<p>Hi all, this post is probably geared more towards current Rice students just as an FYI. So here's my dilemma, I have already purchased a plane ticket to visit Rice and it is costing me almost $300 just to go for 1 night. I am also going to be missing 2 days of school for the trip (and I've already missed a lot recently for school trips, conferences, etc.). I plan on being a Spanish major with either a minor in Economics or a double major in Economics seeing as I want to work in business. So here's my question: Is my trip worth it? I know Rice is known for its phenomenal Science programs and Architecture, but would I get a great education in Spanish and Economics as well? I am just getting very worried since money is tight and so are the amount of days I'm allowed to miss each quarter... any input is greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>definitely worth it...i already knew that i wanted to apply to rice ed, but hadn't visited since elementary school. i finally got the chance to go a few months back and it totally "sealed the deal"...and if you already bought the tickets isn't it too late already?</p>
<p>I think that it is very worth it. I am also going to be staying next month, Dec 2-4. My ticket only costs $175 and I couldnt imagine spending that kind of money and staying for only two days which is why I chose three. Also, at Rice, there aren't any minors but you can double even triple major (usually academs) thanks to the distribution credit system and the lower major requirements. Over 30% of Rice students double major. Popular combination include having economics. I think they do have minors in finance and business so that's good for you. I was thinking about going pre-med, majoring in Cognitive Science and having a minor in business too. Rice is strong in EVERY department. IMO, no area is better than another, just different.
In conclusion, I think that if you have already purchased your ticket, then absolutely, go visit Rice now. If you have not, wait until next semester and find a lower priced ticket because $300 is a lot, plus $50 for the super shuttle and another $50 for spending money.
Okay and I am such a dork but although I'm not a current student, I know A LOT about Rice. It's ridiculous. If you have any more questions about them, just pm me.</p>
<p>If the trip feels like too much pressure right now, and you can get a credit or refund for your flight, you could always consider going in April, for Owl Days, once/when you're accepted. That's what my daughter did. She's still friends with some of the students she met during her stay.</p>
<p>Thanks for the input. The ticket is non-refundable, but I can get a credit, so I could always just use it later. But, the thing is I do not think I have a great chance of getting in unless I visit and really demonstrate my interest (I do not have bad grades or test scores, just average test scores and pretty good grades, you catch my flow.) If I do visit though and show that I am truly interested and cared enough to do so, then I think adcoms would look favorable upon that. No one from my school has ever gone to Rice that I know of mainly because no one really knows about it where I'm from up north. It is comforting to know that the other programs are strong as well because that is basically my primary concern. I do not want to potentially be in debt post-graduation if I am not getting as good an education in my majors as I could have gotten at another school. Also, I kind of like snow... which Texas obviously doesn't have. But hey, change is good! Any other advice in regards to my dilemma/the Language and Economics program?</p>
<p>I dont think visiting will give you THAT much of an advantage. Either you have it or you dont. If you do visit be sure to do an interview. If you cant, get an alumni interview if available. Besides, if you want to visit before next year, you only have next week so you need to think fast. I think the best bet would be to wait until January and they probably will not have read your app by them so they'll see that you visited. Also, If I'm not mistaken, they do not track the number of times you call.</p>
<p>And it's not a dilemma. It's actually a very good/smart alternative. Being fluent in Spanish and having a strong Econ back ground. Rice has incredible academics. Also, you will probably visit your family during Christmas Break so you can visit them then.
Rice makes it so that you cannot graduate with more than 15k in debt, which is good. That's only like 2k your freshman and sop year. It goes up a bit to 4k, junior and senior year. Also, if you family earns less than 60k, they will make it affordable without any loans.
Do you have any nice EC's or hooks. My friend who goes their scored in the mid/lower 500's on ALL her SATs and got in with a 3.9 gpa but she was pretty awesome, she even got Gates Millennium Scholarship</p>
<p>And any outside scholarships you get will reduce your student loans. :)</p>
<p>I don't have any hooks, unless religion is considered a hook which it's not. I have a very well-rounded resume with lots of ECs, but I have been reading that Economics at Rice is not a very good program comparatively and I could probably get a better education in economics/business elsewhere... My trip is planned for a date in the next week so I need to figure out whether I should go or not! Another thing that sort of concerns me is that I kind of wanted a campus where it snowed and there are athletics (i.e. football) which I know Rice does not have, but the residential college system, small classes, and student:teacher ratio are extremely appealing to me! So maybe it will all balance out? We shall see...</p>
<p>um, rice's football team is 1 win and 1 tulsa loss from playing for the conference championship</p>
<p>ill be at the game on saturday go owls, jarrett dillard is god!</p>
<p>also, their baseball team is awesome</p>
<p>and if I get into Rice somehow I will definetely be a star club rugby player,</p>
<p>I visited Rice in Owl Days at a time when I was seriously leaning towards WashU / Northwestern, and it definitely "sealed the deal" so many times over, for me. A visit is definitely worth it. I had my parents book me a flight 4-5 days before Owl Days' weekend in April, and the ticket cost $700 (I begged and pleaded with my dad, and he relented after I told him I'd pay him back)--that's how important I considered a visit to be, though granted I was already accepted.</p>
<p>Visiting is definitely a plus, it really shows demonstrated interest, especially if you're not from Houston or Texas (I was from DC, so this was quite a ways from home). It will not hurt at all--this is the next four years of your life you are deciding, and even if you don't know if you've been accepted or not, it's still good to visit. Visits really do make an impression that simply reading glossy brochures and college guidebooks cannot.</p>
<p>Especially since you've already booked the ticket, just go visit Rice. Schedule an alumni interview if you have not already done so.</p>
<p>Economics at Rice is not Rice's strongest program per se (especially the intro course ECON 211 is a horror, but that only goes for ECON 211--the rest of the econ courses get a lot better), but Economics is the highest paid degree in the Social Sciences division by far. A lot of people intern with JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, etc. so if you're interested in that route, it's definitely there and available (though economy is still in the dumps). I'm not so familiar with Spanish studies but I'm sure Rice has a great program as well. Rice is great all around, in my opinion. The attention you get here is unparalleled, except at other top schools--you get a fantastic 5:1 student-faculty ratio and great professor interaction with small classes.</p>
<p>And really, if you're considering going to business school, you DON'T have to be a finance/accounting or whatever undergrad major if you want to go to Harvard Business School, etc. - a lot of great universities have no undergraduate business programs whatsoever yet place exceptionally well in top business grad schools (like Amherst, Dartmouth, Princeton, MIT, etc). Though an economics background is preferred, business schools mainly look at GPA and GMAT scores along with work experience and interviews. What you major in is not that important to them.</p>
<p>Plus, I guarantee you at some point you probably will change (or consider changing) majors. I went in at the beginning of this year all gung-ho about majoring in Mathematical Economic Analysis, now I'm considering double-majoring in History, and most recently might actually ditch those two for Chemical Engineering. Hah, I'm all over the place! So indecisive. Anyways, my point is is that don't narrow your college choices because one is supposedly "superior" than another in Economics or Spanish studies--if your school is in top 20 in the country you will get a fine education. That is, choose a college because you can see yourself going there and the environment, etc appeals to you. That is why I strongly believe a college visit is extremely vital in choosing colleges.</p>
<p>Thank you all very much for your advice. I visited Rice yesterday and it went great, it is an AMAZING school. Definitely worth it! :)</p>
<p>that's so cool. I'm visiting today, and I love it too.</p>
<p>there are minors at rice- just not many of them. Business, Financial Computation and Modeling, and Global Health Technologies, are the ones available, although someone correct me if I'm wrong.</p>
<p>SugarPlum54, out of curiosity, what other schools are you considering?</p>
<p>Georgetown, Brown, UNC, Notre Dame, and a few others :)</p>
<p>pyles_m, are you doing an overnight? I did not do an overnight, but I am curious to know how they are (i.e. your reaction to student life, etc.)</p>
<p>Yeah I am doing a two day overnight. I got here Tuesday afternoon and I'm leaving Thursday @ 1p. I think the students are really, really nice. Everyone is so friendly. This week really wasnt the best week to visit as they have finals and exams next week. A few are tomorrow too so everyone is really studying like crazy. The professors are great too. So far I've been to a philosophy class, Bio, Chem, and Calc. Tomorrow, I'm going to a psych class. It's different though because all the teachers still use chalk in class. I thought that it would be like smartboards and stuff but the old chalk is just as effective.
It was really cool because one of the professors invited me to eat lunch and stuff. That was cool. The entire faculty is so personal here. It feels like I'm home, I honestly do not want to leave. I love it here. The dorms here are nice too. I've been inside Weiss (awesome) and Martel but I am staying in Sid. I havent seen the ones that need renovation though like Baker or Will Rice. It's really nice. Everyone is so proud of their college and often joke about the others. It's really nice. Rice = Awesomeness.</p>
<p>Pretty exciting to think that you're posting from Rice now -- and it sounds like you're having such a great time! Had a smoothie from 13th Street yet? Have you visited the Pavilion and Fondren Library, etc. Hope you have a chance to see Rice Village before you leave...</p>
<p>Enjoy Psych class and the rest of your stay!</p>
<p>Yeah I went to the Rice village yesterday and I'm at the library right now. No, I haven't had a smoothie yet but I'd really like one. I'll ask around to see where it is before I go.</p>
<p>13th Street is the little store next to the bookstore inside the RMC (student center). Pretty good smoothies, but try the hot chocolate or the Rafiki drink across from the bookstore in the coffee house!</p>