Rice is outstanding in all areas of college life, from academics, to partying, right down to the weather. I was a little hesitant to leave New York for Texas and pay a little bit more than my other college options, but honestly Rice was worth the other sacrifices. There's always something to be done at Rice, and I have never found myself bored.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Of course it's important to keep your grades up, but Rice puts a particular emphasis on finding genuine, fun loving people who recognize that life is more than just what you put on your resume. If you can, schedule an interview - honestly, I believe it's what got me in. That way, you can showcase who you are in a casual atmosphere and the admissions office can get a sense of who you are as a person.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
Get ready to work hard. I'm a health science and psychology double major (arguably some of the easiest majors offered at Rice) and although I don't find myself completely overwhelmed with work, it is important to manage your time wisely and study effectively to do well here. My friends who are engineers or pre-med have it the hardest, and are usually the one's overwhelmed with work to do.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
Rice is infamous for their college system of dividing freshman randomly into residential colleges that you spend all four years living in. There are positive and negative sides to this - yes, you gain a really tight-knit community of people, but students often use their college as a safety cushion and don't bother getting to know other students at other colleges. So if your a freshman, don't be afraid to explore!
Describe the food and dining at your college.
The servery food is usually pretty good and there's plenty of options for people of all different dietary needs. It seems to get repetitive, but I definitely miss having the servery around when I go home. The servery is closed every Saturday night to give you a chance to explore Houston restaurants..which can get kind of expensive. Usually there's events on campus that offer free food if you go, so definitely take advantage of the one's hosted on Saturday.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
Rice has events almost on the daily, but the most fun are college public parties. Each college hosts a party for the other colleges and they always have a theme (80's, Don't Mess with Texas, etc.). It's a lot of fun.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Rice is pretty expensive, but financial aid makes it possible for many students to afford attending. You get a lot of individual attention and I constantly find myself thinking about how happy I am that I decided to attend.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Beer Bike and Bake 13 are the most unusual traditions at Rice and they involve shaving cream, nudity, water balloons, bikes, drinking, and happiness.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Students who are willing to work hard and play hard would fit in perfectly at Rice. Prepare to be open-minded, because there are so many different kinds of people from all different backgrounds.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
Rice has plenty to get involved with, but sometimes it's a bit difficult since many, many people often apply to get involved in something with limited spaces. Unlike in high school, everyone at Rice is distinguished and extremely competitive, which is what makes obtaining a spot so challenging. Don't get discouraged if you don't get accepted to a job/retreat/activity/whatever you're applying for, because they'll be plenty of opportunities to try again for something else.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
On campus, Rice is a pretty safe place. There are very few reports of crimes relative to other college campuses and Houston as a whole. That being said, crimes do occur and you should be wary when venturing off campus into the city of Houston. RUPD (Rice University Police Department) does a very good job at keeping students safe and under control during campus-wide events.
Rice is outstanding in all areas of college life, from academics, to partying, right down to the weather. I was a little hesitant to leave New York for Texas and pay a little bit more than my other college options, but honestly Rice was worth the other sacrifices. There's always something to be done at Rice, and I have never found myself bored.
Of course it's important to keep your grades up, but Rice puts a particular emphasis on finding genuine, fun loving people who recognize that life is more than just what you put on your resume. If you can, schedule an interview - honestly, I believe it's what got me in. That way, you can showcase who you are in a casual atmosphere and the admissions office can get a sense of who you are as a person.
Get ready to work hard. I'm a health science and psychology double major (arguably some of the easiest majors offered at Rice) and although I don't find myself completely overwhelmed with work, it is important to manage your time wisely and study effectively to do well here. My friends who are engineers or pre-med have it the hardest, and are usually the one's overwhelmed with work to do.
Rice is infamous for their college system of dividing freshman randomly into residential colleges that you spend all four years living in. There are positive and negative sides to this - yes, you gain a really tight-knit community of people, but students often use their college as a safety cushion and don't bother getting to know other students at other colleges. So if your a freshman, don't be afraid to explore!
The servery food is usually pretty good and there's plenty of options for people of all different dietary needs. It seems to get repetitive, but I definitely miss having the servery around when I go home. The servery is closed every Saturday night to give you a chance to explore Houston restaurants..which can get kind of expensive. Usually there's events on campus that offer free food if you go, so definitely take advantage of the one's hosted on Saturday.
Rice has events almost on the daily, but the most fun are college public parties. Each college hosts a party for the other colleges and they always have a theme (80's, Don't Mess with Texas, etc.). It's a lot of fun.
Rice is pretty expensive, but financial aid makes it possible for many students to afford attending. You get a lot of individual attention and I constantly find myself thinking about how happy I am that I decided to attend.
Beer Bike and Bake 13 are the most unusual traditions at Rice and they involve shaving cream, nudity, water balloons, bikes, drinking, and happiness.
Students who are willing to work hard and play hard would fit in perfectly at Rice. Prepare to be open-minded, because there are so many different kinds of people from all different backgrounds.
Rice has plenty to get involved with, but sometimes it's a bit difficult since many, many people often apply to get involved in something with limited spaces. Unlike in high school, everyone at Rice is distinguished and extremely competitive, which is what makes obtaining a spot so challenging. Don't get discouraged if you don't get accepted to a job/retreat/activity/whatever you're applying for, because they'll be plenty of opportunities to try again for something else.
On campus, Rice is a pretty safe place. There are very few reports of crimes relative to other college campuses and Houston as a whole. That being said, crimes do occur and you should be wary when venturing off campus into the city of Houston. RUPD (Rice University Police Department) does a very good job at keeping students safe and under control during campus-wide events.