Rice University - opinions?

[Ann.without.an.e]

They are flying her there to visit later this month.  This is the first flight offer she has taken from a school.  She's been enamored by it for a long time because on paper they are her perfect school.  She wants a school strong in undergrad research, it is her dream size, it is warm, they have an award winning literary magazine, and they are solid in both of her majors (English and Biology).  It does seem perfect on paper.  I don't want her that far from home but I'm keeping that to myself.  I'm also nervous about her flying alone (she's never flown before).  Especially after I looked up the crime rates for Houston - yikes.

 

So what are your opinions on this school? 

Edited September 8, 2016 by Attolia

[chiguirre]

Rice is in a very nice part of town. Yes, Houston is a big city but that area is very safe. I go to outdoor concerts at night nearby and have never had any issue at all. Rice's campus is incredibly beautiful. It's chock full of old oak trees and grassy lawns. It borders the Museum District, the Medical Center and Hermann Park. It's a lovely area and about as safe as an urban school can be.

 

I understand about the flight thing. I sent Geezle off to a national Best Buddies conference by plane this summer and I was terrified. He traveled with a group that included adults but it was still nerve wracking. He did come back safe and sound and noticeably more mature and self-assured so it's worth doing even if you don't sleep well for a few days. He kept track of his photo id, boarding pass and money with no problem. I'm sure your dd will be fine.

[Hoggirl]

Rice was on ds's short list. We absolutely loved it. It didn't hurt that they offered him a nice merit scholarship and that they have a lower overall COA compared to many schools. At the time, loan amounts were capped at even less than the Stafford loan amounts. I am a huge fan of the residential college system. The students we interacted with were fun and quirky. We attended a junior-level class, and the professor hardly had to say a word as the discussion was so lively. I would say close to 80% of the students in the room participated. The prof merely served as a facilitator and played devil's advocate occasionally to challenge a student. Is your daughter interested in premed? They have a combined program with Baylor for admission to med school and undergrad at the same time. I know nothing about it other than it is extremely competitive.

 

I don't know if your daughter is into music, but accessibility to high level teachers is difficult because of the conservatory. The lead piano faculty was willing to take on ds as a student, but that would have had to have been done outside of school enrollment as a private student since my ds was not going to be a music major.

 

It's more than warm - it's HOT. And humid. More so in summer. And flip flops in February is a big plus.

 

In the end, ds was accepted to his "dream school," so did not matriculate at Rice.

[GoodGrief]

Sounds like a neat opportunity for her! We did not look closely at Rice, and I cannot recall why; possibly it lacked one of my daughter's potential majors. Best wishes to her! I think there is great value in taking these fly-in offers and looking at multiple schools.

[Ann.without.an.e]

Thanks ya'll.  You have made me feel so much better about the campus overall and the area it is in :)  

[jjeepa]

I don't have much to add, but I wholeheartedly agree with all the comments about the nice area where Rice is located.  It's safe and there are many fun things to do around there.  

 

We don't live there any longer, but I used to wish we did - my favorite deli (and this is from a girl who grew in a deli heavy NJ town and who spent a lot of time in NYC growing up....in other words, I know a good deli) was located in Rice Village, but it closed last year.  So sad,  However, Houston is a fantastic restaurant city, so there will be many great places for your dd to discover.  

[Ann.without.an.e]

Ya'll make me wish I was visiting with her  :lol:   I wish they would fly mama too  :tongue_smilie:

[shawthorne44]

I know a couple of Rice grads, and they absolutely positively loved it.   They also both went on to have very successful careers in their chosen fields.  I would have wanted to go there, but I wasn't remotely qualified.  So, the knee-jerk answer in my head was, "This is a question?"  

[Chelli]

Rice is a beautiful, beautiful campus. When my dh was working on his master's he spent quite a bit of time in the library there. The kids and i would go up with him and just hang out on campus or in the surrounding area (parks, museums, etc.). I would have nor problem with one of my kids going to Rice if they wanted to.

[GinaPagnato]

I'm impressed that they're flying her there! How'd that come about?

[Janeway]

Love the school. 

[Grantmom]

Not to derail the thread, but can I interrupt to ask how do these "fly-in" offers come about?? I have been in the mode of feeling like we have to court the colleges, but do they actually court the students sometimes too? I honestly didn't even know this was a thing. I just thought the top schools have so many applicants they don't need to do that.

[shawthorne44]

I was flown in to UT and I didn't even bother to apply to Rice.  In my case it was because I did good on the PSAT and I'd put UT on my short list of schools to get the score.  It was a great deal of fun.   They put us up in dorms and did a song and dance.  Students were already making friends there.  The funniest movie I ever saw in my life was while I was there.   I don't think the movie was that funny.  But, I think it was because there was a roomful of really happy teenagers, and the atmosphere made the movie funny.   I remember holding onto the armrest with a deathgrip because otherwise my laughter would make me roll onto the disgusting floor.  

 

DH had a fly-in to Harvard.  His offers were withdrawn when he they realized he was a different color than they assumed.  

 

eta: corrected error.  He had always known his skin color.  

Edited September 11, 2016 by shawthorne44

[Sunshine State Sue]

DH had a fly-in to Harvard.  His offers were withdrawn when he realized he was a different color than they assumed.  

 

:scared: :scared: :scared:

 

[Sunshine State Sue]

So what are your opinions on this school? 

I lived in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for 13 years.  IMO, Rice is the best school in TX.  But, I lean STEM.

 

Ya'll make me wish I was visiting with her  :lol:   I wish they would fly mama too  :tongue_smilie:

Can you fly yourself there?  I paid my own way when ds was flown in to Mines.

 

Not to derail the thread, but can I interrupt to ask how do these "fly-in" offers come about??

In ds's case, it was for basketball.

[Guest]

They are flying her there to visit later this month.  This is the first flight offer she has taken from a school.  She's been enamored by it for a long time because on paper they are her perfect school.  She wants a school strong in undergrad research, it is her dream size, it is warm, they have an award winning literary magazine, and they are solid in both of her majors (English and Biology).  It does seem perfect on paper.  I don't want her that far from home but I'm keeping that to myself.  I'm also nervous about her flying alone (she's never flown before).  Especially after I looked up the crime rates for Houston - yikes.

 

So what are your opinions on this school? 

 

Agreeing with everyone else on the area, and just wanted to say, if she's being courted by Rice she is definitely smart enough to quickly figure out where the parts of Houston are to avoid! :) There are specific pockets that drive those crime rates up- as a whole I do not think of Houston as a dangerous place at all. Not saying there aren't areas to avoid, but to me they are few and far between. We're nice and friendly down here for the most part! 

[Ann.without.an.e]

I'm impressed that they're flying her there! How'd that come about?

 

 

Not to derail the thread, but can I interrupt to ask how do these "fly-in" offers come about?? I have been in the mode of feeling like we have to court the colleges, but do they actually court the students sometimes too? I honestly didn't even know this was a thing. I just thought the top schools have so many applicants they don't need to do that.

 

 

 

I honestly don't know?  DD did very well on the PSAT if that information is given? She's received quite a few offers (Swarthmore, Wellsley, Colby, Reed, Williams, and Vassar) and she hasn't taken any others but she really wanted this one.  They are all offering specific weekends in the fall and her fall is crazy, busy and many of them conflict with one another.  She knew she could only take one or two so she held out hoping to get a school she was very interested in attending.  For most of these, they seem to send a select few kids an invitation to apply for a free travel offer.  She didn't apply for any others.  They do ask about race, grades, majors, GPA, extracurriculars, etc.  DD is white though so I don't think they were just looking for a way to include more diversity, but I don't know.  I think Rice takes about 40 of the students that apply.

Edited September 11, 2016 by Attolia

[Ann.without.an.e]

I had dd read many of your comments on Rice and she is even more excited to visit now.  Rice seems like her dream school in so many ways.  I am so happy she is getting the chance to visit.  

[Ann.without.an.e]

I lived in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for 13 years.  IMO, Rice is the best school in TX.  But, I lean STEM.

 

Can you fly yourself there?  I paid my own way when ds was flown in to Mines.

 

In ds's case, it was for basketball.

 

 

You know, I considered it.  I have still considered it.  I have her ticket information.  It is $$ though by the time I add in food and hotel for myself.  I would probably also need to get a cab or rent a car?  I am not sure we can spare that right now.  At least they are flying her non-stop.  If it wasn't a non-stop flight I would be much more worried.

Edited September 11, 2016 by Attolia

[shawthorne44]

I wouldn't go even if I had the money to spare.  After all, she will be going off to college in the not too distant future.  She'll be busy and chaperoned.  This will be a way to get her toes in the water of independent college life.  

[Janeway]

I wanted to add...if I were young, Rice would be my dream college. I have been there. I have family who went there and friends who went there. I visited there a few times for some things. The campus is beautiful. The dorms are set up in residential colleges. The students are all just great. 

[Janeway]

And the neighborhood area right around Rice, that borders it, looks pretty nice too. 

[snowbeltmom]

Not to derail the thread, but can I interrupt to ask how do these "fly-in" offers come about?? I have been in the mode of feeling like we have to court the colleges, but do they actually court the students sometimes too? I honestly didn't even know this was a thing. I just thought the top schools have so many applicants they don't need to do that.

 

There is a program called Fall Diversity - Fly-in Visits. 

 

More than 65 colleges offer free summer and fall visits for students who meet the selection criteria: under-represented, low income, or first generation college student.  Each of these colleges have an application that the student submits. The colleges then select whom to offer the fly-in visits to from the pool of applicants. 

 

It is a great program for students who meet the selection criteria!  Some of these colleges are still accepting applications for this fall, but the deadlines are fast approaching.  Here is a website that gives more info:

 

http://getmetocollege.org/what-colleges-look-for/2016-fall-diversity-visit-programs

 

 

 

 

[Grantmom]

Thank you so much for sharing that!

[Bootsie]

Rice has a beautiful campus in a wonderful part of Houston.  Students live in "colleges" (these are not by major); a professor lives in a house on campus attached to the dorm.  There are many activities within the college each with its own personality.  

 

Rice leans heavily toward STEM; there is no undergraduate business major,for example, only a minor.  There are research opportunities with the large medical community and with NASA.   Several schools in Texas compete for second, third, and fourth most competitive school in Texas; they keep alternating depending on the year and the study, but Rice is not part of that group--it is number 1--and the other schools say it is so far out in front of them that they can't even see it!  DD had a high school classmate who did not get into Rice but was accepted at several Ivy League schools.  

[Ann.without.an.e]

There is a program called Fall Diversity - Fly-in Visits. 

 

More than 65 colleges offer free summer and fall visits for students who meet the selection criteria: under-represented, low income, or first generation college student.  Each of these colleges have an application that the student submits. The colleges then select whom to offer the fly-in visits to from the pool of applicants. 

 

It is a great program for students who meet the selection criteria!  Some of these colleges are still accepting applications for this fall, but the deadlines are fast approaching.  Here is a website that gives more info:

 

http://getmetocollege.org/what-colleges-look-for/2016-fall-diversity-visit-programs

 

 

DD wasn't invited to a diversity weekend.  I don't know what sort of weekend it is but she is quite white.  

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

To add to the neighborhood concerns:  I transferred to Rice as a sophomore (left USAFA for a health-related DQ for military service).  As a transfer, I didn't get a shot at on-campus housing, though I was still part of the resident college system.  Anyway, I lived within a few blocks of campus, in a total of three different apartments (new one each year, for various reasons) and never had an issue, even when coming home pretty late.   I'm not saying it's ideal, but for a person with a bit of wits, it's do-able.  

 

I was a volunteer at the zoo, which was just a bike ride away.  If she is a jogger, there is a huge park across the street, plus the loop around the campus, and tons of running clubs that are not associated with the Rice teams.  

 

I was a physics major, but my favorite classes were from the English department!  Fantastic professors.  

[Ann.without.an.e]

 

 

I was a physics major, but my favorite classes were from the English department!  Fantastic professors.  

 

 

This is one of her strongest draws to Rice - she wants to double in English and Biology to go into Biomedical research and writing.  She needs a school that is strong on undergrad research AND English and Rice is excellent with both  :001_wub:

[Ann.without.an.e]

So...her interview was awful.  She said she's never had such a terrible and awkward interview :(  She interviewed with a young man who just graduated in a department that was very different from her interests.  He didn't seem to know what to ask and he wanted her to ask questions but every question she asked he just said "wow, I don't know because that was so out of my field of study".  So finally she just stopped asking questions and after awkward silence they ended it early.  I'm thinking they are trying to get through so many students in one time slot that they pulled in people who don't normally give interviews?  A girls she's been hanging out with had a really awful interview too with someone else - the girl is part Mexican and the interviewer pretty much tortured her over her lack of thoughts on immigration and belittled her for having not taken a side on the issues.  

Edited September 26, 2016 by Attolia

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

That's terrible!  I'm shocked!!!  

 

Don't let that turn her off the school if she's otherwise still interested.  I consider it a positive that she knows enough about her own interests to ask deeper questions that someone not form the right department may be unable to answer.  He was probably expecting questions like, "How's the food?"  lol.  

[Frances]

This is one of her strongest draws to Rice - she wants to double in English and Biology to go into Biomedical research and writing. She needs a school that is strong on undergrad research AND English and Rice is excellent with both :001_wub:

Your daughter's experience would likely be different, but early in his college search my son was also considering double majoring in English and a science because he loves science and loves to write. He ended up as a science major at a research university and was also part of the very humanities based honors college where all of his distribution classes were completed. In all of his upper level classes (science and otherwise) and all of his honors college classes, he did extensive writing. The only writing projects he disliked were for his English classes, and disliked is putting it mildly. While all writing experience is likely valuable, at least for him, the type of writing required for the sciences or social sciences or even other humanities was very different than for his English classes.

[daijobu]

So...her interview was awful.  She said she's never had such a terrible and awkward interview :(  She interviewed with a young man who just graduated in a department that was very different from her interests.  He didn't seem to know what to ask and he wanted her to ask questions but every question she asked he just said "wow, I don't know because that was so out of my field of study".  So finally she just stopped asking questions and after awkward silence they ended it early.  I'm thinking they are trying to get through so many students in one time slot that they pulled in people who don't normally give interviews?  A girls she's been hanging out with had a really awful interview too with someone else - the girl is part Mexican and the interviewer pretty much tortured her over her lack of thoughts on immigration and belittled her for having not taken a side on the issues.  

 

Wow, Rice needs to do a better job of screening their alumni interviewers.  Or just get rid of alumni interviews altogether since it really only serves to keep alumni in the loop rather than actually screen applicants.  If Rice is going to so much trouble to market to and recruit students, they last thing they can afford is for their own alumni to dissuade them from attending.  

[Ann.without.an.e]

She's aware of this as a problem for most students.  The thing is .... she truly enjoys both the creative writing/literature and research sciences.  She's a fantastic writer and, to be honest, if one passion/love outpaced the other it would be her natural gift with writing and her incredible understanding of literature.  She feels like the research/writing will be a career and the creative writing her hobby/passion and having a double in english will help solidify her as a science researcher/writer.  She's young.  She may change her mind a bazillion times but she seems truly gifted for both at this point.  

 

ETA:  I would honestly be more surprised to see her drop the english side of things than the research science side.  I could totally see her ending up an english professor one day.  Her passion is so strong and catching.

 

 

Your daughter's experience would likely be different, but early in his college search my son was also considering double majoring in English and a science because he loves science and loves to write. He ended up as a science major at a research university and was also part of the very humanities based honors college where all of his distribution classes were completed. In all of his upper level classes (science and otherwise) and all of his honors college classes, he did extensive writing. The only writing projects he disliked were for his English classes, and disliked is putting it mildly. While all writing experience is likely valuable, at least for him, the type of writing required for the sciences or social sciences or even other humanities was very different than for his English classes.

 

Edited September 26, 2016 by Attolia

[daijobu]

If I may add, this adds to my skepticism about weaknesses in college admission process.  How different your daughter's experience would be had she been interviewed by a faculty member in her department of interest!  Why aren't faculty involved in the admissions process?  (Probable answer:  they were only too glad to give up an administrative committee that takes time away from research and teaching.)   

[FaithManor]

Wow, Rice needs to beef up the interview situation. I am not a fan of alumni interviews for this exact reason, it does not put the student in contact with their department, and the school does not get meaningful feedback about the student if the alum has no experience with the student's interests.

 

We have never had a fly in offer, but ds did have his expenses paid for driving to a departmental interview due to the department head courting him heavily for a niche program. Way back in the 80's, I had a school court me heavily for their music department. I was not particularly interest in that school so when I declined an offer to visit, they offered to pay my expenses to drive. I took the leap since it wasn't my money, and was NOT impressed with what I encountered. LOL, money down the drain for them!

 

At any rate, Rice has so much going for it, I would try not to let this count to much against it.

[Frances]

She's aware of this as a problem for most students. The thing is .... she truly enjoys both the creative writing/literature and research sciences. She's a fantastic writer and, to be honest, if one passion/love outpaced the other it would be her natural gift with writing and her incredible understanding of literature. She feels like the research/writing will be a career and the creative writing her hobby/passion and having a double in english will help solidify her as a science researcher/writer. She's young. She may change her mind a bazillion times but she seems truly gifted for both at this point.

 

ETA: I would honestly be more surprised to see her drop the english side of things than the research science side. I could totally see her ending up an english professor one day. Her passion is so strong and catching.

She sounds like a very talented young woman who knows exactly what she wants!

[Ann.without.an.e]

She's home and she truly loves Rice.  I asked her where it fell in her order of preference and she says she needs to get back to me after she processes it more.  She still can't decide if the distance makes it less of a priority for her than the schools closer to home.  I think if it was closer to home it would be her #1.  

[Ann.without.an.e]

double post

Edited September 27, 2016 by Attolia