Why Rice over Duke/Penn?

Colleges & Universities A-Z Rice University
1

<p>Sell me the school please. Here’s some info about me:</p>

<li>I don’t drink, and I’m not going to drink.</li>
<li>I’m a devout Evangelical Christian.</li>
<li>I’m a politically active conservative, but I went to a very liberal boarding school so I get along with liberals as long as they get along with me.</li>
<li>I’m looking to do a lot of undergrad research in the social sciences (particularly sociology.)</li>
<li>I’m planning to major in Sociology and Economics, but I might change to English, History or something else in the humanities.</li>
<li>One of my best friends is going to Penn. Another is going to Dickinson.</li>
<li>I grew up in the south and get along better with southerners.</li>
<li>I like small classes.</li>
<li>I love opera, theater, museums etc.</li>
<li>I don’t really care about prestige. I just want the best education for my needs with the best friends.</li>
<li>I already know I have a job after college.</li>
<li>I can be really unobservant and uncareful sometimes. I didn’t apply to Columbia because I thought I’d get physically hurt by accidentally not paying attention.</li>
<li>I love the FOCUS program.</li>
<li>I’m worried about being treated as a second class citizen at Penn because I’m into the College, not Wharton.</li>
<li>Community is really important to me. I want to get to know a lot of people well. Penn was the biggest school I applied to.</li>
<li>I’m worried that there’s not enough to do in Durham.</li>
<li>My Penn tour guide was my favorite tour guide of all schools.</li>
<li>I really want the opportunity to sing in college.</li>
<li>I love debating and theorizing and generally being intellectual (very different from being smart; I’m definitely not saying I’m smart.)</li>
<li>I hate cold weather and I have seasonal depression.</li>
<li>I have a car that I can bring to campus if the school allows it.</li>
</ol>

<p>Please ask any other questions that you feel might impact my decision. I really really appreciate this. I can’t visit because my father thinks all colleges are the same and thus it is a waste of money to visit one or the other.</p>

2

<p>Take a peak at "101 Reasons" at the top of the Rice forum. It's a good start.</p>

3

<p>good point!</p>

4

<p>9) Love opera, museums, etc. -
Rice has Passport to Houston. My DD has seen operas, ballet, chamber music, visited museums etc - usually for free through this program. Hop on the lightrail and visit museums, etc. Also the music conservatory at Rice has great concerts.
You can sign with the Rice chorale even if you are not a music major, or with some of the acappella groups.
You will definitely get to know your community well - your college will have 350 or so members, college masters, etc. Rice has a noticable religious population of students, and a nice mix of liberal and conservative students.
Definitely warm, and no problem with seasonal affect disorder in the south.</p>

5

<p>Good chance you will feel like a second class citizen at Penn if you aren't in Wharton. Go with Rice. Espec with the weather issue.</p>