<p>Rice obviously probably knows all of the texas high schools very, very, well. My counselor said only those in the top 5% in average texas schools like mine usually get in, with most being over top 5% being URMs/Athletes. I'm only in the top 10% with a 34 act which makes me wonder if I should even burn money to apply to Rice. Is what my counselor said true? </p>
<p>I can’t speak for the whole state, but that’s pretty much true if you live in Houston. I went to a private prep school, and all my guidance counselors noticed a trend in Rice’s admission when it came to our school: they put a MUCH greater emphasis on numbers rather than EC’s, legacy, and essays. The only ones accepted at my school were the VERY top, and those who fell just outside the “very” top still got into some ivies, top-10s, and top LACs. It’s as though the number of applicants follows a pattern, and Rice clearly notices and deals with it accordingly: US<Texas<<<Houston. I even looked at my friend’s O-Week chronicle that profiles every freshman, and the VAST majority were out-of-state or out of Houston, but mostly the former.</p>
<p>I am not sure what you mean by “average texas schools,” but for public schools in Texas that are actually close to the middle in terms of averages for the students’ academic preparation and ability, probably only the top two percent of students would have a decent chance (assuming they are not URM’s or have some special hook). Maybe your high school is a good but not spectacular high school and that is how your counselor arrived at the five percent figure. Remember, only the top seven percent of Texas high school graduates are guaranteed into UT, which has much lower standards than Rice for general admission.</p>
<p>Alright thanks I think I’ll just save my money for rice and apply elsewhere. I think I’ll have a nice dinner with it. Unfortunate that my freshmen year massacred my GPA so much, haha. </p>
<p>I’d like to say that your views on Rice’s admissions are simply not true. I was the 10th percent of my graduating class, had mediocre SAT and ACT scores, no special hook (not only that but I got suspended freshman year), and still got in. It’s a matter of appealing to the needs of the University. They accepted me based upon my application as a whole, and my ability to show a level of passion toward whatever I was doing. Rice is no different than any elite university in accepting people based upon this premise.</p>
<p>@onemcos
Huh, that’s interesting… Perhaps i do have a chancr. Did you Apply ED?</p>
<p>You can never really know! If you do like Rice and want to go there, then spend the extra money and apply. But you are guaranteed to never know if you don’t apply.</p>