According to The Princeton Review's annual survey of 115,000 college students at the nation's Best 361 Colleges, these ten schools offer their students the 'Best Overall Academic Experience'.
1. University of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)
The academic character of this university is evident everywhere. Students feel that this entire place is fantastic including the music performed by the arts groups, the discussions during meals, or even the comments written in the bathroom stalls. The school's broad core curriculum is often taught by top professors including Nobel laureates. Professors expect you to know the basic material and will focus much of their time on the more advanced applications of certain theories. For seriously academic students, Chicago is the best place in the world.
Students who consider University of Chicago also look at Columbia University, Northwestern University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Georgetown University.
2. Stanford University (Stanford, California)
At Stanford, professors are interested in getting to know students personally.
Stanford students take classes from people who write the textbooks that everyone else uses and their in-class opportunities are increased by frequent visits to campus by leaders in the areas of literature, music, science, and statesmanship. Perhaps the most important indicator of Stanford's superior academic experience lies in the intensity of the students themselves.
Students who consider Stanford also look at Columbia University, Harvard College, University of California-Los Angeles, and Yale University.
3. Rice University (Houston, Texas)
Students and professors form a strong academic community at Rice University. Professors become intellectual bridge-builders, and they take a real interest in the progress of individual minds. This air of mutual respect is reinforced by the school's honor code, which is taken very seriously. Undergrads here are passionate about what they are learning and while there are no easy way as, students here know they are getting a great education, which is what we came here for.
Students who consider Rice also look at Baylor University, Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, and Vanderbilt University.