<p>I really like the whole reputation of Rice, and I feel like its academics are strong, as well as the residential college system.</p>
<p>I must ask, though, if I will be liked here. Notice I said 'liked' and not just 'accepted'. </p>
<p>I'm an african american female and I have an afro (medium sized). If i had to label my style I would say hipster.lol. I'm pretty open and tolerant to all ideas, but I would call my self mildly liberal. </p>
<p>Even though I don't live there anymore, I grew up in Texas and have family in Houston, so I know the type of bible-belt mindset that you can find in most areas of the south is there, but on the Rice campus, do you think I would be accepted?</p>
<p>^^I’m asking because I don’t want to end up going to a school where I would be ostracised, treated differently, or otherwise judged for my views and outward appearance.</p>
<p>look at the profile of rice. Does it strike you as a place where that would happen??</p>
<p>If so - then maybe it is not the place for you. Id suggest that you look through the forum and see some of the discussions. It will show you all the different types of people that attend rice. </p>
<p>I really cannot give you a better answer than that. A lot of it depends on how you want to be liked and who you hang around</p>
<p>Echoing what Antarius said, it depends on what you mean by “liked.” Nobody at Rice is universally liked, but conversely nobody’s really universally disliked. Actually, I’d say that nobody at Rice will have any animosity towards you unless you express some towards of animosity towards them — by being overly judgmental, for example. That’s definitely frowned upon.</p>
<p>Some people get frustrated that they don’t find a place in the “mainstream” (whatever that means) culture of their colleges, but most of those people find a place in the extra-collegiate “counter-culture” that’s arguably more of a mainstream.</p>
<p>It’s difficult to answer your question, mostly because it’s hard to tell exactly what you’re asking. There are plenty of hipsters and faux-hemians at Rice, for what it’s worth.</p>
Rice is very cosmopolitan, as is Houston. No bible-belt mindset that I’ve ever seen at Rice, though definitely some folks of various religious persuasions. I’m going to go out on a limb here, and say that chances are excellent that you will be liked. Nothing about african american, mildly liberal, hipster with an afro shouts “unlikable”. Now if you had said, Angry, hostile intellectual who likes to fight - maybe not. And even then, Rice is a very accepting place… so who knows. Apply, and good luck with your application! ;-)</p>
You’ll be fine! Rice people are very friendly and accepting, and there are many kids who felt out-of-place in high school who find their friend-group and place at Rice. You will be surrounded by very bright young adults from all over the country and all over the world - individuals with very diverse world-views.</p>
<p>Bible-belt stereotypes are rare at Rice. I’m about as hippie-dippie super liberal socially deviant as you can get, and even I am quite well liked and accepted.</p>
<p>I’ve never seen anyone be ostracized for their appearance or views, except for one person who is somewhat intolerant of certain lifestyles. People don’t really tolerate intolerance here.</p>
<p>You will be fine! It’s all about your personality and how open-minded you are. It’s not like high school where there’s no social mobility and you’re just stuck with your clique forever. If you’re a nice person, you’ll be liked. Just relax and go into O-Week with a positive attitude.</p>
<p>PS one of my best friends is a hipster. My roommate this past year was a hipster. Being a hipster or any of the characteristics you described will not disqualify you from making friends! If anything, you’ll be more interesting to people, some of whom may not have come from backgrounds where they know a hipster.</p>
<p>Wow!
Thanks everyone for your reassurance. I was really afraid that I would seem weird to people there; I think that these just gave me the push to give the school a closer look. :D</p>
<p>HAHAHAHA Sorry, I just burst out laughing when I read “I know the type of bible-belt mindset that you can find in most areas of the south is there, but on the Rice campus, do you think I would be accepted?” Just about the first part, because that really is nothing further than what it is like. Echoing what everyone said, it is very cosmopolitan and you definitely get people from everywhere. I’m from NYC and I would say Rice, in some ways is more accepting than people in NY. For one thing, the people are a lot nicer. (sincerely so) Houston is the fourth largest city in the US after all. (not that that’s related to anything)</p>