The US is a big place.  All of these schools are viewed well.  However, you tend to get more traction locally/regionally in terms of job placement.  Something you may then want to consider is if you are planning to work in the States afterwards, where in the country might you want to work and pick a school in that region.  This obviously isn't a rule and people move across country all the time, but you will meet a network of people while in school that will probably be from around that general area and can be helpful in the post-school life.

As an aside, I went to UVA for undergrad, WUSTL for grad, and UMich was my second choice for grad, so hey, all great choices!  Good luck!

They are somewhat similar: research heavy slant in recent pedagogical shift, technically competent, value hand work as well as digital (physical models / hand drawings), and have teaching oriented faculty.  WUSTL has a huge study abroad option (3 semesters?).  I was WashU undergrad, UVA grad.  I liked the class size at UVA and that we were mixed btw disciplines (landscape architects and sometimes planners were in our studios).  I know UVA/WUSTL/UMICH are fiercely loyal to their alma mater (hiring from their schools), and I would suspect Rice is as well.

Depending on where you're from, the ability to network with people from your country might play a part - getting ethnic foods in some towns can be difficult (WashU has StL, but it's not the most cosmopolitan place, the airport is big though and convenient; UVA is close enough to DC 2hr drive on a good day).

Kayla,3tk,gruen: Thanks so much for all your suggestions, they really help!

After reading the advice above, I have some further questions about "alma mater effect v.s. beneficial region":

Rice is a small school, and the number of alma mater may be much smaller than the other schools. Do you think it will a problem when I look for a job because of this? (Since people are loyal to their alma mater when hiring)

I guesss Rice has a great location, which is in Houston, and Texas provides many job opportunities. Will this make up the shortage of alma mater? To compare, WUSTL/UMICH has a huge resource of alma mater, but in less ideal region. So, which factor should be more considered?

Hi there, I'm at Rice for grad. I would encourage you to consider the other aspects of being at a very small school (while you're there, not just after you graduate!). The Rice program is tiny, which means the community is quite tight, you get lots of studio and one-on-one time with faculty and the opportunity to get to know many professors well. You can't get lost in the crowd! Just because Rice is smaller doesn't mean the alumni network is weak. I think it's quite strong, because Rice is well established, has a good reputation, and the students have a reputation for being bright and well-equipped with presentation and design thinking skills. Because of how accessible faculty are, it is common for students to find work with those that have practices in Houston. By the same token, the alumni connections across the country are equally fruitful; I've seen many new graduates take advantage of connections in New York, Chicago, LA, etc. I think regarding your point about Texas' relative economic stability, it depends what kind of architecture firm you are interested in. Houston is not saturated with design firms like other major US cities such as those I just mentioned, but it also not saturated with competition for design talent nor short on space; I think it absolutely is a place rapidly growing in opportunity for young graduates. You should look into articles about its urban growth if that interests you. Like I said, I've seen Rice grads find success because of their employability after going through this program. Academically, I suspect Rice is more similar to UMich and less similar to UVA, based on graduates from those schools who are here, although I can't be sure. Not sure about WUSTL. 

Not sure if you are concerned about 3tk's comment above...but if you are...yes the food is awesome! You'll find everything. (:

@decmo I agree with your opinion about the privilege of studying in a small school. I also read your comments comparing Rice and UT in another post, it also helps a lot. Thanks for writing!