(To be fair, you could buy a lot of TwinXL Tempurpedic mattresses with an extra $40K…)
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The house fellows for his Residential College (RC) brought great snacks to all the club sport games and held great study breaks during exam weeks. And each RC put on great plays!
Is choosing WashU over Rice a bad choice? I’m so confused I was pretty set on Rice but it hit me that I’m gonna be really sad to turn down WashU in a way that I don’t think I’d feel about turning down Rice, and maybe that says something.
Honestly though, gut feelings are stupid. It seems clear to me that Rice is the more logical choice (it certainly was to my counselors), my heart on 3-hours of sleep be damned. It’s so hard to make decisions with so little sleep and so little time!
You will not be able to take out a 70K loan. Only a parent can take out a big loan like that (assuming they qualify). Dont pick a school you cant afford. As an aside, DS got departmental scholarship $ when at Rice during his last 2 years.
Really, you can’t go wrong. Wash U and Rice have many cross admits - I think that they look for similar qualities in their students. If you visited both schools, and interacted with students from both schools, you probably have a good sense for whether you will “find your people”. Both schools have beautiful, walkable campuses, engaged faculty members, and incredible students. I think you will take full advantage of the opportunities wherever you go.
Well, if Dad was #teamRice and Mom was #teamTufts, where do they stand on WashU?
I think the whole “what hurts the most to turn down” metric is actually a pretty valid way of getting at your core feelings. But there’s still the question of how heavily to weight the $ differential. Tough call.
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Any significant difference in travel costs from either Houston or StL to your home?
Parents said they would cosign loan. Travel is a bit cheaper from St. Louis, but nothing significant.
My mom has honestly been #teamWashU over everything this whole time, but I think she wants her son to be pampered with temperpedic mattresses and the like hahaha. My Dad thinks both are good picks, but Rice is the more logical choice. He said he thinks the kids at Rice are better than WashU (no offense to any WashU students out there haha).
I’ve interacted much more with WashU students than Rice simply because I know way more people at WashU (in fact, I didn’t know any at Rice pre-application process), so I don’t know what the general vibe of Rice students is. If it is in fact similar to WashU, then I think I’d like it a lot.
They are probably pretty similar. Rice is pretty chill and accepting of all, so while there are some nerdy engineers, they fit in fine. FWIW, DS has many long lasting friendships from his Rice days. They get together annually. DS now lives in CA
The main thing I have heard about Wash U is that they are need aware in their admissions, which means the student body is wealthier overall (lower % of students on Pell Grants). I know that Wash U is making big efforts to change this and to make their classes more socioeconomically diverse over the next few years.
Rice is need blind in admissions, and meets full need, and is more diverse socioeconomically. I get the sense that the Rice student body is more laid back and down to earth than the Wash U student body. Walking around campus, even the way the students dress is pretty casual.
Rice is known for being collaborative, not sure about Wash U.
I think Rice overall has a nerdier student body than Wash U. Happily and proudly nerdy, comfortable in their own skins, maybe a bit quirkier than Wash U overall, although as someone else mentioned, you will find all kinds of kids at both schools. But that is just an observation. Also, Rice is much smaller than Wash U, and that has an impact on the feel of the school.
It’s a more moneyed student body and vibe at WashU than at Rice.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/college-mobility/washington-university-in-st-louis
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/college-mobility/washington-university-in-st-louis
BIG difference in median income and percentage of students from the top 20% income bracket.
Both schools are great and you will be happy at either school. I worry a bit about the debt for a potential budding screenwriter…
I think, FWIW, I would go with the more diverse and slightly more down-to-earth student body, and Residential Colleges rather than Greek life, at Rice. A few of the other measures (full time faculty, etc.) are better at Rice too. And less than half the debt. I guess I’m #teamRice between these two.
Have you made a decision? I want to go to bed!!!
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Pros and cons for all three.
If it’s between Rice and Wash U, go with your gut. $70k will be a several-hundred-dollar monthly payment, but with a decent job you can handle that. If dead even, pick Rice on cost and be active in the film club.
@indecisivemess We want to know what you picked! Don’t leave us in suspense!
Committed to Rice.
Feel really confused right now. I feel like I should be excited but more than anything I’m sad to have turned WashU down. I want to be happy but I just feel sad, which I know is selfish of me cuz obviously Rice is an amazing school and I know I’ll have a great time there and logically it was the better choice. But I guess my gut is coming out right now
Be very excited!
Take both of the film-related electives and if it remains a pursuit, become (and stay) involved in the film club. if there isn’t one, start it. maybe you could get some hollywood types to come and speak/hang out at group events. Rice and Houston could help you sell them on such an idea. You won’t be the only one there with that particular interest.
And you’ll be saving a fair chunk of change, which will come in handy in some way, or multiple ways.
You will love it and not look back! go owls!