<p>Well, sorry if this is a waste of your time, but I'm trying to decide where to go next semester. I've got a full ride at Rice University (awesome school, no doubt) and a good scholarship at Brown University (not too shabby), and I've just found out about being accepted to U Penn. Though I haven't found out about F.Aid at Penn, I'm having enough trouble deciding between Rice and Brown. Though having been in Dallas for only five years, I think I've accepted the full punishment of Texas' fickle, sizzling hot weather for whatever misdeed I committed; therefore, I'd love to go to the NorthEast for a change. However, I see the benefits in staying close to home, having a car, and not having to borrow money, all of which result from the generostity of Rice's financial aid department. But, at Brown and U Penn, I'm sure I'll meet awesome people, have a more flexible curriculum, and enjoy more previleges and opportunities brought about by the Ivy League reputation. Seeking for a well-rounded undergrat education, an awesome choral department, and a laid-back, friendly atmosphere, I'm still trying to find my best fit. Please help me. In return I'll send you good thoughts and prayers in Vietnamese (a very rare gift, you might say).</p>
<p>Rice is exactly what you want.
Its laid back and cool, with top notch academics and awesome grad school recognition. And all this for free! Youll be happy there, but it depends on your major etc.</p>
<p>I'm a Pre-med major. I talked to someone from the Admissions office who said that there is no real Pre-med program at Rice, but it definitely prepares students well for med schools. I don't know how flexible the core curriculum for a Bio Pre-med is at Rice, but I don't want to have to take stupid classes that have nothing to do with my major for no credits if I don't want to. Would I run into that at Rice? From my visits and what I heard from friends that attend Rice, Rice is not integrated into Houston on a large scale, mostly because Houston is so big. But what is your view on the school-community interaction?</p>
<p>Have you looked into the Rice/Baylor program? That's closer to a "pre-med" program as you'll actually take some classes with the Baylor College of Medicine across the street in the Med. Center. I know quite a few people who graduated from Rice and went on to medical school without any problems, and I know they didn't all take the same curriculum. A lot of pre-med students at Rice focus on a biology field, but it's possible to go to medical school with a different undergraduate focus. While you're here, you can also join REMS: Rice's nationally-recognized student EMS program (which will require and help you to get certified) and you can work/ride with a real EMS team out in the Houston area should you want to go that route.</p>
<p>As for no credits, the only "courses" that don't offer credits are the required phys. ed classes that everyone must take at least 2 of by the time they graduate. They're the LPAP (Lifetime Physical Achievement/Awareness Program? -- I think) set of classes and offer anything from lifeguarding to archery to dancing or swimming, etc.</p>
<p>And about the school-commnunity interaction... Houston is HUGE, Rice is small, and there are other schools around, too: U. of Houston as the largest, plus TSU, St. Thomas, HCC, etc. Houston isn't really a "college town" no matter how many schools it has or are nearby. It's not a factor of Rice as much as it is of the city itself. But closer to Rice you have the Rice Village (which is very much dependent on Rice students, so you'll feel at home there)... Further down the road you'll find other eating establishments (Chili's is a good example) that sport Rice paraphanalia as part of their decor. And other businesses and eateries that tend to offer discounts or perks for people with Rice IDs or the "Silver Saver Card" you'll receive as a student. Rice also has student groups that go out into the community -- at the end of O-Week you'll have an opportunity to try that out, too, if you're interested in helping people out. Rice's new president instituted a program that will give all Rice students a free METRO pass for public transportation (bus and light-rail) letting you get all around town even without a car -- and also free admission to some of the museums down Main St. in the museum district.</p>
<p>The Rice experience isn't something that's given to you -- it's what you make out of it. Rice gives you the opportunity to do so many things.</p>
<p>exactly.........!</p>
<p>One thing Will didn't mention that I've probably got more experience with is the aspect of a "strong choral program".</p>
<p>The Shepherd School of Music is one of the finest music programs around. I'm quite the orchestra afficionado, and I'm quite familiar with orchestras as wide-ranging as the Dallas Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, and on down the line to the LSU Symphony, the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, and the Woodlands Symphony... and the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra easily bests each of those orchestras, save the Chicago Symphony. It's easily the best orchestra in Houston.</p>
<p>When I was at Rice, I joined the Shepherd choir as a non-major. No audition required; the voice majors will easily out-sing you if you're a wee bit out of practice, so everyone that cares to do so can have the incredible experience of singing in the choir. I sang Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Shepherd choir and Symphony Orchestra and it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. At the last chord, the other non-majors and I looked at each other, breathless from vocal exhaustion, but mainly from the sheer magnificence and exhiliration of the musical experience.</p>
<p>The music programs at Brown and UPenn will not be able to give you something as amazing as that.</p>
<p>Is it really hard to get into the rice/baylor program to get into? Is Rice hard to get into in genral?</p>
<p>Rice is a very selective school to begin with. The Rice/Baylor program only accepts new students in their first semester, IIRC, and it is limited to only a handful of students -- a lot fewer than there are Rice freshmen interested in going to med school. So it IS difficult to get into Rice/Baylor but definitely call the admissions office and ask about that program; I don't know when applications are due.</p>
<p>Again, you don't have to be in Rice/Baylor to get accepted to med school after Rice... it's simply a more accelerated program for those who <em>know</em> they want to go to med school.</p>
<p>(I was a CS major, by the way, so I've put out about all I know regarding the pre-med topic.)</p>
<p>well, if you're an incoming freshman this year (class of 2009) you already passed the deadline b/c you have to apply to rice ED or ID, and i think the rice/baylor app was due soemtime in february</p>
<p>i think rice/baylor take only ten students out of about 150-200 applicants.....correct me if im wrong.</p>
<p>i graduate high school in 2008. I was just wondering because everybody seems to talk about Rice/Baylor program. But thanks for the feedback..</p>
<p>Everyone, thank you for your input. It definitely made me feel more confident in making my decision.</p>
<p>You were close jimminy- Rice/Baylor takes 15 out of 200 applicants.</p>
<p>i think its much more than 200 since not everyone gets into rice ;)</p>
<p>basically, its pretty damn hard to get into, and its apparently very good, so it wouldnt hurt applying there anyway.</p>
<p>Yeah, the pool of 200 applicants is misleading, since unlike other combined programs (Northwestern's HPME, Brown's PLME) you have to get into Rice first before you apply to Rice/Baylor.</p>