<p>I'm thinking about doing an overnight visit, but I wasn't sure if it would actually help me get to know rice better, or if it would just make me feel awkward. Also, do students think kids who do the overnights are being OCD? Does rice do demonstrated interest? Also, since I want to do ED do I have to wait till September?</p>
<p>No, I did an overnight visit as part of the Vision program, and it definitely gave me a better and closer look at Rice. (Although it was part of the vision program, so there were organized programs for me and the other 200+ prospective students on campus). It’s always possible that your host could be busy (as opposed to awkward), but even though my host was occupied with a midterm during my visit, his roommate and friends showed me around the university, their college and servery, took me to an intramural sports match, went to the hoot at 1 in the morning, and played pickup basketball at the gym, among other things (such as going to classes with them). It’s definitely not awkward at all, and Rice students are definitely welcoming toward guests doing overnight visits.</p>
<p>I can’t speak about demonstrated interest, and I’m pretty sure you don’t have to wait until September to visit, you schedule those through the admissions office I think. (Make sure you check the calendar so that there aren’t major tests or things during your visit to make it more worthwhile).</p>
<p>I’m an overnight host! (As are a few others on these forums.) It won’t be awkward! Rice students love when prospective students visit overnight. (You’ll learn that prospie is an endearing term.) You will learn a ton about Rice, and get to do anything that current students are doing that you might be interested in (classes, clubs, sports, etc.).</p>
<p>You will have to wait until late August or early September though. Overnight visits are only available to current seniors (they’re simply just aren’t enough hosts). Our last day of classes this semester is April 20, so there isn’t an opportunity to visit after the current seniors are done with their decision process. (Admissions does not offer overnight visits during final exam periods.)</p>
<p>This all said, you can certainly learn plenty about Rice by spending the day here (tour, info session, visiting classes, lunch hosting, etc.). Most of that will be available through April, but keep in mind it will be swamped with seniors, which may be overwhelming to you.</p>
<p>If you sign up I will actually be one of the people who matches you with your host. Trust me, we love having prospies stay overnight. All my prospies seem to have really enjoyed their experiences and learned a lot about college life, particularly life at Rice, from staying overnight, and I have found that a lot of the prospies with the strongest attachments to Rice stayed overnight, rather than just visiting during the day.</p>
<p>My D, a current freshman, LOVED her overnight visit last year. She stayed in a suite with 4 students and didn’t feel awkward at all. She went to classes and meals with them, but also was able to spend some time on her own just exploring that beautiful campus. It cinched the decision for her.</p>
<p>^^Seconding flute’s comment. Freshman son did his overnight in April during O-Days, and it made all the difference for him. None of the other schools were even contenders after that (wish I’d listened to him, would have saved $$ on college visits airfare). Everyone, not just his host, was extremely welcoming and he felt very comfortable, not awkward at all. Son now hosts prospies of his own!</p>
<p>Thanks guys! I’m a junior now, so I’ll probably try to get my parents to let me go early next year as I’m fairly sure I want to ED. Are there any other big overnight days in August, September, or October?</p>
<p>There are two Explore Rice weekends in the fall - one of which is intended for those not from the Houston area and has lots of students staying overnight. I would just find a time that works well with your school schedule and come then. You’ll have a great time no matter when you come.</p>
<p>Sorry, I can’t find anything about explore rice weekend, would that be early enough before ED is due? Could you post a link?</p>
<p>Explore Rice is a much less well-known program. It’s actually geared more towards students applying ED, though. I had a prospie last semester for Explore Rice and he was accepted ED and will be coming to Rice in the fall. :D</p>
<p>Here’s the page to sign up from last year: [Future</a> Owls](<a href=“Office of Admission | Rice University”>Office of Admission | Rice University)</p>
<p>I’m a current senior who applied RD and did an overnight at Rice. I honestly was expecting it to be really awkward and I didn’t think I would like Rice that much, but I loved it! My host was really friendly and even though she had to work, her friend (who had her own prospie) took me to the Hoot. I went to her psych class the next morning too. I learned so much about life at Rice that I felt like a student there by the second day. So in short, I loved my overnight, Rice students love prospies, and it’s not awkward at all.</p>
<p>I would definitely attend. My S had narrowed his choices to a great Ivy, Duke and Rice. He had them all weighted equally, so he decided to visit each school. Rice was first and he fell in love. His host showed him around and he couldn’t get over how friendly and happy Rice students were. His entire time was enjoyable and his Rice hosts were excellent ambassadors and guided him to events and parties.</p>
<p>He was sorely disappointed when he visited the other two schools for overnight visits. His host at the Ivy gave him a few tips and left him on his own. He eventually hooked up with other prospies and they spent the night talking together, not with any of the school’s students. It left a bad taste in his mouth.</p>
<p>The visit to Duke also didn’t go as well as the visit to Rice. Also, the fact that Duke separates the freshmen dorms from the upperclassman dorms by a significant distance didn’t add to the atmosphere.</p>
<p>So the choice was easy and he happily matriculated at Rice. It has been a great fit for him.</p>
<p>I’m happy I did it, and I love Rice, but mine was not what I expected</p>
<p>Rice put me and another boy in a quad…the night that the ENTIRE BUILDING was having an official, campus-recognized party…I could not sleep the night before my interview because of the music coming from all directions</p>
<p>But everybody I met was so genuine and nice…I would definitely overnight if possible</p>
<p>@btknight17 - Did you do an individual visit or were you staying as a part of an official program?</p>
<p>I’m really interested in “Explore Rice” now, so can anyone answer these questions?
- What happens during these big “visit days”? Are there parties or what?
- Does Rice consider demonstrated interest?</p>
<p>When I hosted a prospie for Explore Rice, my residential college’s public party was taking place, but I don’t think students usually hold parties specifically because of the program. Usually there will be tours, info sessions, and other more fun events to show you what Rice is like, though I always hear from my prospies that the best part is just hanging out and talking to current students.</p>
<p>I honestly don’t remember, but I want to say they either don’t consider it or just want to make sure you’ve done your research and know that Rice is a good fit for you. I wouldn’t worry about that, especially since you’re applying ED. That demonstrates a lot of interest itself, naturally.</p>
<p>Sorry if I’m asking too many questions, but I’m just curious, how many prospies have you had? How many have applied? And how many have gotten in?–this question goes for any host. The reason I’m asking is, i feel like someone told me all of their prospies had applied and gotten in, and I was wondering if this was a coincidence, or if there is an actual correlation between doing an overnight and getting in. I guess either way it could just be that more serious applicants do overnights.</p>
<p>Hmm, I’ve had maybe 3-5 official prospies, with several “adopted” or unofficial prospies thrown in as well. Maybe ten total. All have applied except for one, and out of those who applied I know one didn’t get in and one might have but is going to another school. One got in ED, and the others are still waiting on their decisions.</p>
<p>I like to think I have a higher rate of success with my prospies because I love the admissions process and always offer to edit essays, etc, but it’s probably actually just a random occurrence. 
hahaha</p>
<p>I’ve lost count of my prospies, but I’ve had at least 5. All have indicated to me when they we leaving that Rice was now their first or second choice, which wasn’t always the case starting out. One has gotten in ED, and the rest I think are waiting on their RD results.</p>
<p>I visited overnight for Owl Days, and that was an amazing experience that completely sold me on Rice. After actually getting here, I can assure you that the impression of the school I got during Owl Days is absolutely reflective of the reality here. Rice doesn’t try to sell you on coming here–the reality already does that well enough.</p>
<p>It wasn’t awkward at all when I visited, nor has it been awkward for me with any of my prospies (although I can’t speak to what it was like for them). We do our best to make prospies feel comfortable and get the most out of their visit. Also, nobody here will think less of you for doing an overnight visit–Rice students, even those who don’t host, get genuinely excited about prospies. Even when I’m busy, there’s always someone happy to share their experiences with my prospies and show them around.</p>