I have a child interested in being in Texas, says “if Rice were not all science” it would be perfect for me.
I have visited with my older child and see Baker Institute of Public Policy and on line, that undergraduates are active in a journal there. Does anyone have a sense of what the social science, political “vibe” is there?
I’m not a current student, but I was admitted and was interested in the humanities/social sciences. I will actually not be attending Rice, but I think I can still offer my perspective (and with help from current students, of course!). I think you will be hard-pressed to find a program at Rice that’s “bad.” Granted, like most other schools, some programs will be larger and more well-known than others, as I know engineering - particularly BioE - is fantastic at Rice. I did a fly-in program a few months ago and the majority of other students in the program were interested in hard sciences/engineering, but there were still others like me. My host was a public policy major (something along those lines) and he seemed to have really enjoyed it. I also sat in on an introduction to social psychology class (not exactly the same type of social science as your child) and it was absolutely amazing - the professor was well-prepared and engaging, and I actually learned a lot just in that hour span. I did sit in on a foreign policy seminar-style class and found it painfully boring and dry, but probably because that stuff just isn’t my cup of tea. The race and ethnicity class I sat in on was probably one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had. The professor knew all 50+ students by name and I actually got the opportunity to contribute to the discussion!
However, the science presence on campus was definitely pronounced and at times I really wished there were more applicants interested in what I was studying and that the vibe wasn’t so skewed toward the sciences. I know the Baker Institute of Public Policy is supposed to be amazing, so I’m sure there would be a lot of opportunities in that area. My host explained to me that there was a sense of political “apathy” on campus, which I wasn’t crazy about, but I was told that Rice tends to be more liberal. Still, I know that if I would’ve chosen Rice that I would’ve been perfectly happy. It’s such a great school!
Ultimately, I felt that for social sciences/humanities that I, PERSONALLY, would find more opportunities at the school I’m now going to, but Rice is a leader in academics for a reason, so you can’t go wrong. If you can, be sure to visit and do an overnight visit, as that is what ultimately changed my perspective on Rice and helped make it a serious contender for where I would go to college.
Thank you!
Hi, current rising sophomore in the Humanities here. I think the above post did a pretty nice job of addressing the campus climate, but I do have to say that I disagree with the “political apathy” bit. I’ve heard that said about Rice before, and honestly I don’t think it’s particularly accurate. As far as I’ve been able to tell, Rice students are politically aware and opinionated, and if you’re in the Political Science department, you’ll find the people who are especially so. The campus does lean left, although I’ve met people on campus with strong political leanings in both directions. There are also opportunities to get involved in political science research/internships if that’s what your child is interested in.