<p>I think the Texas kids need the higher stats.</p>
<p>
Given that only 17% of Penn undergrads are from the entire state of Pennsylvania and that only 18% of Dartmouth undergrads are from all of New England, and that the bulk of their graduates end up outside of those regions, I'm not sure that the reference to their reputations in Philadelphia and Boston, respectively, makes any sense. The eminent reputations of these schools are far less locally or regionally based than your statement implies.</p>
<p>I've lived in Houston for about 5 years. It's pretty boring for teenagers, not really any BIG attraction (after the demise of Astroworld). But for college students, it has a the worlds best medical center, along with top cancer research facilities (MD Anderson) and also so great museums (Museum of Natural Science. Rice is very popular with Houston high schoolers, probably the best university in TX. It can be very humid and hot during the summer. A very diverse city though.</p>
<p>I'm just speaking from personal experience, others might have other views.</p>
<p>Perched here in downtown, with my finger on the pulse of local downtown... (well, not really... I <em>do</em> work as a lowly design engineer for the structural engineering firm that <em>does</em> have its finger on the pulse of local development, though)...</p>
<p>Discovery Green just opened up, which is a hop/skip/jump from the downtown light rail station. It's a great new park, and it's right next to the convention center. Watch for cool events there.</p>
<p>Sports teams are doing well. We've got a lot of recent excitement with the Rockets' streak, and the Aeros (minor league hockey) are always a ton of fun to watch. Astros baseball is great. If you're into soccer, there are huge things happening with the Dynamo, the MLS champions. Reliant Stadium is home to the rodeo. (I'm from Dallas, so I refuse to mention what else goes on at Reliant... What kind of a stupid name is the "Texans" anyhow??) Pretty much all the sports teams have beautiful, recently-constructed venues.</p>
<p>There are museum expansions in the works, but google-searching doesn't turn up any press releases about them so I probably can't mention much.</p>
<p>Huge jazz scene, if you're into it... Sambuca and Red Cat are fantastic, and Red Cat is getting a new home within the next few years, right off the light rail. (The light rail has a Rice University stop.)</p>
<p>Houston's local economy is growing at a faster rate than the national average right now... Not pleased about gas prices, personally, but at least the local oil-fueled economy is such that I get to keep my gig and stay busy.</p>
<p>There's so much life inside the hedges (Rice lingo for "on campus") that if you don't want to, you don't really have to leave, or go very far. Rice Village is near enough to walk to and has tons of shops (some mainstream, some a little more eclectic) with a lot of personality-filled bars and eateries... Still, if you want to venture forth, there's a lot to explore about Houston, and lots more coming. =)</p>
<p>And if you're worried about the heat, every building in the city is very comfortably air conditioned... It's all good.</p>
<p>I agree that Rice is an amazing school full of opportunity. Here in the Dallas area, Rice carries about the same level of prestige as HYP, Stanford, Duke, etc.</p>
<p>45 percenter,
I think you misunderstood my point. In the same way that a Dartmouth grad in Boston or a U Penn grad in Philly gets instant name recognition and regard, so also is the treatment to Rice students/grads in Houston/Dallas. </p>
<p>Qualitatively, I hope you would agree that Rice students/grads are every bit as qualified as what you'd find at any of the non-HYP Ivies.</p>
<p>given the overwhelming notion among my peers that Rice hates Texas kids, I would say it's easier to get in as OOS students. </p>
<p>Rice is absolutely beautiful. My favorite college neighborhood from all the schools I have visited.
Remember also that Rice is a very small school, so unless you're positive on what you want to pursue, I would recommend against Rice. Rice is not the best place for academic exploring, when compared to the breadth offered at other big universities. </p>
<p>I absolutely love Rice, but too bad I was waitlisted. =/</p>
<p>
[quote]
Rice is not the best place for academic exploring, when compared to the breadth offered at other big universities.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I dunno 'bout that... It's very easy to transfer between majors, which I think makes it a really good place for academic exploring. If you want to specialize really, really highly very early in your academic career and get your bachelors degree in Albanian underwater basketweaving, you might be out of luck, but there's likely a well-respected department that'll give you a really good basis for eventual specialization in a graduate program somewhere. Most folks don't really know what they want to major in for sure when they get to Rice, but they all seem to do okay.</p>
<p>^to aibarr. </p>
<p>When I was talking abt academic exploring, I wasn't talking of the ease to change majors, but the availability of different majors. For example, the school doesn't offer neuroscience, although they do offer cognitive science. They also don't offer international relations, which is a major that I'm pursuing. </p>
<p>Their list of possible majors is rather short when comparing to bigger schools such as UTAustin.</p>
<p>
[quote]
For example, the school doesn't offer neuroscience, although they do offer cognitive science. They also don't offer international relations, which is a major that I'm pursuing.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well, like you said, they offer cognitive science, through which you can end up in a good neuroscience graduate program. They also offer a poli sci major, through which you can end up in a good international relations graduate program.</p>
<p>List of majors is shorter than some, but the list of avenues by which you can achieve your ultimate goals is long and varied! =)</p>
<p>lulupony,
You're right about that, but that would probably be the case with almost any college being compared to UT as UT has over 36,000 students (Rice has under 3000). It all comes down to what you're looking for. Some will like UT, some will like Rice and most will probably not bother to ever look at either because they are located in Texas. And that was the point of the thread. Houston is actually a very good place (outside of the summer months) and I think that Rice is an important asset in this major city.</p>
<p>From today's Houston Chronicle,
"The greatest prank ever carried out at Rice University was the 180-degree turn of the statue of school founder William Marsh Rice."</p>
<p>The</a> greatest prank in Rice's history was an about face | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle</p>
<p>
No, I understood your point perfectly. The fact is that less than 20% of Penn students come from the entire state of Pennsylvania--let alone Philadelphia--and less than 20% of Dartmouth students come from all of New England--let alone Boston, and similarly small portions of their graduates end up in those two regions. By contrast, more than 50% of Rice students come from Texas, and the largest bulk of Rice graduates end up in Texas.</p>
<p>The name recognition and regard of Penn and Dartmouth are much more national and much less local or regional than that of Rice. Your implications and assertions notwithstanding, the reputations of Penn in Philadelphia and Dartmouth in Boston are relatively minor components of their general renown, whereas a major component of Rice's renown is--as you acknowledge--based on its reputation in Texas. Accordingly, analogizing the reputations of Penn in Philadelphia and Dartmouth in Boston with the reputation of Rice in Houston and Dallas, is completely inapposite.</p>
<p>You whiffed again.</p>
<p>You meet someone in the city of Boston/Philadelphia and tell them that you go to/graduated from Dartmouth/U Penn and they instantly recognize the college and accord it a certain standing and heft. Likewise, you meet someone in Houston/Dallas and tell them that you go to/graduated from Rice and you get a similar reaction. That's it.</p>
<p>As for renown beyond their regions, I don't think any of the non-HYP Ivies nor Rice would be recognized, on their own names, at a higher level than the local powers, private or public, eg, Duke/Emory/Vanderbilt and maybe U Virginia and U North Carolina in the SE, U Chicago/Northwestern/ND and perhaps U Michigan in the Midwest, Stanford/UCB/UCLA in the West. IMO, all of those colleges have greater local impact, name recognition, appreciation of the name, and influence than Rice and the non-HYP Ivies.</p>
<p>^^ concur with hawkette, with the exception of Wharton which does have an international brand (but, those who know of it, may have little clue that it is associated with Penn).</p>
<p>
[quote]
The fact is that less than 20% of Penn students come from the entire state of Pennsylvania--let alone Philadelphia--and less than 20% of Dartmouth students come from all of New England--let alone Boston, and similarly small portions of their graduates end up in those two regions.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Good point. Having traveled all over the country (all of the fifty states, and most of the major metropolitan areas, including visits to most of the famous college campuses), I'm quite aware that several colleges have broader national and international name recognition than Rice. That's not to say that Rice isn't a good place to apply--I expect my son to attend Rice's (joint) information session in our town in June--but I can reasonably expect that if my son attended Penn (a college he is not particularly interested in, actually) he would enjoy the same instant recognition of his alma mater that the Penn graduates in my town of my generation enjoy.</p>
<p>^^ Wharton has Main Street recognition because pompous Donald Trump is always spouting on his Apprentice show that "he went to the best finance school in the world."</p>
<p>I don't argue with his statement, I just don't like the guy.</p>
<p>When you guys say Penn, you mean Penn State, right? ;)</p>
<p>They have a good football team.</p>
<p>Well, just to give an example, Berkeley is HUGELY more recognized in any east Asian country than is Rice. That may have nothing whatever to do with the actual student experience at either college, but it might have something to do with the experience of a graduate of each college looking for career opportunities.</p>
<p>No, Penn!! The one where Joe Paterno coaches! :)</p>
<p>In law, medicine and business, Penn's name recognition is universal. That's not to say that the Penn brand isn't strong in other areas, but those stand out. The only people I meet who truly don't know that Penn is a private, Ivy League school with strong academics are those who are not at all plugged into the national college scene. (which is fine, in my opinion)</p>