While attending the NACAC Conference in Houston this week, I got the chance to visit Rice University for a whole day! Read on for my thoughts about this unique campus community.
Rice University
At Rice, the Sallyport is where students enter during matriculation and exit during graduation — don’t walk through it otherwise (it’s bad luck)!
Why is this school awesome?
Olivia: It has a truly unparalleled sense of community, thanks in part to the Residential College system that students stay with for all four years. There is no Greek Life because they believe it is inherently exclusive rather than inclusive — and the university emphasizes inclusivity above all else. The student body is extremely diverse and Houston is a large, vibrant city (especially for foodies!).
Also, I love their open academic philosophy. Except for Architecture and Music, students can change between ANY of the seven academic colleges during their first two years. Applied for English and decided to be an engineer instead? You can do that, no questions asked!
Favorite spot on campus?
Olivia: Anywhere under the sprawling live oak trees that line nearly every walkway on campus.
Dappled sunlight is the norm for anyone roaming Rice’s wooded walkways. The trees make a big difference in the Houston heat! (Image)
5 words to describe campus?
Olivia: Diverse, Oasis, Traditional-yet-modern, Inclusive, Friendly
The "typical student" is...
Olivia: Really engaged in their community, intellectually curious (40% of students have more than one major), driven but also don’t take themselves too seriously.
International perspective?
Olivia: My tour guide was an international student from China and I asked her point-blank if she felt welcome here, given some of the concerns I often hear students express about Texas. She said she absolutely feels welcome, and not only on campus, where 25% of the students are international. She loves living in Houston, which was ranked the #1 Most Diverse City in the US in 2021. International students may feel less comfortable venturing out to the Texas countryside, but the Houston metro area is extremely open, welcoming, and diverse.
For anyone looking for stellar academics in a big city with a warm climate, Rice is a perfect choice!
The dining hall at Baker College, one of the 11 Residential Colleges at Rice — they were hosting a Christmas in September event when I visited!
Special programs/offerings applicants should consider?
Olivia: Rice is a must-apply for any aspiring Architecture student. They also have extremely strong programs in engineering, music, and pre-medicine (with a 90% medical school acceptance rate!). Their top-ranked Jones Graduate School of Business also recently developed a new undergraduate business major with concentrations in finance or management.
Tips for the application process?
Olivia: Rice’s applicant pool is growing, but unlike most top universities, so is its admit pool! Their goal is to grow the student body 20% by 2025.
Aside from strong academic performance (which is a given), students should emphasize their commitment to community engagement, their unique personality/interests, and the specific aspects of Rice that they connect with. Essays should be thorough, concise, thoughtful, and genuine. And don’t stress about the Rice Box (the university’s famous request for a photo with no description or explanation) — it’s non-evaluative and just an opportunity for you and the admissions team to enjoy some levity in the midst of the stressful application process.
I also got to meet Sammy the Owl, Rice’s official mascot!
Fun facts?
Olivia: The campus has about 4,000 trees on it: one for every student!
There is also a superstition that if you walk under the Sallyport any time other than during matriculation and graduation, you won’t graduate on time. So when you visit for yourself, be sure to walk all the way around!