I really wish that more kids here considered Rice. I hadn't even heard of it until the college counselor recommended it for our son. I had never even been to Texas. My son was a super smart, high stats kid who didn't want the ivy league craziness.

My daughter is at an Ivy and the differences in culture are night and day. Rice is a really special place and I'm so glad that my son is there.

This is kind of a strange question. Other people shouldn’t push him to apply to schools he isn’t interested in.

Anonymous wrote:Frostburg. It’s becoming more prestigious and selective, and they are getting a new state of the art dorm. Lots of kids around where I live are turning down UMCP and UMBC to go to Frostburg.

You serious, bruh? The graduation rate is less than 50%, the ACT midrange is 17-23, and only one out of 10 incoming freshmen were in the top 10% of their high school class, compared to 40% who were in the bottom half. The OP's nephew would be bored to tears.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another vote for Rice. My dd just graduated last year and I can't say enough about her experience, friends, and post-college opportunities. While the experience at Rice was academically challenging, the students are very supportive of one another and set high goals for themselves. She got hired by the first place that interviewed her -- one and done. She majored in psychology and is now working at a psych research lab. She's planning on getting her PhD or PsyD in psych after this job.

This is great to hear! It's on my DC's list and I am apprehensive b/c it's so far away. And Texas. But I keep hearing good things about it. She liked the idea of the residential colleges and the way that kids seem to double major/focus on more than just one thing...

For a safety, I think Franklin & Marshall has residential colleges (~freshmen start in dorm communities that take a seminar together, right in their dorm. I liked the built in sense of community.)

St Lawrence University does the same thing for freshmen. Could also be a safety with merit for this type of student.

Especially for non-premeds, Washington University in St. Louis. Premeds may be obsessed with grades but not really with competing with each other.

One other very impressive thing about Rice: they’ve handled the COVID situation extremely well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another vote for Rice.

This is great to hear! It's on my DC's list and I am apprehensive b/c it's so far away. And Texas. But I keep hearing good things about it. She liked the idea of the residential colleges and the way that kids seem to double major/focus on more than just one thing...

Think of it as a 3-hour trip (on Southwest, so cheap)

Kids wear Rice shirts on flights back to college so they can find each other at Hobby and share Lyfts back to school

I can’t get over how many Rice connections we have on here. My DD is there and loves it for the reasons PP lists. I’d definitely categorize her as a low-key high achiever.

OP, I would also strongly urge you to research the Plan II honors program at UT Austin. It offers a fantastic interdisciplinary education in a much more intimate setting than regular UT undergrad. I think your nephew would be a perfect fit for that, and I truly don’t believe there is a better undergrad campus in the US. The city of Austin surrounds it and there are so many great food/music/other culture opportunities in walking distance. Plus TX has a booming economy. Rice and UT honors grads tend to have tons of opportunities there.

St. Olaf is also good for those with an interest in music. Seems like a lovely sense of community, if you can take the cold!