Out of the colleges I’ve been accepted into, my top contenders are UVA, Rice, and JHU. I am visiting all three next week (going to Rice’s Admit Day on the 16th). I understand it’s a bit late for visiting, but nevertheless, this is how it has ended up.
I am pursuing a chemistry degree, possibly specializing or changing my major in the future to something interdisciplinary such as biochem or chem engineering. Probably will minor in the Fine Arts. Not exactly sure what I’m doing, but most likely will not be premed.
I have been admitted to the Echols Scholar program at UVA, though I’m not sure how valuable that is when comparing with other schools.
For some reason, I have been leaning towards Rice this whole time, perhaps because of the unique chem courses it offers, its reputation for having happy undergrads, and its beautiful campus
JHU is the school my friends and family want me to choose, mainly due to its prestige, however, I am a bit wary since it’s known to be very cutthroat, and I would like something different from my extremely competitive NJ high school. I also am not sure exactly how I would like Baltimore as my campus, having been there a few times.
Similar financial aid packages on all three.
Any thoughts on these three schools would be very helpful!
If you can, attend owl days at rice . You don’t have to stay through the entire event but the whole campus goes all out for this. Very fun and welcoming
I would compare the programs. Do you have to maintain a certain GPA to keep all your aid? I don’t know anything about Rice but b/w JHU and UVA, I agree the environment seems better at UVA.
I agree with @robotrainbow that Rice goes all out for Owl Days, and Owl Days are a great experience for prospective students. However, the Admit Days are good too. My daughter attended the last Admit Day last year. She was not able to attend Owl Days because of other previously scheduled college visits. Rice was her last stop. She had a great Admit Day there. She committed to Rice the next morning. If possible have your parents come with you to see all Rice has to offer.
@robotrainbow@Houston1021 I unfortunately won’t be able to go to Owl Days, but hopefully the Admit Day gives me a good sense of what Rice is like. @Collegehelp4us I am not aware of any specific GPA I would have to maintain to keep my aid.
Congrats on such great options! While your family may think JHU is more prestigious, employers and grad schools are very familiar with Rice and UVA (Echols is huge). Any of these schools will offer solid academics and open doors to you in the future.
Rice is more collaborative than competitive. It is a fine place to pursue both science and fine arts - Houston’s arts scene is thriving, and Rice’s Museum district location is perfect for visual arts. Not only is the campus beautiful, it is at the same time self-contained and easy to access Houston’s diverse and affordable food scene.
UVA is not apples to apples with JHU and Rice; both Rice and JHU are far smaller and in far more urban locations, while UVA is a lot larger and in a small town/city two hours away from Washington; Charlottesville is a whole different animal than Baltimore and Houston. I can’t speak for JHU or Rice, but UVA is a much more “traditional” college experience (at least to me) without sacrificing the top academics - plus the basketball is super hype (as long as you don’t bring up UMBC) The prestige isn’t that different between your choices; at this point you may want to consider whether or not you would rather live in a large city or in a smaller town…? Either way congrats on having such amazing options!
I’m a JHU student, and I wouldn’t say that cutthroat is an accurate description of the student body here. The students are very hardworking and get homework and essays done, absolutely. But cutthroat? Not really. It’s an extremely collaborative environment. The library is built to accommodate large and small study groups, in addition to having silent floors. Nearly all freshman dorms have common study areas. Several courses that are known to be demanding have organized study groups that meet once a week, led by upperclassmen. Professors and TAs have office hours and some even have extra review sessions before big exams. The students here may be competitive when it comes to not knowing who you’re competing against. But if you’re sitting in a study lounge and recognize someone from class, it’s totally normal to ask them for help with a problem set or reading. I made a few friends this way. Most people here want to truly help each other succeed.
Of course, it still may be true that the other schools are better fits for you. Good luck with your decision, and congrats!
Fantastic choices-- all are great schools. As a UVA alum I will make the case for the Wahoos: Charlottesville is a wonderful college town that is home to a great creative community, lots of new startups, a world class Film Festival and some of the smartest and nicest people I’ve ever met. I graduated more than 30 years ago but go back any chance I get. And I was in the Echols Scholar program, too, and through it I met many of my closest friends to this day. My classmates from the program include a best-selling author, a number of well-known professors at some of the top universities in the world, and people who have had success as journalists, media executives, business leaders, lawyers, doctors, social entrepreneurs, clergy… and some really great parents. That said, your classmates at Rice and JHU will be similarly wonderful…but Mr Jefferson’s University is something to behold.
This is a hard choice – three top-notch opportunities. I think you’re well on your way to choosing a favorite, but if you need other fit variables to consider, here are some:
Baltimore vs. Houston vs. Charlottesville. One of these is not nearly as large of a city as the other two. That poses advantages and disadvantages.
Weather: I imagine Rice's summer and fall are hotter and muggier than those of UVA and JHU, while you're also going to essentially avoid snow in Houston. Which is worse for you, snow or sweat?
Majors: Do they all offer things that interest you? Are there key differences in major and course offerings?
Curriculum/distribution requirements
Ease of declaring and switching majors
Cost
Campus size and convenience
Social vibe
If you go where you encounter the best mix of academic, environmental, and social fit – provided the school is affordable – you’ll make the right choice.
I went to UVA and have visited both UVA and Rice with my junior who is interested in both. My brother and sister in law went to Rice. My son expected to not like it due to size. He liked it very much. It is very different than UVA where Greek organizations are very popular. Rice has a residential college system similar to Yale. We spoke a length with a student from our hometown and she was very happy with her choice. Lots of work but more collaborative than cutthroat. UVA won’t be cutthroat either. I have heard Rice described by alumni and students as welcoming friendly nerds. Seems very accurate based on my visit. Also very easy to change major if you don’t know what to do. Some places it is not!
I second rice. Its so lax and collaborative. It has such happy students and is just as prestigious as jhu which is known to have grade deflation and very competitive; although its a great school.
Having visited all three over the past week, I am definitely leaning towards Rice. JHU is awesome academically but imo nothing else stood out to me during my visit and research. UVA is great as well, beautiful campus, Echols program, etc. but I still think Rice is a better fit for me as a whole. Rice definitely holds its own and more academically, has great career planning services and extracurriculars, has a unique residential college system, and an amazing campus (plus Houston is right off campus)! Just some thoughts on why I’m making my decision.
