. The university provides loan assistance and college work-study employment to students who demonstrate financial need.

Newly admitted students are mailed application materials for loan and work assistance in mid-March. For more information, please refer to Student Loan Administration.

• Graduate Loan and Work Study Application
• 2008-2009 Tuition and Expenses (PDF)

Housing

Many newly enrolling students choose to live Hyde Park – in apartments managed by the university, in International House, or in non-university housing. The Harris School mails application materials for housing to newly admitted students in mid March.

• Chicago Housing Guide (PDF) from the perspective of current Harris School Students
• Graduate Student Housing
• International House
• Chicago Life student housing guide

International Students

International students should contact the Office of International Affairs for all necessary forms and instructions.

Getting Started at Harris

Typical First Year Schedule

Intensive Study Review Courses (Math and Language Camps):

For the three weeks prior to orientation, The Harris School offers two intensive review courses in math and English. Each course meets for three hours daily, Monday-Friday. These courses are free for matriculating students. The Schedule for Math and Language Camps will be available later in the spring. You may view the 2006 schedules below. Additional information on each course may be obtained by contacting Ellen Cohen, at (773) 834-2576.

• Mathematics Review (Math Camp)
  The math review course is a review of algebra (particularly logarithmic and exponential functions) and univariate calculus. This review prepares students for the 3-hour math placement exam which is held on the first day of orientation.
  
  View the information page for Math Camp 2007.
   
• English/Writing Review for International Students (Language Camp)
  The English Review is mandatory for international students. The listening and writing course for international students is divided into two sections. The first will build awareness of the kinds of writing which students will be expected to produce in public policy and then improve skills in the actual writing and revising process.
  The second part will focus on building the necessary listening skills. Students will practice listening to typical lectures and work on: preparing for listening, recognizing different kinds of organizational structure, following different lecture styles, using context clues to understand fast speech and unfamiliar vocabulary, and taking notes efficiently.
  
  View the Language Camp 2007 PDF.

Economics Placement Exam

Students with an undergraduate or graduate major in economics are required to take the economics placement exam prior to, or during orientation. For additional information contact Ellen Cohen: cohen@uchicago.edu.

Student Orientation

Orientation, including course registration, for new students typically begins one week prior to the start of classes. A complete schedule of orientation activities is mailed to enrolled students during the month of August. If you would like additional information on these activities, please contact Ellen Cohen at (773) 834-2576. You can view the 2007 schedule (below) to get an idea of what activities are planned.

• Orientation 2007 calender (PDF)
• Math Camp 2007 schedule (PDF)

Employment Assistance for Spouses

• Spouse Referral Sheet (PDF)

Information for Students with Disabilities

• Admission Letter (PDF)