<p>Can somebody give me a better idea of what Rice is like socially, academically and environmentally by comparing to another or several other elite schools (maybe one school per "category")?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Princeton without pretense.</p>
<p>When I was there for Owl Weekend, a professor I talked to (and recent stanford alum) told me that he thought Rice was very very similar to Stanford...but more laid back.</p>
<p>could you possibly explain why you feel this way, specifically? thanks</p>
<p>In a few words, Rice is high-powered academics with very active extracurriculars and highly intelligent and diverse students, with a very, very 'chill' and non-competitive atmosphere. Basically, Rice embodies a passion for learning combined with a passion for life. Rice students are, on the whole, excellent students with a joie de vivre, an interest in trying out new/different/esoteric/diverse things, and an understanding of what's really important. (Hint: it's <em>not</em> how you can gain a few extra points on that last lab report!)</p>