Chance me for Rice 2024 RD?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rice University
1

Hi everyone, i really appreciate anyone that responds to this. I know no once can predict the actual decision, but any insight would be helpful as I am getting mixed responses.

Demographic:
Location: Southeastern PA, public high school (class of 294 people) OOS
Race/gender: Indian Male
Major: Neuroscience, minor in comp sci (pre-health)

Stats:
SAT: 1500 (800 M, 700 R/W)
SAT Subject Tests: Will take Bio M, Math 2, and Chem in August.
Unweighted GPA: Around 3.97 (no Bs, all As except 2 A-)
Class Rank/Percentile: 8/294 (top 3%)
Courses/APs: Taken the highest level for all, so far 7 APs: AP Euro (5), AP Psych (5), AP Calc AB (5), AP Lang (5), APUSH (5), AP Physics 1 (4), AP Chemistry (4)
Upcoming course load: AP Physics C, AP Stat, AP Calc BC, AP Gov, AP Lang, AP Bio

Extracurricular/Summer Activities:
Class Treasurer/Student Government (2 years)
Academic Competition Team, team qualified for national tournament. (3 years)
Science Olympiad (Co-Captain) (4 years)
Junior Varsity and Varsity Tennis (4 years)
Math Club (Secretary) (4 years)
USTA Club Tennis (6 years)
Piano (6 years)
Summer Biology Research with professor at local small university
Boeing High School Explorers Internship
National Honor Society
Spanish National Honor Society
Volunteering Helping Veterans with Technology at VA: 80+ hours
Volunteering helping students learn math and reading at a Kumon: 90+ hours
Awards:
9+ Science Olympiad Medals at regional and invitational level (faced some super good nationally ranked teams)
4 years Honor Roll
First Place in local School Coding Competition
AP Scholar With Distinction (school did’t let me take more than 2 APs until junior year)
Will be National Merit Commended
USTA Travel Team Awards

Other interested schools (opinions on these would be helpful too thanks!) : Pitt, Penn State, UMD, Drexel, Boston U, Emory, UVa, University of Michigan, Brown, UPenn, Dartmouth, Northeastern, University of Rochester, Wake Forest (maybe), Northwestern, Rice

PS: Thank you for taking the time out to respond, any insight on how to strengthen my application/chancing would be greatly appreciated, thanks !!!

2

Your stats are great and in my opinion will put you right there with those admitted at the schools where you are looking but if going through this process last year with my daughter taught me anything, it’s that this process if very unpredictable. If you have a strong favorite, applying ED will help a LOT. If you don’t have a favorite, keep you mind open, work hard on your essays and show interest in those schools that you are truly interested in. Remember that these schools are getting more applications than they can accept from students with perfect, or near perfect, stats so don’t take the “rejections” too personally. Do you best to let your personality shine through in your essays and do your research so you can show why you are a good fit with their individual institution. Don’t just say what you think they want to hear.

3

How can you have “4 years Honor Roll” when you haven’t (I assume) started your senior year yet? Are you counting middle school?

4

Sorry, typo

5

Looks pretty solid. If you have the time, money, and motivation, I recommend trying the SAT one more time.
Show as much interest as you possibly can, and then some. Don’t let the admissions officers think you’re shotgunning apps, and don’t let them think that you “just decided to apply” on a whim.

6

awesomepolygot,
I appreciate your advice, I’m going to try the ACT in September in an effort to get a 34+ as I already took the SAT 3 times and don’t want to try it anymore. If I don’t manage to get a 34 or better will be SAT score be considered too low for Rice and possibly hurt my app?

7

1500 is in the range of deposited students for the class of 2022. Rice hasn’t released stats for the class of 2023 yet. https://admission.rice.edu/apply/freshman/admission-statistics

8

Here’s the thing with Rice: you have a good shot at getting accepted as ED. What too many kids do from the east coast, kids just like you, I can name off a long list of them, apply RD to Rice but almost always pick an East Coast School, some on your list already, if they get into one of them. Happens like precision clockwork. And Rice Admissions knows all about this. You fit the profile exactly. You’ll ditch Rice regretfully, but in a heartbeat if an East Coast sweetheart school accepts you.

So if you really really want Rice U, then apply RD. You are fine with the numbers you have. I believe a couple of SAT2s recommended, but no need to retake the SAT1 or start on the ACT route.

If you are looking at Rice ad a back up choice, sat RD to your preferred Penn , Dartmouth like choices, sorry, your chances for admissions to Rice are not that good at all. It’s a reach and a lottery ticket just like those selective schools—look at those single digit accept stats The geographic advantage and demonstrate pull that you will have ED disappears RD.

9

Thanks cptofthehouse,
I am genuinely interested in Rice and if I somehow got in, I would almost most definitely attend as long as its financially feasible. The reason I don’t want to apply RD is because I definitely want to go to grad school, maybe med school or opt school after undergrad and have a brother going into college 1 year after me, so I don’t want to financially burden my parents or go into debt, as my income bracket is not the type that will get me any aid (but I’m definitely not rich). Otherwise, I would strongly consider an ED to Rice.