<p>I just visited SMU, and I really didn't like the feel. It just didn't feel right.. I wasn't crazy about UT either, but Rice was awesome. I want to go to a school that feels like Rice, so I am looking for that intellectual vibe. Which of the schools I am applying to have that?</p>
<p>Harvard
Brown
Cornell
Chicago
WUSTL
Middlebury
Rochester
Tulane
Vanderbilt
USC
Wesleyan
Bowdoin
Bates
Boston College
Notre Dame</p>
<p>A big school is likely to have a range of students, among which you are likely to find a subset of intellectually oriented students and another subset of less intellectually oriented students. The intellectually oriented students may be easier to find in certain majors (philosophy? pure math?).</p>
<p>Bowdoin, Chicago, and Wesleyan, and maybe Brown, are self-consciously “intellectual” in a way that, say, BC is not. Consider Swarthmore. It’s supposedly the most “intellectual” college in the US, and you have other LACs on your list.</p>
<p>Look into Reed College. It’s known for having an intellectual vibe.</p>
<p>William & Mary, Davidson, and Duke are much like Rice, esp in the South (if you want great weather)</p>
<p>Oberlin, as well as most other top LAC’s, has a noticeable intellectual vibe.</p>
<p>Schools that provide “intellectual vibe” in California includes the ff:</p>
<p>Stanford
Caltech
Berkeley
The Claremont Colleges</p>
<p>I think USC doesn’t provide you that kind of vibe.</p>
<p>Holy Cross would be a good choice-smaller school like Rice with good academics. HC has no greek life and very small class sizes. Holy Cross has very strong academics and one of the better alumni networks. Payscale salary data study ranked Holy Cross 12th among all schools-both universities and LAC’s. Davidson would be another choice not Boston College.</p>
<p>With many big schools (like Berkeley), the intellectual vibe depends on who you hang out with. The intellectual vibe may be different if you were having an intellectual discussion in a room full of philosophy and pure math majors compared to friday night in a fraternity house.</p>
<p>You can find intellectually-oriented students at nearly any school, especially at the academically stronger ones or within certain majors. However, at some colleges the intellectual vibe is a defining characteristic of the whole campus. It’s why many students choose these schools. Consider the following as indicators:</p>
<ul>
<li>no D1 sports programs</li>
<li>little or no Greek life</li>
<li>high per capita PhD production ([COLLEGE</a> PHD PRODUCTIVITY](<a href=“http://www.reed.edu/ir/phd.html]COLLEGE”>Doctoral Degree Productivity - Institutional Research - Reed College))</li>
<li>relatively many alumni in academia, the arts, & public service</li>
<li>relatively low interest in business & finance careers</li>
<li>high per-student research expenditures ([Liberal</a> Arts College Rankings 2011 | Washington Monthly](<a href=“http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2011/liberal_arts_research.php]Liberal”>http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2011/liberal_arts_research.php) … sort on “Research” column)</li>
<li>students drawn from most states; most live on or near campus</li>
<li>intense, innovative academic programs (including core courses, comprehensive exams, or thesis requirements)</li>
<li>strong undergraduate focus (senior faculty teach undergraduates; little or no use of TAs)</li>
<li>small, discussion-based classes</li>
</ul>
<p>Examples:<br>
Reed, Swarthmore, Carleton, Chicago.</p>
<p>Many students want a more balanced mix of solid academics, sports, and social life. Most of the top 50 or more colleges meet this demand.</p>
<p>My daughter was looking at such type of schools so she applied to: U Chicago, Brown, Yale, Wellesley, Grinnell, UC’s Berkeley, Santa Cruz and San Diego (we are in CAlif.) And she only had to do so little cause she had EA. And I insisted on at least 1/2 these schools.</p>
<p>I would remove:</p>
<p>Rochester
Tulane
Vanderbilt
USC
Notre Dame </p>
<p>Just my 2 cents</p>
<p>Wellesley.</p>