I would argue one point you made. Rice does have a grade inflation problem, but the administration started a campaign to combat it last year and it’s also a lot more pronounced in the Humanities and Social Sciences if I remember correctly. From about a year ago: http://www.ricethresher.org/news/faculty-senate-passes-grade-inflation-legislation/article_67973b98-cc12-11e3-99c6-0017a43b2370.html
Also @rororoyourboat if you’re not familiar with what @jandjfishing was talking about with regards to residential colleges for undergrads, here: http://www.students.rice.edu/students/Colleges.asp. I often cite the residential college system as one of Rice’s strongest draws, because it creates a bunch of kickass communities without what I perceive as the negatives of a greek system.