<p>rjk,
I concur with Stanford > Duke. In fact, IMO Stanford > all other colleges in the USA.</p>
<p>If a student is looking for a premier blend of great academics, talented classmates, fun times, and exciting and relevant athletics, then Stanford and Duke are # 1 and # 1A followed closely by Northwestern, Rice, Vanderbilt and Notre Dame. Few schools in the USA can offer such a great balance for undergraduate students.</p>