<p>I am familiar with all 3 schools, as I have a son at Rice, a niece at Emory and a nephew at Colgate. Rice and Emory are the most similar and Colgate is pretty different. Colgate has a huge drinking and Greek scene. My nephew was glad when he finished his freshman year since the pressure to drink wasn’t as pronounced. In the end, though, he loved Colgate (he’s a senior) and what it had to offer. It’s pretty preppy and east-coast centric. Emory and Rice attract generally similar students, but Emory is somewhat more pre-professional and with a student body that has a little more east coast vibe than a down-to-earth midwest vibe (at Rice). Yes, I know Houston is not midwest, but that’s the best way I can describe the laid back down-to-earth friendliness for most people. (It’s not Southern and it’s not what most people infer to be Texan.) I have also found Rice’s social environment to be much more inclusive than both Emory and Colgate as a result of its residential college system. At Emory students tend to self-segregate – Asians hanging with Asians, etc. You can’t go wrong with any of these schools. They’re all great, so if all things are otherwise equal, see which has the best fit.</p>
<p>For a pre-med student, I would recommend considering either Rice or Emory, as this a strength of both schools.</p>