Which Chicago university is right for you?

School is almost out for the summer, which means one thing for high school juniors: college visits. Sifting through a huge college guide can be an intimidating task, so the Loopster is making it easy for those looking to further their educations in Chicago. See if you can match up your interests with a Chicago school known for that particular program, and you’ll be one step closer to planning your life for 2012 and beyond.

1. Northwestern University – Journalism, Economics, Engineering
Not to be biased, but Northwestern’s undergraduate journalism school ranks among the best in the U.S., and as a result, journalism is one of the school’s most popular majors. The department of economics is a close second, comprising one of the largest departments in Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and offering a four-year BA/MA program and a heralded PhD program. Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering also boasts a strong curriculum that offers a balance between research and teaching.

2. DePaul University – Business/Undergraduate entrepreneur, Communications
DePaul’s College of Commerce offers an undergraduate business program that was ranked No. 3 in 2010 for being of good value among private universities, and the undergraduate entrepreneur program placed 10th in the Princeton Review’s 2010 rankings. DePaul’s communication students continue to rake in awards, including the 2010 Abraham & Borst Award for the nation’s best college radio station and third place in general excellence from the Illinois College Press Association for its student newspaper.

3. University of Illinois-Chicago – Entrepreneurship, Finance
The Princeton Review has named UIC’s entrepreneurship program the nation’s ninth best, and its finance program ranked 17th in the 2010 U.S. News & World Report. The entrepreneurship program combines management, marketing, accounting, finance and information and decision sciences aimed to offer its students a better understanding of entrepreneurship. In terms of finance, UIC offers Illinois residents a much cheaper alternative to DePaul.

4. Columbia College – Fiction writing, Theatre
Columbia offers one of the nation’s largest fiction writing programs, aimed to prepare its students for independent careers in literary and genre fiction, creative nonfiction, plays and more. It also specializes in preparing students to teach writing. Columbia’s theatre program strives to help its students develop an artistic voice through interdisciplinary and international performance styles, and it encourages students to think critically in order to learn to better express their ideas – a skill that can be applied in any vocation beyond graduation.

5. Roosevelt University – Real estate, Performing arts
Roosevelt’s Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate seeks to create career opportunities for its students through two degree programs: A master of business administration with a concentration in real estate and a master of science in real estate. Roosevelt’s College of the Performing Arts offers “gifted” students professional training at its Music Conservatory and Theatre Conservatory in Chicago.

6. Loyola University – Economics, Urban studies
Loyola offers two programs in economics: Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts. The programs aim to help students master the principles, theories and concepts of economics and business and help those hoping to pursue a master’s degree develop a solid foundation in business practices. The urban studies program capitalizes on the fact that Loyola’s campus is located in the heart of such a diverse city, encouraging students to develop a better understanding of urban life while formulating ways to improve the quality of life for urban residents and workers.

7. University of Chicago – Economics
The University of Chicago emphasizes the uniqueness of its department of economics: Instead of following a political or ideological formula, it instead focuses upon teaching the art of economics as a tool for understanding the ways in which society works. A vast number of economic theories have emanated from or been associated with U-Chicago in the last 40 years, including the economic theory of socialism, applied welfare economics, the economics of education and more. If you think you can add to an already scintillating list, this might be the school for you.

8. Northeastern Illinois University – Education
The College of Education at NIU boasts that its programs in School and Community Counseling are recognized by the National Council for Accreditation of Colleges, which means they undergo a rigorous peer review process every seven years – so the program is continuously innovated and improved in order to provide its students with the best possible curriculum.

9. North Park University – Nursing
North Park’s School of Nursing offers a bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing and, later, a master’s with a major in nursing, both of which are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The school’s educational philosophy stresses beliefs about persons, health, environment and community that are based on the university’s urban, multicultural and Christian identity.

10. National Louis University – Education
National Louis understands the crucial role education will play in helping the U.S. evolve, and it dedicates itself to providing today’s students with the necessary credentials to make a difference in the future. Some specialties within the College of Education include early childhood leadership, autism research and the Center for Practitioner Research, which focuses on specific areas of research and advocacy in education.