<p>So, next year I plan on applying to some top level colleges and my number one choice is Rice. I've read tons of information about the school and it seems perfect for me. However, I plan on applying to other similar level schools (cornell, northwestern, duke, etc.). When I tell my parents that my number one choice is Rice, they don't like it. They think that the other universities are better options for me simply because they have heard of them more often. How can I convince them that Rice is worth passing up the other schools (assuming I get in)? </p>
<p>Also, are they at all right? People always tell me that it doesn't matter if people you talk to as long as your employers and grad schools recognize the value of a Rice education. But if my parents (both of whom are very educated) and teachers have never heard of Rice, how much more knowledgeable can my future employers be?</p>
<p>Rice has been around a hundred years. However, it has been more of an LAC until 2000 or so, with a very low undergrad population. So there were not a lot of graduates out there to spread the name. Now they graduate about 1000 each year and so there are a lot more to spread the name.</p>
<p>Irrespective of who has heard about Rice, the graduates are doing just fine in the job market. Getting into the school on the other hand is getting much harder.</p>
<p>The school’s overall name recognition may not be as great as some of its peers, but it’s very well known in the south. A lot depends on what you plan to major in. </p>
<p>In terms of specific programs, it’s well respected nationally in engineering and the sciences and has a top rated architecture school.</p>
<p>If you want to major in the humanities or social sciences, there are more prestigious places. But even in those disciplines you’ll be taught by full professors in small classes that encourage discussion and critical thinking. </p>
<p>I think your parents need to go online and start exploring what’s out there. We’re at the end of my son’s college selection process and there are many terrific schools out there that I had never heard of at the beginning.</p>
<p>One thing about the application/decision process that you may want to iterate to your parents (nicely), is that it is your life, your choice. However yes, if they are the ones paying the bills, they should get SOME contribution, but ultimately it should be your decision.</p>
<p>While my S and I talked about various schools, I did my absolute best to keep away from “Well, I think X school is best for you”. At one point he was leaning very heavily toward one of his choices and while it would have been an awesome school, <em>I</em> knew it wasn’t right for him, but I never said anything to lead him to believe that. Ultimately he chose Rice, which has been absolutely right for him and I knew that too, but never told him that.</p>
<p>Truthfully, to an extent, it is not the name on the diploma, it’s what you do at the school to set yourself apart, to stand out, to get to know professors. It’s important to choose a school where you can do those things and where you like where you live and who you share your day in and day out life with. Rice is a pretty good place!</p>
<p>The only ones who need to be impressed with where you attend school are graduate schools and employers. Rice has a stellar reputation with these two entities. Do not pay attention to who thinks a school has a lot/no prestige. In addition prestige depends on where you live. WUSTL has tremendous prestige, but there will be areas of the country where no one has heard of it (or think it’s the University of Washington). Just like marrying the prettiest girl you meet will not guarantee a happy life, neither does a prestigious college name ensure that a particular student will thrive at that school. </p>
<p>This may sound very blount and rude, but if educated parents and teachers have never heard of Rice, then I have to question how educated they are. The world does not revolve around the top 10 schools in this country. There are great opportunities at many schools. In addition, Rice has a very happy student body. I am a parent whose son just went through this whole process (unfortunately was not accepted to Rice, but a neighbor 4 houses from us will be attending Rice this fall). My son will be happily attending WUSTL, another school that is superb like Rice but also struggles with name recognition amongst the general public.</p>
<p>blankk -
I’m not as familiar with those specific departments, but applied math and computer science are part of the engineering school.
BTW while departments are placed into different schools, you don’t apply to a specific school, just the university as a whole.</p>
<p>I second PsychoDad’s comments. We live in the North East. While Rice’s name recognition is lower up here than more “famous” names such as the Ivies or Stanford, it is still very high and well-regarded among more educated and knowledgeable individuals. To be honest, when my daughter first mentioned she was considering the place, I didn’t know as much about it as I should have - but that reflected badly on me, not her. Now I have researched Rice, I am just thrilled that she will be attending such a special place. Encourage your parents to learn more about it themselves and hopefully they will feel the same way. I’m sure as teachers they are always willing to engage in a little continuing education!</p>
<p>While Rice doesnt have the name recognition that some other schools do, those that know, Know, if you know what I mean. DS was recently interviewed for a job in a very hot tech company. Went through 9 interviews. The last interviewer happened to also be a Rice engineering grad. DS starts work in a week :)</p>
<p>Thanks, texas!! He is very happy. Its a great opportunity. He’s actually been out in the workforce and off our payroll for several years. We are all happy campers :)</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, I was at a national debate competition last summer and a girl there was from Houston and I told her that my brother was going to school in Texas in the fall. She assumed automatically that he was going to a UT school. I corrected her saying that he was going to Rice and her eyes lit up and she said “Woah, he must be really smart… that’s like the Harvard of the south.” This girl was intellectual and knew that Rice was an amazing school.<br>
You shouldn’t worry about what other people perceive your school to be…even if it is your parents. Know that in time, you will care less and less about the common-man image of your school.</p>