<p>Um, I really don’t know where you got these ideas:
“UChicago and WashU - although strong schools - aren’t generally known to the common public as being just as strong academically as Rice and Northwestern.”
“I never - ever heard of Rice as an musical or literature school.”
1]Chicago is repeatedly ranked among the top 10 U’s in the US, right behind HYPSM & Caltech.
2] Rice has the well known Shepard School of Music, which is a separate conservatory, like NWU. Chicago does even not offer individual music lessons- hardly the mark of a “strong” music program. Students interested in individual music lessons need to find music teachers in the surrounding community, although Chicago will recommend teachers.
Given that, there are very many undergraduate students at Chicago who are also talented musicians. Those interested in music as a career go elsewhere.</p>
<p>“But if you don’t like the neighborhoods that Rice and WashU are in, don’t even bother looking at the University of Chicago.”
THAT’S an understatement! LOL!</p>