I’ve applied as an astrophysics major at both of these schools. I really love the connection Rice has with NASA (dream job), but I know that WashU would be able to give me similar career opportunities. Both schools also have equally amazing grad school outcomes, so l really don’t know what to do! I have a more extensive pros vs cons list below.
WashU pros:
Such an unbelievably gorgeous campus (SO
GORGEOUS. Like…I would enjoy studying in their libraries they are so pretty)
Highly ranked (but not currently a T20, despite being a T15 in past years)
More name recognition in northeast area (might be better if I want to work in the northeast)
More students are from out of state
Known for having amazing dorms
Larger jewish population (24%)
Probably has better dining food than Rice
I think that housing is guaranteed all four years.
Probably better LGBTQ+ life
WashU cons:
8,000 students (much larger)
Has greek life (but i hear that it doesn’t dominate the social scene)
Colder weather
Slightly more expensive (about 10k a year more, but i’m lucky that i’m not in a position where it’s a dealbreaker.)
7:1 student to faculty ratio
Stricter gen ed requirements
Rice Uni pros
Warmer weather!!
Really strong connection to NASA (However, WashU still has some connection to NASA as well)
Smaller school! (4,500 undergrad)
T20 school
5th best value school according to USnews
Higher ROl
Lower tuition & housing cost
No greek life
6:1 student to faculty ratio
Offer both astronomy and astrophysics as a major (WashU only offers astrophysics)
Known for having some of the happiest students in the nation (but I believe that students at WashU are very happy as well)
more flexible gen ed requirements AND i can apply AP credit to my gen ed requirements (which i don’t think WashU allows)
They have extremely strong name recognition in Texas (might be easier to find a job if I chose to get a job in Texas right out of college.)
They have a better party culture (but I think
WashU also has a strong party culture)
Rice Uni cons:
Only 3 years of housing guaranteed (but students say that it is easy to find affordable housing near campus)
I didn’t love the campus as much as WashU, it was pretty but didn’t have the gothic architecture I’ve always wanted to live in lol.
Much smaller jewish population (5%)
A lot of the student body is from Texas
I do have concerns about being LGBTQ+ in texas (but I’ve heard that Houston is very accepting)
Only you can decide. I believe Rice shares Hillel with U Houston.
I wouldn’t worry about US News Rank…they’re peers.
One probably has better food - how do you know - probably is not a definite.
I wouldn’t worry about job prospects in the NE from either. I would worry about NASA opportunities - but more during school than summer.
Seems you prefer WUSTL.
But only you can choose.
PS - I’m not LGBTQ so can’t comment. Rice will be fine - but those who share concerns about things like that look at the state governments vs. the schools or cities - and you’d potentially have issues in both states - although only you can decide.
My D24 will be attending WashU to study physics and philosophy of science and has similar social and cultural sensibilities. If you do decide to attend, it would be great for you to connect. You’ll probably be in the same classes. She’s going to apply for the Gateway Expeditions into Exoplanets & Black Holes Ampersand Program.
Two wonderful acceptances. They are academic peers and both are affordable so it comes down to personal preference. If a sizeable Jewish population is important and you feel one school is more LGBTQ+ friendly then WashU sounds like the better fit.
I actually feel like I’m leaning more towards Rice but not by much and I’m worried that I’m only leaning towards Rice because I’ve had a chance to visit Rice, while I haven’t seen WashU in person.
It’s not important to me enough to choose a school mostly based on just the jewish population but it’s definitely something I’m considering as a factor.
Thank you for your response! I said WashU probably has better food because I’ve heard people talk about how good it is but I’ve never tried it myself. The point you made about NASA opportunities during the school year is really interesting! I think that Rice might be able to provide me with more opportunities during the school year because NASA JPL is so close to their campus (Rice rents the land to them). But I’m sure that WashU would also provide strong STEM opportunities during the school year. It’s just such a close call lol
Are you in off of wait lists? Do you have time to visit Wash U? D24 visited both and ended up applying ED to Rice. She felt the student body was as diverse as any we had visited and very supportive of all groups. She liked the feel of going to school in an oak-covered arboretum, a smallish undergrad yet still a research university, and the residential colleges. We are not Jewish so that did not play into her decision. She is also interested in physics and possibly astrophysics. You can’t go wrong with 2 great options - best of luck!
Thankfully I’m going to visit the campus in a couple days, but i’m definitely concerned that i wont be able to accurately compare the two schools because I will be visiting during finals week so the student body will be more stressed and the overall vibe will be more tense
Also, if all things are equal and Rice is 10K less per year, I’d personally go with Rice. Can you invest that $ for grad school or something else? $40,000 is a good amount of cash!
Your decision between these two options will be a life-changing experience and likely to result in life-long connections and friendships, therefore, if possible, I encourage you to visit WashUStL (since you have already visited Rice University) prior to making a final decision.
Both enjoy a student population of about 55% undergraduates and 45% graduate students which should provide a very healthy environment for mature growth personally and academically.
There is no wrong option; you are just seeking the better option. Which environment will encourage you to be a better student and a happier person during these next four precious years of growth ?
I think you phrased that so so sooo well! I agree that it’s interesting that both schools share a similar percentage of undergrad vs grad. Both schools just share so many similarities it definitely makes it harder for me to find an obvious winner.
I definitely agree. That money will probably go towards my sisters education since grad school as a STEM major is free (and you get a stipend to support living expenses).
GORGEOUS. Like…I would enjoy studying in their libraries they are so pretty)
Pictures are marketing. Even perceived ugly campuses publish pictures making them look like the nicest campus in America.
Yes, WUSTL is gorgeous (as is Rice) but you can’t make that statement (well you can) but it’s not based on fairness, reality since you’ve not seen it.
Glad you are going - you likely will have your answer after you do. I wouldn’t worry about - it’s finals week. That’s how the school is (albeit during finals week). Don’t discount - absorb and decide.
And check the Hillel…at Rice too…you noted Jewish life and while it might not be the game changer, it might be meaningfully different since one shares Jewish life in part with other campuses.
Thank you for your advice! You definitely made some very good points. Also, I know I haven’t visited WashU yet but I think I’m just generally biased to the more “dark academia” type of architecture that WashU has compared to the Spanish architecture that Rice has. It’s not that Rice is ugly whatsoever it’s just I for whatever reason prefer WashU’s style of architecture more.
In many ways these colleges are very close cousins, in a good way. I truly would not pay any attention to nominal differences in current US News rankings, supposed name recognition differences, and so on. Anyone who actually matters is going to see these colleges as peers and how you actually do will dominate over which you choose in terms of next-step opportunities.
OK, so then how to decide? I think a lot of people basically decide just on location–my S24 applied to and is now enrolling at WUSTL, but did not even apply to Rice, because he did not want to be in Houston (or Texas, or the South generally). But obviously some people prefer the Sun Belt, are interested in networking in Texas, or so on.
Cost is also a perfectly reasonable way to decide, but obviously whether this cost difference is a big deal to you is very personal.
There might also be some difference in activities, student mix, campus look, and so on that resonate with you. I think the residential college system at Rice is cool, but the WUSTL campus and not least the South 40 is truly bonkers nice, and you have to decide how important Jewish population is to you, and so on.
And finally you might have a particular academic program you like at one or the other, although frankly I think a virtue at both is you can easily explore and evolve your interests over time.
It sounds like all that is a bit of a mixed bag for you, so you will just need to decide what to prioritize. I don’t think you can go wrong, but we can’t really tell you which is the best decision, because that is simply too personal.