<p>Do I need a car at Rice?</p>
<p>No. You get a free pass to use the lightrail and bus system. Light rail goes right by Rice. Bus system is not great - but it will do for the few times you need it. Rice runs shuttle to Target/etc if you need stuff. Rice village is within easy walking and biking distance for restaurants, shops, etc. Unless you are living off-campus and too far to bike, you don't need a car. (And houston traffic is awful - so you are better off without one.) Of course, some students will say otherwise! But certainly, if you are a freshman, you do not need one!</p>
<p>You definitely don't need one, but it is nice to have.</p>
<p>Houston traffic awful? it's nothing compared to LA traffic! =P</p>
<p>just get a bike and be happy</p>
<p>I thought you were going to UCSD?</p>
<p>who me?</p>
<p>question was for the OP since he/she? had this entire thread debating between Rice & UCSD some weeks ago...</p>
<p>No I am going to Rice. I based my decision to go to UCSD on the fact that it had a better bioE program. But then I found out that Rice gets 90% of its premeds admitted vs 50% for UCSD.</p>
<p>dude, its not required but it would be nice...a car is always liberating. i know im gonna have a car fo sho.</p>
<p>I know a car is liberating. Problem is, I live in San Francisco and driving down there would be a three day road trip (which sounds kinda fun). But I'll have to make a 1700 mile trip when ever I want to go home and 1. that sucks 2. thats bad for the car.</p>
<p>well man i think it will definitly like limit where you can go unless you get a ride with people. most of the parties and social activities are at rice but lets say u want to go to another even, you will have to rely on somebody else, take a taxi or other. a car would be nice, especially since ill be going to be going back to austin to see soem of my UT friends and also back to alvin here in houston to party with my HS friends during their off time etc. but i understand it would be a long trip but it might be a fun roadtrip, i guess its a decision you have to take. you can always buy like a cheap car, i mean nothing like pimp of course if money is tight but something that would do the job if you really wish to have a car.</p>
<p>I wouldn't recommend starting with a car as a freshman in your situation. It will be cheaper to fly, and your parents will save money on insurance, car maintenance, and gasoline. (Our insurance company doesn't charge ANYTHING if a student is more than 150 miles away at college without a car - and student is still covered during all holidays and the summer.) Budget a small amount of money to cover taxi rides and/or gas money contributions to people who do have cars. You will figure out if you need a car - and can bring one as a sophomore....</p>
<p>it is a long trip, but you only make it twice a year. i think having a car in houston is more useful than what the previous posts give credit for. </p>
<p>at rice you are very secluded. most people stay on campus and would agree that having a car is not so important, but i even disagree with them. rice village is nice but i personally got tired of it after a few months. you cant experience houston by simply going to rice, unlike a school like NYU for new york. </p>
<p>houston is a huge city with lots of different interesting areas. you need a car to go to the galleria and to hillkroft, which is an awesome indian/pakistani area. i havent even been to chinatown because i cant bike there. </p>
<p>against the argument that you will find rides, it just depends on the person you are. do you like to take control and know more about houston than all your friends? do you like going out on your own? this sounds obvious, but do you like DRIVING? i personally drove a lot around my spacious hometown, and i really did not realize how much i liked that. i also like looking up things on the internet (restaurants, parks, etc) and dont mind driving a distance to get there. a car is certainly not a concern for some, but if you are on the fence about it, look at your current habits and consider what you want. if you really love restaurants like i do, it's a must, for example.</p>
<p>What percentage of freshmen actually have cars?</p>
<p>i completly agree with sreis...it will get boring just being around the rice area.</p>
<p>Does it cost money to park a car at Rice? Is it tremendously difficult to get a parking pass? At Berkeley, my current school, selling your soul to the devil wont even get you remotely close to getting a good parking permit.</p>
<p>yes it costs money though you can park for free a little further away. it is sort of expensive but there is no chance that you won't get one.</p>
<p>yea you gotta pay a semester fee i belive but it is definitly guaranteed and very convinient since it is like right there and you take the bus to your classes.</p>
<p>My D is a rising senior at Rice. We did not allow her to take her car to Rice (from Dallas) at the beginning of freshman year. By October she was begging for it. We let her take it, and she has had it there ever since. It makes it easy for her to come home for holidays, and she REALLY likes having it at Rice. My advice would be to NOT have it freshman year, but you will probably want it after that. Especially when (if) you move off-campus, it is really nice to have a car. Parking is easy (in the huge lot at the football stadium at the edge of campus).</p>