<p>Kdos: we were posting at the same time. I was answering Celebrian; I hadn't gotten that notion from your posts--sorry for the misunderstanding.</p>
<p>congrats on the news from Wash U!</p>
<p>Kdos, agree with the suggestion that as long as the school has core classes in his area of interest, matching up his intended "major" shouldn't be the focus of his decision-making. Even the most passionate kid who has been geared up for a particular discipline is still a HS kid... most haven't had exposure to Linguisitics, Economics (beyond a very cursory HS level), Russian literature, Pre-Columbian Art, or whatever... so they get to college, take some unknown area in order to fulfill a distribution requirement, and before you know it, your pre-med is majoring in ethnomusicology and applying for grants to study in Uganda for the summer (true story.)</p>
<p>I would also discount the "party line" on research opportunities. Few professors at research universities will turn down a kid with enough initiative to seek him/her out and offer to work gratis or for minimum wage. </p>
<p>Congratulations on having a wonderful set of choices. I think Chicago is just about heaven on earth for a kid who is looking for an intellectual peer group, but I don't think you can go wrong with what you have in hand.</p>
<p>ASAP-good idea...</p>
<p>garland-thanks </p>
<p>blossom-LOL (Uganda). I think we will be ok too with these choices...thanks for your suggestions/opinions.</p>
<p>Toughie. Having spent 3 years at Chicago, I'd say it is the "odd place out". Students either fit there or they don't. It is highly self-selective, and the school really plays that up. You will find proportionately less commitment to music, art, theater, sports, community service, or anything else there (Chicago has them all, but with less emphasis that similarly selective schools), and more in "the life of the mind". Personally, I wouldn't have wanted my d. to go there (she could have gotten in rather easily), but that is because I know her rather well. If "the life of the mind" is the thing, the ONLY thing, go to Chicago, it really is a great place.</p>
<p>The flipside is that it is almost a sure thing that he won't be able to do research there for his first two years. He will get to know his profs, though. Unless, he is absolutely extraordinarily gifted, or well-connected, he definitely won't be doing research in his first two years at Harvard. (that's what they have graduate students for!). Harvard's greatest strength, in my judgment, is the quality of the student peers, and all the amazing things you can do outside of class.</p>
<p>I agree that the Honors College (or a good LAC) would probably be a good direction to go in, and from the little I know (which is not much), Rice might combine the best of both worlds.</p>
<p>Nice to have such wonderful choices! Now if only the money comes through....</p>
<p>Rice, Rice, Rice, Rice. (Have him visit for Owl weekend)</p>
<p>mini-my S met with some profs when he visited Chicago who talked to him about research as a freshman being possible. Maybe it was because of the area he's interested in, who knows? The whole "life of the mind" thing is sooo him!
<now if="" only="" the="" money="" comes="" through=""> yesssss..............</now></p>
<p>anxiousmom- Rice, eh? This is one place he has NOT seen yet. He has a friend that encouraged him to apply at the last minute and he has contacted a prof there who has been awesome. When is OWL weekend? He would be invited if admitted? Why do you like it so much?</p>