<p>I'm pretty set on going to Rice next year. I just had a few concerns: </p>
<p>First of all, I wanted to confirm that there are a good number of student organizations at Rice, comparable to other schools such as WashU, etc...I know Rice has the college system, but does this detract from the formation of other groups/social activities such as Debate, multicultural groups, etc?</p>
<p>Secondly, does the college system restrict making friends and meeting people to solely one's college? Is it difficult to meet people outside of one's college?</p>
<p>Thirdly, are Rice kids extremely antisocial compared to other top schools? I know that most top schools must have some element of this, but I have heard Rice stereotyped for it. </p>
<p>1) lots of clubs: Rice</a> University Clubs My kids both love their club sports. I'm always amazed at how busy Rice kids are, and how involved they are in so many different things (including all the theater productions the res colleges put on).</p>
<p>2) Not restrict making friends. You will start out closest to your res college, because you will know them the best from O-week, but as you join and participate in different activities your circle of friends will increase. </p>
<p>3) My outgoing, socially active kids love Rice. Thankfully they don't share all the parties and things they participate in with me :eek:, but I hear about plenty still. Club sports are great, lots of fun themed parties. Dd specially likes the Passport-to-Houston and Rice Night stuff (free performances and events at opera, ballet, museum openings, music events, etc). I've been on campus many times; I see lots of social outgoing people. (note: this is just from a Mom's perspective. I'm sure some students will chime in soon.) I also think that one of the nice things about Rice's res system, is that it allows any less social kids a chance to be part of the family, too!</p>
<p>The college system also gives you a boost in your social networking, since it allows you to start making lifelong friends from day 1. You won't be making friends that easily at another school, unless you're unbelievably good looking and charming.</p>
<p>I have one big concern- from what I understand, many of the professors at Rice spend most of their time with their research, or are just bad professors. I heard it from several people as a "hit or miss" place, with special emphasis on the economics department having bad teachers and many of the engineering classes being boring (I'm considering double majoring in engineering and economics.) </p>
<p>Is it possible to stay away from the bad ones with the knowledge of ratemyprofessors.com, or do any of you disagree with what I heard? This is the only thing really stopping me from immediately enrolling.</p>
<p>at owldays my host said that on esther when u reg for classes u can review profs. not sure exactly how it works, but she said it's brutally honest for the most part. should help with scheduling...</p>
<p>Official course and instructor evaluations are made public, so you can read student "reviews" and ratings for just about everything. Don't bother with ratemyprofessors.com -- might be entertaining, but not exactly representative.</p>
<p>There probably are "bad" professors, as with any school, but I have been generally very pleased with mine.</p>
<p>OAGr -- where are you getting this information from? My son has been very happy with the faculty he's had in engineering (and other courses as well).</p>
<p>I have heard bad things about the teaches of Econ 211 (I think that's the title), which is the first economics class you'd take, but I've heard good things about the teachers of other classes. </p>
<p>I woud guess that all engineering classes are boring everywhere, but that's just me. Although welding sounds like it could MAYBE be a fun class.</p>
<p>Dd has had some FABULOUS teachers over the years! (Also one or two that she didn't find as interesting, but the really good profs far out-weighed the one or two not-so-good. And she has several wonderful profs who she counts as mentors and friends.) The lovely thing about Rice is that it has such a high faculty to student ratio that there are more options of profs to chose between. If you were at a LAC with only 1850 students and a 1:10 ratio, it might be limiting. That being said - the beginning sequence for engineers is very similar across most school: diff E, Calc, Physics, Chem. Some find the content fascinating, some not so fascinating.</p>
<p>
[quote]
OAGr -- where are you getting this information from?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Some kid in third period. ;)</p>
<p>But really, OP, I don't think any of your fears are based in the reality of Rice! Every prof you have isn't going to be <em>amazing</em> (that's not going to be true of any place you could go), but they're usually really good. Students are outgoing and you end up knowing people from tons of different RCs, and there are a bunch of extracurricular activities open to everybody. No worries!</p>
<p>But that bit about ECON 211 is the absolute truth. At least, it was back in Fall '00. :) I dropped that class after my 2nd test.</p>
<p>Seriously though, after finishing my Rice degree in the Engineering school, I can count the "bad" professors I had on one hand -- and still afford to lose a finger or two.</p>
<p>There's always some truth behind stereotypes. Rice is nerdier overall than most of its peers, but it doesn't lack a social scene. You'll find everything you want (parties, formal socials, etc.). It's not the place for a frat kid though.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>There are plenty of clubs. Politics, religion, environmentalism, sports, etc. That shouldn't be a concern.</p></li>
<li><p>The college system is hardly limiting in your friends. Granted, some of your closest friends will be at your own college, but if you follow through with 1, you will have no trouble whatsoever making other friends. And if you are social per 3, you'll have even less trouble. </p></li>
<li><p>People are very friendly at Rice, and there's a lot to do socially (in my opinion). There are always parties going on the weekends, if you're into that sort of thing, and if you want something else, it's not hard to find a social event to fill the nights you're not studying.</p></li>
<li><p>Some professors are outstanding. Others are terrible. Sometimes it's luck of the draw for a required class, but oftentimes you can pick and choose based on professors, because there are some incredible ones at Rice.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I think I can give a pretty balanced opinion on what Rice is really like. It seems like Rice students only have positive things to say, and though I would like to think that this is all true, I really have to disagree. Most of my complaints do come from the college system and social life. I will preface this all by saying that some people truly LOVE the college system and will argue the opposite of me.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>There are plenty of organizations on campus. I don't think you will have much trouble finding something you are interested in. </p></li>
<li><p>I think the college system is very limiting. The benefit of the college system is that it immediately introduces new students to other students, but the problem with that is that those people you meet aren't necessarily people you would become friends with anyway. Also, I think that immediate introduction is not necessary for some people. If you are one of those people who doesn't have a problem meeting people then you won't appreciate that aspect of the college system, but you also might get frustrated with some of your peers who are unwilling to go out of their way to meet other people. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Rice is a small school and the college system definitely makes it seem smaller. I kinda have a love/hate relationship with Lovett. I've met some great people there and the people are generally friendly, but I can't say that the college system has served me particularly well.</p>
<p>I advised at Sid last year and their freshmen class has such great community. So I think most people there would have positive things to say about the college system.</p>
<p>I have thought many times that I should have gone to a bigger school or even just a school without a college system. </p>
<ol>
<li>I wouldn't say Rice students are extremely antisocial, or even antisocial. I would describe the majority of students as lacking social skills. My only point of comparison is with some students I met at Harvard over a few days and I immediately noticed how they were so much more sociable and friendlier. Here are some gross generalizations, but I will offer them anyway. Rice guys prefer to stay inside and play World of Warcraft. The large majority of them consider it a large bother to leave campus to get food on the weekends. I have to be cautious in generalizing on the girls at Rice because I have learned my lesson from doing that before. Rice girls do seem to be normal and more developed socially then the guys. Of course there are exceptions to everything I said, but I just wanted to offer my opinion. So before everyone jumps on my case, please realize that I am merely offering my opinion that has evolved from three years of being at Rice.</li>
</ol>
<p>I think these are very legitimate concerns. I realize that it is the end of may and you probably have already had to make your decision, but... really take all this into consideration!</p>
<p>Both my kids said that the college system is only limiting if you let yourself be limited by it. And..
[quote]
I would describe the majority of students as lacking social skills
[/quote]
DS said is unfair and also an exaggeration. Both agreed there is a small subset of guys who are less socially adept - but DD guessed that figure about 10-15% of the males.
[quote]
My only point of comparison is with some students I met at Harvard over a few days and I immediately noticed how they were so much more sociable and friendlier.
[/quote]
But that's not much of a comparison, is it? Maybe the less sociable and friendly Harvard students are holed up in their dorm rooms playing World of Warcraft - online with the Rice kids. ;) Both my kids are outgoing and social and found many friends at Rice who are likewise. (And so much for cyber-anonymity. DS and DD said, "Oh, we know who that is!" after reading your post - and said that you are welcome to your opinion, but that they disagree! :) )</p>
<p>Torrestowers — I wouldn't say the "vast majority" of guys — though there certainly is that element, as anxiousmom said. I know most people (myself included) love to get off-campus on the weekends.</p>
<p>I am one of those people you mention who LOVE the college system and will almost always come to its defense (or sing its merits, regardless of who asks), but I certainly understand the concern about the college system being limiting. In fact, when people ask me about negative aspects of Rice on my tours, I say that some people find the college system limiting socially, though that hasn't been the case in my experience. My experience with the college system has been that you do meet people that you otherwise wouldn't be introduced to, as you said, but I disagree that those aren't the people who otherwise wouldn't be your friends. After a few months at Rice I began to realize how much more superficial my friendships were in high school. At Rice, rather than being friends with someone only because we have some extracurricular activity in common, my friends are my friends because of shared hobbies, social habits, and outlook on life. The college system has, if anything, expanded the base of people I can meet. And I do have many friends outside of my own college, though very few of them are among my closest. I guess you develop something special when you live with someone for a few years.</p>
<p>Dissenting opinions are always welcome, as clearly we don't have a hive mind at Rice. But I would say that the vast majority of students love the college system (perhaps because for most people it is the biggest reason they came to Rice).</p>
<p>I also wondered where the OP was getting all these "concerns" as, hearing from my newly-graduated s, none of that stuff is accurate. PLENTY of clubs, wonderfuly supportive RC system with plenty of other opportunities to meet people elsewhere, and excellent faculty. Granted, he is peeved at his senior design prof, whio is known to be a bit of a jerk, and is not helping (as he had promised) to get some rather sizable funds reimbursed that were promised to s (that's a story for another time.. ) Other than that, (which he's still working on) it was a GREAT 4 years that flew by too fast!</p>