<p>“When I visited Chicago, I heard students talking casually about academic things that didn’t have to do with their major/classes.” The same at Rice – and precisely one of the reasons my son decided to go here. And when he sounded sleepy on the phone the other day it was because he was up until 4AM with friends probing philosophical matters entirely unrelated to his upcoming finals. Perhaps if my son had visited Chicago, by chance, he might have missed out on the deep discussions he greatly enjoys at Rice. Maybe not.</p>