<p>I had previously never heard of Rice, but they offered me a free waiver because I got a 5 in AP chem. Do they offer this waiver to a lot of people or does it mean they are actually interested in me?</p>
<p>It’s just an invitation to apply. Rice is an awesome school. Check it out and see if you like it and if you do, use the free app to apply… nothing to lose :-)</p>
<p>Did you get the fee waiver in the mail or email?</p>
<p>My daughter had a 5 in AP Chem and she is applying to Rice. A fee waiver would be nice but there is nothing in her email or the mailbox.</p>
<p>My son received the offer via e-mail today. I think it is a great idea, especially if a school is looking to generate more applications from students getting 4’s and 5’s on AP tests. Does anyone else think this could be a strategic move Rice to simply generate more qualified applications (ie - lower acceptance % rate) in an effort to become even more selective? Seems to me that they could be gaming the USNWR rankings, which places a high value on selectivity of admissions.</p>
<p>I received the waiver today and am very excited since I was planning on applying to Rice already! I think they’re just trying to draw more qualified applicants in general. Their 2017 freshman profile says they received 15,415 applicants, which is a significantly lower amount than at comparable schools (that often receive ~30k applications). Few people I’ve talked to here in the Midwest have even heard of Rice. Maybe they’re trying to reach out to regions outside of the South?</p>
<p>[Class</a> of 2017 Freshman Profile](<a href=“Office of Admission | Rice University”>Office of Admission | Rice University)</p>
<p>We live in California but they might think she is going to apply, fee waiver or no fee waiver. Her sibling is attending Rice, and she has visited a few times. Her interest level is very high, so Rice probably thinks they don’t have to do too much to recruit her.</p>
<p>I will have her give the admissions office a call to see if she can persuade them to give her a waiver.</p>
<p>:O I got a 5 on AP Chemistry but I didn’t receive a fee waiver :’(</p>
<p>"… Does anyone else think this could be a strategic move Rice to simply generate more qualified applications (ie - lower acceptance % rate) in an effort to become even more selective?.."</p>
<p>I would not think of that at all. I would view it as an unexpected gift - a wonderful opportunity to apply at no cost or risk. Rice wants to build a class of top students from the South and beyond and if your student scored a 5 on the AP Chem / Biology there would be a probability that they could handle the rigorous academics they would experience at Rice.</p>
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Either way you are getting a free app to one of the top schools in the country.</p>
<p>There is now a big push from northeast private universities to recruit the top academic high school students from Texas and other southwestern states. So, it is a strategic move on Rice part to waive the application fee for those who do well in their AP tests.</p>
<p>My boys both received waivers via email last Thursday. Rice has been on our radar, but we didn’t have a chance to visit during our spring and summer college tours. Regardless of the school’s reason for issuing the waivers, my boys are planning to apply and we’ll see what happens…</p>
<p>My D got application fee waiver email, too. It says the waiver as a reward of my D’s outstanding SAT Subject test result. Of course, she will apply to Rice as one of primary target colleges. Thanks to Rice’ admission office on this reward, bringing small happiness to us before big chanllenge processes.</p>
<p>Son got the email for the free application. We thought it was because he visited, but maybe it is due to good test scores? Hard to say.</p>
<p>He did send his ACT score to Rice and got a good score on that test.</p>
<p>My daughter received a letter, not email granting her a fee waiver. It congratulated her on her “outstanding performance on the Advanced Placement exams.”</p>
<p>Can’t say if it was one particular AP score or a combination of scores which triggered the fee waiver offer. Asked the school counselor to call Rice about the waiver but not sure if she had gotten to it yet. Either way, I am very happy to be able to save $75.</p>