<p>Hey, so I’m sorry to bump this thread, although I guess it’s not too old, and this question is related. Does anyone know when they’ll put up information about the next Explore Rice? I want to plan my visit around then, and my dad is bothering me about the details.</p>
<p>My son, a junior, has Rice as his first choice and I think he will do ED. We visited earlier this year and he can return to interview or attend Explore Rice if he wishes next year. But, during the last few weeks, I’ve felt hesitant to send him again as I watch the seniors at his h.s. have their hearts broken as they receive their rejection letters from their first choice schools. I know that Rice is getting increasingly competitive and I wonder what is the point of having him fall more in love with Rice if he already knows that he is going to do ED.</p>
<p>I’ve been told that Explore Rice will be held in October again this year; specific dates have yet to be released. Because of the upcoming Centennial celebration, the first half of October 2012 will absolutely be one of the best times ever for anyone to be on campus at Rice. The university is pulling all the stops for this. </p>
<p>Ellenp, I’m happy to hear your son is making such an excellent choice. However, I do understand your concerns. It’s certainly getting more competitive. I like ED applicants a lot, so it upset me when Rice’s ED acceptance rate dropped to less than 25% this year. With that said, though, I’ve noticed that Rice’s admissions department puts a significant amount of weight on expressed interest. Although everyone applying ED is clearly interested, if your son interviews on campus and/or attends Explore Rice, it could only help his application IMO.</p>
<p>Other great opportunities to express interest are through the application essays (super important) and, if possible, rec letters from Rice faculty.</p>
<p>@ ellenp</p>
<p>Don’t let the fear of rejection stop him from applying to Rice (ED or RD). It’s best to be optimistic. If he’s a solid and competitive applicant, he can get into Rice as well as other competitive schools. My son applied RD to all of the schools and earned admission to all but one school (which was probably his “reach” school at Princeton). He is in the process of deciding between Rice and 3 other schools at the moment.</p>
<p>Yes, the Rice Centennial will be AWESOME! Visit around then for sure!</p>
<p>I’ll try. ATM we were thinking september. I’ll try to push it back a month.</p>
<p>I highly recommend doing an overnight visit and just hanging out. Its a decision about where you are going to spend the next few years of your adult life. Why not try before you buy?</p>