Should I Apply or not?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rice University
1

Hey, I would really like some honest opinion about whether or not I should apply to rice ed. I love the school but i have doubt that i will even have a chance because my test scores are a little low. I took the act 2 times. first time got a 29 composite, second time 31 composite. There is a common idea that says if you don’t fall in the 25th percentile colleges won’t look at the rest of the application. My score is under the 25th percentile. But, if i superscore my results i would have a 33 composite. Reading 36, Science, 32, English 31, Math 31 which lets me fall in the 25th percentile. Rice also says that they don’t superscore the act but they do look at the best scores for each section. The thing is that I believe if i am given the chance for admission to read the rest of my application i might have a chance of getting in. Thus, I am wondering what the people of college confidential think. Please be free to be frank.

Also, if I do apply, I would be applying to the school of architecture. which requires you to declare major

They also require an art portfolio and I believe that my portfolio is pretty strong. It is similar quality to RISD, pratt, and cal arts accepted portfolios on youtube. (if you want to see it, message me)

other stuff besides scores (if u want more info or have questions just ask):

extracurricular: (all 4 years)
NAHS - Historian (10) Vice President (11) President (12)
Cross Country team
FBLA- Treasurer (11) Historian (12)
4th place regional global business 3rd place regional hospitality and management 6th place states global business 1st place states hospitality and management

Key Club - historian (12)

rho kappa (2 years) treasure (12)

elementary school tutoring: all 4 years
GBMC summer volunteer: 3 years

AP: took a total of 15 APs (9-12) – 6 are senior ap)
calc ab (5), psychology (5), us history(5), world history (4), comp sci pri (5)+java (4),

subject test: took but didn’t do well: both under 730 probs not going to send them

Recommendation letter: teacher 9-10/10 counselor 7-8/10 he knows who i am and my name. which is kinda good since i go to a relatively large public school

Essay+ supplement: 8-9/10

GPA: 3.56 Weighted: 5.378
Rank: 34/500 top 7%

My school is considered one of the better schools in maryland and doesn’t give out a’s a lot. Every year 4-8 students get into the ivies.

demographic: 2 parents, middle class, asian female in maryland

2

I wouldn’t say “no” college will look at you if your scores fall in the bottom 25 percent. However at Rice, like many other top 25 schools, a large chunk of low-score admits are athletes and URMs whose life stories or nonacademic talents push them over the bar. Your odds as a non-athlete non-URM would not be especially high.

However if you are right that the rest of your app is well above average, then it is always possible your portfolio will resonate with the archi department or your essays will strike a chord with a sympathetic admissions officer. Good luck!

3

Have you taken the SAT? Some people do a lot better on it than the ACT and vice versa. If you have a better SAT score, send that and do not send the ACT scores. Rice recommends but does not require subject tests. If your subject test scores are not particularly high, you might not want to send them. The architecture school has some additional requirements for admission such as a portfolio. Admission into the architecture school is very difficult as it only has room for a certain number of students.

4

Thx for your insight. I think i am going to apply but not expect much. who knows i might get lucky. @ricegrad I am on my schools xc team I won a couple of races as a team but I don’t think i will be good enough for d1. I wrote a sup essay about it thou. do you think that could help? @Houston1021 My SAT scores are even worse. then my act.

5

Go for it. If your grades and scores are good enough to pass minimum muster, the architecture school admits who they want based on the strength of the portfolio. It is the same with the music school for performance majors and for recruited athletes.