<p>Assuming all the costs were the same, where would you go and why.</p>
<p>for me, i'd choose northwestern because they have a great pre-med program and close to chicago. </p>
<p>CMU is nice though, in pittsburgh</p>
<p>Rice is great too.</p>
<p>My order would be Northwestern, CMU, Rice, UMich</p>
<p>Northwestern University:</p>
<p>"“The strength of the school is its range,” Northwestern students agree, arguing that their school “has everything”: “Intelligent but laid-back students,” “excel[lence] in so many academic fields,” “great extracurriculars and good parties,” “strong [Big Ten] sports spirit,” and “so many connections and opportunities during and after graduation.” Undergrads here brag of “nationally acclaimed programs for almost anything anyone could be interested in, from engineering to theater to journalism to music,” and report that “everything is given fairly equal weight. Northwestern students and faculty do not show a considerable bias” towards specific fields. The school accomplishes all this while maintaining a manageable scale. While its relatively small size allows for good student-professor interaction, it has “all the perks” of a big school, including “many opportunities” for research and internships. Be aware, however, that “Northwestern is not an easy school; it takes hard work to be average here.” If you “learn from your failures quickly and love to learn for the sake of learning rather than the grade,” students say it is quite possible to stay afloat and even to excel. Helping matters are numerous resources established by administrators and professors, including tutoring programs such as Northwestern’s Gateway Science Workshop. Those who take advantage of these opportunities find the going much easier than those who don’t." "The typical Northwestern student “was high school class president with a 4.0, swim team captain, and on the chess team.” So it makes sense that everyone here “is an excellent student who works hard” and “has a leadership position in at least two clubs, plus an on-campus job.” Students also tell us that “there’s [a] great separation between North Campus (think: fraternities, engineering, state school mentality) and South Campus (think: closer to Chicago and its culture, arts and letters, liberal arts school mentality). Students segregate themselves depending on background and interests and it’s rare for these two groups to interact beyond a superficial level.” The student body here includes sizeable Jewish, Indian, and East Asian populations." "There are two distinct sections of the Northwestern campus. The North Campus is where “You can find a party every night of the week” and “The Greek scene is strong.” The South Campus, about a one-mile trek from the action to the north, is “more artsy and has minimal partying on weeknights,” but is closer to town so “it is easy” to “buy dinner, see a show at the movies, and go shopping. People who live on North Campus have a harder time getting motivated to go into Evanston and tap into all that is offered.” As one South Campus resident puts it, “South Campus is nice and quiet in its own way. I enjoy reading and watching movies here, and the quietude is appreciated when study time rolls around. But for more exciting fun, a trip north is a must.” Regardless of where students live, extracurriculars are “incredible here. There is a group for every interest, and they are amazingly well-managed by students alone. This goes hand-in-hand with how passionate students at Northwestern are about what they love.” Many students “are involved in plays, a cappella groups, comedy troupes, and other organizations geared toward the performing arts. Activism is also very popular, with many involved in political groups, human rights activism, and volunteering.” In addition, Northwestern’s membership in the Big Ten means students “attend some of the best sporting events in the country.” Chicago, of course, “is a wonderful resource. People go into the city for a wide variety of things—daily excursions, jobs, internships, nights out, parties, etc.”" </p>
<p>Rank List</p>
<h1>20 Best College Newspaper</h1>
<h1>15 Town-Gown Relations are Strained</h1>
<p>Rice University</p>
<p>"Students tell us that Rice University provides “an Ivy League education without the Eastern establishment elitism and cutthroat competition.” As at the Ivies, there’s a lot of high-profile research going on here; unlike at least some of the Ivies, though, “Many of the top researchers at the school teach intro level classes in their fields.” Undergrads here benefit from Rice’s relatively small size; as one student explains, the school “is small enough that you’re always running into someone you know, but big enough that you can easily do awesome research, be a part of a radio station reaching all of Houston, or get involved in the performing arts.” Academically, the school “is heavily focused on the sciences and engineering,” and although the school has made efforts to bolster its other disciplines, for at least the time being “the humanities and social sciences are perceived as ‘easy’ majors, and while there are a lot of great resources for these disciplines here, sometimes we who study them feel forgotten in a sea of bioengineers and premeds.” Perceptions notwithstanding, academics across the board here are “challenging, but there is an extensive support network and it is not a competitive environment.” Indeed, undergrads agree that “Rice University is dedicated to its students, whether in the classroom through providing top-notch professors who are approachable…or just around campus by catering to students’ professed real needs and desires” by an administration that is “extremely sensitive to students’ needs and concerns.”" "“Everyone at Rice is weird with some talent, oddity, or quirk that would otherwise attract attention in the normal world, but is accepted as totally normal here,” students inform us. “Through the madness is how people bond.” The residential college system also helps, as it “ensures a lot of mixing among different majors, races, interests, and geographic origins. People are similar enough and smart enough and have enough converging interests to make good friends with each other.” Elite schools are best positioned to build a diverse student body, and Rice is no exception to the rule; here you’ll find “people with extremely diverse beliefs and backgrounds. We are not overly Democrat or Republican, we are not overly religious (though we do have a good number of active organizations, particularly Campus Crusade for Christ and Hillel), and we come from anything ranging from public high schools to boarding schools.” However, the school “is not very diverse geographically, as 50 percent come from Texas.”" "You can’t understand life at Rice without understanding the residential college system, which many, many students say is “hands down the best thing about Rice.” Under the system, “You are placed in a dorm and you live there all four years. It’s great because it gives you another family and allows you to get to know everyone in your college. Rather than having frats or sororities that you have to be approved of to join, your college immediately accepts you without question.” Each college “has developed its own personality, traditions, and completely student-led government…. When asked ‘Where are you from?’ students almost always reply not with their hometown but with their college affiliation.” Students are equally enthusiastic about Rice’s “wet campus” policy, under which “You can have alcohol in your room, you can drink it at Pub, and you can drink it at on-campus public parties (for free!).” While this results in “a fairly large drinking culture” on campus, “there are also tons of people who don’t ever drink…. There’s something for everyone at Rice, and there’s very little pressure to enter a sphere of activity that makes you uncomfortable.” Hometown Houston “is not the prettiest or most pedestrian-friendly city in America, but it is one of the most vibrant, futuristic places you can live right now, and the opportunities for research within the Houston community are unparalleled.” Rice wants students to explore the city; explains one student, “The serveries are closed on Saturday nights, so people have to get off campus…. There are shuttles that take you to the Village, a fun place with shops, restaurants, and bars not to far from campus…. It’s a really great excuse to find out what Houston has to offer.”"</p>
<p>Rank List</p>
<h1>15 Happiest Students</h1>
<h1>2 Lots of Race/Class Interaction</h1>
<h1>2 Best Quality of Life</h1>
<p>Carnegie Mellon University</p>
<p>"Carnegie Mellon University is “all about technology. Whether it be engineering, music, theater, robotics, science, or psychology; it’s about learning by breaking things down to find out how they work.” With nearly half the students engaged in computer- and engineering-related disciplines, Carnegie Mellon can seem to be the domain of number-crunchers, but in fact the school also excels in music, theater, design, architecture, all the hard sciences, business, and economics; it is truly “a place where nerds of all kinds can thrive.” One student observes, “Carnegie Mellon is strong in so many different fields. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I wanted to be in a place where I could find out early in a hands-on way, and switch to an equally great program if I wanted.” Those who choose Carnegie Mellon should prepare for academic demands that can “overwhelm you with work and stress in order to weed out the weak from the strong.” To help students cope, the school offers “tons of academic resources to get extra help, from peer tutoring to office hours to student-led review sessions. Still, it’s incredibly important to stay on top of assignments, or they really pile up.” Hard work “prepares Carnegie Mellon students for post-undergraduate success,” students agree, and when you reach that stage you’ll be assisted by “a great career center” that draws “constant job recruiting on campus” and maintains “fantastic alumni connections,” though this is somewhat dependent on a student’s major." "The workload at Carnegie Mellon can be pretty daunting, so it’s no surprise that the typical undergrad here “is extremely studious and serious about academics.” In terms of priorities, “Extracurricular activities and a social life are far behind academics. Socially, people can be awkward.” Even so, “For every recluse or extroverted musical theater major that you’d expect at Carnegie Mellon, there is a polar opposite. People here feel a need to define themselves some way, to defy established stereotypes.” Carnegie Mellon draws “a very diverse student body where most people, regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender, tend to get along. Occasionally some cliques form on campus (for example, a certain set of international students, or students from a particular major), but most of the time everyone is friendly.”" "“Work hard, then work harder” might be the mantra of some Carnegie Mellon students; among them is the undergrad who tells us: “I go to class, I study in the library, and I work out. The day is so long that generally by the time I get home, I eat and am ready for bed because most of the time it’s 11:00 or 12:00 at night already.” Others tell us, however, that “if you are a social person, you can and will find other social people that you can have fun with.” The weekend, or Friday night and Saturday—”Sunday will of course be spent doing work”—is the time to cut loose. Greek life and movies are the big on-campus draws: “Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night a just-released movie from the main theaters plays on campus; you can get a ticket, popcorn, and a drink for under three dollars.” A good deal of students, though, prefer to have their fun in the city. Pittsburgh “offers a wide variety of things to do off-campus and the Port Authority bus system (free with a Carnegie Mellon ID) does a decent job of transporting students wherever they want to go.” There’s “always a gallery show to go see” in Pittsburgh, and professional sports, “great restaurants, shopping centers, and malls” are also a draw. The city “has a pretty big bar and club scene, but you must be 21.” One student writes, “You can do virtually anything within a reasonable distance, including a trip to a ski mountain.”</p>
<p>Rank List</p>
<h1>18 Best College Theater</h1>
<h1>11 Is It Food?</h1>
<p>University Of Michigan - Ann Arbor</p>
<p>"University of Michigan—Ann Arbor, the flagship school of the Michigan system, offers a great balance of two very different college worlds—the huge state school with amazing athletics and social scene, and a strong, competitive academic environment. More than one student refers to what a pleasure it is to “bleed Maize and Blue,” and “U of M’s student body is known for its advanced wave technique during football games, as well as during Orgo I lecture.” The engineering program “is one of the best in the country and it shows,” and like a lot of big name state schools, there are “plenty of research opportunities.” Michigan has a lot of humbling entry-level “weed out courses” (such as Calculus I and Econ 101), which “can be tricky because so many people are taking them,” affecting the curve. “If you are one of those people like me who in high school could study at the last minute and pull it off, you will be in for a rude awakening at Michigan,” says a junior. Though a lot of classes are taught by TA’s (called GSI’s here), as “professors are always doing research due to the ‘publish or perish’ mentality,” students are actually quite satisfied with the level of teaching they receive. Professors are very approachable and “willing to talk outside of class” and “make students take a mature approach to their education and take care of themselves.” The administration “is very willing to work with students to make sure that everyone is satisfied with important decisions,” and every single department and Dean has a student advisory board.” Though a few students report of getting lost in the shuffle, U of M is “a world for the self-motivated,” and if you want help, ask and find it— “it won’t come looking for you but is always available.”" "While a majority of students are in-state, there are still a very large percentage of out-of-staters. U of M’s size makes it so that defining a typical student is somewhat difficult, but most everyone is some combination of “a drinker, a liberal, a studier.” “Everyone can find a niche here,” so the school “is as big as you want it to be.” The scho..."While a majority of students are in-state, there are still a very large percentage of out-of-staters. U of M’s size makes it so that defining a typical student is somewhat difficult, but most everyone is some combination of “a drinker, a liberal, a studier.” “Everyone can find a niche here,” so the school “is as big as you want it to be.” The school itself stresses ethnic diversity (even though “there are a lot of white kids”), but many students stress its lack of socioeconomic diversity is almost as important, in that the lack of scholarships mean that “the student-body is way too affluent.”" "In Ann Arbor, “the college defines the city it’s in,” and it’s “an amazing town. It’s small enough to feel homey, but it has everything you could ever need.” Movie theaters, “amazing cultural performances from around the world,” dancing, parties, “great food,” comedy clubs, pep-rallies, shopping, and much more means “there is no excuse for ‘I’m bored.’” With over a thousand student organizations (even a squirrel club!) at the U of M itself, “there is a club for everyone at our school no matter what you are interested in.” Football Saturdays are events unto themselves, especially home games, where the vast majority of students pack into the Big House (Michigan Stadium) for the game. There’s also a sizable Greek following on campus, and “a lot of people that aren’t in the Greek system still go to Greek parties,” but “it’s not the give-all-end-all of the Michigan experience.” Add in the town’s notoriously “liberal marijuana laws,” and students say that “when it’s time to party, we party hard. When it’s time to study, we study hard.” With practically every option under the sun at the students’ disposal, life can be fast-paced and party-oriented or quieter and more studious, “it really depends on the student.”</p>
<p>Rank List</p>
<h1>8 Jock Schools</h1>
<h1>8 Students Pack the Stadiums</h1>
<p>As someone who was admitted to both Northwestern and Univ of Michigan, it highly depends on your social/academic interests and where you would like to live. I chose Northwestern for its smaller campus, access to Chicago, suburban location, arts scene and excellent variety of majors. Univ of Michigan overall has stronger graduate programs.</p>
<p>If I had to pick, this is the order I'd put them in</p>
<ol>
<li>Rice</li>
<li>Northwestern</li>
<li>Michigan</li>
<li>Carnegie Mellon</li>
</ol>
<p>Read the descriptions, and decide for yourself which is the best college for YOU! Don't choose a college based solely on other people's opinions (like mine)</p>
<p>Rice would be the perfect school for me if its social sciences were as good as its sciences.</p>
<p>1) Rice
2) Northwestern
3) UMich
4) Carnegie Mellon</p>
<p>All of these schools are actually on my list, due to their excellent science AND excellent music programs... and Northwestern and Rice are my top two choices... and after a LOT of thought, I think I'd go to Rice over Northwestern. Other than the location (not a hot weather fan), Rice is the perfect school for me. It's academic, yet not obsessively so. It's student population is quirky and friendly, but not in the Caltech way.
Northwestern would be a close second due to its similar academic dedication and its ideal location (cold and near a city is ideal), but I like the liberal artsy feel of Rice over the perceived atmosphere of Northwestern.
Then would come UMich, as their honors program is awesome and their sax professor is AMAZING. Also, it'd be a great set-up for grad school and future pursuits.
Carnegie Mellon, I guess, would be my last choice, possibly because I know the least about it, but mostly because a school famed mostly for engineering may not appeal to me. I'm not sure. Also, going by the descriptions above, the focus on technology would not be of interest to me.</p>
<p>Sabster,</p>
<p>this is just out of curiosity, but what exactly is "the perceived atmosphere of Northwestern"? and when you say perceived, are you referring to your perception, or maybe the general perception of the school from where you come from, etc?</p>
<ul>
<li>rice is an excellent choice if you might be interested in pursuing music in college. two of my friends who were highly competitive young artist pianists and violinists are there right now!</li>
</ul>
<p>really depends on your academic interests, but I'd pick:</p>
<ol>
<li>Northwestern</li>
<li>Michigan</li>
<li>Rice</li>
<li>Carnegie Mellon</li>
</ol>
<p>I am a college parent. All four schools are outstanding. When my son was applying to college, he did not consider Rice due to the high heat & extreme humidity. His first choice was Northwestern University based on location, weather & academic interests. An interesting offshoot of this thread would be to ask students who have one of these four universities as a top choice, what are their next three top choices. It would be especially interesting to see the other choices of students who prefer Rice University. For example, my son's top choice was:</p>
<p>Northwestern
Stanford
Dartmouth
Columbia</p>
<p>P.S. Take note of post #3 above that warns that it takes hard work & a high degree of intelligence to be average at Northwestern. the courses are not easy.
Also, town-gown relations are not strained in any way that would affect a Northwestern University student. The gist of the rift is that Evanston Township would like an extra million dollars or so per year fron the university for basic services, such as firefighting, that it provides to the school. The universities position is that they pay a lot of taxes & gave Evanston much of its land. Evanston is a wonderful upscale shopping & dining district. Students living on the North campus can walk to downtown Evanston, but most ride bikes or use their car. Those living on the South campus (both North & South are connected & border Lake Michigan) can easily walk to downtown Evanston multiple times each day if needed. There is no friction between the townspeople & students. It is an administrative money tiff between Evanston Township officials & university officials.</p>
<p>121314</p>
<p>I'm a Northwestern grad with pride but not blind pride in my alma mater. All four schools have lots to offer. I don't know what specific type of college experience you're looking for, but here's a capsule summary:</p>
<p>Northwestern - academically strong in everything with particular accolades directed to journalism, material science/nanotechnology, communications, music, education, economics, chemistry, theater, etc. Lovely lakeside campus plus Chicago next door (yes, winters are cold and windy here but spring brings the return of the Cubs and autumn the implosion of the Cubs). Great Big Ten sports in a mid-sized basket. Offers as wide ranging a college experience as you'll find anywhere with something for everything. Almost anyone can find a happy niche here. </p>
<p>Rice - LAC-like feel with university resources. Offers a great residential college system that, along with its size (3,000 students but growing), feels much more intimate and nurturing than a university normally will. Strongest programs (with about half the student body majoring) in the sciences/engineering plus accolades to small gems of programs in music and architecture. Humanities/social sciences somewhat weaker but not weak. Houston - big city opportunities at your doorstep (if you like Houston, definitely not my cup of tea). Huge Texas Medical Center across the street for lots of pre-med opportunities.</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon - Incredible CS (like no place else). Also great IT and selective engineering offerings along with math-strong business program and great art/music school. Nerdy, yes, but maybe who you are/what you're looking for. Pittsburgh a much better city than it once was. Can always go next door to Pitt to sample real sports. </p>
<p>Michigan - what you know/see is what you get. Across the board strong academics. Ann Arbor's a great college town though no metropolis if that's what rings your bell. Great Big Ten sports in a very large basket. Size really does matter here - it is the issue in deciding if this place is for you. This is the anti-Rice. If hand-holding makes you sweat, if you can make your way through a crowd, if you like space/spreading your wings more than intimacy, you can thrive here.</p>
<p>Overall prestige:
1. Northwestern
2. Michigan
3. CMU
4. Rice</p>
<p>There is virtually no difference in quality or reputation between those four schools. Michigan and NU are probably more recognized nationally, primarily thanks to their prominent graduate programs...but it bears very little meaning in the grand scheme of things.</p>
<p>I would recommend the OP go for fit. Each of those schools is completely different from the other three.</p>
<p>Major and financial concerns should obviously be taken into account.</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon is absolutely amazing for ugrad research, internship, and job opportunities. Even with the financial crisis, the offers here have actually increased and the median salary is expected to rise above the already top tier salaries. For a pre-professional focus and research opportunities, I would definitely consider Carnegie Mellon. Each of these schools is very different though, for example Umich has a great sports team and top graduate programs as well.</p>
<p>You should watch this video...It's for Rice's Centennial Campaign to raise $1 Billion for the 2012 100 year anniversary.</p>
<p>There are significant differences among these four schools, both in the nature of the undergraduate experience and in how they each position a student for post-graduate opportunities. I would agree that the undergraduate experience varies greatly. On several parameters for comparing the undergraduate experience, they compare as follows:</p>
<p>A. Quality of Peers: Academic Strength of Student Body
1. Rice and Northwestern
3. Carnegie Mellon
4. U Michigan</p>
<p>B. Size and Nature of the Classroom
1. Rice and Northwestern
3. Carnegie Mellon
4. U Michigan</p>
<p>C. Faculty recognized for delivering Classroom Teaching Excellence</p>
<p>YES Rice and Northwestern
NO Carnegie Mellon and U Michigan</p>
<p>D. Financial Resources
1. Rice
2. Northwestern
3. Carnegie Mellon
4. U Michigan</p>
<p>E. Good Football Teams
1. Northwestern
2. Rice
3. U Michigan
4. Carnegie Mellon</p>
<p>
[quote]
E. Good Football Teams
1. Northwestern
2. Rice
3. U Michigan
4. Carnegie Mellon
[/quote]
"Good" in what sense? The 2008 season?</p>