<p>The main thing that's bothering me about Rice is what I've heard about apathy towards politics, causes, social activism, etc. Did you feel like there is some political/social activism activity at Rice? I know Rice is more conservative than some universities, so that might be part of it. But I've read that Rice students are so caught up in their studies that they don't have time to voice their opinions--sometimes not even in class as well! Anyone know if this is true?</p>
<p>Also, do you feel like there is a good amount of culture classes as Rice? I'm really interested in exploring other cultures while at college, and I had some trouble finding culture courses in the course book.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>YES! This is a common misconception; I don’t know why. Rice student care deeply about the world around them – a glance at the Thresher will show that – and they participate in various forms of social activism. In regards to politics, Rice has the Baker Institute, which was ranked 16th in the <em>world</em> this year. Furthermore, the Baker Institute, I’d argue, is #1 in terms of accessibility to students. Sure, Stanford may have the Hover Institute, but I don’t know of students getting as involved in it as Rice students in the Baker Institute. Just last month, the Baker Institute Student Forum (BISF) invited members to sit down for a personal conversation with Jeff Immelt! This is just one of the many examples of accessibility to students; there are constantly ways to get involved. Lastly, in terms of culture, Rice is located in the heart of one of the most culturally diverse cities on earth. Check out the work that the Kinder Institute is doing [YouTube</a> - Stephen Klineberg: Houston and the American future](<a href=“Stephen Klineberg: Houston and the American future - YouTube”>Stephen Klineberg: Houston and the American future - YouTube)</p>
<p>Congrats on getting in, and hope to see you on campus in the fall!</p>
<p>Political apathy at Rice is a myth, and Rice is definitely not more conservative than other universities. The student body, like the student body at any non-religiously-affiliated private university, leans to the left. I think the reason Rice students come off as apathetic is because there aren’t as many of us, which means there aren’t as many people on any sort of extreme. In addition, from what I have seen, Rice students value rationality and informedness over alignment, meaning that a well-informed and rational Democrat and a well-informed and rational Republican are more likely to have a civil political discussion than a well-informed and rational Democrat and a poorly-informed and irrational Democrat are.</p>