<p>I don't know much about Wash U. I know it's supposedly "hot" right now, but every Rice student I have known has felt blessed to have gone there. Tremendous resources, incredibly stimulating intellectual environment, strong sense of community. And it is beautiful. Try to go back home for the summers, though.</p>
<p>I would go to rice personally. Students reject top ivies to go to rice, whereas WashU (apology to washu students) is almost universally considered a backup school. In the preference ranking of colleges, Rice ranked in the top 20 most DESIRABLE schools by students, whereas WashU was somewhere in the 60's (based on cross-admit data and ultimate student choices). Rice is way cooler. I would have considered Rice if I hadn't been waitlisted, but I never would have considered WashU simply because of its image as a backup school (for undergrads, at least; its grad programs are really stellar).</p>
<p>
[quote]
I would go to rice personally. Students reject top ivies to go to rice, whereas WashU (apology to washu students) is almost universally considered a backup school. In the preference ranking of colleges, Rice ranked in the top 20 most DESIRABLE schools by students, whereas WashU was somewhere in the 60's (based on cross-admit data and ultimate student choices). Rice is way cooler. I would have considered Rice if I hadn't been waitlisted, but I never would have considered WashU simply because of its image as a backup school (for undergrads, at least; its grad programs are really stellar).
[/quote]
QFT </p>
<p>10 char</p>