<p>To get into Rice you obviously have to be really smart academically. of course they consider ECs. But everyone has to have at least a certain academic prestige (gpa, test score) to get in.</p>
<p>Why, then, is there so much emphasis on sports and other ECs on campus?! I would imagine most people with 2300+ SATs to go into stem jobs, or business or law or stuff like that. it seems no one with that high a score plans to major in athletics; yet there are 30+ sports and such thing as the Shepherd School of Music. I just don't get it</p>
<p>It’s all about the diversity and life of the campus. Imagine how boring it would be if all the students were holed up in their rooms studying 24-7. It wouldn’t attract many applicants at all, and the student body would stagnate. </p>
<p>@houseimym It seems like you have a fuzzy idea of how the value of an area of study might be measured in society. There really isn’t a lot of emphasis on sports at Rice. There are good athletic facilities, and if you’re feeling cynical you can attribute that to the competition for students between schools. Students want to play sports, and it’s a way to build school spirit and attract donations. Athletes aren’t glorified, and it’s only the ones who are also great students and leaders who get a huge amount of respect. Colleges value student athletes because it often is an avenue for leadership, and it reflects positives in an individual like diversity of interests and mental health. </p>
<p>As far as non-stem majors go, I think it’s unfair to make assumptions. At Rice, the two majors/areas that make people go off the map the most are probably music and architecture. Those people put in ridiculous number of hours and lots of hard work, and the arts can still bring a lot of prestige to a university (<a href=“http://news.rice.edu/2014/03/17/rice-universitys-shepherd-school-of-music-announces-diller-scofidio-renfro-as-architect-for-new-opera-theater/”>http://news.rice.edu/2014/03/17/rice-universitys-shepherd-school-of-music-announces-diller-scofidio-renfro-as-architect-for-new-opera-theater/</a>). The students themselves enjoy the diversity. Certainly no one on campus would compare Shepherd to “majoring in athletics,” which is not a real thing (maybe you were thinking of kinesiology, a medicine-based major). Only half of the ACT and 1/3 of the SAT is stem-related, which is a testament to the different kinds of studies and research a student can perform and the different kinds of value they can bring to society. And I don’t mean that in a sappy “every major is equal” way – they all have serious real-world values. </p>
<p>Plus it is still Texas and sports are big there. Additionally, look at schools like USC, BC, Georgetown, Notre Dame – all academic with a wonderful sense of community which sports adds to. No matter what you study, many kids want community. </p>
<p>The Shepherd school is one of the TOP music schools in the country - people attend Rice specifically to go to the Shepherd school. One has to apply to the music school separately; regular students cannot easily declare music as a major and join the school. Many majors go on to have a career in music. </p>
<p>As for ECs - without them people would claw their own eyes out. I was involved in Theatre, Rice TV, some clubs and played some sports, all while being a STEM major. ECs provide a good outlet for creativity and fun.</p>