<p>So I've narrowed it down to Rice & Northwestern for my undergraduate experience and I have no idea how to choose. I really need your help!</p>
<p>Here's where I am right now:</p>
<p>-Money is comparable between the two and isn't a deciding factor.
-I know I want to study the natural sciences.
-Campus life and culture is very important to me. I want to go somewhere I can be happy.
-I've lived in Texas all my life (not near Houston) and would like to experience a different atmosphere.
-My optimum university size was ~6,000 undergrads (Which I know is halfway between the two.) in a small town near a big city.</p>
<p>Some specific questions:</p>
<p>-How community focused is Northwestern versus the residential college system at Rice?
-If you attended either or know somebody who did, what was the happiness level like on campus?
-How were the relations between the colleges and their surrounding communities?
-What's the frat scene like at Northwestern?
-Which do you prefer: Quarters or Semesters?
-How does friendliness compare between the two?
-If you went to either, how often did you get down town?</p>
<p>I'd also love to hear any other general thoughts you have about the two schools. Thank you so much for your help!</p>
<p>Hey SamusAran, I was choosing between those schools until recently when I decided to narrow my choice down to a few other schools on my list. But it still hurt to cut those schools off my list, so I feel your pain; they’re both amazing schools. My mom is a Rice alum and I know some other kids who have attended NU and Rice. </p>
<p>I get the sense that the res college system at Rice creates a way more cohesive and supportive community than NU, which is my favorite part of Rice. You’d be hard pressed to find anything comparable to their res college systems, which create fairly close families. Northwestern has a thriving frat scene (not my favorite thing). So a lot of the social life is centered around the Greek system for underclassmen, which inhibits that sort of close community you’d see at Rice (unless we’re talking about the community within a frat/sorority). I also hear there’s also a divide between kids in different parts of campus, like the engineers v. more artsy kids.</p>
<p>Rice is ranked as a really, really happy school, and it feels like it to me. Northwestern seems to have less happy students from what I’ve researches/observed; I’d guess the freezing weather makes for a slightly less happy environment. Still, I think Northwestern is gorgeous and I met a lot of really enthusiastic kids who have a lot of school spirit (NU seems like it has more spirit to me). Both schools seem pretty friendly, but Rice seems a bit friendlier. Its students seem down-to-earth, happy, and welcoming. I’ve had a lot of positive interactions with kids at Northwestern, but I’d say their friendliness was a bit above average while Rice students’ friendliness was well above average. </p>
<p>I can’t decide between quarters and semesters. I like that you can take more classes with quarters, but it sounds like you’ll never have time to breathe, cramming a lot of material into a quarter then quickly moving on. So, I feel like you can learn more with quarters, but it might be harder.</p>
<p>Other thoughts: if its important to you to experience something different/new, go to Northwestern. It has a really vibrant, cool culture that will be different from what you’ve experienced in Texas. I personally like Rice a bit better just because I love the res college communities and the people that go there, but Northwestern would be exciting, and its a more reputable school nationally if that matters to you. Good luck!</p>
<p>My daughter grew up in Dallas and swore she was not going to college in or near Texas! She wound up at Rice and felt the experience was perfect. It bore no resemblance to her prior Texas life! Both are excellent schools, so congratulations!</p>
<p>You have two fantastic choices. I think Northwestern would expand your perspectives more. Chicago is a much better city than Houston (especially for students and others without cars) and it’s super-easy to avail yourself of the opportunities it offers. It’s not just “downtown”–just across the Evanston border are interesting ethnic neighborhoods full of shops and restaurants. The north side has the Lakeview area around Wrigley Field, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park…four years would not be enough time to absorb it all.</p>
<p>Northwestern has residential colleges/houses (forget what they are called), which are a great option for people not interested in the north campus frat scene. </p>
<p>Being part of the Big 10 is also a blast. </p>
<p>The quarter system is both good and bad. The good is that you start later in the fall, have shorter sessions of each class and end up taking more classes overall. The bad is that you get out later in the spring.</p>
<p>Rice has D1 sports- nothing to be excited about except baseball, though.</p>
<p>Houston is a great city for college students. I spent 5 years in Chicago (including law school) and much time there on business over the years and agree that it is a great city, but for a college student Houston is as good if not better. Public transportation from Rice is excellent (light rail to downtown) and, I think, free for students. Everything is a lot less expensive to do, too. And there’s the weather…</p>
<p>Not sure how you can say “everything is a lot less expensive to do” when the entire stretch of the north side from Lakeview up to Evanston is full of incredibly cheap restaurants and dive bars (along with more upscale options, of course). There are tons of free public events throughout the city and even the Art Institute has free admission one day a week. The weather can be tough for a few months but winter break means a few weeks off from the depths of it. Speaking as someone who also left a hot, humid climate to go to Northwestern, the weather was just part of the overall adventure, and it was worth it to live in another part of the country for a few years.</p>
<p>Houston is quite different from most other parts of Texas, so there is that.</p>
<p>“Weather can be tough for a few months”. That might be the understatement of the year. Every year in Chicago I wore my biggest parka at least once in MAY! I grew up in the northeast, and the weather in Chicago was brutal! </p>
<p>Houston is cheaper. That isn’t even up for debate. Think about groceries, gas, concert tickets… </p>
<p>Look- I’m not saying Northwestern is a bad choice. It is a great universiy. I just get tired of people who really don’t know what they are talking about putting down Houston as a place to go to college. My kid who chose Rice also looked at Northwestern and was very unimpressed, but that mainly had to do with the facilities for her major. Until she visited, Northwestern was at the top of her list.</p>
<p>First, both are excellent schools and I’m sure you will be happy at whatever school you choose.</p>
<p>I’m assuming you have visited both schools already, and you are still undecided. If not – visit!!</p>
<p>Looking at your criteria – I think Northwestern. Rice is in Texas (and you’d prefer to not be there). The rest of your criteria look like a tie between the schools. (I have a daughter who loves it there).</p>
<p>Residential Colleges --Northwestern does have several residential colleges, based on specific interests. You should look into this. </p>
<p>Frats scene – there are many at NU. My impression (from a D who goes there) is that many join (so it’s there if you want it), but many do not (so you won’t be a social outcast if you don’t join). It’s really your choice.</p>
<p>Down-town – D goes a few times a quarter. The Train stop is a couple of blocks from campus, and is a couple of bucks each way (pretty cheap).</p>
<p>Rice – wasn’t on either of my D’s visit list, so I don’t know much about it. Family and friends have gone there and have loved it.</p>
<p>So, basically, you’re in a no-lose situation. Congrats.</p>
<p>I haven’t put down Houston, and I know Rice is a great school. The OP is from Texas, though, and I think overall the benefits of expanding one’s horizons for a few years outweigh the potential negatives of weather (and I say “potential” because many people, including me, have come to love the four seasons).</p>
<p>Believe it or not not many know about Rice in the North East. My DD is considering Rice and finding that none of her high school peers have ever heard of Rice other than its ranking on US News. She is the only one (super academic/competitive) HS to apply.</p>