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Rice University Reviews

Average Rating Details

Academic Rigor

Dorm Life

Food and Dining

See Rice University reviews submitted by students. Find out what students have to say about various aspects of attending Rice University. Read about academic experiences and campus life in these free Rice University reviews, or contribute your own Rice University review if you're a current student there.

  • 29 out of 32 people found this review useful.

    Bianca from Angel Fire, NM

    Reviewer is A current student here.

    Categories Rating Comments
    Am learning a lot

    Most professors teach well, and expect students to attend lectures and read the assigned material, which leads to good retention of information. Unfortunately, the workload can be somewhat heavy at times, depending on classes taken.
    Am enjoying being here

    The residential college system at Rice is the best nonacademic part of the university. It allows new students, including transfers, to get to know lots of people besides their roommates. Students are affiliated with the same residential college throughout their time at Rice, although they may transfer to a different residential college. It helps form a close-knit community of people living in the same building, which allows for greater social contact, homework help, and the like, all of which make Rice exceptionally enjoyable. Also, Rice provides students with a Metro pass which allows them to ride the MetroRail and MetroBus to explore Houston, a fun activity on long weekends.
    Bang for the buck

    Rice is fairly expensive, but the cost is a bit less than many private universities. Also, scholarships are given out to incoming students who have demonstrated an aptitude for research, and have participated in lots of community service in high school.
    Tips for prospective students

    Visit campus and learn about the residential college system. If possible try to visit campus for a couple of nights as a prospie (prospective student) to see if you like the atmosphere. However, remember that, if accepted, you may not end up in the college at which you were a prospie, and, Rice students do actually study, but they also like to throw parties when there are prospies.
    Great for these types of students

    Students who are smart, who know when to buckle down and study, and who enjoy having fun are perfect for Rice. Classes are hard, but the drug and alcohol policy is very loose. Also, each residential college throws a big party or two every year, so there are always opportunities to have fun.

  • 9 out of 9 people found this review useful.

    Alexander from San Diego, CA

    Reviewer is A current student here.

    Categories Rating Comments
    Am learning a lot

    The professors are great and they teach really well, aiming to make sure we learn lots but all the while ensuring that it's manageable and most importantly understandable. The TAs also hold many review sessions a week to help reinforce lessons from class and also aid with homework.
    Am enjoying being here

    Rice deeply cares about your standard of living. The food is great, our new servery has fresh made crepes for lunch and dessert during the week. The dorms are beautiful, as a freshman I have a double with our own bathroom which is cleaned once a week. Everything here is set up to be responsive to the students, especially our awesome college system.
    Bang for the buck

    Rice is definitely cheaper than just about every private school. It's also worth going here over larger public schools. The personal attention from everyone, including the university president who responds quickly to emails you send him make you feel much more like an important person. Make sure to visit, especially for Owl Days if you're admitted.
    Tips for prospective students

    Make sure you remember to maintain balance in your life. Most people here are selected not only because of their amazing academic abilities but also because they have strong experiences outside of the classroom.
    Great for these types of students

    Students who like a sense of community and belonging will definitely profit from the college system.

  • 6 out of 6 people found this review useful.

    Fernando from Houston, TX

    Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has been to campus.

    Categories Rating Comments
    Will enjoy being here

    The campus is beautiful. It is surrounded by trees around and not visible from the outside, the city. It has lots of trees and luscious, green grass to sit and enjoy nature.
    Bang for the buck

    Although Rice's tuition is very expensive compared to other great Texas state universities such as University of Texas and Texas A&M University, it is worth it.
    Great for these types of students

    Scholars who enjoy being academically challenged and like to be in a educational environment but also next to the city. Scholars who will greatly use all the resources Houston has to offer such as the renown Texas Medical Center and various research opportunities.

  • 5 out of 5 people found this review useful.

    Scott from Crown Point, IN

    Reviewer is A current student here.

    Categories Rating Comments
    Am learning a lot

    Rice does a cool thing with general education. Instead of requiring certain courses in several areas, they require 12 hours in each of three distribution lists. This means that if you're a humanities major you don't have to take Chemistry or Economics if you're an engineer (unless for some reason it's included in your major requirements).
    Am enjoying being here

    Campus life at Rice is great. When you get here you are placed in a residential college (think houses in Harry Potter) which you will be a part of for you career as an undergrad. College assignments are random to promote diversity which means that you will be close to people from every major and background instead of just people in your major. The college system also creates a sense of camaraderie across campus without hurting the common Rice affiliation.
    Bang for the buck

    The only downside is that Rice is pretty expensive compared to public alternatives. I received significant financial aid though and ended up paying about what I would for a standard public school.tionwide for 3 years in a row now and you are paying for The bottom line is that Rice is a top quality school with amazing campus life and you are going to have to be willing to pay for something like that.
    Tips for prospective students

    Get involved, colleges love students who show interest. Take a campus tour or do an overnight visit. You will be shown around by a current Rice student who can share their own personal experiences at Rice.
    Great for these types of students

    At Rice we're all a bit nerdy but that is the only common trend. We have athletes, bookworms, people who party, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Asians, and everything in between. You will fit in no matter who you are and your college family will treat you just like a real family member.

  • 4 out of 4 people found this review useful.

    Annonymous

    Reviewer is Accepted here and planning to attend soon. Reviewer has not been to campus.

    Categories Rating Comments
    Will learn a lot

    Even though I haven't officially started attending courses here, most reviews on Rice's academic opportunities suggest that I will receive a quality education.
    Will enjoy being here

    I've been really pumped to attend Orientation week , and they have already sent so many letters/ informational packets that I already feel the sense of community from my residential college.
    Bang for the buck

    I received a very generous amount of educational grants from his institution and am grateful for their other programs like work-study so that I can hopefully graduate debt-free for the most part.
    Tips for prospective students

    Keep your grades up senior year if you are planning to attend this university! It may seem fun to get more involved in end-of-the-year celebrations, but don't forget that universities can deny you acceptace if they don't like your performance in the final stretch.
    Great for these types of students

    diligent, intellectual, sociable and fun!

  • 1 out of 1 people found this review useful.

    Janet from Carmel, NY

    Reviewer is A current student here.

    Categories Rating Comments
    In three sentences

    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.
    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.
    Academic Rigor

    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.
    Dorm Life

    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!
    Food and Dining

    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 to do for fun

    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.
    Bang for the buck

    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.
    Great for these types of students

    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.
    Clubs and 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.
    Campus Safety

    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.

  • 1 out of 1 people found this review useful.

    Johnathan from South Houston, TX

    Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has been to campus.

    Categories Rating Comments
    Will learn a lot

    I can't say what the undergraduate program is like since I'm not matriculated at Rice, but I did engage in a summer program for high school students that not only opened my eyes to matters I would've been skeptical about, but it also helped me see what this school does for its students in terms of teaching. If they hosted a program for high school students over the summer, just imagine what the undergraduate experience must be like!!
    Will enjoy being here

    This is by far the most iconic and beautiful campus I have visited. I can actually envision myself here as a potential student, unlike with other schools. I like how the squirrels dominate the campus yet feel comfortable with so many people there. I even fed one of them!
    Bang for the buck

    Definitely, especially if you're parents' income is below 80k, this is a great school that goes the extra mile to ensure its students fully engage in their undergraduate experience, instead of worrying about graduating with loans and on methods for paying school off. Even if you fall above that 80k mark, you can still receive a package that won't place many impediments.
    Tips for prospective students

    N/A, prospective student here.
    Great for these types of students

    Very diverse.

  • 2 out of 4 people found this review useful.

    TJ from Fairview, TX

    Reviewer is Accepted here and planning to attend soon. Reviewer has been to campus.

    Categories Rating Comments
    Great for these types of students

    Hardworking, fun-loving, dedicated.

  • 4 out of 8 people found this review useful.

    Chioma from Gardena, CA

    Reviewer is A current student here.

    Categories Rating Comments
    Tips for prospective students

    You should be prepared to work hard and have a lot of fun. You shoudl also be ready to meat students from many different places. Although you might be out of your comfort zone the Residencial College System will help you feel more at home.
    Great for these types of students

    This school is great for people who like to have fun but are smart and looking for an academic challenge.

  • 3 out of 7 people found this review useful. 1 person found this inaccurate.

    Jessica from North Richland Hills, TX

    Reviewer is Accepted here and planning to attend soon. Reviewer has been to campus.

    Categories Rating Comments
    Will learn a lot

    When I visited the campus and stayed with some current students for Vision2011, I found that people were using vocabulary I didn't know. THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE. I love my friends, but if they're using words I don't know, it's obscure drug slang or something they learned off of urban dictionary.
    Will enjoy being here

    It seems like a very familial environment within the colleges, which I think I'll really enjoy
    Bang for the buck

    I really hope so. A lot of money is going into this school.

  • 0 out of 2 people found this review useful.

    Terrance from Houston, TX

    Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has been to campus.

    Categories Rating Comments
    Will learn a lot

    I'm currently in high school and some of my teachers say this is a wonderful school to attend.

  • 1 out of 4 people found this review useful.

    Britta from Anna, TX

    Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has been to campus.

    Categories Rating Comments
    Will enjoy being here

    Absolutely beautiful!

  • 2 out of 6 people found this review useful.

    James from Houston, TX

    Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has been to campus.

    Categories Rating Comments

  • 5 out of 16 people found this review useful.

    Karis from Lancaster, TX

    Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has not been to campus.

    Categories Rating Comments

  • 0 out of 10 people found this review useful.

    Anonymous

    Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has been to campus.

    Categories Rating Comments
    Will learn a lot

    hope to attend this campus
    Will enjoy being here

    yes
    Bang for the buck

    yes an excellent education my dream is attending this campus upon my 2012 graduation

  • 3 out of 16 people found this review useful.

    Kunal from Floral Park, NY

    Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has not been to campus.

    Categories Rating Comments

  • Meredith from Franklin, TN

    Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has not been to campus.

    Categories Rating Comments
    In three sentences

    I'm just a Freshman, but this school already excites me! I just hope that I do well enough to get in! I am so ready!!

  • Huan Ting from Sugar Land, TX

    Reviewer is A current student here.

    Categories Rating Comments
    In three sentences

    Rice University has a very diverse and close knit student body. The courses are vigorous and challenging, but nothing is unattainable with hard work. The atmosphere is wonderful, and the residential college system is very unique.
    Tips for prospective students

    Come to Rice if you are looking for a school with decent class sizes where you can easily get to know classmates and professors. There are many fun activities to do, including extracurricular clubs, public parties, school dances, etc. Rice is voted the happiest campus in the U.S.
    Academic Rigor

    The academia at Rice is very rigorous. There are always easy classes that act as grade boosters, but most of the big classes that are part of major requirements can be tough. However, no worries, the classes that are tough are usually curved, so just do your best and strive to be better than average.
    Dorm Life

    The residential college system brings close knit relationships between all the students in each dorm. The newer dorms are cleaner and in better conditions, but the older dorms have more established traditions. Each residential college contains its own uniqueness and greatness.
    Food and Dining

    There are 5 different dinning halls. The North, South, East, West, and Baker servery. Different places have different foods, and the chefs provide a great variety of delicacies. If you become tired of dorm food, there is always Chinese take-out near by, and we have the HOOT, a late night snack store, that sells hot foods at night.
    What to do for fun

    There are many events every week, depending on what extracurricular clubs you are in. There are also public parties and private parties that are usually themed, so people wear costumes. The Houston museums are free for Rice students, so you can visit those any time you like. Herman Park and the Zoo are both relaxing places for picnics. Drink Houston and Roxy are two beautiful night clubs for those of age.
    Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus

    Rice has a tradition called Beer Bike every year. We start off the early morning with a HUGE balloon fight, and each residential college cheers for their own team during a bike relay race.
    Great for these types of students

    Rice is great for students interested in the medical profession because there are multiple on campus research labs and the Texas Medical Center is only a 10 minute walk away.
    Clubs and Activities

    We have over hundreds of clubs and activities. There are service organizations, school help, sports, cultural, and even major related clubs.
    Campus Safety

    Rice has RUPD circling the university and its surrounding neighborhoods 24/7. Additionally, Rice has its own EMS to help any students in need.

  • Anastasia from Pearland, TX

    Reviewer is A current student here.

    Categories Rating Comments
    In three sentences

    great support system. lax alcohol policy. great professors.
    Academic Rigor

    mostly difficult classes.
    Dorm Life

    the residential college system reminds me of the houses at hogwarts. it's awesome.
    Food and Dining

    great.