<p>Artist rendition of the rec center, modulation. But it is coming along very nicely and will be ready by the start of school in august.</p>
<p>I heard from several friends that Rice is kinda competitive. Competitive in a sort of cutthroat way. Is that true? Are people worried about their gpas? Do the premed/prelaw types have a more negative stereotype?
thanks</p>
<p>woami: Really? One of the reasons I chose Rice was because I've always heard the students describe the academic atmosphere as friendly competition. From my visits to Rice and what I've read on other threads, I've been under the impression that the students are very collaborative and willing to work together.</p>
<p>
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I heard from several friends that Rice is kinda competitive. Competitive in a sort of cutthroat way. Is that true? Are people worried about their gpas? Do the premed/prelaw types have a more negative stereotype?
thanks
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</p>
<p>Even though I'm just a prospective student, I've NEVER heard the words "cutthroat" and "Rice" used together. I always hear about how students help each other outside of classes, etc...</p>
<p>Yes, Rice kids are competitive. You generally get that at any top school that is very selective in choosing passionate, driven and high-achieving students.</p>
<p>But we are not cutthroat. It is competitive as in you compete against yourself and constantly try to improve yourself and your grades, but never the kind of run-to-the-library-and-rip-page-out-of-book-so-only-you-can-have-it kind of cutthroat mentality that is stereotyped of Cornell and Johns Hopkins (notice I said stereotype, not reality, so don't flame me). </p>
<p>There is a very friendly and collaborative atmosphere here at Rice, it is definitely not cutthroat. Perhaps your friends are overly concerned with their grades to the degree that they feel the environment is cutthroat.</p>
<p>Yes, people are "worried" about their GPA's in that they care about doing well, and again you could expect this at any top school--after all, your main job in college is to get a good education and good grades that will get your foot into a top business/med/law school, grad school, or whichever company and industry you want. You're paying $40-45k a year for 4 years for a private school education at Rice (one of the best value top private colleges), I should HOPE you are worried about your grades in that you want to do well! That kind of money certainly is not a drop in the ocean for the vast majority of students.</p>
<p>But by NO means is everyone like, "OMG! I got a B on the calc midterm, what'd you get?" I got asked that once or twice, but I politely refused to tell, just because I didn't want added stress and inner competition. It is your choice how to respond to a statement like that. There are people who do ask about grades, as there always will be, but they are in the vast minority.</p>
<p>Rice kids care a lot more about learning than just grade-grubbing and grade-pushing just to get to professional schools.</p>
<p>I don't know my friends' GPAs nor do I ask. I don't even care what their GPA's are, I'm just concerned with doing well for myself. Students here often work together collaboratively in study groups for homework and midterms, it's certainly not a "every man for himself" sort of isolation and alienation.</p>
<p>I think CC is doing weird things to my post by posting what I posted last as first.</p>
<p>AHhhh!</p>
<p>Oh, that reassures me, since from what I gleaned through google, Rice seems to have a friendly atmosphere. I couldn't really base my opinions on my visit there since the tour guides in the summer are probably the more enthusiastic ones. I was just a bit worried since I don't really like it when I have to compete with others. My friends do come from a pretty cutthroat high school(Many, many asians and top 10% cutoff is something like 4.2 gpa unweighted) so it might just be that way for their friends at Rice.</p>
<p>"But we are not cutthroat. It is competitive as in you compete against yourself and constantly try to improve yourself and your grades, but never the kind of run-to-the-library-and-rip-page-out-of-book-so-only-you-can-have-it kind of cutthroat mentality that is stereotyped of Cornell and Johns Hopkins (notice I said stereotype, not reality, so don't flame me). "</p>
<p>LOL. Do people really do that? It seems...so pathetic. If someone did that, they better run fast or they'll get tackled and thrown in a lake/pool/sewage tunnel. I'm having fun imagining this actually happening :-) Would they eat the page after they're done?</p>
<p>Oh, and got another question. I couldn't find on the website, but is the Metro bus free as well? And is finding a place to live off campus hard? About what price range can I expect? (0-15min traveling distance)</p>
<p>the humidity</p>
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I couldn't find on the website, but is the Metro bus free as well? And is finding a place to live off campus hard? About what price range can I expect? (0-15min traveling distance)
[/quote]
yes, no, 400-600/mo per person is a reasonable expectation.</p>