Opportunities afforded by a Rice degree vs. a Duke degree

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rice University
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<p>I am currently a student at Rice University, and I love it here (although it has been quite a slow transition). However, it is quite disheartening to discover that Rice is a relatively unknown university compared to HYPSM, Duke, NW, Cornell, Hopkins, lower Ivies, Vandy, etc.</p>

<p>When I was making the decision between Duke and Rice, I was fully aware that I was turning down an internationally-acclaimed university for another excellent but more unknown university. However, Rice was $25k/year cheaper for me, I was offered a 2 year research apprenticeship here, the people here seemed friendlier, and the atmosphere here was more accepting and collaborative (less pretentiousness and cutthroat feel). I visited both schools last April, so these were my observations (not just what other people told me).</p>

<p>However, even though the profs here are excellent and the people here are amazing, I am beginning to wonder if I made a mistake of turning down the prestige and opportunities affiliated with a Duke degree. People on CC make it seem that Duke is this university that will get you any opportunity in life as long as you work hard there... as if Duke, Stanford, the Ivies, and MIT are some "God-like" universities. Although Rice's engineering and science programs are world-class, I am wondering if a social science degree here will offer as many career opportunities as a Duke social science degree.</p>

<p>Even though my parents were willing to pay for the $50/year tuition and board for Duke, I didn't want to put my parents in $120,000 extra debt when I could go to a top 20 university for half that price. Plus, grad school will be expensive too. Anyway, if I did go to Duke, I mainly wanted to just go for the name, the excellent environmental sciences program offered by the Nicholas School of the Environment, and the brilliant/interesting/social peers (although Rice seems to have attracted the same type of people). I wasn't into the frat/sorority culture and the heavy drinking at Duke.</p>

<p>Do you really think there is that much difference between the career, networking, and life opportunities given by a Duke degree or a Rice degree? I know Rice is king in Texas, but I plan on moving back to Ohio or to the Southeast after grad school. Very few people I know consider Rice as good of a school as Duke back home and on CC, even though personally I think it is (which is why I selected it).</p>

<p>I plan on going to med school, business school, or an environmental science grad program after graduating from Rice.</p>

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<p>Feeling so comfortable in the Rice environment and finding out how accessible the profs and research opps are helped my son feel good about having turned down Duke, as you did. Had you chosen Duke, you would now be living on East Campus, a bus ride away from the heart of the university – apart from a supportive community where all four classes mingle and learn from each other. During my son’s freshman year, far from home, he became close to upperclassmen in his residential college who shared tips about about time management, specific professors, places to eat in the village, and were great to talk with … </p>

<p>He’s proud of his Duke acceptance and is friendly with quite a few other Owls who made the same choice you both made. I’m sure you know all about Rice’s exceptionally high acceptance rate at med schools, about the environmental club, ample research opps that exist here. Merit aid played a role in my son’s decision – and what he’s found since is a close sense of community, club-building opportunities, vital ties to professors, an invitation to take on a research job in a not-too-big or not-too-small place where he can do his best work and prepare for the next steps. It’s not about what you left behind, it’s about all the possibilities within reach.</p>

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<p>In your re-evaluation, you should examine the possibility that Rice might be a better university than Duke. Both are excellent schools and offer different undergraduate experiences. Each student makes a decision about the potential “fit” for a college. There are many threads on CC discussing the merits of each school.</p>

<p>Your argument seems to be that Duke has better name recognition. That’s one of the least important reasons in choosing a college.</p>

<p>Don’t underestimate the cost savings that Rice offered you. The cost savings will offer you and your parents many options as you go to graduate school and/or start a career.</p>

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<p>Grads schools know about Rice. Med schools know about Rice.

In reality, grads from all schools are having trouble right now finding jobs… Duke students, too. If you are looking to go to grad school or med school or any other kind of school… relax. Rice is well-known. But if you are concerned, let me give you a recipe for success. Attend class, work hard, have fun, expand your horizons, get a job on campus through work/study or just Rice work that is in your field of interest. Take advantage of research opportunities in your field. Get to know some profs well, and share your plans and dreams so that they can “mentor” you into getting where you want to go. Voila! When it comes time to apply to grad school you will have profs who know you and know your work - and if you are a talented and hard-working student they will be happy to steer you towards grad programs that will suit your interests and write you good recommendations, and network with their peers at other universities to let them know what you have to offer their grad programs.

No. Now chill out, relax, and realize that this is probably a little bit of the second-guessing and “buyer’s remorse” that most students experience. The grass is not always greener!</p>

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<p>My son, a recent graduate of Rice ended up at Microsoft, with a lot of other recent Rice grads. His other friends in Comp sci and eng also found good jobs and every company knew and respected the Rice degree.
What did help them all was having good summer internships, which you should look to find. Top employers and grad schools know Rice and respect it. He even had a summer internship in Japan and they knew of Rice.
Both are top notch schools, it’s what you do with ANY school that makes a difference.
My son’s close friend, who went to Yale is not employed yet, so it depends more on majors and who you are and what you did than any school when it comes to finding a job. It also is one of the worst recessions, so the fact that so many DID get jobs from Rice is excellent. By the time you graduate things should be better.
One more thing, some people drop out of Duke, because they just don’t like the large school with frats atmosphere, so if you’re happy and spending less money, then go back to studying and stop worrying.
One more thought: I didn’t go a university that was anywhere close to the education you get at Rice and I’ve been very successful in my life. I think happiness is just as important a goal as money in one’s life. Also follow your instincts, you obviously “felt” Rice was better for you, so trust that felling. My son knew the minute he visited Rice that he was “home” and he was correct
Good luck :-).</p>

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<p>I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post – as much as I enjoyed meeting you, lauras50, last year, at Families Weekend. You shared your son’s Rice experience with us in the most helpful way. I can also add “success” stories that I’ve heard in local circles about what’s happened to recent Rice grads – primarily, acceptances into top grad schools.</p>

<p>And, along with Rice’s fine score in Princeton Review’s happiness category, like Laura’s son who felt the sense of home instantly, my son felt it right away, too. And when you’re happy, feel comfortable, being a good student comes easily.</p>

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<p>Accidentally skipped anxiousmom’s post – I totally agree. </p>

<p>Building ties with profs is invaluable … and it often means taking the first step.
Whether it’s meeting during office hours or after class to ponder a point or raise a question --step forward to show your interest.</p>

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<p>the hype on cc is not a good way to judge the merits of a university
people on this site, while intelligent, are often over-concerned with whether their school is a household name or not</p>

<p>besides, duke is not worth an extra 25k
i had the same thing with cornell and rice
rice = 5k parental + 5k loans
cornell = 15k parental +7k loans
no thanks cornell</p>

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<p>This is naive if not disingenuous. Name recognition matters A LOT, especially to top students. This is because name recognition has many (tangible and intangible) benefits.</p>

<p>If name recognition were not to matter, as you claim, Rice would be able to “steal” more applicants from other top 20 schools given its cheaper tuition, but it doesn’t. Why do you think? You can argue that either Rice lacks name recognition or it is not as good. So which is it?</p>

<p>That being said, I’d much rather go to a school (Rice) with little to no name recognition than a school (Duke) whose name recognition is derived from basketball.</p>

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<p>interestingguy–Your example shows that name recognition is important to each university, which of course is true. The more known the university’s name is by the general public, the more applicants it receives. What’s being discussed here isn’t what’s good for Rice, though, but whether name recognition (by the general public) is important once a student matriculates.</p>

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<p>^ One poster’s argument is that name recognition isn’t (or at least shouldn’t be) an important criterion for choosing a college. I argue that name recognition translates into both tangible and intangible benefits. Top students intuitively understand this, which is why they prefer schools with name recognition.</p>

<p>Considering the OP’s buyer remorse, that name recognition may well be worth $ 100K+.</p>

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<p>But you haven’t given any evidence to back that up, other than the argument that more name recognition means the university gets more applications, which really has no effect on students once they matriculate.</p>

<p>By the way, I strongly agree with everything that’s been said here about Rice’s recognition where it matters, with grad schools and employers. I’ve seen lots of evidence of that. I was just talking to a friend who works for a biotech firm who ooh’ed and ah’ed when she heard my daughter was at Rice…sounds like a summer internship possibility. </p>

<p>That said, I also agree with amdn, who said that what’s said on CC isn’t a good way to make decisions about the merits of a school, and that goes for what all of us have said here in support of Rice, too. If the OP is happy and engaged at Rice and taking advantage of opportunities as they come up, that’s what really matters.</p>

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<p>This is a perfect example why name recognition matters. </p>

<p>Despite your repeated denials, you really do seem to care about name recognition. More than you’d like to admit, probably. Or else, why bring up this story at all?</p>

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<p>The point I’ve been trying to make is that name recognition by the general public is not important. Certainly, if you’re a bioengineering major, it helps if biotech firms have heard of your school.</p>

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<p>I think when you compare two top universities the difference in name recognition by the general public really doesn’t count. Rice is number 17 on some of the top lists. Do you really think that companies and grad schools wouldn’t know one of the top 20 universities? If you were comparing Duke or Rice with a much lower tier school there would be a difference, but the minuscule difference when they’re all at the top just doesn’t matter. I think that’s why the question is getting such a response from parent’s who understand it just doesn’t matter between any of the top schools, except for fit and comfort.</p>

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<p>Yeah the difference is too small to matter. Also I think the atmosphere here is much more unique. I understand buyer’s remorse is a pretty common thing though and it is natural, but never fear man. Everything’s gonna turn out fine.</p>

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<p>Sort of fun to read the twin thread on the Duke website. If anything, the posts there are even more “it doesn’t matter, you made the right choice to attend Rice”. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/781809-duke-degree-vs-rice-degree.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/781809-duke-degree-vs-rice-degree.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I think the OPs premise is wrong. You are probably from the east coast and talking to people on the east coast. Rice is every bit as good and prestigous as Duke to those that know and matter. In either school, though, just graduating isn’t enough. It is what you do there that matters.</p>

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<p>^ The OP is from Ohio, which s/he clearly stated in both his post and profile.</p>

<p>Outside of Texas, Rice is probably best known (albeit still not very well known) in pockets of the Northeast. It is virtually unknown in the Midwest where the OP comes from though.</p>

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<p>While I believe that Rice holds its own against Duke and is in some ways better, this is the kind of elitist comment with which I am very uncomfortable. Who’re you to say who “knows” and “matters”? I am assuming you’re including yourself among those “in the know,” which is all the more elitist.</p>

<p>FWIW, this is the most common (default) response by supporters of schools with little or no name recognition. It goes something like this: well, if someone doesn’t know our pet school, then that person just doesn’t know any better. Or doesn’t matter at all.</p>

<p>Now has it ever occurred to you that maybe your school and its graduates haven’t accomplished much worthwhile for people “to know”?</p>

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<p>^agreed with everything till the last paragraph
that’s a little harsh
try and keep an even keel if you’re gonna rationalize these things</p>