<p>So, I got into all three of these schools... I'm interested in civil engineering and business. At WashU i'd probably double-major, while rice and vandy don't have undergrad business majors. So... convince me on which one is the best choice, can be based on pretty much anything (academics, sports, students, campus, dorms, food, city/surrounding area, etc.). I've already researched all three kind of a lot, so it's not like I know nothing about all of them... I just want to hear some other opinions to help make this tough decision.
Also, it'd be AWESOME if some current students or alumni of one of those schools could say something to the effect of what their favorite thing is about their school.
also, assume financial cost is the same at all three, i'd rather take that (important) variable out of the equation for the moment.</p>
<p>Say School A is better than school B. It does not make it 200k better than school B. Unless it does not matter at all, then it does contribute a lot.</p>
<p>What is your personal preference about schools?</p>
<p>i know it contributes a lot, and in fact they don’t all cost the same… for now, i just want opinions without financial aid involved.</p>
<p>also, i’m still undecided. probably going to make my final decision sometime in the next week. i really like all three of them (they’re essentially the three i narrowed it down to out of the others i got in to), with either rice or washu probably my favorites if FA isn’t involved.</p>
<p>I personally had the choice between Rice and WashU along with others, and I chose Rice.
A side thing for Rice is, they do in fact have the option to minor in Business (with a few classes taken with the Business school professors), and Rice in general is very open to double majors (and triple majors apparantly haha). I’m heading for the medicine track though, so I can’t comment much on what’s best to do for business between those schools.</p>
<p>I picked Rice over Vanderbilt last year, mainly because of the Residential College system. I felt that the Residential College system provided all of the pros of Greek Life, with none of the negatives. Every day I’m here I’m proven right. I love it!</p>
<p>Go for Rice. The kids are so nice–it’s amazing. I just visited and fell in love. I’m choosing Rice over schools like Dartmouth, WUSTL, Cornell, Northwestern, et cetera. It’s an amazing place to be with a terrific engineering school, and you could definitely pursue the business minor. I hope to see you there next year!!</p>
<ul>
<li><p>I loved all three campuses equally. They were all gorgeous</p></li>
<li><p>I think WUSTL had the best dorms, followed by Rice, then Vanderbilt. They were all really good quality, though.</p></li>
<li><p>WUSTL has the best food, but both Rice and Vanderbilt have outstanding food.</p></li>
<li><p>Vanderbilt’s Commons is a tad bit out of the way.</p></li>
<li><p>Rice has the residential college system which is a huge plus.</p></li>
<li><p>Vanderbilt and Rice both have pretty good sports programs, while WUSTL lacks in that area. Rice’s IM sports combine with the residential college system to create an awesome dynamic.</p></li>
<li><p>The academics seemed equally strong at all three, though I don’t want to go into specifics.</p></li>
<li><p>The student body at Rice was stunningly friendly and helpful. WUSTL and Vandy students were very friendly, but they tended to mind their own business unless you approached them.</p></li>
<li><p>Social life at Rice seemed to have the highest diversity to me. People were into sports, partying, hanging out, talking about academics, etc. It seemed like anybody and everyone could fit in. I didn’t really get enough of a chance to talk to students about social life at WUSTL or Vanderbilt, so I can’t really help you out there, sorry.</p></li>
<li><p>All three campuses are very safe, and they are all located in awesome cities.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Hopefully this general overview/comparison will help you out. Keep in mind that these are just my opinions, though. Good luck making the choice! :D</p>
<p>Mom posting - both my kids attended Rice and loved it - especially the balance of play and work, and lots of fun traditions and events on campus. DS is graduating in Civil Engineering, and had a great prof as a mentor and did 2 years of research with him. And in the midst of final projects and tests, DS still managed to head out of state for a tournament with his club sport team - just another example of the balance of work/play/sports at Rice.</p>
<p>Rice and WashU have more intellectual students than Vandy, but they both still maintain a balanced academic/social life atmosphere. Vandy is going to be pretty fratty and southern.</p>
<p>^“…more intellectual than students at Vandy”? Really? Have you seen the stats for this year’s incoming freshman class? Admittance rate was 15% and the mid 50% SAT’s were 1470 or so…Vanderbilt is in the top 20 universities in the country. It’s a very academic, challenging environment with a top engineering program - complete with amazing faculty who give it a very personal experience. I resent your thinking it’s just southern and fratty. It may not be the experience an individual is looking for, but that doesn’t mean it deserves negative generalizations.</p>
<p>The frat scene at Vandy is pretty minimal. They have delayed rush, for one thing… The people I know there have said that its about the same commitment as high school sports.
Also, why does southern have to be a negative adjective?
Great schools to choose between, OP. I personally like Vandy and Rice somewhat better than WUSTL</p>
<p>I don’t think you quite grasp the concept of “intellectual” in this context, Swimmer726. I wish I could clarify it for you, but it is difficult from my iPhone. He’s not saying Vanderbilt students aren’t intelligent, but rather that they are not quite as driven purely by a desire for knowledge, etc as Rice or WUSTL.</p>
<p>To be honest, I wouldn’t call students at Rice that intellectual either. If you’re looking for a school where you will be inundated with academic debate or intellectual conversation on a daily basis, it’s going to be a small niche group you find here. While we do have intellectual conversations, the majority of people here aren’t aspiring intellectuals. It’s an Engineering school, and people tend to be more practically focused. </p>
<p>Intellectual does not mean intelligent. Students at Rice are BRILLIANT. I believe swimmer misinterpreted the meaning there. Vandy kids are no “dumber” than we are, nor is the aggregate at WUSTL. Speaking from experience (I go here, and have a friend who graduated from Vandy, as well as a close HS friend who is at WUSTL), Vanderbilt certainly has a more “southern gentry” type atmosphere. Students go to football games dressed up, pledge into the greek system, etc.</p>
<p>However, from the mouth of my friend who graduated: You’d be suprised that students at Vanderbilt and other “southern” schools will tend to be more politically interested. If this falls under your auspices of intellectualism, then they have us beat, because Rice is highly apathetic. </p>
<p>All of these comments are generalizations. I imagine there are plenty of apathetic kids at Vandy, and I know quite a few politically passionate students here at Rice. This is just the general population I speak of.</p>
<p>Tilgaham is so misguided and wrong. How can make such sweeping generalizations for a campus of 3,400? Rice is <em>not</em> an engineering school. See here [Degrees</a> Awarded : Rice University](<a href=“Rice University”>Rice University)</p>
<p>Rice is just as “intellectual” as HYP from what I can tell, and that’s all I can say, because unlike the poster above, I don’t speak for the entire student body – just myself and my friends.</p>
<p>I’ve heard recent enthusiastic accounts about three debates organized cooperatively by the Rice Dems and a conservative forum to share clashing views on Obama’s job performance, health care, and the economy. I hear they’ve been well-attended and demonstrate energetic political interest on campus. I understand, too, that the organizers include engineering students, pre-meds, and social science majors – all tuned into the political sphere. </p>
<p>Can someone please comment on the break-down of majors/studies – I don’t think of Rice as an “Engineering school.” The social sciences are so strong, too – not to forget all the dedicated pre-meds … thank you.</p>
<p>Owl2014 and Ottoline - while Rice awards a variety of degrees, it is an engineering/Science school for the most part. The humanities and arts do not receive nearly the same amount of funding as the SE departments do. (This excludes the archi and music program).</p>
<p>Having been a member of both the engineering and the Visual and Dramatic Arts department (still assist the VADA department in the theatre aspect) there is a large discrepancy. Look at the Media center and then look at the new Brockman Hall for Physics. </p>
<p>Rice is not as much of an engineering school as say, Caltech, but the SE programs are some of the strongest and from the department standpoint, most important.</p>
