top 5 things i need to know about rice

slik_nik
Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:47:43 +0000

I feel almost everyone that attends Rice is happy and is able to find their own niche, which is the case of ANY university. However, I do believe that there are some universities where people can be happier than at others. Here are 5 main characteristics of Rice:

1) Small school with tight community –> undergrad population is currently around 3300 with plans to increase it eventually to 3900-4000. Therefore, you see a lot of people that you know when you walk around campus.

2) No frats. We have residential colleges (think Harry Potter houses without the magic) which allows for a more inclusive social environment. Every student is a member of a residential college, and each residential college has its own government, activities, and professors affiliated with it. The only other schools that take the residential college system seriously are Harvard and Yale.

3) Science and engineering/music/architecture focused school. While the humanities and social sciences are still strong here, Rice does attract a lot of science-oriented students, engineers, musicians, and archies because these programs at Rice are world-renowned.

4) Urban oasis. While we are in the middle of Houston, next to the world’s largest medical center on one side and a large park/museum district on another side of campus. However, when you are walking around campus, you don’t get the feeling you are in a large city; you feel like you are in a protected bubble of sorts. Nevertheless, if you want the urban atmosphere, all you have to do is walk off of Rice’s campus to get it. Thus, we have the best of both worlds here, both urban and suburban/rural.

5)Friendly, laid-back, less intense student body. While students here strive for their best (and there are TONS of very, very intelligent people here), they do not do so by undermining others or by participating in cutthroat competition. Students here tend to be collaborative and it is very common to see students from all different backgrounds studying together in groups. Socially, I feel there is something here for everyone, but I don’t think the social scene here is as intense at some big state universities and schools like Duke.

That’s my two cents about Rice.