Rice and Texas/In-State Representation

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rice University
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Thanks much for the continued insights. I’m not worried about stereotypes. “Conservative” or “religious” may influence one’s decision, but I’d say whether a campus is conservative or religious - or perhaps more accurately relatively conservative or relatively religious compared to one’s own values and to one’s other potential college experiences - should be a nuanced and personal evaluation. Certainly a “conservative” character could include considerations other than the left-right political spectrum, and religiousity is just as complex. With nationwide universities of thousands of students, even if some general characterizations could be made, there are lots of micro ecosystems at work anyway.

I would say, from the outside looking in, I’m not quite as quick to dismiss a student body made up of 45% of students from one state. A campus of 45% Vermont kids, or 45% Iowa kids, or 45% Utah kids, or 45% California kids will also prompt consideration. The US is pretty “flat” and there is ever-increasing homogeneity due to media and other factors, but where a school sits and where it gets its kids should, I would hope, still influence its character.

I also embrace the perspective several have shared on Texas being a big state with a deep pool of talented high schoolers. However, I suspect Rice admin is intentional in its strong plurality of Texan admits. Otherwise, if Rice would really like fewer Texan admits but has hovered for years around 45%, aa reasonable conclusion might be that it is “forced” to accept as many Texans as it does because it cannot find enough equally attractive applicants from out of state to reduce its Texan % much below 45%. I rather doubt that, but have no empirical basis to draw a conclusion given I don’t know the contours of Rice’s in-state vs. out-of-state applicant pool.

Dimnarion, thanks much for the perspective of a recent, non-Texan grad, very helpful! I would say that about this part of your reply:

“Rice is an incredibly diverse school. Look at its student satisfaction rankings, it often wins happiest students, best quality of life, best race/class interaction and it is ranked the 5th favorite college on niche.com”

that having high student satisfaction ratings may or may not speak to Rice’s “incredible diversity.” A campus might be incredibly diverse (and by that I mean more than racial diversity, and I think you do too) and students may be satisfied, or it may be non-diverse and students may be satisfied, etc. That Rice ranks well in those categories is awesome sauce, but how those rankings reflect diversity is not necessarily clear.

Overall, the original question probably makes me appear far more concerned about Rice’s Texan slant than I am. Rice is an incredible institution, and Texas is within its own borders a well-spring of top students from diverse (in every way) backgrounds. It’s really about having a conversation with my D about Rice that moves well beyond the fact it is in Texas, and all the replies have been of great help in helping me do that. Thanks much!

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@JMS11 I do believe the quality factor drives a large percentage of Texan admits. The numbers you cited show in-state admits peaking at 51% in 2008 but recognize that Rice began increasing the size of its incoming classes in the late 2000s with the most recent two residential colleges opening in 2009. The increase in admissions would have logically increased the number of those overly qualified Texans being admitted if Rice didn’t want to diminish selectivity. In the last few years President Leebron has set the objective of admitting more international and out-of-state students to increase Rice’s brand recognition outside of Texas. They aren’t going to do that by accepting less qualified out-of-state applicants, but over the longer term I believe you will likely see the Texan percentage drift gradually downward. For the classes of 2019 and 2020, the percentages of Texans actually enrolled were 42% and 43% respectively.

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@JMS111 how do you judge diversity - and from that how diverse is Rice?

Here is a recent quote about Rice diversity:
“We’re especially gratified by our two No. 1 rankings in the Princeton Review for student happiness and interaction among students of different racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, as well as our top-10 ranking for overall student quality of life," Rice President David Leebron said. "These reflect two of our most important commitments: the general welfare and positive engagement of our students, and building a diverse and inclusive community. We take this expression of satisfaction from our students not as a laurel to rest upon, but an encouragement to constantly aspire to do even better.”

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@TinTintoo has a good point about looking at other states compared to Rice and Texas. Students from California also have the Claremont consortium, USC, California Institute of Technology, other high quality state schools, and a number of mid tier privates like Mills and Occidental. So if you are a California student looking to stay I state there are a myriad options. In Texas there is Rice and UT Aston. I assume Rice can turn down only so many Texan valedictorians.
As far as diversity goes, my daughter sent me a picture of her floor and visually it looks like the UN. Visually and in fact Rice seems more diverse in ethnicity, class, style and politics then many other elite colleges whose student body embodies the “cookie cutter” homogeneity. As I was saying, Texas itself covers a huge swath of culture ethnicity, topography, climate, and history, from high desert to almost tropical rainforest, from Indian pueblos to international modern cities. There is a certain Texasness as any college has of its place, there is probably more talk of hunting then you at other elite colleges but it doesn’t have that preppy snobiness either. I am not a student but this is the feedback I get.

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There is more to diversity than race, but ethnically, Rice is considered to be one of the the most diverse colleges

http://www.bestcolleges.com/features/most-diverse-colleges/

And what I think is key, is that due to the residential college system Rice kids all interact with a wide array of people. You are automatically a member of a “frat” that is representative of the diversity of the student body as a whole.

Rather than just finding your own homogeneous community as is often the case.

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@MaineLonghorn I was just curious my son wants to apply early decision to Rice University. He is from Maine as well and was just wondering how your son compared to my son. He went and visited also completed an on campus interview. Mostly was just wondering about his extra curricular activities and sat or act score possibly how many AP classes he took. Possibly what high school he attended and did he visit. Also did he apply early decision. I know they don’t take many from Maine. You can private message me if you want. If this is too personal that is ok too.

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@fun1234, I will send you a PM.