<p>Grad school is free for many students in the Physical and Biological Sciences.</p>
<p>Rice IS in the same league as UChicago (at least in the natural sciences and engineering). There is a reason why Rice admissions officers travel with those from UChicago, Brown, Cornell, and Columbia when doing info sessions across the country.</p>
<p>“When I visited Chicago, I heard students talking casually about academic things that didn’t have to do with their major/classes.” The same at Rice – and precisely one of the reasons my son decided to go here. And when he sounded sleepy on the phone the other day it was because he was up until 4AM with friends probing philosophical matters entirely unrelated to his upcoming finals. Perhaps if my son had visited Chicago, by chance, he might have missed out on the deep discussions he greatly enjoys at Rice. Maybe not.</p>
<p>Right. How many nobel laureate’s has Rice had on its faculty? Chicago has plutonium. What elements have been discovered at Rice? Is there a Rice school of Economic thought? A Rice school of Sociology? What about political science?</p>
<p>Check out [U</a> of C is the Great American University, authorsays - The Chicago Maroon](<a href=“Rambling and flat, this family turmoil doesn’t amount to a handful of cherries – Chicago Maroon”>Rambling and flat, this family turmoil doesn’t amount to a handful of cherries – Chicago Maroon)</p>
<p>@Hegemon91:</p>
<p>Well, a nobel laureate does not equal excellent teacher… some noble laureates can’t teach well at all. </p>
<p>FWIW, buckyballs were discovered at Rice… third form of carbon that basically spawned the nanotechnology revolution was discovered at Rice.</p>
<p>Rice has the Baker Institute of Foreign Policy, which has some of the world’s leading oil, foreign policy, and economic experts as fellows.</p>
<p>Does UChicago have a 9 story research center that collaborates with the world’s largest medical center? No.</p>
<p>Does UChicago have one of the country’s best music and architecture schools? No.</p>
<p>Both schools have their own strengths; UChicago’s is in the humanities/social sciences/physical sciences. Rice’s strengths are in the natural sciences/engineering/architecture/music.</p>
<p>For a school of its size, Rice offers a lot (keep in mind UChicago has at least twice the number of students Rice does).</p>
<p>Again, the OP can’t go wrong. Both schools are among the top in the country, but their strengths are in different areas of academia.</p>
<p>Guys, OP already made his/her decision.</p>
<p>Here we are – just hours before May 1 arrives, and I’d just like to mention James Curl,
a very accessible Nobel Laureate at Rice, named one of the TOP 10 Chemists in the world. [Rice</a> University | Department of Chemistry](<a href=“http://www.chem.rice.edu/news.cfm?doc_id=11230]Rice”>http://www.chem.rice.edu/news.cfm?doc_id=11230) As for the social sciences at Rice, they’re very strong – many of the profs have won teaching awards and reach out to their students to join their research teams. And the Student Forum at Rice’s non-partisan think tank enables students to make choices about who will be coming to speak, and provides comfortable opportunities to mingle with these speakers.</p>
<p>I’m convinced that the most challenging part of the admissions process is exactly what undecided seniors face right now. I wish everyone who’s still weighing the details out
just a bit more fortitude – and when you decide, embrace your choice enthusiastically.</p>
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<p>I’m probably about to say something too bold, but considering the price difference I cannot agree with this statement at all.</p>
<p>Does Chicago have Beeeeeeer Biiiiiiiike? No? Didn’t think so.</p>