My daughter is blessed to have a choice of Emory as one of their Woodruff Scholars or Rice University. We are trying to help her decide which one, but I want to make sure we are not missing anything.
She is an intended physics major with grad school plans - eventually academia or NASA would be her goal. I feel like we can strongly count on thay major.
Emory would be free to her as a Woodruff Scholar. Rice would be about $16,000 per year for which she would do a work study and probably take a small amount of loan. Parents would pay the rest.
Emory has a strict curriculum including a language requirement. Rice has a semi-open curriculum which would be very easy for her to use to work toward her strengths. DD is dyslexic and dysgraphic and the foreign language requirement is concerning.
Past that, as far as I can tell it really comes down to feel. Emory is larger, more international, she said campus was more spread out and could mean a bus ride. She said it is also removed from Atlanta and didn’t seem to have a strong connection to the city. She would get priority for housing, classes, and research opportunity. Rice is in a beautiful part of Houston with museums and good public transport and a nearby airport. The school seems really connected to the local community, but campus is closed and beautiful and safe feeling. They have a residential college system which she thinks she would like. Housing isn’t as nice, but the food situation is probably better, so lets call that even.
With an eye toward grad school, what should we be most strongly considering? My husband and I know much more about Rice than Emory. Obviously Emory is a great school, but we admit to a bit of star struck attitude about Rice.
My daughter came down to Rice and Emory as her final two choices last year. It was a very hard decision to make. Both are superb schools in great towns, and your daughter can’t go wrong at either one. My daughter visited both for admitted students events but ended up at Rice. She felt it was the best fit. Rice was more expensive for us also, but we bit the bullet. She loves Rice and is thriving there. My daughter really liked the inclusive residential college system at Rice, the flexibility in choosing a major, and the open curriculum. Rice is in the the prettiest part of Houston near the museums and the medical center. My daughter was not interested in Greek life. They have Greek life at Emory but not at Rice. There are more STEM kids at Rice than humanities kids. The male/female ratio is about 50/50 at Rice. At Emory there are more females. Feel free to PM me if you need more info.
Can your daughter do American Sign language as her foreign language? Can she take it at another college college and transfer the credit? They may allow that or make an exception for her since she has and LD or because she is a Woodfuff Scholar. Believe me, I know where you are coming from with your concern.
Don’t forget that Rice is also right next door to the Houston Zoo, zoo and large park. Admission to the museums and the zoo is free for Rice students. My daughter was also admitted to Emory and Rice chose Rice. My daughter loves animals, she did her volunteer work at a shelter, and she suffers with anxiety issues. She has gone to the zoo often. I know that the zoo also has had outreach programs. I think they bring the animals to the campus. Recently there was a lemur. Also there is the housing system where professors and some families live on campus so there are cats and dogs that live on campus that fulfill her cuddling needs. Just saying in case your daughter loves animals like mine.
Right now she is taking her history course in the museum.
Rice has given her incredible opportunities and there couldn’t have been a better choice. That said she did not get a scholarship from Emory, so can’t say what we would have done in that case. Congratulations to your daughter.
I have lived in Houston over 30 years. I have never heard of any Rice students, including two physics majors I know, who were dissatisfied with the school. They all seem to be happy there (the students I have known). It is in a beautiful part of Houston.
Have you looked at the benefits available to her as a Woodruff Scholar beyond free tuition? My understanding is that this is a big deal and opens many doors for students with faculty and employers.
The OP tone is clearly sounding preferential to Rice. There are a few misconceptions: Emory isn’t “removed” from Atlanta. While the public transportation isn’t the best, its relatively easy to get around town, and there are many students attending other colleges in Atlanta and opportunities to socialize off campus are plenty. There are more places right off campus around Emory now, and a bit closed that Rice VIllage is to Rice. Don’t get me wrong, I love RIce and my DS had a fabulous 4 years there. My only disappointment is that he was forced off campus sophomore year, and I would have preferred he live off campus Junior rather than Sophomore year, but its all in the rear view mirror now, so no harm done.
Emory’s campus isn’t “big”, but yes, its bigger than RIce, which is a smaller school. Its pretty easy to navigate around Emory. And Emory Scholars is an incredible honor with lots of opportunities afforded to its students.
But, if she really wants NASA, Houston is a better location for that. Good luck with either choice.
Have you considered asking Rice for an increase in merit scholarship, since she has the Woodruff at Emory? They are peer institutions and maybe Rice would match or get closer?
