Rice University Reviews

  • 84 Reviews
  • Houston (TX)
  • Annual Tuition: $54,960
100% of 84 students said this degree improved their career prospects
100% of 84 students said they would recommend this school to others
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Student & Graduate Reviews

Sport Management has to go
  • Reviewed: 1/8/2023
  • Degree: Sports Management
"Sport management was a huge disappointment for a major. I didn’t realize until I was further into the major that no sport companies recruit and there are almost no decent paying jobs in the field. A joke. Professors do little to create meaningful job opportunities which continue to be an issue even years after the students leave Rice."
Malaz
  • Reviewed: 11/7/2019
  • Degree: Psychology
"Go to Rice University if you are seeking intellectual stimulation and accessible professors. Go here if you want brilliant classmates that are also fiercely competitive as much as they are committed to the environment of collaboration. You will not be able to get an easy A. You will have to stretch and learn and grow. Go here if that's your vibe. My professors and the administration were kind to me. I did not have an easy ride all the way through - it was tumultuous as college probably should be if you are asking the real questions and exploring. And they were kind to me. That's the word I would most use: kindness. And there are a ton of resources here. If you are resourceful person, you can get a lot done in a short amount of time. If you are not resourceful, learn to become resourceful. Since the classroom sizes are small, there is plenty of attention to the students and you can get a well-rounded education. I love this university and miss it greatly. I would go back in a heartbeat."
Statistics student
  • Reviewed: 6/30/2019
  • Degree: Statistics
"Rice is definitely a unique place, with its residential college system and a diverse student body. I enjoyed getting involved in various extracurricular activities and taking interesting classes outside of my major in languages, arts, and business. However, I wish that the statistics department had invested more in their undergraduate curriculum. A lot of the required courses were theoretical in nature, which to me, makes sense in introductory courses but not so much in upper-level courses. The classes were still rigorous, and I learned to think critically, but these theoretical classes did not help so much when we actually had to create data-driven solutions in our senior capstone class. However, the department has recently created a data science minor, so I believe there is potential for the major to improve."
Blessing Falade
  • Reviewed: 6/30/2019
"Rice is an incredible university that attracts gifted and unconventional students. One of the most unique aspects of Rice is its college residential system, which operates similarly to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series. Rice is a top 15 school in the nation, with some of the best professors and is located in the diverse and eclectic city of Houston, Texas. However, my favorite aspect about Rice was that I was able to receive a quality education while still getting the normal college experience. Students at Rice are brilliant and driven, but also know how to socialize and let loose when needed. There is an abundance of extracurricular activities to keep you plugged into the school and many of these organizations operated as a destressor for me. I met some of the best people in my life at the school, some of which I know will be in my life forever. Rice was by far not an easy feat especially as a first-generation, low-income, minority student but it afforded me invaluable experiences and opportunities that I will never forget. Happy to answer any more questions!"
Meghan Pollard
  • Reviewed: 4/25/2019
  • Degree: Fitness Trainer
"Rice University is a tough school, but it is the dream school. I wouldn't trade my experience there for anything in the world. The campus is beautiful, the professors are amazing, and the students are brilliant. The professors will help you with anything you need as long as you ask. They do not initially approach you, but if you go to them they will do everything in their power to make things possible for you. The cultural and ethnic diversity at Rice University is amazing too. No other school I looked at had such a variety of peoples which as a multiracial woman I find this aspect incredibly important. I will also say that the food at Rice is pretty good too if you find the right cafeteria on campus to eat at. There is a lot of variety. The dorm rooms at Rice University are generally nice as well, but it does vary depending which college you end up with. I was in Jones college which had carpet floors and a public restroom and shower (divided by sex) for the floor, whereas some other colleges like McMurty have private bathrooms and showers for each dorm you. Unfortunately you do not get to pick which dorm you live in, but I recommend saying you have allergies so you can end up in one without carpet flooring. Carpet flooring in a dorm is such a pain to keep up with."
Natalie Kirchhoff
  • Reviewed: 3/20/2019
  • Degree: Fitness Trainer
"Rice University -- a place to grow, learn and develop into an adult. I cherish my experiences at Rice. From the college system to distribution credits, the school creates well-rounded leaders. In addition, they have amazing career development resources and the professors are generous with their time. Although I graduated 10 years ago, I still keep in touch with my professors. The community is great and I loved the small class sizes. I highly encourage all students to take a careful look at Rice to see if it's the right fit for them."
Aerophage
  • Reviewed: 9/1/2017
  • Degree: Engineering
"Rice is an amazing STEM university. It possesses great instructors, amazing technology, and a phenomenal environment. Overall, if you can afford the "significant" tuition, Rice is an amazing school to attend."
Anonymous
  • Reviewed: 5/22/2017
  • Degree: Accounting
"Rice university is a great place to get a Masters degree"
Sharad
  • Reviewed: 3/26/2017
  • Degree: Liberal Studies
"Rice University is an experience unlike any other. The small class sizes make one on one interaction with professors and faculty inevitable. You will have tons of opportunities to pursue research or applied learning throughout your time at Rice that isn't always available at other schools. Socially, Rice also has a lot to offer. The residential college system is a great way to be introduced to a spectrum of people from all different backgrounds and the friends you make there will last a lifetime."
Caitlin White
  • Reviewed: 3/23/2017
  • Degree: History
"I attended Rice University's history program from the years 2011-2015. I greatly enjoyed my program. The professors (especially Dr. Maya Soifer Irish, Dr. Caleb McDaniel, Dr. John Zammito, and Dr. Lisa Balabanlilar) were fantastic, always willing to assist any student with an assignment or with career advice. My specialization was medieval history, but I took courses in many other subject areas. I gained a new understanding and appreciation for history. It is a tough program, but well worth it in the end. Through my time at Rice, I have gained new writing skills that I did not possess before, the ability to analyze documents for the information they posses, and new confidence in my ability to present something to an audience. The downsides would be that there were not many networking opportunities, as I'm sure the department realized many students would use their history degree in another field. The skills that I gained at Rice will help me greatly in my Master's of Library Science program. If given the opportunity to relive my time in college, I would still choose this degree and still be satisfied with it."
Kira Clingen
  • Reviewed: 3/17/2017
  • Degree: Biology
"Rice University's education is paramount with Ivy League colleges, with an excellent faculty, both tenure-track and associated professors. The university's small size allows for interaction with faculty from the beginning years of any degree program, and the opportunities for research begin during the first year and expand. The availability of jobs on campus, especially at student-run businesses, further make the education a holistic experience."
Reed Macy
  • Reviewed: 2/25/2017
  • Degree: Economics
"Rice University was a wonderful undergraduate experience for me. As a smaller institution (enrollment of approx 3,000), Rice provides smaller class sizes and direct access/relationships with professors. Over time, this afforded me very close and lasting relationships that I could use for advice, recommendations and greater connection into the community. Additionally, the campus is beautiful. Dubbed "behind the hedges" in Houston, Texas, Rice is loved in the heart of the museum/medical district in a growing metropolitan city. This provides easy access to the arts, sciences and recreations of Houston, while maintaining a large and beautiful campus that feels quiet and insular from the city as well. Campus housing is great, where students are guaranteed 3 of 4 years housing in modern mixed-sex dormitories. And the campus is large enough to include intramural fields and recreation facilities that take less than 10 minutes to reach from any point on campus."
Reed Macy
  • Reviewed: 2/22/2017
  • Degree: Economics
"Rice University was a wonderful undergraduate experience for me. As a smaller institution (enrollment of approx 3,000), Rice provides smaller class sizes and direct access/relationships with professors. Over time, this afforded me very close and lasting relationships that I could use for advice, recommendations and greater connection into the community. Additionally, the campus is beautiful. Dubbed "behind the hedges" in Houston, Texas, Rice is loved in the heart of the museum/medical district in a growing metropolitan city. This provides easy access to the arts, sciences and recreations of Houston, while maintaining a large and beautiful campus that feels quiet and insular from the city as well. Campus housing is great, where students are guaranteed 3 of 4 years housing in modern mixed-sex dormitories. And the campus is large enough to include intramural fields and recreation facilities that take less than 10 minutes to reach from any point on campus."
Brittany Nicholson
  • Reviewed: 2/12/2017
  • Degree: Environmental Science
"This program is focused on the industry, so networking opportunities are abundant along with bringing speakers from the industry to help with career advice and potential job and internship opportunities. Although sometimes unorganized, if you can find the right people who know the answers the program will be very helpful for future career."
Miriam O.
  • Reviewed: 2/2/2017
  • Degree: Fitness Trainer
"Rice University. A private university located in the rich culture of Houston where squirrels are abundant, the free food/t-shirt addiction is a bit too real, and the odds of being classmates with the next "Forbes Under 30" talent is quite high. But in all seriousness, Rice University is home to unique diversity- in the student population, in the faculty representation, and in the beautiful city of Houston. While Rice, for the most part, is not particularly known for its athletic program, there are indeed some amazing things that go on in this tight-knit community. Of course, the academic expectations are pretty reflective of the university's ranking. Students from all across the world come to the university to dive into a rigorous curriculum in hopes of leaving Rice with a degree in hand an a job (or further schooling acceptance ) in the other. Interning and researching are probably the typical response when you ask a Rice student about future summer plans. But don't let this stress you out- most students are more than willing to lend a helping hand if you are (like me) an individual who walked into college with a not-so-clear end goal. On top of that, Rice students really do live by the "work hard, play hard" motto. Whether its cultural shows, subsidized Houston events, or whatever else goes on off or on-campus, there's always plenty to do! All in all, I love Rice. Did I hate it at times? Haha of course (I mean that's life right?)! But I can't imagine a better way to spend four beautiful, amazing years of my life:)"
Anonymous
  • Reviewed: 1/31/2017
  • Degree: Chemistry
"Beautiful campus, leading in research with extensive collaborations with the Texas Medical Center"
Amy
  • Reviewed: 9/8/2016
  • Degree: Environmental Engineering
"Rice University is a a mid sized university located in the heart of Houston, Texas. Rice combines the luxuries of a small liberal arts college and the research power of a larger university. If you decide to go to Rice University you will certainly be challenged within your academics, while enjoying a fun social life, good food, and warm weather."
Chris
  • Reviewed: 8/9/2016
  • Degree: Liberal Studies
"It's hard to put into words how unique of a school Rice is- from the residential college system that brings students together from the first day, to the collaborative yet challenging academic environment, to the host of traditions (some more appropriate than others) that students hold dear. Academically, Rice is a rigorous school, but not to the extent of infringing upon quality of student life. Students that graduate with a Rice degree are not only well-rounded individuals, many of whom have leadership experience, but are individuals with an academic degree respected nationally and internationally. I would highly recommend any prospective student visit the campus if possible; the vibe here is like no other."
Mark Cochran
  • Reviewed: 1/30/2016
  • Degree: MBA
"You will be extremely busy. Expect to put in all of your time. Due to the small class size (around 115) you will get to know everyone fairly well. This is one of the things that sets apart the Rice program. In Texas this MBA will impress people. In other parts of the country (Michigan or North Carolina for example) you might have to tell people that Rice University is not a grain and farming school. The total price tag is around 110k, however the financial aid is usually pretty decent. The quality of education is hard to gauge against other business programs (I have only gone to B-grad school at Rice, so how could I compare?). That said I have learned an emended amount during my first year. The quality of your classmates is impressive. You have people from all sorts of backgrounds and geographical areas. And they are mostly very intelligent. On the whole I recommend the program."
Charya Wickremasinghe
  • Reviewed: 11/17/2015
  • Degree: Chemistry
"Rice Chemistry is a great program! Faculty and students are a very close knit community and precedence is given to research and exploring your scientific curiosity, more than anything else, which in my opinion is the best thing a chemistry grad program can offer! The campus is beautiful and the student population is very diverse. I love it here at Rice!"