<p>How do Houstonians (if that's the right term?) feel about Rice, and it's students? I've heard that they don't really like them? True?</p>
<p>Oh, far from it. Rice is to Houston as Harvard is to Cambridge as Yale is to New Haven. Telling people that you go to Rice is essentially dropping the R-Bomb on them.</p>
<p>Houstonians seem to like Rice a lot. There are some people who have a negative view, but everytime I volunteer somewhere they mention how much they love having Rice students come volunteer (over students from other universities, etc).</p>
<p>I agree with the above. More often than not, I hear the “You went to Rice, you must be smart” line. </p>
<p>If you act like you own the world because you went to Rice, you will probably experience some animosity though.</p>
<p>The “You go to Rice, you must be smart line” made me smile, because on our very first trip to Houston to visit Rice after my son got accepted, we heard that exact line from the rental car agent at the airport. And before our trip, I was posting on the Chowhound and Trip Advisor boards, asking for recommendations for things to do and places to eat in Houston. So many Houston commenters congratulated me on my son’s acceptance to Rice and really praised the school. I agree that Rice is to Houston (and all of Texas, really) as Harvard is to Cambridge. My son has done volunteer work with at-risk Houston middle and high school students through a program sponsored by his college and he’s also worked with professionals in Houston for a class. The response in both cases was extremely positive.</p>