<p>Appears the NRC can perhaps lend some idea to the research intensity of the chemistry department at various schools (as it is ranking doctoral program and scholar and faculty general outlook on the program and the faculty involved in it): Actually appears Vanderbilt and U.South Carolina Columbia do quite well in chemistry (when it comes to things that are primarily based on research intensity): [NRC</a> Rankings Overview: Chemistry - Faculty - The Chronicle of Higher Education](<a href=“NRC Rankings Overview: Chemistry”>NRC Rankings Overview: Chemistry)</p>
<p>*Note: Be careful looking at the “R-rank”, because it looks like it’s prone to halo effect (as in, prestige. So a dept. can be outperforming another in every other category, but do poorly there because it doesn’t “look like” the place that is generally seen as more prestigious overall). Also, watch out for the “students” category. Numbers could be lower (I mean higher, as in 23 vs. 14 with 23 being considered “worse”) than expected there perhaps because some programs may generally be more rigorous or have higher standards. For example, Stanford has strange numbers here and good numbers elsewhere.</p>
<p>However, you have an undergrad. experience to think of outside of chemistry, so you’ll need to come up with schools that will meet you needs/desires. If you visit Vandy and other schools, try to sit in on certain classes or something.</p>