A) Do you care about college sports…at all?
- Do you prefer snow or not snow?
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Well…do you want cold winters with lots of snow…or warm winters with no snow?
Interesting thread - my child will also be applying to both. Concerned about the political climate in Texas as a mom, but have been reassured that Rice itself is quite liberal/progressive as is Houston. Still concerned about possible culture shock for a kid from New England. Also of course the two schools are very different in size (and weather). They are a stem kid, interested in astronomy/physics and both schools are strong for that.
Both schools have great reputations. The reputation of your alma mater after graduation isn’t going to get you very far. What YOU do with the opportunities afforded by the college you attend will make all the difference.
From everything you’ve said, Rice is where you’re most likely to thrive. The Baker Institute for Public Policy will provide lots of opportunities to take advantage of.
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@relaxmon not quite sure how to take your response, as a native Houstonian? Culture shock how? Houston is the 3rd largest city in America, the Most Diverse city in the US and Rice campus is literally across the street from the Texas Medical Center-largest medical center in the world. The Rice Campus is hands down one of the most beautiful college campuses I’ve ever seen, located centrally in Houston in the Rice Village/Museum District/Medical Center areas of town.
Culture shock as in moving to a large metropolitan city vs small New England town?
State politics impact the entire state. No matter how diverse and liberal one city might be. Let’s say, for example, if you’re a female.
But let’s not derail the thread. Every part of the country is different and probably needs some adjustment period.
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Yeah, let’s say you’re a female in Texas - or any male assisting her.
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Exactly. Various state policies (guns, Covid attitudes, taliban-type attitudes to womens health and lgbtq issues) are very scary to me as a parent, despite the school’s and city’s reputation as diverse and inclusive. But I also see I could be prejudiced myself against the region! We will go visit on spring break and both see what we think. But having said that, I don’t know you you can completely ignore this element when comparing the two schools.
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As I said above, my daughter is a junior at Rice and we are from the Midwest. She had Rice on her list to apply but it was the only school she hadn’t visited so as she got burned out from the application process she took it off her list. One of the biggest knocks she had against it was that it was in Texas. And while she had never been to Texas she had all sorts of stereotypes in her head. The week before applications were due she commented that she was regretting not applying because besides the location, it sounded exactly like the environment she was looking for. She decided to buckle down and get her essays done and apply and we promised if she was accepted we would take a trip down to check it out.
We headed down in April for an admitted students weekend and were blown away. The campus is beautiful and the location across from the worlds largest medical complex was a plus for my bioengineering kiddo. But, what struck her the most of how very NOT “Texas-like” it was. No accents, no boots, no cowboy hats. Food is amazing but very diverse. It felt much less “southern” than Vanderbilt and some North Carolina schools we visited. The kids are SO friendly and LOVE to talk to “prospies” and give them honest opinions about the school and their experiences. It’s too bad they have had to stop their overnight visits due to covid. So…I guess my advice is to go into your visit open minded about Houston. Stay close to campus so you can walk to campus and check out Hermann Park and Rice Village. I think you may be pleasantly surprised!
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My granddaughter is a sophomore at Rice and would add a big “Yes!” after each of your descriptors. Despite the fact that Covid has made the college experience anything but normal the past 2 years, she loves it. Another 
for Rice.
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My D18 attends Michigan and it’s very different than CA. Ann Arbor is fairly liberal, but it’s not Berkeley. 
There’s an adjustment. They don’t restrict themselves to just Ann Arbor. For breaks, they venture to other locales in Michigan, because most of her friends are from there.
Her friends and roommates, those that are Michigan or Midwest natives, which is all of them pretty much, think “everyone” in CA has purple hair, lots of tattoos and multiple piercings.
Point? Everywhere is different. Go visit. Rice is a great school.
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My child does have some of the above. Don’t want them to feel or be treated like a freak of some sort!
I’m from Michigan originally. All of my relatives, including both of my parents attended the U. of Michigan, except me. I attended college and grad school out of state. I now live in Texas.
Regarding the U. of Michigan, it is a large university. Ann Arbor is a fantastic college town. It has an east coast vibe, a large percentage of the students and faculty are from the northeast, especially New York. If you leave Ann Arbor, things get very blue collar very fast. I remember laughing driving from the Detroit airport a couple years ago looking at all the Trump signs everywhere. Do some google searches about Trumpy behavior in Michigan. The people are very nice, but it is a bit of a swing state, with obvious strong roots in the working class due to the automotive industry, and strong ties to the Democratic Party. But outside of cities like Detroit and Ann Arbor, it is a bit hickish. 5 minutes outside of the small city of Ann Arbor you will definitely see as many pick up trucks (all American trucks - no Asian trucks allowed - I jest … kind of) with gun racks as you would in Texas. When I was a kid I spent a lot of time at my grandmas house and her next door neighbors son became my good friend. I remember going to visit my Grandma as a young adult, and my former friend had a big red pickup truck with a Confederate flag with the words “Southern Comfort” written underneath the flag on the truck’s tailgate. So my opinion about U of M is that in Ann Arbor your child will feel very comfortable, but outside Ann Arbor, it may feel a little more uncomfortable than the greater Houston area would feel.
Regarding the U of M experience, about 60% of my friends from high school went to U of M, and the rest pretty much all went to the northeast or Chicago so I have heard a lot of stories about U of M, nothing bad. My brother has always said that going to U of M was “ok”. I think it can be tough getting what you need in a large public university …. It can be a little hard to get special attention if you need help with something.
Rice is the antithesis of that. It is a very small elite university with a gorgeous campus in a beautiful and safe part of a huge city. Houston is a vibrant and diverse city. Even though Texas is obviously a red state, many local politicians in Houston and Dallas are very liberal, and they have done a good job blocking some of the incredibly idiotic things the Texas governor has attempted to do regarding Covid restrictions/mandates, or lack there of. So life in Houston and Dallas lives very liberal, if that makes you feel any better. For example, there is a very large LGBT population in Houston, and the “gayborhood” as they call it, is right near campus. I do not have any connection to Rice, but I have multiple friends who have sent their kids there, and they have all been very happy with the university. Rice is a diverse university with a very strong reputation, and even though I am from a U. of Michigan family and I routinely yell “GO BLUE” to strangers in airports all over the world who are wearing U of M gear, Rice would definitely be my choice, without hesitation.
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For poly sci and public policy (Ford), UM has the stronger programs and reputation, but if you see yourself fitting in better at Rice, you should go there. You don’t want to attend a college and keep thinking what if, even though you’ll be a junior and have some experience already with colleges.
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The state of Michigan is not exactly a bastion of liberal progressiveness. And the bubble around UM is likely to be much smaller than that around Rice. Don’t let the easy North vs. South misconceptions and stereotypes fool you.
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The weather is definitely a factor to consider. The weather is pleasant in Houston from October through April (most of the school year). It’s 50 degrees in Houston right now at 8:00 a.m. on 12/22, headed up to mid 70’s today. We are planning to eat lunch outside today, a bonus in the days of Covid.
It might be easier to assimilate as a transfer at Rice. The school is much smaller than Michigan, and students within a major get to know one another well. After first year intro courses classes tend to be smaller.
All incoming transfers are assigned to a residential college so there is an instant community. Incoming students are guaranteed housing on campus in one of the residential colleges. Rice does not have a Greek system as I assume Michigan does…
You have two excellent choices, a good problem to have.
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The OP has already made their choice - Rice.
Their holdout to Michigan is simply based on global reputation - and that’s a silly reason (in my opinion) to choose a school (especially when the other is Rice).
From the original post: “I’m leaning towards Rice due to the smaller student body, residential college system, and flexibility in choosing majors, etc. but I’m just uncertain of its reputation globally compared to UMich”
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Thanks I realize I have been doing that. Will visit both for sure.
I just say this since others might be reading it… I grew up in Suburb of Detroit and depending on where you live, yes trucks and once I cross over from Chicago to Michigan it’s like all the Asian etc cars become American. Like you know… Motor City… But… Don’t for one minute think you can’t get personalized help /attention at Michigan. Far from it. Don’t assume large is impersonal. It’s not… My son and friends (and know people there yearly since my wife went 40 years ago) all had personal relationships with professors /mentors just like my daughter did at her 1300 student Lac… Please talk from facts not assumptions.
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OP may be interested in the more inclusive campus culture of Rice University.
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