Even before your student arrives on campus, Career Advancement is here to support their success. We work closely with students throughout their time at UChicago to help them secure their top-choice jobs, graduate programs, and other post-grad opportunities.
Explore this page to learn more about how UChicago prepares your student for a fulfilling career!
Your Student's Roadmap to Success
To help your student achieve their goals, UChicago uses a four-part roadmap:
1. First Year Support
At UChicago, career support begins before students arrive on campus:
- First-Year Career Adviser: During the summer between high school college, your student is matched with an assigned career adviser who will provide personalized support and help them build a plan for their next four years.
- Taking the Next Step: In Autumn Quarter of the first year, your student will hit the ground running at Taking the Next Step, an event that will introduce them to the many exciting summer opportunities UChicago offers.
- Interdisciplinary Career Cohorts: Career Advancement's interdisciplinary career cohort programs help students get on the fast track to success! These programs span eight different industries and offer intensive programming that includes professional development workshops, support from industry experts, and funded internship opportunities. Students apply for these programs during the summer of matriculation, and programming begins during the first year. Programs include:
- Career Exploration Week: Career Exploration Week programs are an opportunity for incoming students to do a deep dive into their career field of interest before arriving on campus. Held each year in early September, these programs connect students with UChicago alumni, employer partners, and Career Advancement staff in a particular city, and help build community among incoming students through fun group activities – all while safely exploring a new, exciting city!
2. Explore and Get Experience
Prior experience is the #1 factor in employer hiring decisions. Your student can get hands-on professional experience by taking advantage of the following programs.
All of these programs help your student explore their interests, build their resume, and get their foot in the door. They put students in a very competitive position for future job opportunities. Students can take advantage of these programs even if they have no prior experience!
- Job Shadowing: opportunities for students to experience a “day in the life” of their dream job by shadowing successful alumni (and parents!). The program is noncompetitive and a great first stop for students.
- Jeff Metcalf Internship Program: provides 4,200+ paid, substantive internships over the summer and throughout the academic year. Opportunities are available in a wide variety of industries and locations.
- "Build Your Own Internship" Grants: students can apply for funding to pursue internships with their preferred employer.
- Career Treks: networking experiences where student travel to cities throughout the U.S. and around the world to visit employers in their field of interest. Winter Break Trek applications are open, and students can apply by 9:00am CT on Monday October 9!
3. Specialize with Industry Experts
UChicago makes it easy for your student to break into their target industry with our specialized "Careers in" preprofessional programs. Led by industry experts, these programs offer specialized advising, trainings in both technical and soft skills, and networking opportunities. "Careers in" programs prepare students for careers in more than 13 different industries, including:
- Behavioral Sciences
- Biological Sciences
- Business
- Computer Science
- Education Professions
- Engineering
- Entrepreneurship
- Healthcare
- Journalism and Creative Writing
- Law
- Media, Arts, and Design
- Physical Sciences
- Policy and Social Impact
4. Secure Top-Choice Job or Graduate Program
- Recruiting Timelines: our expert advisers help your students at every stage of their search. This page maps out application timelines by industry.
- UChicago Advanced Scholars “4+1” Dual Degree Programs: opportunity for students to graduate with both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, typically within 5 years, while receiving scholarships and enhanced career support.
Parent Resources
Newsletters and Social Media
- Follow Career Advancement on Instagram and LinkedIn to hear about student opportunities and success stories
- Sign up for parent newsletters for information on UChicago resources and programs
- Sign up for student newsletters for jobs, internships, and events you can share with your student
Upcoming Student Events
Use the Career Advancement calendar to stay up-to-date on major events and programs. New Odyssey families can learn more about opportunities for their student on the Odyssey First Year Career Calendar and the goal setting guide.
Sample upcoming events include:
- Science and Engineering Recruiting Forum | October 6
- JAMFest | October 19-20
- Exploring Future Careers | October 23
- Legal Career Fair | November 10
Students can log in to UChicago Handshake to view all upcoming events!
Parent Volunteer Opportunities
- Hire a Maroon: contact Nadia Casperson at ncasperson@uchicago.edu
- Host students at your workplace for a career trek: contact Erwin Paderanga at erwinp@uchicago.edu
- Host a job shadowing experience
- Create a profile on UChicago Wisr to mentor students interested in your career field. Wisr allows students to request short coaching calls with you
Visit this page to explore all volunteer opportunities.
Questions?
To learn more about Career Advancement, parents are welcome to contact Ruthie Robinson at rrobinson5@uchicago.edu