<p>Congratulations! Your daughter should be very happy at Rice. I think it is a fantastic school.</p>
<p>Congratulations to your D, Lsandin.</p>
<p>Rice was outside my D's criteria for a few reasons but it's one of those "up arrow" schools that I've become increasingly impressed with as I've read CC for going on three years. I think it's a great value in terms of admissions, dollars, and academics.</p>
<p>Isandin, congratulations. A good fit and a happy D. What could be better?</p>
<p>Congrats and welcome to Texas! Just remember it's Y'all down in this neck of the woods. :)</p>
<p>texastaximom: funny you should say that, LOL! When D got home from Owl Weekend she said that she was going to have to try and avoid her Pittsburgh slang " youns" - although she also said she could not hear herself ever saying "y'all".. Wouldn't it be funny if she comes home this summer and says "Mom, Dad, Sissy, I missed y'all"! Better make sure I have the camcorder out!!</p>
<p>Fair trade I say! Our oldest is in Lewisburg (at Bucknell not the prison!) so we'll have conservation of y'alls. Of course then there is the question of "fixin' tos", "yonders," and "directlys" (as in I'll get to that directly, southern cousin of "a round tuit")</p>
<p>Hehehe! D may be in for a bit of culture shock. Well, she wanted to get away and "see things" I guess that would include hearing things as well, LOL! I am sure we will enjoy hearing about her experiences (and hope they are worth that tuition bill). As an aside, I had mentioned to D before her visit to Rice that it seemed that a lot of kids on campus had bikes and she might want to consider getting one if she went there.. she laughed at me and said, "no way am I going to be riding a bike to classes".. guess what? One of the first things she said to me when she got home is "I guess I will need to get a bike when I get there"..a cheap one so if it gets stolen it won't hurt so bad! She would never have considered riding a bike at home (funny how they change to fit the environment!).</p>
<p>It won't be too bad--Rice has a high percentage of out-of-state and international students. She will have to go to the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show in the spring to understand our preoccupation with cows. Just remember, BBQ is a noun and a verb in Texas. :p</p>
<p>as an aside--our second son, headed to Carleton this fall, is also considering a bike for recreational purposes. I think the last time he rode one his age was in single digits.</p>
<p>a note to jym626 :</p>
<p>A few months ago, I was trying to cut my list, and you suggested I add Rice. At first, I thought "absolutely not, my list of schools is huge, and Texas is too far." I applied, went to their Vision weekend, got in, its now at the top of my list, and I'm having a really really hard time deciding between Rice and one other school. So, Thanks!</p>
<p>Cubed:
Thanks for your note! I am glad I could be of help, though it sounds like you are now in a bit of a conundrum :D Do you mind my asking what the other school is that is still in the running? What criteria are you using to decide?
Rice has been such a wonderful experience for my s. To be perfectly honest, I'd thought he'd end up in the NE or in Calif,, but absolutely fell in love with Rice when we visited, and couldn't be happier. Well, except for one thing-- (fair warning, lsandin) - he's had 2 bikes stolen.. :( The first was kinda his fault--he wasn't thinking when he locked the front wheel to the bike rack, forgetting that it was one of those quick-release front wheels. When he went out the next morning, the wheel was all that was left... That happened like the 2nd day of school.. If the wheel stays locked to the rack for his entire 4 yrs, we plan to ceremoniously cut it free at graduation.</p>
<p>The second bike was a cheapie he bought at Target. Locked it up outside the engineering bldg one night when working in the lab, and, <em>poof</em>, gone. Bummer was his foot was sprained (from a break-dancing class! Don't ask!) and he was in one of those shoe things with the wooden base and the blue fabric top with the velcro closures. So, if you bring a bike, be SURE to write down the serial number, so the police can track it down at the pawn shops when it gets pilfered. </p>
<p>The good news is, his res. college has a bunch of really nice bikes that they own, and all he has to do is check one out and then bring it back. They lock them up in the bldg. at night, so these bikes are safe and sound. </p>
<p>As an aside- for all bike owners: be sure NOT to buy the Kryptonite U-shaped bike locks. They can be picked open with a Bic pen. Better to get a heavy steel braided cable combination lock-- actually, buy 2. One for the front, one for the back. </p>
<p>All in all, Rice has been a wonderful experience, minus the bike snafoos. The bike crooks are not students-- and they've caught a few of them. </p>
<p>Good luck, cubed. Thanks for making my day. And please, keep us posted.</p>
<p>Interesting-- D made the same mistake last year with her bike and all that remained was the front wheel! It's a shame that it is such a problem. Of course, she left the front wheel locked to the rack all year, and H had to practically use a blow torch to release the rusted and frozen lock!</p>
<p>jym626 - any advice for my D coming from the UK to Rice? Anything she should definitely have with her or know? She probably won't ride a bike, but who knows?</p>
<p>Anything she doesn't bring, she can buy inexpensively in Houston. Leave the woolies at home :) Sunglasses, shorts, birkenstocks or other comfortable sandals are good, also a raincoat or umbrella and wellies or sandals that can slosh through the puddles. It rains a fair bit!<br>
Cubed, I'm also curious about your other choice. I hope you choose Rice - you will have tons of wonderful opportunities there, and they will take good care of you!</p>
<p>jym, the other school is Dartmouth. I'm pulled north by a great foreign language program, and being closer to home (my parents also like this aspect). I'm pulled south by the residential college system, price, warmth :), and the great experience I had (people, classes, Houston, everything) when I visited. I havent visited Dartmouth yet, though, so I'll make my choice once I've seen both.</p>
<p>cubed-
Ohhh tough choice. I love Dartmouth, but my s. didn't. While he liked the summer semester idea, he was a bit concerned that it seems potentially challenging to keep up with friends, as they begin to be on different school calendars, some taking a spring or fall semester off after their summer semester, and he didn't like the notion that you'd be making frequent roommate changes because schedules were so different. Also, my son was REALLY drawn to the Residential college system. He isn't a big Frat/sorority kinda guy. I must say, the Res. college system has been wonderful. With the college Masters living in a house next door, its like having family there if you need/want them. The college masters host study breaks with lots o' goodies, bring food and drink to the intramural games, etc. </p>
<p>I really thought my s. would have liked Dartmouth better than he did. He is an outdoors kid, and is really into skiing (my h. and younger s. spent the day at the Dartmouth skiway when we did the tour/info session bit). He loved the idea that dogs were welcome almost anywhere on campus. But, the physics dept was in flux when we were there, and that was an issue for him. That, and 7:30 a.m. language classes. Not a selling point for him. For you, the language program is a draw.</p>
<p>Houston is easy to fly into/out of from Ct. And parking is a lot easier at Rice than Dartmouth. But, both are wonderful schools. </p>
<p>USmominUK-</p>
<p>Anxiousmom is right-- prepare for occasional bouts of big rain dumps in Houston. It is a tropical climate, and rainstorms blow in and out pretty dramatically. The ground can't always soak up the rain as quickly as it falls, so there will be opportunities for puddle-jumping and imitations of Gene Kelley's "Singin' in the Rain". But, unlike England, your d. will have less days of gloomy overcast, grey days. Rather, it will be sunny, then a huge storm will blow through, and then it will be sunny again. I'd say, an umbrella, sunglasses and a hat (or visor) are a prioroty for the outdoor activities.</p>
<p>As for what to bring, I agree with Anxiousmom again-- plenty of opportunities to hit the stores when she is here. During O week they will offer lots of rides to Target, where your d. can get virtually whatever she needs. Do get the oversized sheets in advance. Rice will send you a catalog where you can order this stuff. They are cheaper at Bed, bath and Beyond or Linens 'n things, and you can have them shipped to the college ahead of time. I think good old Target carries them as well. BUT- if she wants to be the most popular person in the college, tell her to bring goodies from Harrods! :) Food is ALWAYS a big hit!
I don't get what all the hooplah is about the egg crate padding for the mattresses. Haven't heard any of the guys saying that the mattress is uncomfortable. I wouldn't worry about that - sounds like a nice luxury.
Your d. will LOVE Rice!!!! Can you tell we are all big fans!??!!</p>
<p>cubed; (As I shamelessly push Rice!). My daughter's Spanish class last semester had 8 students. She decided not to take Portuguese next semester, but it is offered, as is Eye-talian. She said her prof is really, really great. (Have I convinced you yet?) :)</p>
<p>Islandin: Congratulations on your D finding the "right fit." It's comforting to know it does happen. My S was at Rice for Owl Weekend, and his strongest comment was: "It's a lot wetter than I thought it would be." He was, of course, referring to the amount of drinking on campus, in the dorms, etc. I think it turned him off to the whole experience. He kept comparing it to his visit at another school, equally strong in academics, but which seems to have a tigher rein on alcohol. I told him welcome to college life; that it's going to be like that almost anywhere else. He also said it was noisy (for studying), and that his host spent most of the time in the library. Visit was very unstructured, though he liked the classes he sat in on. Spent most of the time with two other prospects. He may come around (geez, there's only a week or so left), but I think we'll let it simmer a bit before we return to evaluating his schools. I still think Rice has a lot to offer him, but it was also among the schools at the edge of our financial and geographic parameters.
In closing, congratulations to all the S's and D's who are bound for Rice.</p>
<p>Tdad. I'm sorry that your son's experience was not so good! Some of it is "luck of the draw" with the host. I think Owl Weekend is a pretty wild and crazy time, and probably not representative of "normal" college life there. There IS drinking at Rice, but my D (who went from being a non-drinker in HS to being an occasional drinker in college) loves it. I hope your son finds a school that fits him well.</p>
<p>tdad: funny, your s sounds a lot like my D..didn't want a big drinking environment but she didn't see that at all at Rice. She did attend a dorm party where there was drinking ("and everyone was pretty drunk") but she took it with a grain of salt because of all the fun events she went to. She just didn't feel that it had to be a big part of your life at Rice. She didn't have the greatest host either (although she said her host was "nice" she hardly saw her and said that she just seemed really busy).. but she met a great group of prospies like her and they explored and attended the spontaneous combustion thing (which she loved), the band jam thing, tried some swing dance lessons, went to the picnic, etc. I posted on the Rice page more details but all in all she said it was so great she didn't even want to visit the other schools that offered her some pretty nice merit $$ - no merit money from Rice I'm afraid though they did give her a nice grant (which was a nice surprise with our high EFC). Money is still a BIG factor but H and I both felt that D has been working hard her entire high school career determined to attend a "really good" school and we feel that it will be worth the cost (may have to sell the other D, LOL!). She told us again today how thrilled she is that she is going to be able to attend. </p>
<p>jym626 and texastaximom: Bike will definitely be something we pick up CHEAPLY in Houston (guess we will be picking up some good locks as well!)</p>
<p>It's so funny.. I am SO excited for her to get there now to hear all the stories I am sure she will have - yet at the same time I absolutely hate the thought of her leaving!</p>
<p>To all of you Rice Parents (and fans, LOL!): After reading all of your wonderful posts.. I have to chuckle and think that I have also found my "fit". I hope you all hang around to help us out as we continue with this adventure.</p>
<p>lsandin - Don't buy a bike. Seriously, you really, really don't need one. The campus is small enough that you can walk from end to end in 15 minutes. Definitely wait at least a couple of weeks and see how you both feel about it. But honestly, it's just more trouble than it's worth to have a bike.</p>