astrochris wrote:
I love the school and it`s one of my top choices, but it has a reputation as somewhat of a commuter campus - students take the train in, watch a Nobel prize winner teach a class, and go home to do homework. At least that`s the image Booth has at my firm, and some older alumni haven`t done exactly much to dispel that. More specifically, to what extent is this true or not true? How has it changed over the years? Has Booth have a stronger community now than in the past, or than the above stereotypes dictate?
You're right that most students live downtown and commute 20 minutes to hyde park everyday, but I wouldn't call it a "commuter school" in the traditional sense. There are so many club activities and meetings, guest speakers, study groups, recruiting events and other activities going on everyday at the Harper Center that most students are at Booth all day long. Furthermore, the majority of the students living downtown live within a 3 square block radius, so even when you're not at campus, you're within shouting distance of hundreds of other students.
In regards to what the older alumni have told you, I don't think Booth had as strong of a community 5+ years ago when the business school was decentralized and spread-out across campus. I'd recommend talking to more recent alumni or current students, who I think for the most part would agree with me.