<p>This is advice for incoming freshman.. There are lots of cool opportunities at Rice that are outside the United States, such as Alternative Spring Break and winter break trips/programs and May semester or summer internships or study abroad. I STRONGLY recommend that you apply for a passport this summer if you do not currently have a passport. Right now, it is taking 3 months or so to get a passport - and if you wait until you find out about the cool trips or programs to apply, it may be too late. At best, it will be a much more costly, risky and stressful procedure. Some people are finding that they have cut it too close, and can not go on the trips they had planned. Just a word of advice to you young ones! ;)</p>