<p>"VANDERBILT>rice>other top 25. "
lol. is this a joke? Preppy, wealthy, conservative Southern school that is likely very against the cannabis culture. Sounds like a horrible fit for me. Please read my original post.</p>
<p>The city of Houston itself isn’t conservative. Leave the city, though, and I think you’d be right. I’m speaking from an Ohioan’s perspective, though, you might have a different opinion. </p>
<p>Visiting any school you’re interested in would probably be a good idea given the nebulous nature of your criteria.</p>
<p>uc santa cruz</p>
<p>Check out Michigan and Wisconsin-Madison. Big, Midwestern, down-to-earth, progressive, big-time sports scene, great college towns, and no slouches on academics. Michigan is one of the world’s great universities but has to fight for respect on these boards against a bunch of snooty privates. Wisconsin IMO is one of the most underrated schools around: fabulous faculty, terrific college town, a distinctive student culture all its own. Both schools have a very strong public service ethos, not the “noblesse oblige” kind of thing you get at some of the privates, but a real sense of giving back to the communities from which the students come. Take a visit in the fall. You’ll love 'em both, guarantee it.</p>
<p>As to which schools to consider: UVa is superb. Your scores fit nicely for them and you come from a region they might want to admit. But it can be a bit preppy. Not everyone is a prep there, but enough. But its easily the number one public college in the US. UNC is not far behind. Both of them fine schools. UNC is more laid back than UVa. Michigan would be next on my list. </p>
<p>However, if Oregon is where you live and Oregon is what you like and its a good social and academic fit for you, then by all means go to Oregon. Dont be cocky about it however. Look into their Honors program. They will work you very hard. I know someone who went to Oregon and then onto Harvard Law. So it can happen.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>You would probably get in-state tuition rate at University of Florida in Gainesville.</p>
<p>I throw my vote in for Cornell.</p>
<p>Our motto is “I would found an institution at which any person can find instruction in any study.”</p>
<p>I back the suggestions of Cornell and Rice. </p>
<p>Also, look into the Claremont Colleges in southern California. Pomona is a bit pretentious, but the others are not.</p>
<p>I feel like what you are looking for completely screams Brown University. </p>
<p>Seriously. </p>
<p>You should definitely consider it. I know it’s Ivy League, but after visiting I did not get a pretentious vibe, AT ALL. They are some of the nicest, and more importantly happiest kids there. Brown is all about pushing intellectual exploration, its a laid back and happy school, as long as you can be independent in your choices. Plus it offers the open-curriculum, which honestly has been praised by everyone who goes through it. Definitely a very liberal and free environment. But, it’s an ivy league, so it is still very selective. </p>
<p>Good Luck on whatever you decide. And I hope you consider Brown.</p>
<p>Basically no one seems to have read this whole thread, but to sum up:</p>
<p>The OP is looking for a LARGE, laid back, pot friendly, non-pretentious, school, preferably with a big sports scene, and a real campus and friendly/nice students.</p>
<p>All of that while maximizing as much as possible academic quality.</p>
<p>Feel free to correct this MickJag.</p>
<p>
Exactly. Thanks for actually reading what I’ve had to say.</p>
<p>Cornell? The Claremont Colleges? I have no interest in small liberal arts schools or Ivy Leagues. I am outgoing, love sports, and am laid back. I have been to Claremont McKenna and could not picture myself going to that school. It’s quite preppy and most of the students seemed to come from a wealthy upbringing.</p>
<p>I looked into Wisconsin and it looks like a nice school - kind of like Oregon and Washington. The thing that concerns me about Wisconsin is the weather. I’m not sure if I’d be able to handle the winters in the Midwest.</p>
<p>u colorado, uvm</p>
<p>Secondly, UofM students are extremely arrogant, in my opinion. Whenever I’ve interacted with them, I’ve never been treated “nicely.” They’re not what I would stereotype as “down to earth”–the school wholistically seems to have a pretty large ego. UF sounds like what you’re looking for. Big campus, good programs, crazy parties, somewhat liberal, and beaches.</p>
<p>Considering a flagship state university eh? Why not consider the ones in your own state whereever you live. You’ll benefit from in-state tuition and that’s a blessing than anything else.</p>
<p>Not 100% everyone at every university are laid back, pot friendly, friendly, nice, etc. so may as well just go to one with a nice location and weather and good economics department.</p>
<p>University of Colorado- Boulder
UC- Santa Cruz
UC- Berkeley
UCLA
UC- San Diego</p>
<p>I have friends at all of the UC’s. Santa Cruz is of course the pot school, but all of those schools have a number of kids who smoke if that is really your thing. UCLA and Berkeley are both great sports schools, though LA is a little more layed back then Berkeley in terms of the students.</p>
<p>UF = huge, great sports, great academics, and ridiculously cheap. you should check it out.</p>
<p>
I’ve visited multiple times and never found that to be true. They’re proud of their school, sure, but it never overtook the laid-back environment there–except maybe on OSU gameday ;)</p>
<p>I’d seriously consider it. It’s definitely on par with Berkeley/UCLA/UVA, etc., but is liberal and laid-back, and Ann Arbor is one of my favorite college towns anywhere. Also check out UW-Madison. Florida is a good school but definitely has the reputation of being a frat house-haven, at least on the west coast, so that reputation is up to you. Good luck!</p>
<p>OP, why so harsh? You said you were looking for a top university, so don’t be surprised that a lot of kids at top schools are driven, hard-working, and some even come from successful backgrounds. That’s not pretentious, but they may (in general) be less chill than you seem to like. It’s good you are paying attention to fit, but you’ll find your own sort of kids on most campuses–especially at big schools. </p>
<p>I’m not sure why you have automatically written off some schools, but it can be useful to stay open while you are searching. Sometimes, a student looks at the kids ahead of him in HS and notes the colleges they go on to and gets the impression that university is filled with all the same types. I suggest you broaden your outlook a bit. And I wonder if your dad (graduate of Stanford, taking you east to look at Stern at NYU) isn’t inadvertantly turning you off to some great choices.</p>
<p>Actually, most northern and west coast campuses are liberal. And flagship state U’s often have good sports. Sounds like a big state school for you. An honors program if you’d like more challenge and prestige, or, if you plan to devote more time to pot and parties, forego the honors workload. You’ve already found Oregon and Washington, and you should consider U Colorado, UCs, UArizona and ASU (which offers full rides to National Merits). If you want to move farther away, how about U Wisconsin (Madison) or UIUC?</p>
<p>Following up bclintonk’s comment about public service: [The</a> Wisconsin Idea](<a href=“http://www.wisconsinidea.wisc.edu/]The”>http://www.wisconsinidea.wisc.edu/)</p>
<p>And BTW, my son is a USC grad and he’s not snooty.</p>
<p>one word: yale</p>