Rice vs Middlebury

<p>Accepted into both, but can't make up my mind, and will not have the chance to visit Middlebury, although I did the overnight at Rice.
Both have residential colleges, although it seems Rice's is far superior.
I know weather-wise they are pretty different, and I am not an avid outdoorsmen, but I don;t really mind the snow either as long as it's not too overwhelming.
Any advice?</p>

<p>I love both schools. If you are not the outdoorsy type, I would pick Rice.</p>

<p>Rice is awesome. That's really all I have to add right now.</p>

<p>Too bad you didn’t get a chance to visit Middlebury this winter as you really should see the school in that season (and the same would be the case for all of the colleges located in upstate NY/New England). I don’t want to take anything away from Middlebury or other colleges in these areas, but this can be a very major consideration for some students, especially those coming from warmer climes.</p>

<p>To compensate for the longer winter, Middlebury stays in school a little longer than many of their peers with last classes this year on May 9 and exams thru May 20. </p>

<p>Also, re your comment about snow, a quick check on the internet retrieved the following article: </p>

<p>Global</a> Warming Update: Snowfall Records Being Broken in New England | NewsBusters.org</p>

<p>Both schools will offer strong academics but there are glaring differences beyond the weather. </p>

<p>In general comparison: </p>

<p>Rice's residential college system offers the consummate egalitarian social setting. Student body laid back socially, more intense academically. Generally presents science/tech strengths consistent with orientation of student body (almost 50%) with small very strong music/architecture programs thrown in. The city of Houston.</p>

<p>Middlebury evokes a much more prototypical New England prep school look and feel. Social scene more structured, less intense academically than Rice. Strengths reside in humanities/social sciences, relatively small number of majors in the sciences. The hills/mountains of rural Vermont.</p>

<p>These are pretty stark differences. Figure out what fits you best.</p>

<p>
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Middlebury evokes a much more prototypical New England prep school look and feel. Social scene more structured, less intense academically than Rice. Strengths reside in humanities/social sciences, relatively small number of majors in the sciences.

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<p>I beg to differ. Middlebury is no less academically intense than Rice. In fact, I'd say it's more intense. What are you basing this assumption on? </p>

<p>While Middlebury is renown for it's strengths in languages, writing, environmental studies, and international studies, there are quite a number of students who major in natural and social sciences. In Fall 2007, 43.6 percent of students were majoring in the natural and social sciences. </p>

<p>I would argue that Middlebury is better known in the East and major cities of the West, while Rice is better known in the South.</p>

<p>Middlebury is much more like Williams and Dartmouth, while Rice is more like Wash U.</p>

<p>Middlebury is known for having one of the nicest campuses in America, with excellent food to boot.</p>

<p>Ricehas a bigger national reputation, but among grad schools they are probably around equal</p>

<p>"I beg to differ. Middlebury is no less academically intense than Rice. In fact, I'd say it's more intense. What are you basing this assumption on?"</p>

<p>Both are academically intense.</p>

<p>Both are well known to those who matter (employers, grad schools).</p>

<p>Both have beautiful campuses (I haven't visited Middlebury but from what I hear it's very nice).</p>

<p>It all just comes down to a matter of preference (i.e., weather and environment--cold and outdoorsy vs hot/humid and urban). You won't go wrong with either school; both are very excellent schools.</p>

<p>And Rice is not "more like" WashU, it actually has <3000 undergrads and thus gives it a very LAC-ish feel, its student body is smaller than that of Dartmouth!</p>

<p>My guess-and this is only a guess-is that the student body at Rice would be more potitically conservative than the student body at Middlebury. Can anyone confirm or deny?</p>

<p>
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Rice has a bigger national reputation, but among grad schools they are probably around equal

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<p>Not in the Northeast where I grew up. I'd never heard of Rice until a few years ago. I've heard about Middlebury all my life.</p>

<p>
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And Rice is not "more like" WashU, it actually has <3000 undergrads and thus gives it a very LAC-ish feel, its student body is smaller than that of Dartmouth!

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<p>I based this off of the fact that Wash U is one of Rice's greatest overlap schools.</p>

<p>Rice's other greatest overlap schools also include Harvard, Stanford, and Duke, although I'd imagine you'd be slower to liken Rice as similar to the previously mentioned schools other than student caliber. Why mention WashU in comparison when Rice has these other greatest overlap schools too?</p>

<p>UT-Austin is also one of Rice's most popular overlap schools, but the two schools could not be more polarized and opposite--it's only because they're both very well known and well regarded universities in Texas that many bright Texas kids apply to both.</p>

<p>As for Middlebury, I agree that it is similar to Williams and Dartmouth.</p>

<p>I'd always heard such great things about Middlebury, known many alums over the years and they were die hard loyals. Last summer we drove through there while on vacation in Vermont, and both my husband and I had the same impression. It seemed very depressing to both of us. The tennis courts back up to a cemetary and the buildings for the most part are GRAY GRAY GRAY. I know its the native stone of the area but it just seemed so dreary to us. Have you at least taken a virtual tour online to get a feel for it?</p>

<p>Missypie- Incorrect. Rice's student body is quite liberal, as is the part of Houston in which the campus is located.</p>

<p>Arcadia,</p>

<p>Boosterism can go too far. It's pure obfuscation to argue that at Middlebury "43.6 percent of students were majoring in the natural and SOCIAL sciences" (??) to suggest that it has a strong science orientation (this may be the first time I've seen social science and natural science majors grouped together - wonder how they'd feel about this). </p>

<p>About 50% of Rice students major in engineering or the sciences, a very large group. At Middlebury this number is around 15%, a relatively small one. This is not exactly epiphanous to anyone familiar with the two (please check your own common data sets if you question these numbers). This is neither necessarily good nor bad. But it does point out a clear difference in the academic focus of the two schools that certainly may be important to someone considering attending.</p>

<p>wbwa--I must admit that when I first read your post, I only saw humanities mentioned. When I look back, I see you mentioned humanities AND social sciences grouped together (wonder how they'd feel about this). </p>

<p>You are correct that Rice is more of a science and engineering focused school than Middlebury. But so are most research universities (when compared to small liberal arts colleges). </p>

<p>I really can't imagine someone having a hard time deciding between these two schools. If you love one, you'd probably dislike the other. Urban vs. rural. Warm vs. cold. Skyscrapers vs. mountains. The differences are quite substantial.</p>

<p>rdstour--what do you want to study at college? This is a fair question (since you never specifically mentioned an interest in the physical sciences in this thread).</p>

<p>This just goes to show how much regional differences can influence our thoughts and opinions. I really never heard about Rice until a couple of years ago. I'd never even heard of Middlebury until today when I read this thread.</p>

<p>Arcadia,
to be honest, I don't know yet what i want to study, but I feel like i can eliminate engineering from the list. However, I know that while Rice is well-known for engineering, its reputation in liberal arts has been growing as well...</p>

<p>rdstour, if it helps anything, I'm going to Rice this fall as a freshman :) and I plan on doing premed with a double major in econ and history, so def not everyone is doing engineering, although you will find a fair number of aspiring engineers at Rice.</p>

<p>Rice's strengths are definitely in the sciences, not just engineering, but their humanities departments are no weak link either.</p>

<p>rdstour: both my liberal, laidback kids love Rice. One is Humanities/Social sciences (fixing to graduate) and one is in Engineering. They have had fantastic opportunities and for my daughter, these will continue post-graduation. (She won a $12,000 post-grad travel scholarship from Rice :)) DD had a choice of quite a few LACs four years ago, including Bowdoin, Grinnell and Oberlin, but found Rice the best fit. Some negatives for her in choosing Bowdoin (and would be similar at Middlebury) was the lack of daylight hours during the LOOOOONG winter. Sun setting in the late afternoon and not rising until later in the morning didn't sound good to her. Also she liked and likes the size of Rice (3000+ undergrads plus 1800 grad, fixing to grow undergrad population over the next few years), and the LARGE faculty due to the 5:1 student to prof ratio. She has had so much interaction with profs, and counts several as friends and mentors. I imagine that you will have similar close interactions at Middlebury, but not as much choice since so many fewer profs. p.m. me if you have any questions that I might be able to answer. :)</p>