<p>I’ll tackle this having some personal experience with all three schools.</p>
<p>First, your specific questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Academic prestige - overall, similar between all three in the humanities and SS, UVa a bit behind when it comes to the sciences. Northwestern will carry a bit more name recognition nationally/internationally.</p></li>
<li><p>These are two different questions. Sciences generally will place better out of Northwestern and Rice because of a stronger student body in these departements BUT for the SAME individual at one school or the other - doubt any measurable difference. In business, some advantage in national/international recruiting at Northwestern and in alumni connections. Regional advantages apply to each - midwest v. Texas v. South.</p></li>
<li><p>Strength of business program - If you want to major in business, strong program at UVa, can’t do this at NU or, I believe, Rice - minors and certificate programs available - lots of threads dealing with this. Economics Department and supporting business school (Kellogg) strongest at Northwestern. Physical sciences strongest at Northwestern and Rice. Both have top notch nanotechnology programs with NU getting the overall nod in Chemistry and engineering. Astrophysics -> Rice with NASA connections.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>4 and 5. Social scene very Greek dependent and more state school traditional at UVa. Northwestern’s Greek scene a “softer” version of this. Rice has a pure and all-inclusive residential college system - no Greek scene - kids generally very happy with it. UVa has small town Charlottesville. NU has easy access to all of Chicago. Rice easy access to all of Houston. Personally, I’d take Chicago in a heartbeat (just don’t like Houston or humidity, Charlottesville weather best of the lot but the town feels very small-town and does little for me).</p>
<p>Beyond the questions asked, Northwestern and UVa have a lot in common with student body overall stronger at NU. Remember too that UVa is a state school with 2/3 of the student body from Virginia - especially DC suburbs. Rice is about 1/2 from Texas but this number is expected to drop as enrollment rises over the next few years. UVa’s social life is more campus and Greek centered with NU offering additional city escapes, more options outside fraternity row. Rice feels much more like the smaller school it is - more intimate - with the good and bad that comes with that. All three have student bodies generally very happy with their experiences.</p>