<p>Does Rice consider a student's "demonstrated level of interest" when making admissions decisions like some other schools do? Or do they have so many qualified applicants that they really don't care how high their yield is?</p>
<p>I'm sure they look at demonstrated interest somewhat, however, there are more important factors such as essay, GPA, etc.</p>
<p>Visit it you can or best of all do an interview..those are the best ways to demonstrate interest.</p>
<p>I don't know how much they factor how your decision will affect their yield ratio into the decision, but they do like to see that you've shown some interest in it beyond filling out the application. They want to see that you've learned enough about Rice to know that it's actually a good fit for you, rather than just well-rated. Like the above poster said, visiting campus or interviewing are the best ways to do this.</p>
<p>FWIW, Part 2 of the Rice asks you to list the contacts you have had with Rice. (Information Session, Tour, Overnight Visit, Interview, Rice Alumni/Student/Faculty/Coach, etc.). I'm not sure how much of a factor it is, but they do ask, so obviously it counts for something.</p>
<p>I think the answer is still "yes", somewhat. In my generation, the then required interview, which included interest level, would quite possibly make or break you. Rice has somewhat de-emphasized the interviews since then. I was fortunate, I did not know I was being interviewed. I was just a 16 y.o. visiting out of state for what seemed like a very distant future hope, being helped out in the admissions office by a nice young assistant director (a Rice graduate 4 years earlier who disappeared, ahem, into the US State department later that summer) who had given me campus directions an hour earlier in the parking lot. </p>
<p>Some schools appear to strongly use interest factors on a yield calculation basis, WashUStL comes to mind. I doubt Rice plays that way. Traditionally two of Rice's larger yield considerations were 100 National Merit scholarships and low tuition (once no tuition). Things have changed and are changing. Rice is growing, adding more professional schools. It is not quite as small as a university as before although the faculty to student ratio is much lower now. Also, I would not call the current tuition schedule low, although I understand that financial aid is considered plentiful.</p>
<p>Your maximum effect might be to take a tour to Houston this summer, see what Rice's summer school looks like (I don't know), check in at admissions and just talk with one of the directors. </p>
<p>A small university, Rice has strong engineering and architecture programs. My first girlfriend at Rice was a math major through the first year honors math course, graduated BS MechE and decided to get an M Arch on top of that.</p>
<p>I would recommend that S#2 consider some LACs. CMC or Harvey Mudd at the Claremont colleges might provide the right size environment and flexibility in courses or majors. A possibility of a future Arch or Engineering major or career would be an important factor to review with any LACs' programs, e.g. 3-2 connections or cross enrollment. Good luck.</p>
<p>To comment on the above post - visit, but if you can find a time that isn't summer (your fall break or any time you can take a long weekend) to visit would be much better than summer. During summer, you can see how pretty the campus is (despite the 100 degree heat) and hear about how many resources it has, but Rice's summer school program is virtually non-existent, so there are virtually no students on campus and lots of professors take the time to go to conferences/take vacations/etc.</p>