<p>Hey everyone, I'm a senior and I have to finish all my apps in the next couple weeks. My favorite schools by FAR are Duke and Rice (I just love the architecture, the style, the great name and academic rigor). Now, as most know, these are tough schools to get in to. I think that I have a shot, but if I don't get in these, most likely I will end up at GA Tech (going for an engineering major to START, but will probably switch out (Duke and Rice have some great other options). So anyway, I don't have many "safer" schools on my list. Does anyone know of colleges that have a similar FEEL to Duke and Rice without as much of the insane, break-neck admissions? Maybe with slightly lesser academics, but the same sort of vibe and campus life? I know it's a difficult question, but if those colleges and Vandy are my favorites, can anyone help me think of some other possibilities? </p>
<p>Edit: I tend to like the colleges that look and feel like Hogwarts ;)</p>
<p>Michigan law school looks kinda like Hogwarts. Michigan is pretty big but pretty strong academically. You should apply there, they’re on the common app as well</p>
<p>I’m not sure that Duke and Rice have much in common other than academic selectivity and ornate architecture. Is there another criterion you’re looking for?</p>
<p>And Gadad, these are the things I’m looking for in a college (yes, I made a list :P):
-Nice, clean campus (w/ Gothic or Stone architecture (not necessary, but I really like it!)
-strong academics (but not “stay-up-all-night-every-night” strong)
-wide range of majors
-Nice if they don’t require a declaration of major upon entry, but I usually would anyway
-East Coast area (but exceptions of course if the college is good (like Rice))
-10,000 - 15,000 students Ideally
-large city or town location (NOT in a corn field)
-good athletic facilities (I at least need a decent gym)
-Not considered a “party school” (here to learn and have fun, but not like that :P)</p>
<p>Fordham at Rose Hill, the Bronx. Main campus. They have a superb 3=2 engineering program with Columbia University. You get a B.A. from Fordham and a B.S. Engineering from Columbia. </p>
<p>Fordham is gothic and HAUNTED! LOL. </p>
<p>Great campus, lots of fun. Lots of OTHER stuff to study as well…expanding your mind. Jesuit education speaks for itself.</p>
<p>This is pretty ridiculous, you picked two schools that are almost nothing alike. </p>
<p>Duke is no where near the level of Rice in terms of academic rigor. Duke is hard to get into because everyone wants to go to the party/sports school. Rice is a legitimate educational institution.</p>
<p>WashUStL (but NOT “safer” than Duke and Rice)
Northwestern (nice not great architectural interest)
Boston College (no Engineering, but you said you’re swithcing out anyways; nice architectural interest)</p>
<p>Agreed with Duke and Rice being very different. Duke has more of a jock culture while Rice has more of a nerd culture… I think almost any top college will have some nice Hogwarts-reminiscent architecture and academic rigor.</p>
<p>LOL. You clearly have no idea what you’re talking about. Keep dreaming. Duke’s party scene is so bad. MIT has crazier parties than they do. My brother goes to Duke, so I know exactly what I’m talking about. </p>
<p>Duke doesn’t have a “jock culture.” People are just better looking because they want to keep fit. It’s not hard to find smart people who are also athletic.
Duke also has a higher percentage of Asians than most of the Ivy League. Its pretty obvious that there are significantly more Asian “nerds” than Asian “jocks.”</p>
<p>If Duke does have a jock culture that I’m not aware of, then so does Stanford. The only colleges similar to each other seem Stanford and Duke. But Stanford obviously a bit better overall.</p>
<p>Boston College, Notre Dame (not very gothic but nice campus), Michigan (really only the law school area, not the entire campus), Emory (southern location though)</p>
<p>You’ll notice that BC is actually taking steps to make the campus even more gothic over the next few years:
[Home</a> - Institutional Master Plan - Boston College](<a href=“http://www.bc.edu/sites/imp/]Home”>http://www.bc.edu/sites/imp/)</p>
<p>They have one of the finest libraries I’ve ever seen:
[Local</a> College Library Gallery: BC’s Bapst “Most Beautiful” College Library - Bostonist](<a href=“WBUR”>WBUR)</p>
<p>OP: Take opinions here with caution. I recommend you don’t even take opinions from here at all actually. Half the people here don’t know what they’re talking about. Most are prospective students themselves and old parents. Few people like molliebatmit and mathboy98 are very helpful. Unfortunately they’re only active in the MIT forum. </p>
<p>Go and set up an appointment with your counselors. Or just waltz in. I used to do that. It shows initiative. Ask them and they will help you with anything you need. Good luck.</p>
bahaaha. sorry for the irrelevance to your original post.</p>