rice essays reddit

Tips and Examples for Writing your Rice University Supplements

Owls at the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Malaysia

Rice University is the only college or university in the state of Texas that isn’t on Apply Texas. Rice accepts the Common or Coalition Application. In addition to the required 650-word long essay, each first-time freshman applicant must submit responses to three supplements: discuss your major, Why Rice and a diversity essay linked to their Residential College System. This prompt is not part of Fall 2021 freshman admissions. Applicants must also upload a photo or image that appeals to them in “The Box.”

Rice is also one of the only Texas universities that offers a binding Early-Decision November 1 deadline option and the request for interviews. Otherwise, everyone must complete their Regular Decision applications by January 1, a month later than UT-Austin and Texas A&M’s final deadline. ED applicants are admitted at twice the rate of RD prospects.

Rice admits only 9% of it’s applicants and has a middle 50% test score range of AT 33-35 and SAT 1460-1560. That means a quarter of admitted students have basically perfect standardized test scores, and few who score outside of the top ten percent of test-takers nationwide will gain admission. Still, given the limited spaces, many applicants with near-perfect academics will get denied from Rice.

Like most other Texas universities, they have gone Test Optional for Fall 2021. Some students are asking if I think Rice will somehow be easier since they’ve gone test-optional. I think it’s the opposite. A likely increase in application numbers means an even lower admissions rate than before. If you’ve scored higher than a 1450 or 32, submit your score.

Still, Rice is extraordinarily competitive, comparable with most selective universities nationwide. 60% of enrollees come from outside of Texas. Consider that Rice admits a lower percentage of applicants than Cornell, Dartmouth, U Penn, Northwestern, Duke, Vanderbilt, Carnegie Mellon, and Georgetown.

If you don’t feel you’re competitive for the above schools, Rice is probably out of reach. Often, Texas residents throw Rice on the list when there is little to no chance of gaining admission because it’s in-state and nearby. Since they have additional supplemental essays, it requires extra time beyond your Apply Texas schools. Unless your family makes less than $200,000 , you are expected to pay the full cost of attendance.

Every year, my clients gain admission to Rice, but none have enrolled because they assess UT-Austin or Texas A&M as providing a better value and less potential debt. Building a debt-manageable and reasonable college lis t is critical for managing expectations and college admissions anxieties. Choose wisely whether Rice is worth the effort to apply and if it’s an education you can potentially afford.

Interested in working together on your UT-Austin or Common Application essays? Complete my questionnaire for a free e-mail consultation.

Converting your Apply Texas Essay A to the Common Application Essay

Since Rice isn’t on Apply Texas, you will need to submit an essay for either the Common or Coalition applications. Since most applicants submit the Common App, and since Common App has hard word limits, I focus here on converting your Apply Texas Essay A to meet this requirement. Generally, for Texas residents, it saves a lot of time and energy to submit a single long essay rather than writing separate submissions for Apply Texas and the Common App.

Apply Texas has recommended word limits of 500-700 words for its Essay A, but in practice, Apply Texas doesn’t have any hard word limits. In practice, Apply Texas’s 80 lines of 120 characters equates to an absolute word maximum of around 830-850 words, so yes, your Essay A can be longer than 700 words. I discuss word limits further.

Since Essay A “Tell Us Your Story” is such a broad topic, it can fit easily into one of the Common or Coalition options. I suggest writing and polishing Essay A first before trimming it down to fit within Common App’s firm 650-word limit. Common App does not allow a single word in excess of the word limits for either the long essay or the supplements.

Check out my new book Surviving the College Admissions Madness and Youtube Channel

Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected (150 words)

This supplement short answer requires a straightforward and direct response to why you’re majoring in your area of interest. Almost all students applying to UT-Austin will provide a shortened version of their UT Major supplement.

It isn’t absolutely necessary, but it can help your essay by identifying and writing briefly about any courses, professors, research labs, study abroads, academic organizations, or certificate programs that interest you. Moreover, since Rice is a smaller university, they have fewer amounts of majors, but they have an emphasis on discovery and interdisciplinary studies, so it’s important to do homework about what sets Rice’s academic units apart from other selective universities.

Rice Academic Area Example: Economics

The interdisciplinary approach of the supplementary Managerial Studies major appeals to my interest in how macro- and microeconomic conditions dictate corporate strategies. I intend to double major in Economics so that I can develop economic analysis and statistics tools to better understand consumer behavior. I look forward to exploring the social sciences and taking courses like the Behavioral Economics (Econ 210) elective requirement, which should integrate the discussion of firm decision-making covered in the Financial Economics (Econ 443) Managerial Studies core. In addition, I want to explore statistical modeling tools through the Financial Computation and Modeling (FCAM) minor program. I hope to investigate the financial technologies that analyze market behavior and investment strategies. Overall, I admire that the course offerings deviate from a traditional business major and towards a comprehensive overview of the internal and external environment of a firm.

Rice Academic Area Example: Psychology

After two years of experiencing severe stomach pain and nausea, doctors diagnosed me with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). I searched for every related book I could get my hands on to explain the link between mental and physical health. As a result, I pursued an internship at the local counseling office to further expand my knowledge concerning GAD. I genuinely want to understand how mental health affects people. It fascinates me unlike anything else. After interviewing psychiatrists, licensed professional counselors, and nurse practitioners, I intend to obtain a Ph.D. and become a professor of abnormal psychology. Nothing seems more exciting than investigating the sources and treatments for mental health and contribute to the wider body of knowledge to inform and support future generations. To achieve my goal, I plan to take a multi-disciplinary approach and double-major in psychology and neuroscience with a minor in data analysis.

Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? (150 words)

If you didn’t mention any specific opportunities that appeal to you in your Rice Major essay, you definitely need to do so here. Writing your “Why Rice” essay requires identifying at least a few reasons that makes Rice unique among all the colleges you’re applying. Visiting campus, like the first example below, obviously helps. Discuss any observations or interactions from your visit and discuss briefly relevant organizations or communities that appeal to you. It also helps to strike a balance between academic and Rice community activities.

If you haven’t visited Rice, like the second example below, it may help to read student blogs, watch Youtube videos, read or listen to a Rice professor interview, or find any relevant research that interests you. With Covid-19, it may help better inform your essay if you take a virtual tour or their other remote visit options. You can also see what Rice thinks sets them apart from other universities.

Why Rice? Campus Visit Example

During my visit to Rice, I became captivated by the experiential concept of the student-run businesses. I can see how on-campus opportunities provide real-world experience like Rice’s Coffeehouse. I appreciate it’s commitment to sustainability and plastic waste reduction, which aligns with my product sourcing analyst role in my mother’s online business. For instance, I identified the company 4Ocean for inclusion in her business brand portfolio. For each bracelet that the organization sells, they pledge to extract a pound of trash from the ocean. I want a college that supports student interests and offers intimate communities. The Rice Undergraduate Finance Club appeals to me because students manage a portion of the university’s endowment through real investments. After expanding student access to a standardized comprehensive financial curriculum as a national officer for the Young Investors Society organization, I recognize the value of sharpening my financial acumen within a team setting.

Why Rice? No Visit Example

Because of my academic interests, undergraduate research opportunities are my top priority. Currently, I find myself the most captivated by the minds of people living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Rice cultivates an environment of unrestrained intellectual curiosity. I’ve grown up on a farm, and the life and career of Temple Grandin who revolutionized the livestock industry fascinates me. Autism granted her gifts for understanding animal and human behavior in novel ways. Bonding with cattle led her to invent the “hug box” to calm people with autism spectrum disorders. I’ve read of Deborah Pearson’s work in the Developmental Neuropsychology Clinic, and I would love to join her research team concerning therapeutic approaches to children with ASD or ADHD. Additionally, Rice’s commitment to maintaining small class sizes was a huge factor in my decision because small classes foster deeper discussions. I don’t want to take classes just to pass. I want to actually understand the material and how it applies to everyday life. I don’t feel it’s possible to have meaningful dialog and exchange in 100+ student lectures.

Rice is lauded for creating a collaborative atmosphere that enhances the quality of life for all members of our campus community. The Residential College System and undergraduate life are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What life perspectives would you contribute to the Rice community? (500 words)

This wordy supplement is a textbook example of a “diversity” essay, almost exactly like UT Austin’s “enrich the learning environment” diversity essay asking you to discuss an identity, interest, or talent. Whereas the UT Major short answer can be shortened to fit that 150-word prompt, many students expand upon their UT’s diversity essay with additional forecasts on how they perceive themselves on campus. Other ways to word this prompt are “tell us something you want us to know that you haven’t already mentioned in your application” or “describe the environment in which you were raised.”

This essay has two key steps: discussing what perspectives you bring to campus, and how you see yourself on campus. One option is to elaborate more on Why Rice by referencing campus clubs or student organizations relevant to your background or interests.

Students often get tripped up on the Residential College System wording, but that reference is as much about Rice’s value system and priorities as the living arrangements.

“Unlike many universities, Rice doesn’t have sororities or fraternities, nor is there an honors college or an athletic dorm. Instead, we randomly sort our new students into one of these 11 colleges. Because each student is randomly assigned and stays in the same college throughout their undergraduate years, the diversity of our student body creates a rich tapestry of traditions, culture, and, most importantly, community.”

Rice’s residential system is genuinely unique among Texas universities and models itself on Yale’s residential college system . Much of the community and campus life takes place inside and among the eleven colleges.

Our residential college experience conveys the rich flavor of academic life at Rice and allows students to combine their usual studies with an array of social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, innovative college-designed courses, and an active role in student government.

If you’ve visited campus or have friends or family who have lived in one of the residential colleges, it can help to identify one or two of the communities where you might belong. If not, do some homework regarding each college’s traditions, values, alum, and so on. Although the living and roommate assignments are distributed randomly - there is no Harry Potter Sorting Hat that considers your preferences - it can demonstrate to your reviewer that you’ve made at least some effort to research the Residential College System’s value and unique living situation.

Each example below focuses on how their background and beliefs will contribute to Rice’s diverse campus. Both share how they view themselves on campus.

Residential College System Diversity Example: Religion and Culture

As a practicing Sikh, I attend the weekly Sunday religious services at [redacted] temple. I am a lead youth worship volunteer responsible for reaching out to other area religious communities and helping with food service during the congregational meals. The vegetarian meals are free of charge and open to everyone, fostering an inclusive gathering for temple visitors irrespective of religion or ethnicity. I distribute food and water with a commitment to seva , or the selfless service towards others. The term Sikh translates to a disciple or learner, and we seek prosperity for all of humankind. Our religion emphasizes interfaith relations, so we welcome people from all backgrounds interested in peace and equality. I regularly attend cultural assemblies, and I became the first graduate from the local Punjabi language school at [my temple]. In addition, I facilitate donation collection, cash counting, cash reporting, and budgeting for our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. I strive to maintain close cultural and religious ties to my heritage, but intercultural exchanges are central to my life. In addition to supporting the Sikh community, I believe it is vital to give back to society at large. As a result, I have implemented the ChangeUp app initiative at [my temple], so members can round-up purchases and cumulatively contribute spare change to a selected nonprofit organization. Particularly, I desire to become a Community Bridges Fellows of the Rice Kinder Institute of Urban Research so that I can engage in fieldwork and sociology coursework that help alleviate poverty and address urban inequality in the Greater Houston area. By aligning with Sikhism’s core community-focused Sangat philosophy, which refers to fellowship and the need for a cohesive community, I appreciate interacting with both young children and senior citizens. In fact, I have encouraged the youth at the temple to serve in a similar fashion, following my lead with funds management and meal service. During my time at Rice, I would apply to be a Religious & Spiritual Genre Council Lead because I want to arrange inclusive events that bring students from varying backgrounds together. By planning networking events for students and alumni as a Genre Council Lead, I would have the opportunity to both espouse and embody Rice’s commitment of hospitality to each member of the community. As an adherent of the Sikh religion, I recognize the necessity of interfaith relations to build an inclusive community interested in personal growth and professional development. At Rice, the randomized residential college system will offer fruitful opportunities to develop relationships with classmates from all backgrounds. By coordinating with the Rice Program Council (RPC), I hope to host events and discussions to build an inclusive community interested in personal growth and professional development. I seek to immerse myself in Rice’s diverse Sangat , or enter its welcoming network that offers academic, social, and philanthropic opportunities to build rewarding ties with members of the student community.

Residential College System Diversity Example: Rural Perspectives

Trust me, I would much rather spend my time participating in the typical suburbanite activities like gymnastics, music lessons, or maybe even yoga. However, as the daughter of a trailer tycoon, my evening pastimes include shaking buckets of ironically-cylindrical cattle cubes, leading the cattle into their pen and pacing myself, so the cattle walk quickly but don’t stampede. It surprises me that others haven’t considered that cows have personalities just like dogs or cats. Blue, our massive Brahma bull, would walk up behind me and duck his head under my arm so I could pet and give him attention. The first couple of times he approached, I fled to safety fearing I encroached on his territory. Each time, however, he followed me to the fence and looked at me longingly with his fluttering big amberbrown eyes. Eventually, I accepted his invitation. HisThe calves he fathered share his friendly demeanor whereas calves from other bulls tended to shy away. Blue soon became one of my closest friends, and I made sure he got all the love and attention he deserved. My grandfather shared his love of animals with my mother who passes down to me her dedication to the well-being of four-legged creatures of all shapes and sizes. As a vet, my grandfather confided with me that his patients were typically very kind and courteous. Their humans caused the problems. My mom, sister, and I probably go a little bit overboard sharing his compassion for animals, but we just can’t say no to whichever animal in need wanders onto our property. We currently home six dogs and two cats as permanent residents. Countless more temporary guests have made their mark on our family over the years. Thankfully we live in a rural area where the dogs can roam, and the cats can scamper about. I must admit that when confronted by the “What is your spirit animal” question; I don’t hesitate to answer that my obese cat Felix embodies what I enjoy most – napping and free food. I’ve spent my entire life around animals. I credit them for making me more empathetic, loyal, and understanding. At Rice, I see myself participating in several service-based organizations and providing free tutoring to my classmates. Living meaningfully to me requires helping others and contributing to the greater good. A job where my efforts translated into numbers on the bottom line would leave life meaningless and dull. It’s when you invest in others whether animal or human that life becomes interesting.

In keeping with Rice's long-standing tradition (known as "The Box"), please  share an image of something that appeals to you . No words of explanation can be included.

You can upload just about anything you want (although definitely don’t submit actual grains of rice). The two example applicants I referenced in this post uploaded the branding of their family business and the other a picture of some of the family animals. I imagine it’s very rare that any applicant gets admitted and definitely not denied based solely on the image.

However, a unique picture that reflects some dimension of your talents or interests could help tip the scales in your favor. Since Rice reviews applicants by committee, this is your opportunity to present a different side of yourself. If you love to cook, tinker, repair, design, sketch, produce, or play something, show an image that reflects your passion.

Although you can share an image that references something you mention in your resume or essays, it’s also your opportunity to get off the college admissions script and share something meaningful to you even if it has no obvious relationship to improving your admissions chances.

In any case, I wouldn’t overthink this. I’ve known a few students who spent days and sometimes weeks agonizing what to upload, comparing and contrasting tens of images to try and find some mythical “perfect” photo.

Every blog post I share on Tex Admissions features a photo from my travels. Most are often totally irrelevant to the post content, but some like the Owls on this post, it is directly relevant, taken during a visit to KL’s Bird Park famous for its world’s largest indoor enclosure. So if I were applying to Rice, perhaps I’d upload these owls.

Interested in working together on your UT-Austin or Common Application essays?

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 5 tips for writing the perfect rice essay supplement.

College Essays

Rice University is one of the top 20 universities in the nation , and to get in, you need more than just awesome grades and test scores—you need a compelling Rice essay. The Rice application requires several essays depending on the school you're applying to at the university. So what should you write about for each Rice essay to make your application as strong as it can be?

We'll explain what the Rice supplement is and go over the Rice University essay prompts you'll see on your application. Then, we'll give you expert tips on how to answer each essay prompt so you'll have an even better shot at getting accepted to this prestigious university!

Feature Image: faungg's photos /Flickr

What Is the Rice Supplement?

Like many colleges, Rice has a supplement that requires applicants to submit additional info to the school—that is, info not included in the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir .

The Rice writing supplement consists of several essay and short answer prompts, which most undergraduate applicants (though not all—we'll explain this in more detail shortly) must answer for their applications. These supplementary questions ask about applicants' choice of academic field, reasons for applying to Rice, and so on.

In addition, as part of the Rice supplement, all applicants must upload an image that depicts something that appeals to them or is important to them . This requirement, called "The Box," isn't an essay, but it plays just as important a role in the application process. So choose a picture wisely!

Once you've answered all these questions and uploaded an image, you can submit your Rice supplement along with the rest of your application.

What exactly are the Rice University essay prompts you need to answer? Let's take a look.

What Are the Rice University Essay Prompts?

There are six Rice University essay prompts in total ; however, feel free to relax a little since you won't need to respond to all these prompts on your application. This is because the Rice University essay prompts you must answer will vary depending on the school you're applying to at Rice .

Below are all the current Rice University essay prompts, organized by what types of applicants are required to answer which ones.

All Applicants

There are four essays that all applicants must submit to Rice.

The first of these is a personal essay that responds to one of the essay prompts provided by either the Common App or Apply Coalition with Scoir (depending on which system you're using). This essay should be about 500–550 words long and must be no longer than 650 words.

Both the Common App and Apply Coalition include several essay prompts from which you can choose. We won't be listing those prompts here, but you can find them in our guides to the Common App and Coalition App essay prompts .

In addition to the Common App or Apply Coalition personal essay, all applicants must submit three short answers as part of the Rice supplement . Your answers to the first two of these questions will be much shorter than your personal essay, at just 150 words max per response.

Here are the first two short-answer prompts:

Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected above.

Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you?

The third supplemental essay is longer, at 500 words max , and you'll need to choose between two prompts to answer:

Please respond to one of the following prompts to explore how you will contribute to the Rice community: Option 1: The Residential College System is at the heart of Rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. What life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow Owls in the residential college system? Option 2: Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice?

If you're into architecture, you'll need to answer these next two Rice University essay prompts.

School of Architecture Applicants ONLY

Applicants to the Rice School of Architecture must submit all of the above PLUS two more short answers (again, these are part of the Rice supplement). Your answer to each question must be no longer than 250 words , giving you a little more space to work with compared with the two short-answer questions above.

Here are the current Rice University essay prompts for School of Architecture applicants:

All Rice University Essay Prompts, Analyzed

Now that we've seen all the Rice University essay prompts, let's analyze them one at a time to see how you can answer them effectively.

Rice Supplement 1: Short Answer (All Applicants)

This first short answer wants you to summarize your (main) intended field of study as well as any other fields you're interested in studying at Rice. It's a deceptively simple prompt that's about a lot more than just what you plan to study at Rice.

The crux of this essay isn't just summarizing your major—it's explaining why you've chosen this field and why Rice specifically will be a good fit for your goals and interests .

Here are the questions this prompt is really asking you to answer:

• Why do you want to study this particular field?
• Why do you think Rice is a good fit for you and your academic interests?

As you write your response, try to focus on specifics . Don't just say you've always had an interest in writing stories. What specifically drove you to declare a major in English? For instance, you could discuss your deep fascination with Shakespeare, specifically with Macbeth , and how you're excited about Rice's array of Shakespeare-centered classes .

If you have enough space (remember that your answer can only be 150 words max), you could also (or instead) elaborate on what you plan to do with your intended major after college and how Rice will help you achieve this goal . If you're hoping to study music, for example, you could write about how you believe Rice's Navigating Music Careers portal and accomplished music faculty will help prepare you for establishing a successful career in music.

If you're still undecided about what you want to major in, this is a great time to explain what kinds of fields you're considering studying and why they intrigue you. Maybe you recently developed an interest in architecture after seeing the famous Gateway Arch in St. Louis and are now thinking of taking some architecture classes at Rice.

Whatever the case, be clear about what you (might) want to study and why .

What do you want to study at Rice—and why?

Rice Supplement 2: Short Answer (All Applicants)

Unlike the prompt above, this prompt is not limited to academics (though you are welcome to talk about those here as well, as long as you don't repeat anything you wrote for your other short answer). Basically, Rice just wants to know this: why Rice?

This prompt is actually a variation of the "why this college?" essay , which many colleges ask for in their applications. Specifically, this prompt is asking you to focus on why Rice is an ideal fit for you .

Here are some examples of topics you could write about:

• A particular academic program or major you're interested in doing, possibly one that's not offered elsewhere or is somewhat rare
• The small community atmosphere at Rice and the fun activities and traditions it offers students , such as O-Week and Beer Bike
• The diversity of the Rice student body and why this positive, blended environment would be ideal for you as a student
• Its urban location in Houston and how you intend to use the resources of the big city to further your academic or professional interests
• A certain professor or faculty member whom you wish to work with

Remember to be specific —don't just say you're interested in Rice because it's known for quality research or because it's ranked highly on many "best colleges" lists. What specific features does Rice have that made you apply?

If you're not sure what to write about for this Rice essay, I recommend doing some research on Rice. Start by visiting the official Rice website to see what the school offers in terms of academics, extracurricular activities, professional opportunities, internships, study abroad programs, etc. You can read more about anything that sticks out to you or resonates with your interests.

You can also refer to community-based websites, such as College Confidential and Reddit , to see what current students have to say about life at Rice.

Rice Supplement 3: Essay (All Applicants)

The third essay in the Rice supplement offers a choice of two prompts. Aside from the Common App or Apply Coalition with Scoir personal essay, this is the longest Rice essay you'll write for your application .   You have a limit of 500 words , which should give you plenty of space to delve into the details of yourself and what you'll contribute to the community at Rice.

So what are these prompts asking you to do exactly? Both options are essentially a diversity essay prompt . But let's discuss one prompt at a time.

Option 1: The Residential College System is at the heart of Rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. What life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow Owls in the residential college system?

Option 1 basically has two parts: the first asks what makes you different from other applicants and what qualities you bring to Rice. The second part focuses on Rice's residential college system , which is founded on the principles of diversity and communty; that part of the prompt asks you to describe how your cultural background or past experience will shape your contribution to your assigned residential college.

Note the significance of the word "unique" in the prompt here—this is the crux of what you should write about in your essay. What specific distinctive qualities do you have that you think will make a positive contribution to the Rice community?

Here are some sample topics you could write about for this Rice essay:

• A particular skill you have —for example, maybe you often play classical guitar music to calm down your younger sibling at home, and you think this skill could help students (and yourself) feel better during finals week at Rice
• A positive personality trait you have , such as optimism or dedication, and how this trait has helped you in life and could help you and others at Rice as well
• A cultural, religious, or ethnic background you have that is important to you in your daily life and that you feel will help increase the diversity at Rice
• Any unique experiences that are significant to you or have had a major impact on how you define yourself —perhaps you've lived in many countries and believe these experiences of constantly having to adapt to new cultures and lifestyles might help you (and others!) with transitioning to life at Rice

Option 2: Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice?

Option 2, meanwhile, asks you to share how at least one aspect of your background or identity—whether you define that by your race, ethnicity, spirituality, sex or gender, sexual orientation, how you were raised, or a particular experience—has shaped your worldview. It then asks you to explain and why that perspective makes you want to attend Rice specifically.

With this essay, keep in mind the particular use of the phrase "change agents."  The university is representing itself as a community of students who want to make a difference in the world, so given your upbringing, experiences, values, or identity, in what  specific  are would you like to have a positive impact? For example, does being a first-generation college student inspire you to become a peer mentor with Rice's Student Success Initiatives ? Did volunteering at a food bank every Thanksgiving with your family make you passionate about the service learning component of the university's Program in Poverty, Justice, and Human Capabilities?

Whether you choose option 1 or 2 for this third supplemental essay, keep in mind the following:

Make sure to show, not tell. You've got plenty of room to be able to tell a compelling story, so try not to rely on dull descriptions, clichés, and general, all-encompassing statements. Rather, fill your story with personality, voice, images, and realism. Using a variety of literary devices can add lots of color to your writing and will help your essay stand out.

In addition, don't repeat anything you've already written in your Common App or Apply Coalition with Scoir essay. The essays required for both application systems are similar to the Rice essay above in that they're all longer and more personal. Write about something different for each so you don't sound as though only a single thing defines you.

Rice Supplement 4: Short Answer (Architecture Applicants ONLY)

Why are you determined to study architecture? Could you please elaborate on your past experiences and how they have motivated you to apply to Rice University and the School of Architecture in particular?

This prompt is similar to the first short-answer supplemental prompt in that it's asking you to elaborate on your chosen major (in this case, architecture) and why you're interested in it. For this essay, however, you don't need to focus on architecture as a major as much as you do on architecture as a passion .

In other words, this is your chance to tell the story of how you developed a deep interest in architecture and what architecture means to you .

For this Rice essay, and as the prompt says, you can focus on aspirations (i.e., what goals do you have and how does architecture fulfill these?), experiences (i.e., did a particular incident make you develop an interest in architecture?), and relationships (i.e., who, if anyone, inspired you to study the field?).

Here are some potential topics you could write about:

• A particular person, such as a parent or teacher , who introduced you to architecture, and how this person influences you today (if applicable)
• A design or architecture class you took , either at school or as an extracurricular, and how this class made you become interested in architecture
• A research project you did , whether specifically about architecture or not, and how it drew you into wanting to learn more about architecture and its various applications
• A certain piece of architecture , such as the Eiffel Tower or Empire State Building, you either saw in person or learned about and that made you want to study the field further

In your essay, use specific details and avoid clichéd openings , such as "I knew I wanted to study architecture when…" The admissions committee at Rice has more than likely heard these types of overly broad statements hundreds, if not thousands, of times, so avoid them!

This is one cliché you'll definitely want to avoid in your Rice essay.

Rice Supplement 5: Short Answer (Architecture Applicants ONLY)

Please expand on relevant experiences and motivations outside of your academic trajectory that have inspired you to study architecture, focusing on aspects that are not accommodated by other prompts in the application.

This is an interesting essay prompt since it's so much broader than the other one you have to respond to as an architecture applicant to Rice. The purpose of this prompt is to reveal to Rice what types of activities you're interested or engaged in (outside of architecture) and what role they play in your fascination with architecture .

Think about what you do in your spare time, what you're passionate about, and possibly what you are obligated to do (e.g., chores or duties at work). Are there any activities you do that you find fun but also intellectually or physically challenging? Are you particularly invested in an activity?

Don't be afraid to get really creative and honest here —you're allowed to write about an activity that's unconventional, eccentric, "boring," or even plain goofy. Just make sure you're also giving the admissions committee deeper insight into something about you , such as how you flourish when competing against your own times in cross-country races or how you calm yourself down by watching urban planning YouTube videos every evening. Ultimately, you want to highlight a personal hobby or motivation that has contributed to your interest in architecture .

• Your love of design  and how toys you used to play with as a child, such as LEGO bricks, led to your gradually developing a desire to learn more about architecture as a field
• Any personal experience that relates to how you became interested in architecture —maybe you grew up in a shoddy apartment complex, an experience which showed you how better and safer architecture could improve people's day-to-day lives
• A relevant video or board game you love to play , such as SimCity, Minecraft, or 7 Wonders Architects, and how this game connects with your love of planning and building
• Volunteering with an organization or at a specific place , such as at Habitat for Humanity, and what this activity means to you ( NOTE: I recommend only picking this topic if you're continually involved with a specific volunteer effort and if it's something you're very invested in—if you helped build a house for a low-income family only once, for instance, don't write about that here!)
• An architecture-based TV show or movie , such as  Big Dreams, Small Spaces, Grand Designs , or Amazing Spaces ,   that you love and indulge in on a regular basis and why you believe this program or film has shaped your passion

As a final tip for this Rice essay, don't feel obligated to choose an "impressive" topic . Instead, use this open-ended essay prompt as a chance to demonstrate your personal strengths and passions in a highly personal, creative way.

Real Rice Essay Example + Analysis

Though knowing what kinds of topics you can write about for each Rice essay is definitely helpful, it's even better to be able to see what an actual successful Rice essay looks like. Below, we show you a real Rice essay example that was written by an admitted student .

The following essay was written in response to a prompt similar to the current Rice essay prompt for the second short-answer essay above. (In other words, it's essentially a "Why Rice?" prompt.)

Note: Since this essay is a little older and the Rice essay topics change every few years, the prompt and word length for this essay differ slightly from the current guidelines. For this essay, the word limit was 250 words, whereas the current limit is 150 words.

Here is the essay:

"We are going to visit Rice today," my mom leaned back in her front row seat and said to me.

Wait, is that a restaurant specializing in all kinds of rice dishes? Like fried rice, rice soup, and rice balls? My brain went into a frenzy.

All other questions flooding my thoughts dissipated, however, when my eyes lay on Rice's beautiful Byzantine-style buildings with its magnificent archways and its soft sand-pink brick walls. While just outside its surroundings the thriving city life of Houston continues, Rice kept its sacred ground intimate with its relatively small campus and peaceful with its large spreads of greenery and shades. It's perfect! said my right brain, falling in love at first sight with the campus. My left brain, however, chastised the emotional side of me with Don't judge a book by its cover. You can't just choose your true love like that!

Exasperated by my left brain, I attended an information seminar. Phrases like "Passport to Houston," "Best Quality of Student Life," "Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen," and "more than 40 interdisciplinary centers" flashed by my eyes. Almost unlimited access to Houston's transportation and hangout spots? A research facility where I can group with students of all fields and work on solving real-world problems? Friendly research faculty who might allow me to continue my interdisciplinary research in psychology and computer science? My left brain finally gave in. Alright, alright. Let's go make Rice into not just a staple for food, but also education, then.

What Makes This Rice Essay Work?

It's got a lot of personality. The italicized parts, which symbolize the applicant's thoughts, give us a highly personal and intriguing look into their reactions to their first visit to Rice. In addition, the humorous bits (such as when the university's name is compared to the actual rice food) add a fun and creative touch.

It oozes passion. While this applicant might occasionally go a little overboard in how they describe how amazing Rice is, one thing is clear: they're extremely interested in attending Rice and making the most of their interdisciplinary interests here.

How Could This Rice Essay Be Even Better?

It could cut out the clichés. The saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" has been done to death and doesn't add any memorable insight into the applicant. This essay would be better if the applicant had changed this phrase or simply cut it out completely. Moreover, although the concept of Rice as a food is funny, this applicant likely isn't the first person to have made a joke about this.

It could be more specific. Although there's clearly a lot of passion in this Rice essay, it lacks detail in areas where we could've learned a lot more about the applicant. For example, what kinds of research does this person want to conduct at Rice? And what "real-world problems" do they want to solve?

How to Write a Great Rice Essay: Five Key Tips

Before you go off writing your Rice essay, here are some final tips to keep in mind.

#1: Use Specific Details

I've said this before and I'll say it again: be specific in your essays . Rice doesn't just want to know that you're good at softball—it wants to know why this sport is important to you, what kind of role it plays in your life, and how it makes you feel.

If you're describing a specific person in one of your essays, use concrete details to show the admissions committee who this person really is. Does she have an endearing gap in her teeth when she smiles? What does his voice sound like?

Details like these will allow your readers to more readily feel the personality and passion in your writing, making it easier to relate to you on a deeper level. They'll also help you and your essays stand out from the sea of applicants, which is always a plus!

#2: Channel Your Inner Voice

Personal essays are all about showcasing your personality and a side of yourself that's not made clear in the more quantitative (i.e., grades and test scores) parts of your application.

Therefore, with each Rice essay, make sure you're channeling your inner voice. Does the essay sound as though you wrote it and not someone else did? Are you writing about what you really want to and not what you think the Rice admissions committee wants to read?

For example, if you're naturally a humorous person, feel free to throw in a joke or two. If you're the poetic type, you could add in some lines of poetry you've written (if relevant to your essay topic) or sprinkle in some flowery metaphors.

The basic tip here is to write in whatever way comes most natural to you .

That being said, there are a few things you should always avoid in your college essays:

• Typos, poor grammar, incorrect spelling, and other technical errors (the only exception to this would be if you're quoting someone who used incorrect grammar or colloquial words such as "ain't" or "gonna")
• Inappropriate stories —don't write about the time you got arrested or made an obviously wrong or immoral choice, for example
• Rude or impolite words and phrases

#3: Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Even though most of the essays on the Rice supplement aren't that long, you still have a lot to write for just one school, so these essays will likely take up a lot of your free time. Be sure to start your essays (for all the colleges you're applying to—not just Rice) ahead of time, ideally at least a few months before your college application deadlines .

#4: Avoid Repeating Yourself

Many of the Rice University essay prompts touch on similar topics, such as why you want to attend Rice, why you want to study a certain field, and what makes you unique.

As you answer the prompts, try to ensure there isn't too much overlap between the content of your essays .

It's OK if there's a little bit of repetition. For example, it'd be hard not to talk about your interest in architecture as you answer supplement 1 (What do you want to major in?) and supplement 3 (Why architecture?).

That said, your primary goal should be to focus on different main points for each of your essays . This way, Rice will get a more well-rounded (versus one-sided) picture of who you are.

Avoid repeating the same ideas in your essays; remember that you're trying to stand out as an applicant, so each response should give the admissions committee new information about who you are, your intellectual passions, and your motivations.

#5: Don't Forget to Proofread!

For each Rice essay, take a lot of time to edit and proofread it.

After you write a rough draft, put the essay away for a few days. Once some time has passed, take your essay out again and reread it. Fix any obvious errors, such as typos and misspellings, and mark any areas that are awkward, unclear, or irrelevant.

Do this process a few times until you have a fairly clean draft. Then, give your essay to someone else to read ; this could be a parent, teacher, older sibling, tutor, etc. Ask this person for feedback, and use their advice to further tweak your essay until you eventually have a quality final draft.

As with any essay, be sure to do one final proofread (and get someone else to look it over, too!) right before you submit it to a college.

What's Next?

Interested in applying to other highly prestigious schools besides Rice? Then take a look at our guides to how to write essays for Northwestern , Harvard , and Stanford .

Writing college admissions essays can be tricky. Check out our expert guides to learn how you can write a great Common Application essay and Coalition Application essay .

For more tips on how to get into Rice, including what SAT/ACT score you'll need, check out our Rice University admissions page .

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

How to Write the Rice University Supplemental Essays: Examples + Guide 2023/2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What are the rice supplemental essay prompts.

• How to write each prompt for Rice University
• Prompt #1: "Why major" essay
• Prompt #2: "Why us" essay
• Prompt #3: Multiple options essay
• Prompt #4: "Why architecture" essay
• Prompt #5: "Why architecture" essay (non-academic)

If you’ve already written supplemental essays for your college applications, chances are you’ve written some version of most of Rice’s prompts below. And there’s a reason these essays—specifically the “Why us?,” “Why Major,” and “How You’ll Contribute” prompts—are so common: They do a great job of getting to the heart of who you are, what you value, and what you’re looking for in a college experience. But just to show it’s different, Rice throws a curveball for the last one (in addition to a couple extras for architecture majors). We break them all down below, complete with examples, tips, and analyses.

Before you begin writing, you may want to get deeper insights into the kind of student Rice is looking for, and how it views itself. You’ll find an extensive, by-the-numbers look at its offerings, from enrollment and tuition statistics to student life and financial aid information, on its Common Data Set . For a better sense of how Rice envisions its role in academia and how it wants to grow and evolve, read its strategic plan, Vision for a Second Century, Second Decade (V2C2) .

Rice University Supplemental Essay Prompt #1

Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected above. (150 word limit)

Rice University Supplemental Essay Prompt #2

Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? (150 word limit)

Rice University Supplemental Essay Prompt #3

Please respond to one of the following prompts to explore how you will contribute to the Rice community:

The Residential College System is at the heart of Rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. What life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow Owls in the residential college system? (500 words) Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice? (500 words)

Rice University Supplemental Essay Prompt #4

Architecture Essay Prompt: Why are you determined to study architecture? Could you please elaborate on your past experiences and how they have motivated you to apply to Rice University and the School of Architecture in particular? (250 words max)

Rice University Supplemental Essay Prompt #5

Architecture Essay Prompt: Please expand on relevant experiences and motivations outside of your academic trajectory that have inspired you to study architecture, focusing on aspects that are not accommodated by other prompts in the application. (250 words max)

Rice University's "The Box"

The Rice Box: In keeping with Rice's long-standing tradition, please share an image of something that appeals to you.

How to Write Each Supplemental Essay Prompt for Rice University

How to write rice supplemental essay prompt #1.

This essay is what we call a “Why Major” essay, and at 150 words, it’s relatively short. 

You’ll find a step-by-step guide to writing this essay at this link . We recommend reading the whole guide, but here’s the SparkNotes version:

Step #1: Imagine a mini-movie of the moments that led you to your interest and create a simple, bullet-point outline.

Step #2: Put your moments (aka the “scenes” of your mini-movie) in chronological order, as it’ll help you see how your interests developed. It also makes it easier to write transitions.

Step #3: Decide if you want to include a specific thesis that explicitly states your central argument—in this case, what you want to study and why. This thesis can be at the beginning, middle, or end of your essay.

Step #4: Write a draft!

Here’s an example essay to point you in the right direction.

After attending a three-week summer camp researching epigenetics, I knew that molecular biology was what I wanted to study as the next step towards a research-oriented biotech career. However, research for research’s sake isn’t what I’m interested in. Molecular biology has huge implications for human health, with the ability to alter gene expression or protein function as a possible avenue for the treatment of almost any disease.   Because of these potential impacts, molecular biology is a field that’s ripe for unethical exploitation, as seen in Gattaca or Brave New World. I want to make sure that research is conducted with everyone’s best interests in mind, so that the benefits from discoveries will be able to help more than just those that can afford it, and so that they can be used safely and effectively. — — —

Tips + Analysis

Identify the relevant movie moments. This student’s “movie moment” is their time at summer camp, when they knew they wanted to study molecular biology. Note that it can be useful to get even more detailed and cinematic, but you’ll want to avoid simply repeating the activities list. And with the prompts fairly small word count, spending less time on the what allows for more word count space to focus on why this is important to them.  

A step towards a larger goal. This student writes about how they want to study molecular biology as a next step towards a research-oriented biotech career—a great, direct reason for their why. If you already know what you want to pursue careerwise, a great way to frame it is by talking about how a certain major will help you achieve those goals. If  you don’t know what you want to do in or after college, you can still take inspiration from this by talking about how this major will help you achieve a different goal, like learning about something you’re curious about or exploring an issue that matters to you. 

Discuss larger scope, impact, and your role in it. While already within the first sentence/paragraph, we know the what and why (step towards research-oriented biotech career), the rest of this essay goes into greater depth to explain this direction, especially in relation to research. They talk about the big picture for how molecular biology can impact human health, but the golden nugget is when they talk about where they see themselves fitting into that picture: making sure that research is beneficial to everyone and discoveries can be used safely and effectively. 

Sprinkle in points of connection. This wasn’t necessary, but definitely a nice touch—this student sprinkled in references to Gattaca and Brave New World, which does a few things: (1) tells us a tiny bit more about the student and maybe some of the media they like to engage with, (2) that they’re able to make connections between things they’ve read/watched and what they’re learning about in real life, and (3) creates an aha moment for the reader, especially if they’ve read/watched these things; it creates even more of a visual without the student having to explain exactly what those unethical exploitations are. 

Here’s another example from a Rice applicant with an impressive depth of exploration:

Over the past summer, I conducted research as a full-time intern at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The primary purpose of my research was to engineer a more efficient halogenase enzyme. This enzyme was designed to decrease costs and increase the yield of halogenated products used to create a novel biomaterial for F-35 aircraft. Applying all the knowledge I’d gained throughout high school to figure out this problem was an incredible introduction to the world of multidisciplinary science. I built on my years spent studying organic chemistry, biochemistry, and microbiology, both in school and Science Olympiad, with a focus on utilizing engineering principles in order to create a product. Throughout the summer, I enjoyed being able to apply my knowledge collaboratively, pulling from a vast range of scientific fields. It’s this experience that has greatly influenced my decision to continue applying myself interdisciplinarily and continue my undergraduate studies in biomedical engineering. — — — 

And as a bonus, here’s a good example of a strong Why Major essay that was written for Yale but offers a solid framework to emulate (note, though, that you’ll get a whole 50 more words for your Rice Why Major).

Storytelling has shaped me. At four, I read The Lion King until I’d memorized it. I’d snuggle in bed as my dad read Wilderness Champion or Tom Sawyer. Later, I found audio and visual storytelling, mesmerized by This American Life and Whiplash. Now, I create my own stories through newspaper satire, podcasting, and locally-broadcasted radio.  My major at Yale would be the next chapter in my life of storytelling. I’d explore past narratives and how they can be digitally innovated. Whether exploring media’s disfiguration of truth, developing screenplays, or analyzing mise-en-scene, I hope to pioneer new networks of connection. (99 words) — — —

Tips + Analysis  

(Quickly) hook the reader. The first line performs a few functions here. First, it pulls us in and makes us curious about what exactly she means by claiming that storytelling has shaped her. Second, it gives us a sense of a core aspect of her identity and values. 

Show the development of your interest through moments that connect to core values. She packs a nice amount of detail into 99 words. The details she includes point toward her values and identity, as do her interests in newspaper satire, podcasting, and local radio. The details in the second paragraph show some nice depth and development. 

Describe how Rice can help with the next steps. She links her brief origin story to how college might help her on her path, and how it will help her develop both her understanding and her values. 

Architecture students, write about your other areas of academic interest. Technically speaking, you essentially have three academic-focused prompts for Rice, for a total of 650 words (lucky you!), so it’s important not to repeat yourself too much and to share multiple aspects of your academic interests. When filling out your Common App for Rice, you’ll be asked to note your “second and third areas of interest, including non-majors and areas outside the school to which you are applying.” So, since you’ll be thoroughly covering your interest in architecture from a couple of different angles in Prompts 4 and 5, consider using this essay to speak to your interest in those other subjects, maybe touching on architecture only briefly but not in a way that will feel redundant to the information you’ll share in the architecture-specific prompts. That will help to communicate to Rice the wide breadth of your academic curiosity. 

how to write Rice Supplemental Essay Prompt #2

At 150 words, this is a shorter version of the typical “Why us?” essay.  

Because this essay is so short, the key will be finding 2-3 reasons that set Rice apart from all the other schools you’re applying to.

Here’s the “Why us?” essay guide —in this case, the Cornell example is probably the best one to check out, since it focuses on reasons that set Cornell apart. In that guide we talk a bit about how to tackle the shorter version of this essay, and the Tufts example is a great one. 

As you write, try to avoid these common mistakes:

Six Common Mistakes Students Make on “Why Us?” Essays

Mistake #1 : Writing about the school's size, location, reputation, weather, or ranking

Mistake #2 : Simply using emotional language to demonstrate fit

Mistake #3 : Screwing up the mascot, stadium, team colors or names of any important people or places on campus

Mistake #4 : Parroting the brochures or website language

Mistake #5 : Describing traditions the school is well-known for

Mistake #6 : Thinking of this as only a "Why them" essay

Here’s a great sample essay for this prompt: 

Last year I attended California Girls State. Like myself, many delegates were pursuing careers in STEM, and we helped each other understand the importance of having a supportive community of intelligent, empowered young women. So when I found Women LEAD at Rice, I was excited to apply. Women LEAD will further expose me to views on leadership from a woman’s perspective while networking with other bright, talented women so I too can become a leader and inspire others.  I love that Rice is one of the only schools I’m applying to that directly focuses on student well-being and community through things like President and Dean’s Study Breaks, helping students find balance before finals. Additionally, I want to work with the Rice Student Volunteer Program, helping build community in Houston, and with Baylor College of Medicine Patient Discharge Initiative to help underserved patient populations, as I’ve loved volunteering at Saddleback Memorial.  — — —

The “us” in “Why us” means you + Rice. In other words, connect your “why me” to your “why Rice.” This student does that right from the start, sharing a leadership experience that inspired her (STEM-focused delegates at California Girls State) and connecting it to a relevant opportunity that’s attracted her to Rice (Women LEAD). Try to do that as often as you can throughout the essay, as doing so shows, in dating parlance, why you and Rice are perfect for each other.

Be specific. We’re talking about courses, professors, programs, opportunities, clubs, etc., that are unique to Rice—like this student’s mention of Women LEAD, President and Dean’s Study Breaks, and the Student Volunteer Program. And make sure to spell them correctly! 

Make it clear that Rice is unique, and say how. Admission officials don’t just want to know how you’d take advantage of their school’s offerings; they also want to know “why Rice” over other schools you may have applied to. So in addition to academic and extracurricular specifics, try to find one or two examples of an opportunity that you can’t find anywhere else, or in this student’s case (in the school’s support for student well-being), at only a few other schools. 

Show a range of interests. The broad scope of this prompt (“what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you”) is intentional. It’s not just asking about your chosen major or your academic interests; it’s probing for details about the breadth of your interests. Of course, with just 150 words, you don’t have a ton of space for the whole laundry list, so you’ll need to be judicious in choosing your range of reasons “why.” This student does a nice job of that in the short space allotted, pivoting from leadership opportunities (Women LEAD) to campus community (study breaks) to volunteer programs (Rice Student Volunteer Program and Saddleback Memorial) to an academic example (Baylor Patient Discharge Initiative).

Here are two more strong examples for Rice’s “Why us?” prompt:

At heart, I am a collaborator. From working with my Science Olympiad team for hundreds of hours each year to playing in numerous extracurricular orchestral ensembles, I’ve learned that the best work I do is with and for those around me. I want to study in the Rice Department of Bioengineering because of the large emphasis placed on collaboration. With its focus on multidisciplinary work and experiential learning, I know that I will be able to excel in Rice’s team-based environment, taking advantage of its small classes in order to forge tight bonds with my peers around me. Rice has more than 250 student organizations, and with access to the Texas Medical Center, a facility abounding with opportunities, and cutting edge research and technology on campus I know that at Rice, I will be able to fully pursue my interests both academically and collaboratively. — — — 

Just like the Owl camouflages to integrate into its environment, I’ll strive to become one with the Rice community by taking advantage of its numerous opportunities. While Basmati Beats will give me the platform to indulge my Indian roots in a collaborative form of dancing, I can continue imparting knowledge to others with Nano Owls. The opportunity to teach nanoscience to students in Houston will empower the vision I had with the D-STEM Society in my Dehli community. I’m looking forward to 3 days of absolute entertainment at OwlCon. With its 750 annual participants, I hope to share my passion for gaming with like-minded individuals. While The Rice Memorial Center will be my temporary home for 36 hours as I work on complex algorithms at the annual HackRice, The Hoot will always keep me company during exhausting all-nighters.  I hope to spread my wings and explore the night at Rice University. — — — 

how to write Rice Supplemental Essay Prompt #3

• The Residential College System is at the heart of Rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. What life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow Owls in the residential college system? (500 words)
• Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice? (500 words)

Option 1: Rice is lauded for creating a collaborative atmosphere that enhances the quality of life for all members of our campus community. The Residential College System and undergraduate life are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural tradition each student brings. What life perspectives would you contribute to the Rice community? 500 word limit

It’s worth noting right out of the gate that Rice’s decision to give you a full 500 words for this essay, much more than the “Why us?” and “Why Major” prompts, is pretty telling. The school is proud of and committed to its culture of inclusion and collaboration, and this prompt offers you an opportunity to show how your own background would help you contribute in a meaningful and unique way. 

While there are many things outside of “community” that might fit this prompt, if you’re looking for a way to brainstorm ideas, that’s a good place to start. (But keep in mind that you’ll want to include some “how will you contribute” details in your essay—this isn’t just a “tell us about a community” prompt.)

For a full guide to “community” essays , head there, but here’s the short version:

STEP 1: DECIDE WHAT COMMUNITY YOU WANT TO WRITE ABOUT

Create a “communities” chart by listing all the communities you’re a part of. Keep in mind that communities can be defined by...

Place: groups of people who live/work/play near one another

Action: groups of people who create change in the world by building, doing, or solving something together (Examples: Black Lives Matter, Girls Who Code, March for Our Lives)

Interest: groups of people coming together based on shared interest, experience, or expertise

Circumstance: groups of people brought together either by chance or external events/situations

STEP 2: USE THE BEABIES EXERCISE TO GENERATE YOUR ESSAY CONTENT

You’ll find detail on the BEABIES Exercise + a chart you can use at that link.

STEP 3: DO SOME “HOW WILL YOU CONTRIBUTE” RESEARCH

You’ll want to offer a few specific ways that show how the experience/s you’re discussing in your essay will allow you to contribute to the college. The easiest way to do this is to do some “Why Us”-like research and find ways you’ll engage with and contribute to the school’s community. 

STEP 4: PICK A STRUCTURE (NARRATIVE OR MONTAGE)

Step 5: write a first draft.

Check out this strong sample essay for this prompt, and we’ll analyze why it works on the other side.

What are you?  Mixed-race people and people of color get this question all the time. While a part of me wants to respond with “a bit tired, thanks for asking”, I usually just end up telling them I am half Indian, half European. I know that my ambiguous features, darker skin, and unusual name makes people uncertain about what my background is, and that in turn makes people uncomfortable -- they don't know what box to put me in. I am both Jewish and half-Indian, an unusual blend of cultures. Although I’m not particularly religious, I often see things from a Jewish point of view: Tikkun Olam and Tzedakah, peace and neighborly love, community and solidarity. I always strive to make my community a better place than it was initially, and to make sure that I stand with those that may be facing economic or social issues. My time as a counselor-in-training for a Jewish summer camp also helped me learn about other people’s interpretations of Jewish values from a wide range of ages, including from my fellow counselors. In addition, the Indian side of my family exposes me to a wide range of Indian culture, from the artwork in my grandparents house, to the stories from when my grandfather moved to America for school. Through this half of me, I have been able to experience, to a small extent, what it’s like to be seen as “different”. Even though I’ve never even been outside the United States, I’m still considered at least slightly foreign to most people. This helps me better empathize with people of color who may be facing much tougher questions than I ever was. The junction between these two identities gives me a unique intersectional identity that I can use to better empathize, communicate, and interact with other people. Intersectional identity is something that everyone has at some level, even if it isn’t apparent in their appearance. As someone who has a diverse set of experiences, I have a genuine curiosity for what intersectional identities other people have hidden away, and appreciate cultural exchanges with those around me. Even just sharing latkes or gulab jamun would allow me to share my side of the story, and can help open them up to new cultures. With the Residential College system, this not just becomes easier, but almost inevitable. Each residential college has its own traditions and culture (such as McMurtry’s association with bananas or Duncan’s Monday Night Lights), which add a unique aspect to their respective residents’ identities, creating an intersectional identity that enriches everyone’s experience. I can use my own background and understanding of identities to help broaden the perspectives of the others in my residential college, on top of letting other people teach me their traditions and perspectives. Everyone benefits from exposure to new ideas and perspectives, and I think that not only can I provide some of these ideas and perspectives, but I can also benefit from others. — — —

Communicate what matters to you. How do you do that? Consider connecting each contribution to a particular value (e.g., creativity, collaboration, social justice). Here’s a list of values you can use to generate some ideas or to connect with your 7-10 contributions. Reading back over this essay. Which values can you spot? We see a ton—family, community, love, empathy, curiosity, communication, and meaningful relationships, just to name a few.

Cover experiences or topics you haven’t shared yet. Think of your college application as a buffet table or sorts—from the carved roast beef (your obsession with computer coding, say) to the potato soufflé (that internship with Bloomberg or the LEED architectural firm) to the caramelized Brussel sprouts (your role as captain of the soccer team or second-chair violin) and assorted cheese (your finesse at chess or all the mountains you’ve hiked) and the chocolate mousse (that quirky knife-throwing hobby, maybe)—each dish/essay showing a different side (or multiple sides) of you and what makes you family-recipe unique. Think of what dish this essay contributes to the smorgasbord. Even though this prompt seems fairly specific in focusing on your cultural influences and experiences, use it as an opportunity to try to include parts of yourself that you haven’t yet talked about elsewhere in your Rice application. Maybe you haven’t written about your volunteering experience with your temple, or your love of knitting, handed down from your great-grandmother’s Nordic ancestors. Here’s a chance.

Use color and detail to “show” not just “tell.” This is good advice for other pieces you may be writing, since details can help breathe life into a piece of writing. For example, notice how this student didn’t just talk about sharing “my side of the story” over meals, but over “latkes or gulab jamun.” This is another good example of using color to tell the story: “In addition, the Indian side of my family exposes me to a wide range of Indian culture, from the artwork in my grandparents house, to the stories from when my grandfather moved to America for school.”

Make sure to bring it back to Rice and how you’ll contribute to the campus community. This is a key part of the prompt, the part that allows the Rice admission team to envision you on campus in a meaningful way. For this student, that means sharing how connecting with others over a shared “intersectional identity” becomes easier, thanks to signature traditions like the McMurtry hall’s obsession with bananas or Duncan’s Monday Night Lights.

Here’s another example for this prompt:

“I'd like a veggie bowl please. And would you mind changing your gloves?” That got me several weird looks. Some from customers around me, others from Chipotle employees across the counter. But I was used to it. Over the years of asking for a change of gloves or to cut with a clean knife, the weird looks have become normal. My strict vegetarian diet follows the principles of Jainism that run in my family, a direct result of my Indian-American identity. From a young age, I’ve been questioned for wearing a sacred rakhi thread on my wrist, or bringing in homemade Indian vegetarian food for lunch. The Indian side of me is omnipresent. In explaining these differences, I’ve sometimes felt as though being different has made me less than those who were “normal.” This obviously isn’t true, but it’s taken me a while to realize that. Meeting friends who embrace and value my ethnicity has helped me understand that what makes me different actually makes me a more complete person. Like in language classes, where I’ve been able to use my struggles to communicate effectively in a second language while visiting family in India to bolster my ability to communicate in Spanish during class. As a result of my experiences as an Indian-American, I’ve been committed to advancing inclusion in society. In addition to taking small, personal actions, I’ve participated in numerous activities that seek to understand and help alleviate social injustices, like Junior Leadership Dayton (JLD). Through JLD, I witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic in a city with one of the highest rates of overdoses in the nation, and the struggles associated with rehabilitation. Talking to people in homeless shelters whose daily struggles exceeded what I had experienced in a lifetime, and helping underprivileged kids who grew up deprived of access to an education in the arts, I began to understand the magnitude of the issues that plague our society. I seek to include those around me regardless of their background, welcoming new freshmen in Science Olympiad, for example, or talking to the violist who might have otherwise sat by himself during rehearsal breaks. My experiences with those who have accepted me for who I am have led to my desire to promote an acceptance of others, something I’ll bring to Rice’s campus. — — — 

Option 2: Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice? (500 words)

This new prompt seems very likely intended as a response to the 2023 Supreme Court’s ruling on race conscious admissions, after which Rice sent out an email to their community stating that they remain committed to a diverse student body. 

To be clear, you can discuss any aspect of identity for this prompt—hence the background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity part. So, if experiences connected with your racial identity have shaped your perspective in some way, this can be a great place to share that with Rice. However, this prompt is broad enough that it allows for responses about background, experiences, and/or upbringing in general. 

Not only that, but it gives you enough space (500 words!) to touch on multiple aspects of your life if you’re wanting to touch more than one of these options. Essentially, Rice wants to know two things: how certain circumstances have shaped your perspectives (the main one) and how that’s inspired you to apply to/want to attend Rice.

Important note: If you go with this prompt, you’ll just want to make sure that you’re covering things that don’t already show up in your personal statement.

See below for strong sample essays and Tips + Analysis on what makes the following essays strong examples for this prompt.

In my childhood princess stories, I always gravitated toward sharp teeth and fiery breath over elegant gowns and noble knights. Growing up, I read and reread Ernest Drake’s Dragonology handbooks, dreaming of studying dragons alongside the author. My math notes from middle school (plus some from last month) have wings and toothy grins doodled in the margins. Although my current aspirations involve less winged lizards, I still look for inspiration in the bizarre and fantastical. During Chinese New Year, as a symbol of luck, children are given red envelopes decorated with Chinese characters or symbols with money inside. The dragons I found curled up on mine were nothing like those in classic fairytales. At first glance, eastern and western dragons seem nothing alike. In the west, dragons represent forces of fiery destruction, great challenges to be conquered. In the east, they represent prosperity to come and bring healing rain. However, both cultures associated dragons with great intelligence, wealth, and power. As a Chinese American, I often struggle to reconcile the halves of my cultural identity. But by adopting the values I most admire from each perspective, I can back the benevolence of Chinese dragons with the strength of European ones. Over the years, I’ve drawn more dragons than I care to remember, from crayon sketches to digital prints. As my drawing skills improved, I experimented with body type by taking inspiration from animal anatomy—some were built like bears and others birds. I began wondering if dragons could exist as animals. Applying realism to dragons, and later other fictional elements became a favorite pastime and got more complex as I progressed through school. Whether creating a cladogram for dragons, pondering biologically-created fire, or tackling the physics of flight, I found that exploring the science of fantasy strengthened my understanding of the subjects and gave me ideas on how to scientifically achieve the fantastic.  Some of the most innovative inventions were inspired by fictions like Star Trek and Jules Verne’s writing—the submarine, mobile phone, and the taser, to name a few. By refusing to discount the impossible or outlandish, I hope to bring a fresh perspective to my work and share my inspiration with the people around me. In addition to studying deeper into hotbeds of scientific breakthroughs straight from sci-fi like artificial intelligence, I hope to step out of my comfort zone in search of the strange. At Rice, I’ll embrace the traditions of whichever residential college I end up in with the spirit of a dragon. Through countless new experiences—auditioning for an improv group, participating in leadership programs from the Doerr Institute, or belting out karaoke with dormmates—I can expand my horizons and enrich my community along the way.  Maybe I’ll even pioneer a new field. “Jamie Tan, Dragonologist” has a nice ring to it. (465 words)

Cover a multitude of (new) experiences. 500 words is a lot, and nearly rivals the word count allotted for the personal statement, so you’ve got a lot of room to explore new aspects of yourself (not yet covered in your personal statement) that have shaped your perspectives. This student framed her essay in the context of dragons, but we learn so much about other sides of her: a little bit about her upbringing and her affinity for the fantastical, her Chinese American background and traditions, that she likes to draw and explore the science of fantasy, and how she hopes to approach her work in college. When brainstorming ideas for this essay, explore how the dots between different things in your life connect and you might just surprise yourself. 

Bring the reader into your world. If you’re writing about something you think a lot about or have a ton of knowledge of, don’t be afraid to show off some of your expertise. This student has clearly spent a lot of time thinking about dragons, she takes the reader through the differences between eastern versus western dragons and has us for a second think about biologically-created fire and flight physics. She brings us into her world by sharing her knowledge and thoughts with us.  

Organization matters. Especially for longer essays with a lot of information in them. This essay, given its length and the number of things covered, needs clear structure. So, the student uses a clear hook and topic sentences to both pull the reader in and give them a roadmap of where they’re going. 

How do you envision yourself as part of the community? At the end of her essay, this student writes about how she will embrace traditions of whichever residential college she ends up in with a dragon-like spirit and even mentions Rice’s Doerr Institute. While a majority of your response should focus on your experiences and how they have shaped your perspectives, dedicating a portion of that word count to talking about Rice shows that you’re envisioning yourself as part of their community and hits the part of the prompt that asks: What perspectives… inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice? 

And here’s another example essay, to illustrate a different approach.

I am Pradyoth.  “Pra-dy-oth? Is that how you say it?” Embarrassed as my classmates stare at me, I sheepishly say, “It’s a soft D.” This exchange has happened so many times that I have basically given up on correcting other people. I used to wish I wasn’t given my name and even considered changing it. However, when I learned that “Pradyoth” means “radiance” or “light” in Telugu (the language that I grew up speaking) my perception of my name changed. My name became less of an impediment to get along with others and more of a reflection of me and my beliefs. Instead of focusing on people mispronouncing my name, I look at my name as a proud representation of my culture and strive to have a positive mindset in spite of challenges I might encounter in response to it. I am autistic.  When I was five years old, I was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. While on the high-functioning side of the spectrum, my condition inhibited my social abilities for a long time and prevented me from pursuing activities outside of music, which was one of the few activities I felt comfortable doing. However, with the help of my parents, teachers, and counselors, as well as my own hard work, I broke out of my shell and made several long-lasting friendships by gaining the courage to talk with people through trial and error. I had to learn to be patient with myself as I figured out how to navigate social interactions. While I still have a long way to go, I have made lots of progress since I was younger, and I consider this growth to be one of the biggest accomplishments of my life. I am community-oriented.  Once I felt like I understood others, I had a desire to connect with my community. Over the past few years, I have volunteered with several community organizations, including Kaiser Permanente, the Almaden Branch Library, and Carnatic Chamber Concerts. These experiences have not only allowed me to experience the satisfaction that comes from helping others, but to also play an active role in improving my community. In our volunteer meetings at the library, we frequently have discussions about how to strengthen our community by getting teens involved in politics and improving the library’s services. Some of our suggestions, such as improving the children’s section, have actually been implemented. Through these experiences, I have gained the skills and knowledge to meaningfully connect with my community and to make changes that help others. I am Pradyoth. I am a teenager who has had my fair share of challenges and successes over time, and I am a more accepting, patient, and motivated person because of them. At Rice, I hope to share my perspectives with others and take theirs into account as well, so that, together, we can create a stronger community. (477 words) — — —

how to write Rice Supplemental Essay Prompts #4 & #5: Rice Architecture

It’s fair to say that Rice is super interested in your reasons for applying to its architecture program, and why you think you’re the right fit — and it’s giving you ample space to explain. The key is to share a diverse set of reasons and experiences, while avoiding too much repetition.

“Yeah, right,” you say? “How do I write about different things, when both prompts seem to be asking me about the same thing—my interest in studying architecture?”

We get it. It does seem a little redundant, but it doesn’t have to be. It may help to approach each prompt this way:

#4 Architecture Essay Prompt: Why are you determined to study architecture? Could you please elaborate on your past experiences and how they have motivated you to apply to Rice University and the School of Architecture in particular? (250 words max)

Think of this as your classic “Why Major” prompt, in the way that Prompt 1 wasn’t for you. In that prompt, you got to focus on those other academic areas that appeal to you at Rice. This time, it’s all about the architectural program. See Prompt 1 tips for more guidance.

A key part of this prompt is to “elaborate on your past experiences” and connect them to why you chose to apply to Rice in general and the architecture program specifically. How do you do that? Consider using a montage structure, which means making a list of 3-5 architecture-related experiences you’ve had and the influence each had in motivating you to pick Rice. For example—just spitballing here—maybe that community college course, The Politics of Architecture and How They Shaped Europe, made you see the friezes of the Parthenon and the Fachwerkhäusers of Germany in a whole new light, and now you’re eager to take Rice’s The Metropolis course to learn how the architect of today influences urban design as a public figure. Find a handful of examples like that, weaving your experiences and Rice’s offerings together, and you’ve got yourself an essay.

If you have multiple academic reasons for “why architecture,” from classes to teachers who inspired you to school-based projects, use them in this essay, since the next one asks about non-academic influences. If you don’t have those examples, no sweat. We have some recommendations for other outside-the-classroom examples that may prompt some ideas—read those in the tips for Prompt 5 below.

#5 Architecture Essay Prompt: Please expand on relevant experiences and motivations outside of your academic trajectory that have inspired you to study architecture, focusing on aspects that are not accommodated by other prompts in the application. (250 words max)

Think of this one as your “Okay, what else you got?” essay—a Rice School of Architecture additional information section, if you will. Anything else that comes to mind that inspired you to want to be an architect that you haven’t already covered? This is the place to talk about it.

In this one, though, you don’t have to connect your experiences back to Rice. You’ve got that covered in Prompt 4.

Note that this one specifically asks about details and examples “outside of your academic trajectory.” So leave the classroom, coursework and school-related projects to Prompt 4. So what goes here in response to Prompt 5? Maybe those visits to Monticello in Virginia or The Getty in LA made a mark, or your favorite part of a trip is to explore area churches, just to admire the spires and domes and intricate detail of the icons and columns. Anything to show why architecture is your thing.

Still stumped? Feel like you’ve covered all the architecture you can think of? Pull back the lens a bit and think about what architecture means to you in the larger sense—not just buildings and urban landscapes, but collaborative spaces or the chance to build a sense of community you’ve long enjoyed in your own town. Or maybe one of your parents is handy around the house, and the extra room you helped them carpet or the fence you helped them build inspired in you an appreciation for the creativity and precision that go into even the small details of a structure. 

Now comes the fun part of the Rice application. No more essays to outline. No more words to fuss over. No more grammar checks. Just one two-dimensional, uploadable image that, in Rice’s words, “shares something about yourself, your interests or what is meaningful to you.”

Don’t have any idea what to do here? Here’s what not to do: Don’t fret over it. Rice’s admission page points out that this image is not used in the evaluation process. It’s just another chance to get to know what matters to you, a chance to “put your stamp on the application about who you are aside from what you have achieved.” The only real advice Rice offers is to make sure the image can stand alone without explanation. 

The possibilities really could run the gamut: a photo of you and your pet, your childhood home, a scene from a favorite trip, a creation you built or drew, your bookcase—even a photo from your phone that speaks to you, and about you. Or it could be something totally different. Realize that this doesn’t have to be an image you took yourself. It could be a Monet, the Rover’s view of Mars—even a meme. 

A few last tips:

Don’t overthink it.

Do have fun with it.

Keep it clean.

Want advice on dozens of other supplemental essays? Click here

Special thanks to Elica Sue for contributing to this post.

Elica (she/her) is a college essay specialist who has a love of language in all forms; she has degrees in linguistics, has taught academic writing at the university level, and has been coaching students on their college and graduate school admissions essays for over 7 years. When she’s not working with students or writing, Elica can be found reading, printmaking, and exploring nature. 

Top Values: Collaboration | Curiosity | Patience

• Search All Scholarships
• Exclusive Scholarships
• Easy Scholarships to Apply For
• No Essay Scholarships
• Scholarships for HS Juniors
• Scholarships for HS Seniors
• Scholarships for College Students
• Scholarships for Grad Students
• Scholarships for Women
• Scholarships for Black Students
• Scholarships
• Student Loans
• College Admissions
• Financial Aid
• Scholarship Winners
• Scholarship Providers

Student-centric advice and objective recommendations

Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.

Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here .

How to Respond to the 2023-2024 Rice Supplemental Essay Prompts

Ginny Howey is a former content writer at Scholarships360. Ginny graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May 2022 with a degree in Media and Journalism (Advertising/PR focus) and minors in Entrepreneurship and Spanish. Ginny’s professional experience includes two summers as a writer intern at global creative consultancy BCG BrightHouse. More recently, Ginny worked as a content marketing intern for Durham-based software engineering bootcamp Momentum, where she gained SEO skills. She has also written freelance articles on emerging tech for A.I. startup Resultid.

Learn about our editorial policies

Cece Gilmore is a Content Writer at Scholarships360. Cece earned her undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University. While at ASU, she was the education editor as well as a published staff reporter at Downtown Devil. Cece was also the co-host of her own radio show on Blaze Radio ASU.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

If you are applying to Rice University, do not underestimate the importance of its supplemental essays. Located in Houston, Texas, Rice University is renowned for their programs in science and engineering. The supplemental essay portion of the application gives you a chance to make a more personal impression at this competitive school. The three required prompts touch on how your interests and identity can be explored at Rice. Given that these are rather common questions, it is especially important to have stand-out answers. 

We will walk you through how to craft compelling, differentiated responses for each prompt. Our “questions to consider” help you identify the best stories from your own experiences to share. Let’s dive in! 

Don’t miss: How to write an essay about yourself

“Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected. (150 words)”

The first thing to notice with this prompt is the 150 word limit. This signals you must be concise; however, it does not mean there is no room to express your personality! The key to succeeding with a tight word count is picking one thing and carrying it throughout your response. This question gets to the core of why you chose your particular school or major. Really consider what excites you intellectually! Once you’ve identified an academic passion, think back. What first inspired this curiosity? Do you have family members in a certain field you look up to? Did you discover a knack for a subject at an early age? 

You could elevate your answer by then tracing the ways you’ve channeled that interest. Perhaps you participated in a club during high school that allowed you to explore the topic in a new way. Finally, tie things up with how you can further your studies at Rice. Maintaining a cohesive storyline shows that you are intentional and sincere. Also keep in mind that the admissions team is likely not expecting a deep dive on specific programs and course offerings. With this short of a response, your biggest aim is conveying enthusiasm for your academic plans.  

Questions to consider: 

• Have you ever received recognition for your excellence in a particular subject?
• What need in the world do you want to fulfill, or what is your dream profession? How can your chosen route of study equip you with those skills?
• How did you discover you were either a more creative or more analytical thinker?  

Also see: How to write a 250 word essay

“Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? (150 words)”

Opening with “based upon your exploration of Rice University” should serve as an alarm bell to do your homework. Admissions assumes that you have researched Rice and all it brings to the table. Do an in-depth browse of Rice’s website, social media, and reports like its strategic plan. Make notes on everything that intrigues you or seems unique. With another short word limit, do not try to address every reason you find Rise desirable. Instead, think about what makes Rice truly distinct. “The Rice experience” can encompass any aspect of campus life, so don’t feel like there is only one right answer. Narrow down to a few specific university offerings that align with a personal goal of yours. Like the first prompt, examples that center around a key interest make your response seem thoughtful and genuine. 

Questions to consider:  

• Is your life currently devoted to any hobbies you can find at Rice?
• What volunteer opportunities might you be interested in?
• Is there something about Rice’s traditions like its unique housing system that make it unlike any other school? 

Also see: How to write a 500 word essay

Prompt #3 (choose one)

Please respond to one of the following prompts to explore how you will contribute to the Rice community:

Option #1: “The Residential College System is at the heart of Rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. What life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow Owls in the residential college system? 500 word limit.”

Rice is looking for unique and diverse individuals to join their university and thrive in their dorms or residential college system. To begin your response, try and think about any unique perspectives or experiences you may have had that can make you stand out from other applicants. This could include your background or culture and even aspects of your life such as skills, talents or extracurricular activities. However, don’t forget! This is about unique experiences you bring to the table so try to avoid discussing something that is more common. For example, talking about playing football in high school may not be unique, however discussing how you were team captain of the football team could highlight a unique perspective. Once you have figured out what you’re uniquely passionate about, be sure to discuss how you will enrich the lives of your Rice University community with your unique perspective. Are you able to teach this skill to others? Is there an aspect of your culture you wish to indulge in while living in the dorms at Rice? Whatever the method, be sure you spend a good chunk of this response focusing on how you will share your uniqueness with your fellow Owls and how it will benefit them and your residential community. 

• What is unique about you? 
• How are you different from others? Do you indulge in any unique hobbies, culture or extracurricular activities? 
• Are you able to teach this unique skill? How will you share your knowledge with your fellow Owls?

Option #1: Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice? 500 word limit. “

This is a very similar prompt to the the above option for prompt #3, however it focuses more on how Rice will be a catalyst for the change you seek. If you have a topic you are passionate about, this is the time to make your voice shine! In this response, you should detail any perspective you may have that is shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing and/or racial identity. Once you detail this information in your response, you should then focus on why Rice is the perfect place for you to join fellow students and change agents. This is the perfect time to get some bonus points with Rice by detailing some specific examples of aspects of their university that you are looking forward to joining (or even changing!). Some examples could be specific clubs, extracurricular activities, classes or more! Ultimately, be sure that you are sharing your unique perspective and how Rice is the perfect community for you to join to be able to thrive and keep fighting for your perspective and learning from its diverse community. 

• What unique perspective do you hold that you are extremely passionate about? 
• How can Rice help you achieve your goals and make your voice heard?
• What specific aspects of Rice University are you looking forward to joining? Why? 

The “Rice Box”

“In keeping with Rice’s long-standing tradition (known as “The Box”), please share an image of something that appeals to you .”

This prompt throws you a curveball because it is so unconventional. Instead of using words to showcase you who are, the photo you select gets to do the talking. We understand that this question can cause many students stress. However, unless you submit something inappropriate, the admissions team says it should not harm anyone’s overall evaluation; rather, it should add more color to the stories you have shared throughout your application. 

Choose an image that supports your other responses about who you are and what you stand for. For example, you may have written about studying art history and discussed experiences while traveling. Submitting a painting from a museum in Spain that inspired you would be a great response! 

Don’t miss: What looks good on college applications?

Program-specific prompts

The Rice supplemental essays will vary if you are applying to Rice’s School of Architecture or the Rice/Baylor Medical Scholars Program. The two tracks’ prompts vary, but they mostly touch on why that specific field inspires you. One of the medical questions asks about obstacles you’ve faced. 

You might notice these share some overlap with topics you could discuss in the three general written prompts. It is always important to map out your answers to each question before working on any one. Although you should keep your key themes of interests consistent, you should not be repeating anecdotes.

Start your scholarship search

• Vetted scholarships custom-matched to your profile
• Access exclusive scholarships only available to Scholarships360 members

Final thoughts

The Rice supplemental essays share similarities with many college prompts. Why you selected a certain major, what perspectives you offer, and why this is your ideal school should not be too scary! Because two of the prompts are so short, it is essential to find strong examples to send your message. You may find it helpful to get all your thoughts down, then cut out the fluff later. With our tips, you should be well on your way to acing these responses. Best of luck! 

Also see: How to respond to the Common App essay prompts

Once you’ve sent off your application, take advantage of the time before you hear back. Our free scholarship search tool can help you fund your education by matching you with vetted and personalized opportunities. Additionally, make sure that you’re applying to a diverse coalition of colleges – check out our guides for how many schools to apply to , and how to find a financial safety school .

Once you hear back from your schools, you’ll have some big choices to make. Check out our guides to interpreting your financial aid award letter , and appealing it if it does not provide enough money. If you’ll be taking out loans, we can also help you choose the best loans for your situation . Good luck on your Rice supplemental essays and beyond!

Additional supplemental essay guides

• Duke University (Durham, NC)
• Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)
• University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
• Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)

Frequently asked questions about the Rice University supplemental essays

Does the rice box matter, are the rice university supplemental essays required, can i reuse essays from other college applications for rice university, when are the application deadlines for rice university, can i get creative with my rice university supplemental essay answers, scholarships360 recommended.

10 Tips for Successful College Applications

Coalition vs. Common App: What is the difference?

College Application Deadlines 2023-2024: What You Need to Know

Trending now.

How to Convert Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale

PSAT to SAT Score Conversion: Predict Your Score

What Are Public Ivy League Schools?

3 reasons to join scholarships360.

• Automatic entry to our $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship
• Personalized matching to thousands of vetted scholarships
• Quick apply for scholarships exclusive to our platform

By the way...Scholarships360 is 100% free!

The Admissions Strategist

“ the box ” and writing the supplemental essays for rice: a superb guide.

Rice University, located in Houston, Texas has an acceptance rate of 14% and is a private research university that regularly contributes to advancements in technology and science.

These contributions include work with artificial hearts and nanotechnology.

Rice faculty and alumni have been awarded Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes, Academy Awards, National Medals of Science, and more.

The university’s website describes itself as “a community of curious thinkers, passionate dreamers and energetic doers who believe that improving the world demands more than bold thought and brave action. It takes unconventional wisdom.” Oh, and it’s also ranked number one for the happiest students!

It might sound like the odds aren’t in your favor, but there’s plenty you can do to increase your chances of acceptance, including writing some standout essays.

Not sure how to write essays that can set you apart from the crowd ?

We’re here to help! In this article, we’ll provide information and tips to help you write your way to an acceptance letter from Rice University.

What Are the Rice University Essays?

Rice accepts both the Common Application and the Coalition Application, with no preference between the two. No matter which application you choose, you’ll also need to complete the Rice Writing Supplement.

The supplement consists of two short responses and one longer essay (or two shorter essays for applicants to the School of Architecture).

The short response questions are:

Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected above. (150 word limit) Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? (150 word limit)

The longer essay question asks:

Rice is lauded for creating a collaborative atmosphere that enhances the quality of life for all members of our campus community. The Residential College System is heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What personal perspectives would you contribute to life at Rice? (500 word limit)

If you’re applying to the School of Architecture, you won’t answer the question above. Instead, you’ll answer the following two short answer questions, along with the first two short-answer questions:

Why are you determined to study architecture? Could you please elaborate on your past experiences and how they have motivated you to apply to Rice University and the School of Architecture in particular? (250 word limit) Please expand on relevant experiences and motivations outside of your academic trajectory that have inspired you to study architecture, focusing on aspects that are not accommodated by other prompts in the application. (250 word limit)

Rice also asks you to “submit an image of something that appeals to you,” a long-standing tradition known as “the Box.”

General Tips for the Rice Supplemental  Essays

Rice University website explains, “We want a diverse, exciting student body, consisting of the best and brightest from across the country and around the globe. If you are excited by the opportunities and experiences we offer, we encourage you to apply to Rice.”

In reviewing applications, the university considers “the entirety of an applicant’s academic prowess , creativity, motivation, artistic talent, leadership potential and life experiences.”

Your GPA, SAT scores, and extracurricular experiences won’t necessarily convey the qualities mentioned here.

Your essays are your opportunity to demonstrate that you’re the type of student Rice is looking for: someone bright, curious, eager, creative, and motivated. Someone who has leadership qualities and wants to take advantage of the many opportunities available at Rice.

In order to effectively captivate your audience (Rice admissions officers), we recommend that each essay is:

• Specific   – One way to set yourself apart from other students is to avoid generic, clichéd responses. Give specific details and examples to illustrate your points. This approach will bring your personality and views to life.
• Enthusiastic   – Use an enthusiastic tone to show that you’re excited about the possibility of becoming a Rice student. Whether you’re discussing your choice of major or your interest in Rice, admissions officers should almost “hear” your enthusiasm.
• Polished   – Although this isn’t exactly a writing test, your essays should still be polished. Essays that are free of grammar and spelling errors will make a better impression and indicate that you’re serious about the admission process. Have trusted friends, family members, or teachers review your essays, and spend time revising and editing .
• “ You ” – Perhaps most importantly, your essays should be “you.” The point of the essays is to help admissions officers get to know who you are. Write in your own unique voice, and reveal information and experiences that you find meaningful and important.

Now, let’s take a closer look at each of the questions in the Rice Writing Supplement.

Brainstorming Activity for the Rice Essays

To write a strong response to this fairly standard question, try to focus on the extracurricular activity or work experience that you find most significant and meaningful.

Don’t select an experience solely because you think it sounds most impressive. Instead, try to come up with one particular anecdote that explains how and why this activity or experience has impacted your life or personal growth.

Use specific details to engage admissions officers in your experience, and reflect on how the experience changed you or influenced your life.

• Perhaps you were a volunteer for a local campaign and now want to volunteer for similar campaigns at Rice.
• Did you raise money for students in need overseas? If you learned something about their experiences and struggles, how has that influenced you?
• When you took on a leadership position for an activity or club, how did your personality change thereafter? How has this personality change manifested itself in your interactions with the outside world?

Think about how you’ll continue exploring this interest at Rice University, or how you’ll implement the lessons learned through this experience as a student at Rice.

Always focus on action. What did you  do during this activity?

The point of this exercise is to exercise your brainstorming muscles and get you thinking about specific stories from your life. You need clarity of thought for the Rice essays because you don’t have much of a word count to work with.

Clarity equals better writing. This exercise should help you write the essays below.

Get personalized advice!

“why this major” at rice.

Short Answer Question #1: Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected above. (150 word limit)

In your application to Rice, you’re required to indicate an interest in one of the university’s six academic schools: architecture, engineering, humanities, music, natural sciences, or social sciences.

Although this decision isn’t binding—you can change schools after being accepted to Rice—the university does specify that they’re expecting a thoughtful answer to this question.

Each academic school is looking for different “strengths and qualities” in applicants, so Rice recommends choosing the school “in which you feel the most confident of your abilities and interests.”

• Keeping this in mind, focus on how your abilities and interests make you a good fit for the school you’ve selected.
• You may wish to describe a brief anecdote that illustrates your passion or talent for the area of study you’ve chosen.
• The anecdote should comprise action items that address how you took the initiative to explore this intended major.

You should also do some research on your school of choice.

• Find classes, research opportunities, or even professors that spark your interest.
• How will an education from this particular school help you reach your future goals?
• Mention these details in your application, being as specific as possible .

For example:

• If you’ve visited the campus before, did you sit in on a lecture that excited you?
• Did you hear intriguing information from students enrolled in your school of interest?

Including details like these in your essay can show that you’re genuinely interested in Rice and would be a good fit for the school.

Just remember, you don’t have much room to work with, so if you’re going to discuss another interest alongside your intended major, keep it short and related to the rest of the essay.

Don’t swerve into something random because you think it’ll catch the attention of the admissions officer – not only will it fail to do that, but you’ll ruin the narrative of this essay.

• Last, if you don’t know what you want to do after college, pick a major that relates closely to your passions and initiatives.

Pick something that can be buttressed with supporting details from your life – projects, volunteer opportunities, research assignments.

“Why Rice University” Essay

Short Answer Question #2: Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? (150 word limit)

This is the classic “Why This College” essay, only much shorter. This college application essay question aims to determine whether you truly have a profound interest in attending Rice University.

Again, research is key.

• Try to strike a balance between discussing academic opportunities and more “sociocultural” elements of the university.
• Mention clubs or student organizations that you’d like to participate in, or something that captivated you on a campus visit.

Additional helpful tips for this essay include:

• If you can, reach out to current Rice students and ask them about the atmosphere and culture of the university.
• Avoid generic answers about the “student-faculty ratio,” the “renowned faculty,” or the school’s “prestige,” along with information you’ve clearly lifted from the front page of the university’s website. Dig deeper.
• Never mention:  Campus location, sports, and social life

You’ll also want to avoid repeating the information mentioned in your response to Short Answer Question #1.

To help you brainstorm, think about the following:

• How did your first impression of Rice motivate you to apply?
• And after this initial motivation, what more did you learn about Rice that helped your interest grow?
• Convey enthusiasm and a deeper knowledge of Rice than the average applicant might possess.

All in all, your essay should be structured something like this:

• Quickly mention or explain what you love about the Rice undergraduate experience.
• Demonstrate your connection to it.

Keep in mind that the more specific you are, the better. Mention proper nouns. Discuss items not found on other college campuses.

Here’s a good test to determine whether your essay is quality: Copy and paste this essay into another school’s “Why This College” essay. If the essay fits, then it’s too generic. You want an essay that is custom-tailored to Rice.

Contributing to Rice Essay

Unless you’re applying to the School of Architecture, you’ll have 500 words to answer the following question:

You may want to start by brainstorming a list of life experiences and/or cultural traditions that have shaped your personality and identity.

• This can be challenging, so feel free to ask friends and family members for their strongest memory of you .
• You can also ask how they would describe you, then try to come up with experiences you’ve had that demonstrate these key qualities.

Whatever experience you choose to discuss, follow two major guidelines:

• Don’t talk about something you’ve already described in your Common App essay. These essays should complement one another, each revealing a different piece of the puzzle that makes you “you.”
• Show, don’t tell. As we’ve recommended for other essay questions, choose an anecdote that “shows” your answer to the question instead of simply “telling” it. Use vivid details to make your experience memorable and engaging for the admissions team.

Overall, this is a broad question that can inspire many different approaches. Don’t panic because you think you aren’t “unique” enough.

No other student can offer the same combination of qualities that you have.

Here are some great questions you can ask yourself to find a powerful topic:

• What is the most significant contribution I’ve made to my high school community, extracurricular activity group, or community outside of school?
• Name an important lesson or two I’ve learned through my struggles both in and outside of school. How can I teach those lessons to others?
• What is my greatest talent, and how has it manifested in the real world?
• Have I collaborated to create something meaningful? What was it, and what can I do to further improve my efforts?

Here’s an example outline of this essay:

• I worked as a STEM tutor for underclassmen at my high school at ethnic community center.
• During my tenure as a tutor, I relived how challenging it is for younger students to ask the older ones for assistance. It can be intimidating and downright scary.
• I learned the values of mentorship and asking vulnerable people if they need help. On Rice’s campus, I’ll volunteer with underclassmen (and even upperclassmen) who are falling behind their class curriculum.
• After tutoring, I utilized my coding skills and developed my collaboration skills by creating an Andriod app that connects students to on-campus tutors.
• On Rice campus, I want to fully implement this app. I also want to take busines classes and learn how to transform this app into a commercial venture.

Try to come up with a meaningful experience that’s central to who you are as an individual, and you’ll write a powerful essay that stands out!

School of Architecture Essays

Instead of writing the longer essay mentioned above, School of Architecture students must respond to two 250-word essay questions.

Architecture Question #1: Why are you determined to study architecture? Could you please elaborate on your past experiences and how they have motivated you to apply to Rice University and the School of Architecture in particular? (250 word limit)

This question is similar to Short Answer Question #1, so be careful not to repeat information you’ve already shared.

Note that while the short answer question asked why you chose architecture over the other schools, this essay is more about your direct relationship with the field of architecture.

• Do you have specific goals related to your pursuit of architecture?
• Is someone in your family an architect who has inspired you?
• Can you think of a building or landmark, other than extremely famous ones, that ignited your passion for architecture?

Another idea is to think of qualities that are important for architects, such as creativity or attention to detail, and writing about experiences that have helped you develop these characteristics.

• Did you build a treehouse for your younger siblings?
• Were you a baseball umpire who used right angles and tools to create foul lines and meticulously enforce the strike zone?
• Perhaps you built a collection of birdhouses for seasonal birds that frequented your backyard.

Whatever your choice, connect it directly to architecture.

Architecture Question #2: Please expand on relevant experiences and motivations outside of your academic trajectory that have inspired you to study architecture, focusing on aspects that are not accommodated by other prompts in the application. (250 word limit)

As always, don’t strive simply to impress here. Be honest. This is a chance to reveal something unexpected and interesting about yourself.

• One rule of thumb, however, is to try to choose a topic about you actively doing something, instead of simply discussing your favorite TV show.
• If, however, you can take a unique approach, like relating a character’s journey to your own, then you may be able to write a great essay.

Brainstorm a list of activities and interests that challenge you or ignite your passion. It’s okay to choose an unconventional topic, but explain why you enjoy it so much and how it has shaped or influenced you.

Remember, for most students, what you enjoy or find challenging should be action-related.  You  should be perorming the action to practice this activity or pursue this interest. Examples include:

• Building lego spaceships
• Cleaning the litter at a local river every Sunday
• Teaching your little sister geograpy, which she seems to hate
• Taking apart and re-assembling computers

Don’t forget to explain why you love the activity or interest. Does it…

• …free your mind from daily stresses?
• …give you a sense of safety?
• …remind you of your parents?

Since this essay is all about what you enjoy in your free time, make sure your tone conveys real enthusiasm. Talk about something that genuinely excites you.

Then, connect it to architecture. Make a simple outline to visualize the link between the activity that you chose and architecture. It should look like this:

• Activity that you enjoy actively doing
• How it’s connected to architecture
• How it has encouraged you to pursue architecture

This structure will help you focus on your story.

“The Box” is a photoresponse with the following instructions:

In keeping with Rice’s long-standing tradition (known as “The Box”), please share an image of something that appeals to you.

You aren’t allowed to write an accompanying explanation, so try to choose an image that can speak for itself or in some way relates to the information in your application or essays.

Due to its unique nature, this prompt often baffles applicants.

• Keep in mind that there’s no “right” answer to this question, and the image you select is extremely unlikely to make or break your application.

Options include:

• Places that have been important to you (even something as simple as a favorite park bench)
• A favored keepsake or meaningful object
• One of your role models in action
• Artistic portrayals of your values or important qualities
• Uncommon or hidden locations
• Portraits of a family member
• Old pictures you own
• Memories that inspire growth

The key to answering “The Box” is to steer clear of overused responses like a sunset or the Eiffel Tower.

Because there are so many options to choose from (after all, there are millions of interesting images out there), you want to choose something specifically appealing to you. To emphasize, don’t pick a cliche.

Here are some helpful tips:

• Once you choose your image, ask yourself how “unique” the image is. You don’t need something from a deep corner of the Internet, but is it a cliché?
• Can the image be easily explained and, thus, forgotten? You don’t want an image that a large plurality of students will use.
• What is the essence of the image? Don’t make it too complex or simple – you should be able to explain why you chose it.
• Use the Google test: If the image, or a similar one, can be found on the first page of Google Images, it might be a cliché.

Don’t overthink it—just be honest! Rice knows that this is an unconventional and challenging prompt.

Conclusion: How to Write the Rice University Essays

In order to apply to Rice, you’ll need to complete three short answer questions, a photo response, and either a 500-word essay or, if you’re applying to the School of Architecture, two 250-word essays.

As you answer these questions, remember to be authentic, enthusiastic, and specific. Do your research when needed, and connect your answers back to your identity, values, and/or interest in Rice.

Following these tips just might help you join the Rice Owls in the fall. Good luck!

Learn how we can help you with college and career guidance! Check out our YouTube channel!

Click Here to Schedule a Free Consult!

Stay on track and ease your anxiety with our second-to-none college application assistance.

• Ethics & Honesty
• Privacy Policy
• Join Our Team

(732) 339-3835

[email protected]

Rice University Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Rice supplemental essays 2023-2024.

The Rice University supplemental essays play an integral role in any student’s “how to get into Rice” plan . As one of the top universities in the nation, strong Rice University supplemental essays can help set your application apart. 

This means you should plan to ace the why school essay, the why major essay, and the long essay that Rice requires. So, if you’re looking for helpful tips on the Rice supplemental essays, then you’re in the right place. 

Rice Essay: Quick Facts

• Rice acceptance rate: 9%— U.S. News ranks Rice as a most selective school.
• 2 (~150 word) essays
• 1 full-page (500 word) essay
• Rice application: Students must submit their Rice application through the Common App, Coalition App, or QuestBridge application systems. 
• Rice essay #1 tip: We recommend using the short and long Rice University essay prompts to highlight different aspects of your experiences that you haven’t highlighted elsewhere—Rice Box image included—to help your application stand out.

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website.

Does Rice University have supplemental essays?

Yes. In addition to the personal statement that you’ll write in the Common App or Coalition App , you’ll also have to answer both short and extended Rice supplemental essays. In total, applicants will write three Rice University supplemental essays. This includes two that are 150 words and a third that is 500 words. The prompts may look familiar—namely, a why school essay and a why major essay. 

Three additional Rice University supplemental essays may sound intimidating. However, we urge you to view them as a chance to share valuable information about yourself with admissions. Beyond any single Rice University essay prompt, you will have multiple chances to shine. 

The Rice supplemental essays are available on the Common App site . You can also visit the Rice University site for a full list of application requirements, including the essay details. You might also complete an optional alumni interview to supplement your Rice supplemental essays and application.

What are the Rice University supplemental essays?

There are three school-specific Rice supplemental essays and an image contribution in the Rice application. The first two Rice supplemental essays each have a 150 word limit. One Rice essay is essentially a why major essay and the other Rice essay is a why school essay. 

The third of the Rice University supplemental essays allows students to choose from two different prompts. However, the prompts are relatively similar with slight nuances in their wording. Essentially, the last of the Rice University supplemental essays asks students to show how they will enrich the Rice community. This essay has a 500 word limit. 

You should use every opportunity in your Rice University supplemental essays to express yourself in a personal, engaging manner. And because each of the Rice University supplemental essays covers a different topic with a different word limit, you’ll use different strategies for each one.

Before starting your Rice University supplemental essays, do your research on Rice University. Check out our how to get into Rice guide in order to write your best Rice University supplemental essays. You may also want to read some successful college essay examples. Check out these why college essay examples for inspiration. 

Now, keep reading to learn how to tackle each of the Rice University essay prompts!

Rice University Supplemental Essay #1: Why Major Essay

The first Rice University essay prompt asks applicants to explore their academic study interests with a why major essay. If you still haven’t chosen a major , don’t worry. You are not bound to the academic area that you reference in this Rice essay. However, successful Rice University supplemental essays will need to specifically address a given field. When considering how to get into Rice, remember that you will select an academic area of interest in the application. So, start thinking about intellectual interests and browsing majors to see what matches up. 

Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected. (150 words)

This Rice essay is short but sweet. At this point, your reader may have already glanced at your previous coursework and activities, as well as your personal statement . So, to add to that, what stories do you have about what you hope to study in college? The strongest Rice University supplemental essays will give readers an authentic window into an applicant’s intellectual life.

Specifically, this Rice University essay prompt lets you offer some background on an activity or experience that showcases your intellectual interests. You may choose to start your first Rice essay with an anecdote that illustrates these interests in action.

Highlight your passions

For this Rice essay, don’t be afraid to geek out about a topic and share how you have explored it in the classroom and beyond. This could be in a school club, a summer program , or a personal passion project . In fact, your description of your interests should take up most of this Rice essay—perhaps 90-120 words.

Additionally, if you don’t quite know what you’d like to study, that’s okay! Remember, the potential field or major discussed in applicants’ Rice University supplemental essays is not binding. So, use your Rice essay to talk about the thing that interests you most. 

Connect your interests to Rice

Most importantly, to wrap up your first Rice essay, connect your interests to something that Rice can do to help you excel. For example, if you have a penchant for the sciences , you might use this Rice University essay prompt to note unique research projects that previous Rice students have done with faculty. Or, if you’re interested in the humanities , you might emphasize Rice’s various unique minors like Museums and Cultural Heritage when responding to this Rice University essay prompt. This part of your Rice essay can just be a few sentences—perhaps 30-60 words. Remember to be specific about why Rice is the school for you.

Rice Essay Reflection Questions:

• Does your draft share a narrative rather than just restating your activities list?
• Do you limit your focus to a single field when responding to the Rice University essay prompt?
• Does your Rice essay connect your interest to opportunities available at Rice?
• Do you use clear and evocative language in the first of the Rice University supplemental essays?

Rice University Supplemental Essay #2: Why School Essay

While the first Rice University essay prompt asked students to write a why major essay, the second asks students “why Rice?” 

The Rice University acceptance rate is competitive at just 9% . Successful applicants will write Rice University supplemental essays that show just why they have to study at Rice. Rice University supplemental essays are your chance to show admissions that you’ve done your research and are set on Rice. 

Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? (150 words)

This Rice University essay prompt is the classic “why school” essay . You may have encountered similar prompts on other applications. While it might be tempting to adapt a “why school” essay from another application, students will want to start from scratch to make sure their Rice University supplemental essays are as specific as possible.

No shortcuts on this Rice University essay prompt; you’ll have to do your homework. Begin by asking, “What about Rice suits you?” If you haven’t already, this Rice essay is a great chance to share if you have reached out to a current student, watched an official YouTube video , or attended an information session. And if you have not yet, it’s not too late! It all starts with a virtual tour . Do the Rice research before writing your Rice University supplemental essays so that you can speak about Rice like a pro. 

Keep it about you

However, remember that this Rice essay is still a chance for the reader to get to know you. Are there other interests that you have not been able to discuss in other parts of your application? As you approach this Rice essay prompt, as well as the other Rice supplemental essays, think about what might be missing from your application. For instance, maybe you already have written some responses to a few of your activities in the other Rice University supplemental essays. Perhaps there is another that you could highlight in this Rice essay.

Take this Rice University essay prompt as a way to share something new about yourself. When all is said and done, the admissions office at any school hopes to admit a class full of talented people with various pursuits and interests. The best Rice supplemental essays will reveal what a given student will bring to their class and community.

Before answering this Rice essay prompt, read some successful why school essays. Here are some examples of well-written essays from applicants to Northwestern and Yale .

• Does your Rice essay draft include specific references to the academic community at Rice University?
• Do you share how Rice’s resources connect to your personal education goals?
• Does your Rice essay focus on just one or two aspects of Rice as they relate to your interests?

Rice Supplemental Essays – Long Answer

The last of the Rice University supplemental essays offers students the choice of two prompts to respond to. However, each prompt asks students to explore the way in which they will contribute to the Rice community. 

The final Rice supplemental essay prompt offers much more room to write than the other Rice University essay prompts, with a 500 word limit. It may feel overwhelming, but there are many ways to meaningfully answer this Rice essay. 

Successful Rice University supplemental essays will use the word count wisely in order to impress admissions and overcome the low Rice University acceptance rate. In fact, the best Rice University supplemental essays will thoughtfully use the word count to show applicants’ unique experiences and qualities. The room this Rice essay allows you is by design. This is your time to shine.

The Residential College System is at the heart of Rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. What life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow Owls in the residential college system? (500 words)

You might feel that you don’t have any traditions or experiences that you can discuss with the depth that the last of the Rice University essay prompts demands. “Life experiences” and “cultural traditions” are central to this Rice essay. For some, Rice University supplemental essays may reference meaningful touchstones like holidays, food, music, and dance. 

When responding to the last of the Rice University essay prompts, try to engage your reader’s senses. What do the surroundings look, sound, smell, and feel like? Just as you might envision an opening scene of a movie, you should use this Rice essay to make the reader feel like they are right there with you. Successful Rice supplemental essays will use vivid and evocative language to tell an engaging story.

Define “community” and “culture”

That being said, you don’t need to fixate on a single anecdote to make your Rice essay shine. Successful Rice University supplemental essays may also refer to cultural traditions more broadly than any key moment. In considering your cultural background, you might initially think about your family or the fact that you will be a first-generation college student . 

However, you can also use the last of the Rice University essay prompts as an opportunity to draw connections to a wider set of themes. Community and culture manifest in a variety of forms. From school clubs to youth groups, or even online Discord channels, we all engage in communities that inform our identities. All of these communities can give you useful material for your Rice supplemental essays.

Finding your story

If you’re still struggling with how to respond to the last of the Rice University essay prompts, don’t be discouraged. Everyone has a story to share, and the Rice supplemental essays are designed to help you do so. You could start by imagining how your friends would describe you. Or, it could be helpful to think of a simple timeline of your life so far. From birth to now, consider some milestones that have contributed to who you are today. You might also describe a hero or mentor who has changed your direction. There are a myriad of experiences that successful Rice University supplemental essays could touch on when responding to this Rice University essay prompt. 

Bring it back to Rice  

Remember that while the Rice University supplemental essays should center on you and your personal experiences, however, they also need to show what you will bring to campus. When answering the first long Rice University essay prompt, make sure that you clearly state how you will bring your personal experiences, culture, and traditions to the Rice community. Will you get involved in certain clubs? Will you share your family’s holidays with your hall in the dorms? And will you bring these experiences and perspectives to the classroom?

Rice University admissions wants to learn more about how you’ll fit into the Rice community. So, use the long Rice University supplemental essays to do just that.  

Now let’s check out the second of the long Rice University supplemental essays: 

Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice? 

Remember those helpful tips on how to respond to the first of the Rice University supplemental essays prompt? Well, they can actually apply here, too. 

If responding the this prompt, students should focus on how the aspects mentioned in the prompt will make them incite change. Note how they refer to Rice’s “community of change agents.” Successful Rice University supplemental essays will show how students will contribute to this community. 

How has your background informed your future academic and career goals? What has motivated your path forward to creating change in the world and essentially leaving it a better place than it was before? Students should write on their own experiences, upbringing and (if applicable) racial identity. 

Similar to the first prompt, there are many routes that students could take when writing this essay. So, how can you choose what to write about? These essays need to be passionate and genuine. If you aren’t excited about the topic you’re writing about, then your reader won’t be, either. Remember that these Rice University supplemental essays need to truly add a new dimension to your Rice application. Namely, you want to share more about you and how you will be a perfect fit for the Rice community. 

No matter the prompt, focus on you

This Rice essay gives you up to 500 words, which lets you discuss a lot. However, successful Rice University supplemental essays will not lose sight of the fact that this essay is about applicants as individuals. If you choose to describe how other people have made an impact on your life, remember to bring it back to yourself and your experiences. Above all, your Rice essay should center on how your experiences and traditions have made you the person you are.

As with the other Rice supplemental essays, make sure you remain centered on your own story and clearly communicate this story to your readers. Though it may be tempting to wax philosophical when writing your Rice University supplemental essays, you should focus on writing explicitly about yourself and your experiences. When in doubt, be more direct while trying to engage the reader in your Rice supplemental essays. Metaphors and quotes can help ground your Rice University supplemental essays at times, but be careful not to overuse them.

How do you wrap up the conclusion of such an open, personal essay? While there is no one “correct” way to end the Rice supplemental essays, take a moment to reflect on how these experiences have made an impact on you. How would you be different without them? Where have these milestones taken you to where you have been, where you are now, and perhaps where you hope to be in the future? Successful Rice University supplemental essays will answer these questions and more.

• Do you write between 400 and 500 words in this Rice essay?
• Does your Rice essay center on yourself and your development?
• Is your response to the third of the Rice University essay prompts concrete and specific?
• If applicable, do you use specific examples of how you have shared your perspectives or learned from those of other people?

How to write Rice Supplemental Essays

Writing impactful Rice University supplemental essays that catch the attention of Rice University admissions officers may seem like a daunting task. However, the Rice supplemental essays are extremely important, especially given the low Rice University acceptance rate. 

Luckily, there are certain tips you can follow to ease the writing process when approaching the Rice University supplemental essays. 

5 Tips for Writing Rice Supplemental Essays: 

#1- be specific.

When responding to both the why school essay and the why major essay, you should be specific. One of the worst mistakes students can make in their Rice supplemental essays is being generic in their responses. When writing the Rice supplemental essays, reference specific programs and offerings only available at Rice. Also, when talking about your life experiences, describe why they are meaningful to you. It may be helpful to make a college resume in order to organize all of your important activities and draw on the most important ones when writing your Rice supplemental essays. 

#2- Provide context to the reader

Above all, your reader wants to know what makes you the person you are. The Rice supplemental essays are your chance to show the admissions team that you’re more than a statistic. Tell them who you are, what you value, and why you belong at their school. Strong Rice supplemental essays will leave the admissions committee with a clear, authentic understanding of an applicant’s background and aspirations.

#3- Choose your topics carefully

You want to be authentic and unique in your responses to the Rice University essay prompts. The topic you choose to focus on makes a huge difference as your passion will be evident in the writing. Write on themes that are genuinely exciting and impactful to you. 

#4- Start early

Give yourself plenty of time to thoughtfully and carefully respond to the Rice University essay prompts. Remember that you will be writing essays for the majority of the schools you apply to. Factor that into your college application timeline. You’ll need time to brainstorm, draft, and revise each Rice essay. 

#5- Be creative and grammatically correct

Don’t shy away from getting creative with your writing style and responses to these Rice supplemental essays. That doesn’t mean you should write a poem, but, feel free to use vivid imagery and descriptive language in order to fully immerse your reader in your subject matter. However, your writing also needs to be grammatically impeccable. Have another set of eyes look over your final Rice University supplemental essays to make sure you’ve expressed your point and have no mechanical errors. 

Additionally, if any special circumstances have influenced your academic or personal development, you may want to discuss them in your Rice University supplemental essays. This can help the admissions team gain insight into your perspective.

Additional Rice Requirements – An Image for “The Box”

One of rice’s long-standing traditions is “the box,” a question on our application where we ask all of our applicants to share an image of something that appeals to them. the box gives you the opportunity to present us with an image that shares something about yourself, your interests or what is meaningful to you. this image is not used for evaluative purposes in the application, but allows you to put your stamp on the application about who you are aside from what you have achieved. be sure to choose an image that speaks for itself and does not need an explanation. the box must be a two-dimensional image that is uploaded in the common application or the coalition application, or uploaded in the rice admission student portal..

This Rice university essay prompt is not an essay at all. However, the Rice Box does a lot of the things your Rice essays do—namely, it gives the admissions team a window into who you are and what you care about.

Understandably, this unique prompt throws many students off. Remember that while the Rice Box might let you stand out, it should not detract from the effort you put into the required Rice University supplemental essays.

Don’t sweat your image choice

Notice the part of the prompt that reads, “This image is not used for evaluative purposes…and does not need an explanation.” In short, this image will not make or break your application—instead, it should be a fun addition to your overall profile.

Your submission should be able to speak for itself without a supplemental description. Some ideas for your Rice Box image might include a section of your bookshelf, a place you enjoy, an important memento, a project you enjoyed, or a hobby you mention elsewhere.

Don’t get hung up on the Rice Box! Find an image that speaks to you, and leave it at that. Then, spend the bulk of your time crafting your Rice University supplemental essays.

Rice Box Reflection Questions:

• Is your image clear enough, while staying within the file size limit?
• Is your image tasteful and appropriate for an academic context?
• Does your image reveal something interesting about you?

Does Rice care about essays?

Forbes ranks Rice University as #22 on 2023 Top Colleges list and the U.S. News Best Colleges list ranks it #15. And, the Rice University acceptance rate is quite competitive at 9%. For these reasons, when considering how to get into Rice University, one of the best colleges in Texas , applicants will want to focus on making their application as competitive as possible. The Rice University supplemental essays play a vital role in the admissions process. 

Rice’s application philosophy is holistic and committee-based. That means that your Rice University supplemental essays are extremely important within the context of your Rice application narrative. Rice University admissions will evaluate applicants on more than just hitting certain academic marks. However, given the low Rice University acceptance rate, it’s important to have a good SAT score and above averag e GPA . 

Using the Rice essays to your benefit

The Rice University supplemental essays are applicants’ opportunities to share new information that they weren’t able to display in other parts of their application. In evaluating Rice essays, the admissions team also looks to see whether you’ve done your research on why Rice University is the right school for you. So, the why school essay and why major essay are extremely important in showing off the specifics of what you’ve learned about Rice. The longer Rice essay is also an excellent opportunity to point out parts of campus life and community in which you would thrive thanks to your unique background. 

Rice University admissions needs to see your understanding and enthusiasm for the university within your Rice supplemental essays. The entire Rice application is important in the admissions evaluation process, however, the Rice supplemental essays will allow Rice University admissions to get a truer picture of who you are and why you’d fit in at Rice. 

More admissions requirements for Rice University

Applicants working on their Rice supplemental essays will need to make sure that they meet the Rice requirements and deadlines. In addition to well-written and unique Rice University supplemental essays, applicants should aim to take rigorous academic courses throughout secondary school. GPA is an important factor as a part of the admissions process. 

Rice University is test-optional so students aren’t required to submit their standardized test scores. However, half of admitted students had scores within the range of 1490-1570. If you fall within that range, or above, submitting your scores will likely bolster your Rice application. 

Letters and interviews

Rice requires applicants to submit three letters of recommendation . These letters are extremely important within the Rice admissions evaluation process. You’ll want to ask your counselor and two teachers for their recommendations well in advance so that they have sufficient time to submit them. 

Students are able to complete optional interviews which are either with an alumnus or current Rice University senior. This is a great opportunity for applicants to learn more about the Rice experience. It also lets them share more of who they are both academically and personally. 

Addition materials for special programs

Students applying to the Shepherd School of Music , School of Architecture , or Visual and Dramatic Arts department will be required to submit additional Rice University supplemental materials. You can look at all the Rice requirements here . 

Remember that Rice partners with the QuestBridge application process. So, in addition to the Rice University supplemental essays, students should check out the match requirements when completing the application. 

Applicants should also consider the cost of college and financial aid packages when starting their college search . This should be an integral part of building a college list . So, check out Rice’s financial aid options in order to compare with other colleges as you go through the college application and eventually enrollment process. 

Rice University Supplemental Essays — Final Thoughts

As you craft your Rice essays, remember to be intentional and specific. Also, these tips are just a starting point. Every Rice University essay prompt is different, and you’ll want to examine each of them on their own terms. There are multiple ways to approach your Rice essays; as you draft, you’ll learn what works best for you.

Your Rice supplemental essays give you the creative latitude to make them your own, so use this to your advantage. There are many student success stories that come from writing strong essays that bolster a competitive application. Check out one student’s journey below and remember that you could be one too. Good luck!

Student Spotlight: Line T.

This Rice supplemental essays guide was written by Sarah Kaminski. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, need some insight on 'why rice' essay.

Hey guys, I'm applying to Rice University and struggling a bit with my 'Why Rice' essay. Can anyone share examples or tips on what makes for an effective essay for Rice? Thanks!

Sure! Crafting a strong "Why Rice" essay requires a combination of researching specific aspects about Rice University that align with your interests and goals, and connecting those features to your own experiences and aspirations. Here are a few tips to help you create an effective essay:

1. Be specific: Focus on unique aspects of Rice that particularly interest you. This could include specific academic programs, research opportunities, clubs, or campus culture. Avoid general statements that could apply to any university.

Example: If you're interested in engineering, you could discuss Rice's highly-rated George R. Brown School of Engineering and how you'd take advantage of their specialized labs and mentorship programs to develop your skills further.

2. Connect to your personal experiences and goals: Show that Rice is the ideal place for you to continue growing and succeeding. Connect your past experiences and future aspirations to specific resources at Rice.

Example: If you've been involved in community service, you could talk about joining Rice's Service Club to continue making a positive impact on the Houston community while interacting with like-minded peers.

3. Demonstrate passion and enthusiasm: Admissions officers want to see that you're genuinely excited about attending Rice. Discuss how Rice's environment and opportunities can help you achieve your biggest academic and personal dreams.

Example: If you're passionate about the arts, mention how the Moody Center for the Arts or Rice's Art Grant could provide a platform for you to explore your creative side while learning from other talented students.

4. Incorporate campus visits or interactions: If you've visited the campus or attended any Rice University events, mention what you liked about the atmosphere or how those experiences further convinced you that Rice is the right fit for you.

Example: You could talk about how you attended a lecture event at Rice and how engaging the professors were, emphasizing that the nurturing intellectual environment is something you'd like to be part of.

5. Align with Rice's values: Illustrate that you share the same values as Rice, such as a commitment to diversity and community. Incorporate these values into your essay and explain how you would contribute to that environment.

Example: Mention how you'd embrace Rice's residential college system, and enthusiastically participate in campus events and social activities that promote collaboration and community building.

For more information on Rice essays click here: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-rice-university-essays/

Remember to write with an authentic voice and provide specific examples to make your essay stand out! Best of luck with your application!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

2 Rice University Essay Examples

Rice University is a highly-selective college, so it’s important to write strong essays to help your application stand out. In this post, we’ll share essays real students have submitted to Rice University. (Names and identifying information have been changed, but all other details are preserved).

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Rice University essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts.

Prompt: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

It’s family movie night, and we’ve chosen to watch Bird Brain , a nature documentary about birds and their unique abilities. I’m starting to lose interest, but the narrator says something wild that perplexes me: “Some birds have the ability to hold their breath for over 15 minutes underwater.” Well, now I have to know more. 

My mom groans as I pause the movie to spend the rest of my night understanding that one statement. I rush to my room and open my laptop, while my fingers type furiously as videos, images, and articles flood the screen. I click on the first site I see: “Emperor penguins dive to catch fish in the ocean, and their bodies begin to metabolize anaerobically after a certain point of being submerged.” But that wasn’t enough. I continue to scroll as my mind hunts for answers. How big are emperor penguins? How cold is the ocean in Antarctica? And what even is anaerobic metabolization? Ahhhhh! I feel like I am going to explode! I have to know more. 

This example of the emperor penguin is one of the many instances where I am motivated by the need to question what I hear. I encounter a similar situation on any given day. Whether it’s a quick Google search or an all nighter, I find myself lost in time as the world around me blurs while I unearth its secrets. This love of research stems from my childhood, as I was determined to find my own answers. From conducting at-home plant dissections to confirm what was taught in class, or reading an actual newspaper for the latest reports, nothing was true unless I had found evidence. Soon, this habit became deeply ingrained in my character. 

I call moments like these an “internet search spiral.” Part of the reason why these spirals are so captivating is because they can never be boring; it would take me 23.8 million years to go through the 295 exabytes of information on the web. Call me crazy, but I would do it. The never-ending knowledge found within the internet never fails to hold my attention, as my inquiries are like an emperor penguin plunging into the cold Antarctic waters for a swim. Knowing that there’s something I haven’t learned, a skill I haven’t mastered, or an equation I haven’t solved creates a warp in time that transports me to a region where seconds and minutes don’t restrain my knowledge.

 Internet search spirals capture every part of me but often leave me seeking additional material. The search for more information not available online connects me with like-minded thinkers, and this connection is what I aim to foster as a student at Rice. This quest for knowledge is more meaningful when I encounter someone whose passion for teaching matches my appreciation of learning. I turn to those who feel compelled to share. 

These internet search spirals ultimately transform me into a more mindful person. Every time I understand something new, I feel like a little penguin egg that’s ready to hatch and experience the world in a new way. The feeling of analyzing fresh material is one I will never give up. I don’t feel bound by the restriction of time because somehow my eyes never get tired of scanning endless papers and textbooks. After all, the knowledge I gain is worth it, because every bit of information gives me the chance to be a better individual. The purpose of knowledge is action, and knowledge that is acted on becomes greatness. I aspire to embody that greatness. Whether it’s from a website, a medical textbook, a documentary, or a good-old-fashioned human being, learning frees me from the constraints of time. 

So, thank you, emperor penguins, for sparking internet search spirals that push me to be a better individual.

What the Essay Did Well

This essay does a good job of using an anecdote at the beginning to hook the reader in and then continuing to weave callbacks to the anecdote throughout the essay. Including these callbacks where the student refers to themselves as “an emperor penguin plunging into the cold Antarctic waters” and “a little penguin egg that’s ready to hatch” help make the essay feel more cohesive. The use of the anecdote also allows the student to describe the thoughts that run through their brain while researching penguins, which not only shows how the student thinks, but creates the same feeling of excitement and anticipation the student felt in the moment for the reader. 

Another great thing this essay does is reflect on why this activity is so important to who the student is as a person. Although the prompt doesn’t specifically ask for anything more than why the topic is captivating and what do you turn to for more information, providing a reflection on how researching has positively impacted the student to become a better person proves to the admissions committee that this student knows who they are. The student took a passion they have and used it to show their growth as a person through engaging in this activity and how this activity will allow them to achieve their future goals. The last paragraph ties together the essay and takes it a step beyond what was required to elevate the essay.

What Could Be Improved

One thing this essay could work would be to tell less and show more. It’s cliche essay advice, but for a good reason. A lot of this essay tells the reader about the student’s researching habits without putting the reader in the chair next to the student while they sift through Internet tabs or flip through textbook pages. The anecdote at the beginning shows the excitement and thought process of the student when they are researching penguins which draws the reader in.

After the first paragraph the essay relies mostly on telling the reader what the student does and why they enjoy it, rather than using specific experiences and details to describe what was happening and how they felt. An easy way the student could improve their writing to show more would be to include more of their internal monologue while researching. 

It should also be noted that this was a Common App essay submitted to Rice that specifically mentioned Rice: “This connection is what I am to foster as a student at Rice.” Common App essays don’t need to be school specific, so including school names can actually be highly risky and costly if you make a mistake. This student could have easily submitted their Common App essay to Rice with another school’s name or with a blank they meant to fill in. The best way to avoid this mistake is simply to not included schools in your Common App, or if you really want to, make sure someone else proofreads your essay before you submit! 

Prompt: Rice is lauded for creating a collaborative atmosphere that enhances the quality of life for all members of our campus community. The Residential College System and undergraduate life are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What life perspectives would you contribute to the Rice community?

One of the many Boarding School rules that I despised at the time but now look back at nostalgically was a 45-minute phone time. So with nothing else to do, our suitemates would gather together after “lights-out” and just talk. Sometimes it would be consoling a friend coming out of a bad break-up, and other times it’d be a serious debate on the merits of Latin honors. Whatever the topic, these conversations were always compassionate, spirited, and a source of familial support. 

This camaraderie also made studying with friends profoundly different. My Indian family was always relentless in reminding me to “Forget joy for four years” because delaying gratification was the only way to find “permanent security.” Apparently, in our divine meritocracy, College is just one step on the continual stairway of advancement. I couldn’t disagree more with this notion that an education is simply a means to an end.

But, as I studied with my best friends in our hostel, learning and fun were never antithetical ideas. Nights reserved for calculus were always accompanied by ping-pong sessions, but we never intended to sabotage each other in a futile race to the top. Ours was a collaborative family, where instead of selfish opportunity costs, we were driven by brotherly love. No accolade could beat this feeling of security and finding a home — away from home.

At Rice, to build that sense of family, I want to create a discussion group—Night Owls—to gather at night and ponder both the grandiose and whimsical philosophical questions over hot chocolate . Think of these events as a modern version of the infamous Greek Symposia, just without the booze. This combination of conversation, whimsy, and intellectual inquiry is what I want from college. It doesn’t sound very prudential, but it’s surely poetic.

The student who wrote this essay did a good job of tying their previous experience to an experience they want to bring to the Rice community. This student pinpointed exactly what they loved so much about living in a community with their peers and how they planned to recreate that experience in college. The descriptions about the types of debates or ping-pong tournaments the student engaged in create an image of an intellectual and supportive environment admissions officers want to see at their college.

Additionally, by coming up with a name and a plan for the discussion group, the student’s interest is evident and it shows that they took time to consider genuinely starting this group at college. In general, the student’s writing created a warm sense of family and bonding that displayed some of the student’s key values. This leaves the reader with a positive impression of the type of person this student is outside of the classroom, which was exactly what the prompt was looking to achieve.

This essay could benefit from a more focused and cohesive story. The way the essay begins describing late night discussions at boarding school, then transitions to a discussion on the student’s family, and then returns back to his school study group is a bit disjointed. The second paragraph adds very little to the essay as a whole and distracts from the sense of community the student was trying to establish in his study group. This student probably felt the need to discuss his family and his Indian heritage to address the “cultural traditions” the prompt mentions, however the experiences studying with his friend are unique and special enough to satisfy the prompt so this was an unnecessary addition. The essay could just describe the late night conversations he had at boarding school and how they created a sense of camaraderie and family among strangers that he wants to bring to college, without needing to bring up his family.

The words this student saves by removing the paragraph on their family could be used to create more concrete examples of the types of discussions the student had at boarding school or what they want to have at Rice. Although the essay mentions discussing bad break-ups or Latin honors, adding more detail like a quote said by one of the student’s friends or an introduced idea that made them reflect on the world would help put the reader in the room with the student or gain a better appreciation for the impact of the discussions. 

Where to Get Your Rice University  Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Rice University essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Add Project Key Words

How to Write the Rice Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

October 6, 2023

There are countless reasons why Rice University might capture your attention. Perhaps it's the tight-knit community fostered by the residential college system, where students in the same program come together. Or maybe it's the allure of Houston's weather, the abundance of merit scholarships, or the opportunity to learn from renowned musicians at The Shepherd School of Music. Regardless of your motivations, if you have a driving force behind your Rice application and believe that you're a perfect fit for the school, the Rice supplemental essays 2023-2024 provide the ideal platform to express it.

Rice offers six exceptional colleges, each catering to a different area of interest: engineering, social sciences, natural sciences, music, architecture, and humanities. When reviewing your responses to the supplemental essays, admission officers seek to understand if your strengths, experiences, and aspirations align with the distinctive and competitive programs offered by Rice's colleges. To assist you in crafting compelling answers for the Rice supplemental essays 2023-2024, I have outlined strategies for addressing each prompt, including those specific to admission into particular colleges. Additionally, I provide valuable tips to help your responses shine amidst the competition.

Rice Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

The essay prompts for Rice are divided into 3 parts: questions for all applicants, questions for applicants to the School of Architecture, and questions for applicants to the School of Engineering, School of Humanities, School of Music, School of Natural Sciences, or School of Social Sciences. When you apply to Rice University, you’re required to submit an intended major at one of its colleges. Let’s take a look at each of the prompts and ways you could go about answering them. 

Essays for All Applicants

The Committee of Admission is interested in getting to know each student as well as possible through the application process. Please respond to each of the following prompts. 

Question 1 (Required)

Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected. 150 word limit..

The key to answering this question among the Rice supplemental essays 2023-2024 lies in conducting appropriate research surrounding the major and college you’ve chosen. You can write about specific courses that appeal to you within your major, such as the “From Decolonization to Globalization” course in the Classical and European studies program. Or you can write about unique opportunities at Rice that you can’t find anywhere else, such as the Museums and Cultural Heritage program in the School of Humanities, or the Opera program at the Shepherd School of Music.

While 150 words is very little, make sure to assert your interest in the subject in your essay as well. Mention any anecdote or example that conveys your passion for the field. Elaborate on how your experiences and exploration of the topics within the discipline so far make you a strong candidate for the program. If there have been any ways you’ve actively pursued your interest—such as working at a lab in preparation for a Chemical and Biomedical Engineering major, mention them in a sentence or two. 

Since there’s not much space, you won’t be able to get too much into the details about other areas of academic focus, and that’s okay. Drive home your enthusiasm both for your field, and how Rice can specifically hone your skills and assist your growth as a student.

Question 2 (Required)

Based upon your exploration of rice university, what elements of the rice experience appeal to you 150 word limit..

This is a typical “why this school” essay, but within the strict limit of 150 words. For questions like these, specific examples are key. Since you’ve already expanded on your academic interests and goals in the previous prompt, in this second essay you should focus on finding a balance between academics and more social aspects of your college experience. If you’ve visited Rice, this is a great opportunity to talk about what you experienced—were you excited by the academic atmosphere when attending a class? Did you have a memorable conversation with a current student? 

Mention clubs and student organizations that align with the theme of the rest of your application. You could write about how you want to continue your involvement in event management by partaking in the Rice Program Council. Emphasize the kinds of events you’ve organized so far and what you value about the work to explain how you’d bring your perspective to Rice’s events organization board. Doing so will not only provide context on your interests but also demonstrate to admissions officers that you’ve thought about how you might contribute to the Rice community. 

Rice wants a “diverse, exciting student body, consisting of the best and brightest from across the country and around the globe”—how do you fit this description? It’s important to portray your excitement at the possibility of attending the school for specific reasons. Admissions officers want to accept students who will bring positive energy and a love for Rice, and answering this question with active enthusiasm can go a long way. 

Question 3 (Required)

Please respond to one of the following prompts to explore how you will contribute to the rice community (500 words):.

Option 1: Rice is lauded for creating a collaborative atmosphere that enhances the quality of life for all members of our campus community. The Residential College System and undergraduate life is heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural tradition each student brings. What life perspectives would you contribute to the Rice community? 500 word limit.

Option 2: Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice?

Pay attention to the words “life perspectives.” A good way to start your brainstorming process would be to think about your background and experiences. Is there a part of your identity that you feel adds a unique element to your story? 

Rice prides itself on its diverse student body , how do you feel you can add to it? The word “diverse,” while a buzzword, can help you try and figure out the focus of your essay. While it may definitely evoke your cultural identity, sexual orientation, or religious views, you can also think out of the box when it comes to diversity. Both cultural differences and life experiences are mentioned in the question. So you could talk about nearly anything, from what the preparation of food from your family’s culture has taught you about community to how your passion for hiking has changed your worldview.

Then we come to the final part of the question: how would the perspective from your experiences contribute to Rice? Similar to the other essays, don’t talk about what you think admissions officers want to hear. What are you genuinely excited about participating in at Rice? What kinds of activities have you led in high school that you believe have prepared you to continue to make an impact while at Rice? 

This essay is almost as long as your personal statement, so you have a lot of room to address all of the parts within the question. Don’t forget to research what Rice values in its students and which parts of campus you might be able to contribute to. If you can specify how you’d be an asset to the school within Rice you’re applying to, that’s even better.

The Rice Box (Required)

In keeping with rice's long-standing tradition (known as "the box"), please share an image of something that appeals to you. see the help section for more information..

“The Box” is a unique Rice supplemental component that asks you for a photo response with no accompanying text explanation. This is Rice’s signature question, notorious for throwing students off. So if you’re confused and flustered over what picture to choose, you’re not the only one. 

You’ve heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”—here’s your chance to test this theory. Upload a photo that holds meaning to you. It can be easy to stress over this—after all, you can only use one picture and you have no way to tell admissions officers what it means. But remember, there is no right or wrong answer and what you choose won’t make or break your entire application. 

Ideas you can draw from to decide on your picture include:

• A photo of a place that is important to you, for example, the house where you grew up or the treehouse where you first discovered your love for art
• A family photo, for example, from a reunion or your grandpa’s 90th birthday
• Portrait of a family member or close friend
• An action shot, maybe your favorite baseball player pitching at the first game you watched live or your a teacher who has had an impact on you in their natural habitat—the classroom
• A picture of an object that holds meaning to you, such as a first edition book or an old family quilt

Since your Rice supplemental essays 2023-2024 are meant to add a layer to the rest of your application, this is another chance to let the school know more about your personality and character. Don’t just post a generic picture such as a stock photo of Niagara Falls downloaded from the Internet. But if it’s a photo of you and your grandmother capturing the joy on her face the first time she saw one of the Seven Natural Wonders, it’s an entirely different story.

Essays for the School of Architecture

Why are you determined to study architecture could you please elaborate on your past experiences and how they have motivated you to apply to rice university and the school of architecture in particular 250 words..

As the question states, you can highlight any aspiration, experience, or relationships that have fueled your passion for the profession. Do you have a particular goal when it comes to architecture, such as designing a space shuttle for NASA or the tallest building in your city? Can you describe experiences, such as time spent designing sets for every school play since sixth grade, which helped you realize your love for architecture? Or were you motivated by watching your parents map out blueprints for your home?

Don’t just state what that origin story was in one or two sentences. 250 words is a solid  amount of space to transport admissions officers into the time of your discovery—to the museum where you first became fascinated by the interior of a space shuttle. You could write about anything here as long as you address where your wish to pursue architecture arose. 

Save a few words at the end to connect your answer specifically to the School of Architecture at Rice. You could mention how your particular aspirations in architecture would benefit from working with one of the firms that partner with Rice’s Preceptorship program. Or, you could write about how the Rice Architecture in Paris program perfectly ties in with your passion for French architecture. 

Admissions officers should be able to take away your motivations behind studying architecture, and ways you would grow from attending the School of Architecture.

Please expand on relevant experiences and motivations outside of your academic trajectory that have inspired you to study architecture, focusing on aspects that are not accommodated by other prompts in the application. 250 words.

Your answer to this prompt might jump out immediately upon reading it, or you might have to sit down and think about activities that call out to you. The Rice supplemental essays 2023-2024 don’t want you to repeat your entire activities list; you need to make a choice. Will you pick an extracurricular because you enjoy it the most, or will you pick an activity that you find especially challenging? You could also write about an activity that brings you both joy and a challenge. As long as it has contributed to your aspirations, you can choose anything. 

It might be hard to find a non-academic activity that has motivated your interest in architecture, but you shouldn’t limit yourself. If it’s something you do for fun that might tangentially have a relation to architecture—such as participating in sandcastle competitions—that’s still outside academics and definitely counts. 

The activity doesn’t have to be over the top or on a grand scale. It could be something relatively quiet, such as reading 18th-century literature, drawing model airplanes, or making animated short films on your computer. As long as it’s authentically you, you can write about any activity that has impacted your goals. Again 250 words is a good amount to break up your essay into talking about the activity itself, then delving into detail on what you enjoy the most or find challenging.

Additional Tips for Writing the Rice Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Now that you’ve taken a look at the prompts for the Rice supplemental essays , here are a few tips to help your brainstorming process: 

• Don’t repeat the rest of your application: Admissions officers will already have read the rest of your application by the time they get to your supplemental essays. So if they see that you’ve talked about the same topic as your personal statement or have repeated details about extracurricular that are outlined in your activities list, they might think you’re one-dimensional and don’t have much to offer. They should come out of the Rice supplemental essays 2023-2024 having learned something new about you.
• Focus on yourself: All of the Rice supplemental essays specifically ask about you and your experiences. For any of the essays, you might be tempted to write about someone else—a family member who’s a Rice alum or a famous architect who’s inspired you to study architecture. If you mention them, make sure to keep it minimal. At the end of the day, the school wants to know about you. Don’t get carried away and use all your words talking about someone else.
• Show, don’t tell: This is cliché advice when it comes to writing, but it’s crucial to keep in mind, especially with the prompts that Rice has offered. Don’t just tell your reader the name of an activity that you enjoy or simply state what motivated you to study architecture. Upon reading your essay,   the admissions officer should immediately be able to picture you in your room happily drawing away, unable to hear the knock on the door. 

The Rice supplemental essays 2023-2024 present an incredible opportunity to provide the reader with a deeper understanding of who you are, your passions and aspirations, and how a Rice education can pave the way for your success. Craft your responses in a way that showcases the unique aspects of your character and paints you as a truly memorable candidate. Your application will undoubtedly benefit from supplemental essays that leave the admissions officers in awe. So pour your heart into these responses and demonstrate to the school why you are a student they simply cannot afford to overlook.

If you are looking for a college admissions counselor to help maximize your chances of getting into your dream school, we can help! InGenius Prep has helped more than 6,000 students around the world gain admission into the most competitive schools including Harvard, Yale, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, NYU, and more. Sign up for a free strategy call today and join the 6,000+ students we've helped get accepted into their dream schools. 

Tags : rice supplemental essays , rice university , how to get into rice , rice essays

Schedule a free consultation

to find out how we can help you get accepted.

Transfer Applicants

Let’s get started.

We value a diverse community of scholars. No matter where you began your academic career, our processes and policies are carefully designed to evaluate your individual merits and potential to succeed at Rice.

* Dates are for 2020-2021 application cycle

Application Materials

• September Last applicable ACT (optional)
• October Last applicable SAT (optional)
• Apply Coalition with Scoir or the Common Application and Rice writing supplement
• $75 nonrefundable application fee (must be paid online)
• Official (final) high school transcript
• All official college transcripts
• College Report
• College Instructor 1
• College Instructor 2
• Official (final) high school transcript in English (or a certified English translation)
• All official college transcripts in English (or a certified English translation)
• Dec. 1 Audition Request Form (Shepherd School of Music applicants only)
• February Last applicable ACT (optional)
• March Last applicable SAT (optional)
• Architecture Portfolio (Architecture applicants only)

Transfer Application Policies & Procedures

Students are considered transfer applicants if they have:

• Completed a high school diploma (or an equivalent)
• Earned at least 12 semester hours of college credit after graduating high school (with at least a 3.2 grade point average in their most recent college work)

If a student has earned 12 or more semester hours of credit since completing high school (or earning an equivalent), they must apply as a transfer.

Official transcripts of all academic work undertaken are a required part of the application; therefore, students may not reduce their academic credits in order to qualify as First Year applicants.

Transfer applicants must complete at least four semesters of course work (equal to 60 semester hours) as a full-time student at Rice to be eligible for a bachelor’s degree.

Domestic vs. International

Domestic applicants are those who hold one of the following citizenship or residency statuses:

• U.S. citizenship
• Permanent Residency
• Undocumented who do not hold DACA status but have resided in the U.S. for an extended period of time
• Refugee/Asylee

International applicants are foreign nationals applying to Rice. Foreign nationals are students living outside the U.S. or living in the U.S. who hold, or intend to hold, a valid F-1, J-1, H-1, H-4 etc. visa/status, as well as those pending Permanent Residency status. Rice’s international student designation is based on residency or citizenship status rather than where a student lives and studies.

Rice requires a $75 nonrefundable application fee. Students requesting an application fee waiver from Rice should respond to the fee waiver prompts provided in the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir.

The Rice supplement offers you the opportunity to share more about yourself. This is your chance to tell us why you are interested in Rice and what you would like to pursue as a student here. We also want you to elaborate on your experiences and achievements to share what you would bring to our community.

Essay Prompts (2023-2024)

1. How will continuing your education in the academic areas you selected help you achieve your goals? 150 words.

2. In addition to academics, why are you interested in transferring to Rice University? 150 words.

3. Please respond to one of the following prompts to explore how you will contribute to the Rice community:

• The Residential College System is at the heart of Rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. What life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow Owls in the residential college system? 500 word limit.
• Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice? 500 word limit.

One of Rice's long-standing traditions is “The Box,” a question on our application where we ask all of our applicants to share an image of something that appeals to them. The Box gives you the opportunity to present us with an image that shares something about yourself, your interests or what is meaningful to you. This image is not used for evaluative purposes in the application, but allows you to put your stamp on the application about who you are aside from what you have achieved. Be sure to choose an image that speaks for itself and does not need an explanation. The Box must be a two-dimensional image that is uploaded in the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir, or uploaded in the Rice Admission Student Portal.

The Shepherd School of Music is only accepting transfer applications for fall semester. All application materials for the Shepherd School of Music must be completed by December 1. For more information, please visit the Shepherd School of Music Admission page.

The School of Architecture is only accepting transfer applicants for Fall 2024. Applicants interested in the School of Architecture must submit a portfolio of creative work. Portfolios should be uploaded via your Rice Admission Student Portal. Note: Submissions exceeding the specifications listed below will not be accepted.

The portfolio should demonstrate creative potential and is not expected to be architectural in focus nor professional in quality. It may include examples of sketches, paintings, photography, models, etc. Examples of mechanical or computer drafting are strongly discouraged. The School of Architecture does not accept CDs or DVDs.

Portfolio specifications:

• PDF file labeled with applicant name (example: JaneDoe.pdf)
• 15 MB maximum file size
• Page size should be horizontally oriented A4 or Letter (8.5” x 11”); images should be between 150dpi and 300 dpi
• The first page should be a cover/title page with the applicant’s name
• Content can be up to 10 pages (not including the title page); more than one image or work can be included per page
• Captions of images with title, year of execution, media, and size are encouraged. A one to two sentence description is also acceptable.

For more information about the program, please visit their website.

Architecture Essay Prompts

1. Why are you determined to study architecture? Could you please elaborate on your past experiences and how they have motivated you to apply to Rice University and the School of Architecture in particular? 250 words.

2. Please expand on relevant experiences and motivations outside of your academic trajectory that have inspired you to study architecture, focusing on aspects that are not accommodated by other prompts in the application. 250 words.

Applicants interested in the Department of Art under the School of Humanities may submit a portfolio of creative work. If you would like to submit a portfolio, it should be uploaded via your Rice Admission Student Portal. Note: Submissions exceeding the specifications listed below will not be accepted.

The portfolio should demonstrate creative potential and is not expected to be professional in quality. It may include examples of sketches, paintings, photography, models, etc. The Department of Art does not accept CDs or DVDs, but can access URLs to Vimeo or social media pages provided within the portfolio.

• The first page/file should be a cover/title page document with the applicant’s name
• 1 GB maximum file size
• Images should be at least 2000 pixels on the longest dimension and between 150 dpi and 300 dpi
• Content can be up to 10 files (not including the title page); more than one image or work can be included per file
• Submissions of durational and/or moving-image work(s), no matter how many, cannot be longer than five (5) minutes total

To upload your portfolio, access your Rice Admission Student Portal, scroll down to the Art Portfolio section and click “Edit Portfolio”.

Fall Entry Term

Students applying to transfer must submit an application with the appropriate documents by March 15. Notification of admission decisions are made on a rolling basis in June.

All admission decisions are final. There are three admission outcomes from Fall Transfer Decision; the admission committee will:

• Waitlist – Applicants who are offered a place on the waitlist and accept it, may be considered for admission if space in the class becomes available.
• Deny – Denied applicants are welcome to re-apply in the following application cycle.

Spring Entry Term

Students applying to transfer must submit the online application with the appropriate documents by November 1. Notification of the admission decisions are made by December 1.

All admission decisions are final. There are three admission outcomes from Spring Transfer Decision; the admission committee will:

• Waitlist – Applicants who are offered a place on the waitlist may elect to be considered for admission if space in the class becomes available.

Both high school and college performance are evaluated in the transfer admission review, and special emphasis is given to performance at the college level.

Applicants must have earned at least a 3.2 GPA in their most recent college work in order to be considered for admission. Those offered admission as transfer students typically have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. GPAs in college are evaluated within the context of the degree of difficulty of coursework pursued and competitiveness of the college you have attended.

Transfer applicants do not have specific coursework requirements based on their intended area of study at Rice. However the Admission Committee will consider an applicant’s pursuit of and performance in relevant coursework.

Official Transcripts

College Transcripts

Official college transcripts must be submitted from all institutions the applicant has attended.

Official college transcripts must be submitted through a school’s online ordering system, an eTranscript service (such as the National Student Clearinghouse), or sent via postal mail directly to the Office of Admission. Transcripts will not be accepted by fax or email.

High School Transcripts

Official high school/secondary school transcripts must include coursework and grade performance from 9th through 12th grade. Applicants may submit GED results in place of a high school transcript.

Official high school transcripts must be submitted by your high school via the application platform (Common App or Apply Coalition with Scoir), through an online ordering system or eTranscript service , or sent via postal mail directly to the Office of Admission. Transcripts will not be accepted by fax or email.

All official transcripts/documents must be issued in English. If not, an official translation of all documents must be provided along with the original language documents. Translations may be done by the institution attended or an authorized/official translator in the country of study.

National Student Clearinghouse (SPEEDE Server or ETX)

Scribbles (ScribOrder)

Cambridge Assessment International Education (CIE Direct)

For USPS Courier: Rice University Office of Admission-MS 17 P.O. Box 1892 Houston, TX 77251-1892

For DHL/Fedex EXPRESS Couriers (common for international): Rice University Office of Admission-MS 555 6100 Main St. Houston, TX 77005

Testing Policy

Rice will allow first-year and transfer student applicants to undergraduate degree-seeking programs to submit SAT or ACT test scores, if they choose. Students who are unable to submit test scores or prefer not to submit test scores will be given full consideration in the admission selection process.

While standardized tests have long served to provide an external benchmark of college-readiness that provides meaningful information about a student’s preparedness for the rigors of a Rice education, they are merely one factor of many that are considered in the admission process. As is consistent with our holistic review, students will be given full consideration with the information they have provided regardless of their decision to submit their test scores.

Students wishing to provide additional exams for admission consideration are welcome to submit these to our office. These exams are purely optional and at the discretion of the students to submit. We want students to have every opportunity to showcase their strengths and academic achievements where possible.

• AP Exams, IB Exams, or AICE Exams: Students may opt to self-report AP, IB or AICE exam scores in the testing section of the Common Application, Apply Coalition with Scoir, or QuestBridge National College Match Application. These scores show mastery of content knowledge in specific subjects and may be eligible for undergraduate course credit once a student enrolls.
• Predicted IB Diploma and A-Levels: Students enrolled in IB and A-Level curricula whose schools submit predicted scores for admission consideration are expected to complete their exams and submit final results prior to enrolling. Should conditions related to the pandemic not allow for students to sit for their IB or A-Level examinations, Rice will accept the scores provided by the examination boards.

General Testing Policy

Students applying to Rice University will not be required to submit SAT or ACT for admission consideration. Students wanting to show their college readiness and academic strengths may choose to submit SAT, ACT, AP, or IB test scores.

• ACT or SAT: Rice does not have a preference for students to submit one test over the other. If an applicant submits both an SAT and an ACT score, the committee will consider the test that best enhances their application.
• Superscore: When reviewing SAT and ACT scores, we use the highest score from each section across all administrations. We encourage students to report all scores knowing that we will recombine the sections to get the best possible set of scores for each candidate.
• Writing and essay sections: The ACT Essay and SAT Writing section are not required and not considered for admission. Writing or essay section scores are not visible as part of the admission evaluation process. This policy will not be affected in light of the cancellation of the SAT Writing section instituted by the College Board.
• Self-reported Scores: Students have the option to submit self-reported scores if they are graduating from a high school within the U.S. or submit official scores. Admitted students who choose to enroll at Rice will be required to submit official test scores prior to matriculation.
• Official Test Scores: To be considered official, scores must be sent directly from the testing organization. Rice’s College Board code, including TOEFL, is 6609 and our ACT code is 4152.

The College Report

The College Report is completed by a school official, typically the dean of students, or an academic dean at the college or university. The form serves to confirm that the applicant is in good academic and disciplinary standing at the most recent institution attended. A copy of this form can be found within the Apply Coalition with Scoir or Common Application platform.

College Instructor Recommendations

Two college instructor recommendations should come from professors or instructors at the college-level. When possible, at least one recommendation should relate to the applicant's intended area of study. If an applicant has not been enrolled in school for 2 or more years, the instructor recommendations may be replaced by personal or employer recommendations.

Supplemental Letters of Recommendation

The required College Report and two college instructor recommendations provide the Admission Committee with all the information we need to make an informed admission decision. However, if someone has unique and personal knowledge about an applicant's accomplishments or talents, the applicant may have that individual submit a supplemental recommendation. For example, this could include an employer, supervisor, mentor, or another instructor. Supplemental recommendations must include the applicant’s full name, date of birth, or applicant ID and should be submitted through the application platform or to [email protected] .

Domestic Applicants

We know that one of the biggest factors in determining the right school is affordability. Because we believe talent deserves opportunity, Rice offers need-blind admission to domestic students. This means we do not consider finances when we review the application. Additionally, Rice meets 100 percent of demonstrated need – without loans – through the Rice Investment, one of the most notable financial aid programs in the country. For more information about need-based financial aid and the Rice Investment, please visit our Office of Financial Aid website .

Transfer students are not eligible for merit-based scholarships.

International Applicants

We do not offer financial aid or merit-based scholarships to international transfer applicants. This policy applies to applicants at the time of review and to admitted students, throughout their years of study at Rice.

International Student Financial Statement

International transfer applicants living outside the U.S. or in the U.S. must complete the Financial Statement and supply the appropriate supporting documentation to demonstrate the ability to finance their education at Rice.

To complete the required Financial Statement, applicants will need to do the following:

• Indicate they will not be requesting financial aid
• Submit all bank statements or affidavits supporting total funds available to go towards the total cost of attendance. Tax documents and proof of income are not accepted as supporting documentation.
• Submit all award letters or documentation supporting any scholarship funds available to go towards the total cost of attendance.
• Provide an explanation of how the applicant plans to cover the cost of attendance if the total sum of available funds is below $85,683.

All supporting financial documentation must be in English and converted to U.S. dollars.

The International Student Financial Statement can be found on the Rice Admission Student Portal once the application is submitted. An application will not be complete until the Financial Statement and all required documentation are submitted.

International transfer applicants whose first language is not English are required to demonstrate English proficiency in one of two ways:

1. Completing at least two years of full-time study in an English language curriculum prior to submitting an application

2. Submitting one of the following official test scores

To be considered official, all scores must be sent directly from the testing organization. Rice's TOEFL code is 6609.

*TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition will be accepted and TOEFL ITP PLUS will not be accepted.

The Office of the Registrar evaluates courses taken at other regionally accredited colleges or universities (or their foreign equivalent) that are appropriate to the Rice curriculum for potential transfer credit. We do not offer a preliminary transfer credit evaluation prior to admission. Once a transfer applicant is offered admission to Rice, the Office of the Registrar will send the student a preliminary evaluation of their college coursework which will show a comparison of the course taken and the comparable Rice course for credit. Details on this process may be found at Office of the Registrar .

Please view here .

Helpful Links

713-348-7423

[email protected]

M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT

Rice University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Decision: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 4

You Have: 

Rice University 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 2 essays of 150 words; 1 essay of 500 words; 1 image

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community , Why, Diversity

The Admission Committee is interested in getting to know each student as well as possible through the application process. Please respond to each of the following prompts.

Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected. (150 word limit).

Consider this the prologue to your Why essay (coming up next). To nail this question, set aside an hour or so to get cozy with the Rice website and read up on your academic school and other aspects of student life. Doing all of your research at once will allow you to tell a cohesive story about yourself, while also ensuring that your essays aren’t redundant. Pour all of your academic focus into your answer to this question. What do you love about your chosen major? If you’re interested in the Visual and Dramatic Arts program, can you describe the unique opportunities you’ll find at Rice University? What resources are available to undergrads and how will they guide your craft? If you’re undecided, think about what makes Rice the ideal environment for academic exploration. How do you plan to hone in on the perfect major? The more detail you include, the more admissions will learn about you.

Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? (150 word limit)

Keep the rich details flowing in this classic Why essay. Demonstrating a deep level of knowledge will show admissions that you’re a serious applicant. Even if you hadn’t heard of Rice before your guidance counselor suggested it, take the time to reflect on what makes you excited about the prospect of being a student there. Since you just wrote about why Rice’s majors and/or academics appeal to you for the first prompt, don’t hesitate to address residence life or campus activities in your response to this question. Admissions wants to know that you will not only thrive as a student, but also as a transplant living in their city. Does Rice have a club or volunteer organization that you really want to join? Did you fall in love with Houston when you came to visit last spring and now feel like a Texan at heart? What excites you about the prospect of sporting blue and grey next year?

Please respond to one of the following prompts to explore how you will contribute to the Rice community (in 500 words or fewer):

1. the residential college system is at the heart of rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. what life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow owls in the residential college system.

This prompt is a spin on the classic Community Essay : what do you bring with you to contribute within the residential college system, specifically? Consider your hobbies, culture, and any other extracurricular activities you do just because you love them. One great way to choose a topic is to ask yourself: if I had a podcast, what would it be about? More than likely, you’ll come up with a topic that not only interests you, but you also want to share with the world. Along with pinpointing what you’re passionate about, try to think of how you can enrich the lives of your peers. Do you teach a craft? Do you strongly believe in paying it forward? What would your friends say is your “superpower”? These are all ways to break into a discussion of what you bring to the table and what you would do to enrich your new community.

2. Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice?

Odds are that this isn’t the first Diversity Essay prompt you’ve come across this year. If it is, however, please read on. Rice wants to accept students from a range of backgrounds who will contribute to their community, so tell admissions about what makes you you and how you will strive for positive change within the student body. Think about times when people have been intrigued by or curious about your identity, skillset, or background. Maybe you began practicing meditation and Buddhism during your sophomore year and you hope to spread some wisdom and mindfulness on campus next fall. Perhaps your parents emigrated from Ukraine, and you intend to raise awareness or funds for refugees. What do you hope to share with others about your lived experience? How will you incorporate this element of your identity to enrich the world around you? Show admissions that you’re eager to make your mark in their community. Bonus points if you can reference a specific component of the Rice experience (think clubs, classes, residential colleges, volunteer opportunities, etc.) as a natural stepping stone on your personal journey of leadership and progress.

In keeping with Rice’s long-standing tradition (known as “The Box”), please share an image of something that appeals to you. See the Help Section for more information.

The final piece to Rice’s supplement isn’t an essay at all. Rice understands that a picture is worth a thousand words (or so we’ve been told). So instead of having you write a thousand words (which sounds exhausting), Rice University is asking you to upload a picture of something that appeals to you. When brainstorming which image to choose, think about your goals and passions. If you’re hoping to declare an English major, maybe your photo of choice is the Pulitzer Prize. If you are hoping to develop your business management skills at Rice, maybe you want to share the photo your mom took of you devouring pizza at student-run The Hoot this spring. Regardless of which direction you choose to take, what matters most is that your image communicates something hyper-personal, and/or reveals new information about you, your interests or your goals that is not covered anywhere else on your application.

About Kat Stubing

View all posts by Kat Stubing »

Our Common App Guide can help you choose a prompt!

Contact us for information on rates and more!

• I am a * Student Parent Potential Partner School Counselor Private College Counselor
• Name * First Last
• Phone Type Mobile Landline
• Street Address
• Address City State / Province / Region Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands Country
• Which best describes you (or your child)? High school senior High school junior College student College grad Other
• How did you find CEA? Internet Search New York Times Guidance counselor/school Social Media YouTube Friend Special Event Delehey College Consulting Other
• Common App and Coalition Essays
• Supplemental Essays
• University of California Essays
• University of Texas Essays
• Resume Review
• Post-Grad Essays
• Specialized Services
• Waitlist Letters
• Private School Essays
• General College Counseling
• School list with priorities noted:
• Anything else we should know?
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

School Stats:

• Agnes Scott College
• Alvernia University
• American University
• Amherst College
• Babson College
• Bard College
• Barnard College
• Baylor University
• Bennington College
• Bentley University
• Berry College
• Bethany College
• Bishop’s University
• Boston College
• Boston University (BU)
• Bowdoin College
• Brandeis University
• Brown University
• Bryn Mawr College
• Bucknell University
• Butler University
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• California Lutheran University
• Capitol Technology University
• Carleton College
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Catawba College
• Centre College
• Chapman University
• Claremont McKenna College
• Clark University
• College of Mount Saint Vincent
• College of William and Mary
• College of Wooster
• Colorado College
• Colorado School of Mines
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Culver-Stockton College
• D'Youville University
• Dartmouth College
• Davidson College
• Drexel University
• Duke University
• Earlham College
• Elon University
• Emerson College
• Emory University
• Flagler College
• Fordham University
• George Mason University
• Georgetown University
• Georgia State University
• Georgia Tech
• Gonzaga University
• Harvard University
• Harvey Mudd College
• Haverford College
• Hillsdale College
• Hofstra University
• Illinois Institute of Technology
• Illinois Wesleyan University
• Indiana University Bloomington
• Ithaca College
• Johns Hopkins University
• Kalamazoo College
• Lafayette College
• Lehigh University
• Lewis and Clark College
• Linfield University
• Loyola Marymount University (LMU)
• Lynn University
• Macalester College
• Malone University
• Manchester University
• Marist College
• Mary Baldwin University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Meredith College
• Monmouth College
• Moravian University
• Morehouse College
• Mount Holyoke College
• New York University (NYU)
• North Park University
• Northwestern University
• Occidental College
• Oklahoma City University
• Olin College of Engineering
• Pepperdine University
• Pitzer College
• Pomona College
• Princeton University
• Providence College
• Purdue University
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Rice University
• Saint Elizabeth University
• Santa Clara University
• Sarah Lawrence College
• Scripps College
• Seattle Pacific University
• Smith College
• Soka University of America
• Southern Methodist University
• St. John’s College
• Stanford University
• Stonehill College
• Swarthmore College
• Syracuse University
• Texas A&M University
• Texas Christian University
• The College of Idaho
• The George Washington University
• The New School
• Trinity College
• Tufts University
• Tulane University
• University of California
• University of Central Florida (UCF)
• University of Chicago
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Colorado Boulder
• University of Florida
• University of Georgia
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• University of Maryland
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Miami
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Oregon
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Richmond
• University of San Diego
• University of San Francisco
• University of Southern California (USC)
• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Tulsa
• University of Vermont
• University of Virginia (UVA)
• University of Washington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Vanderbilt University
• Vassar College
• Villanova University
• Virginia Tech
• Wake Forest University
• Washington and Lee University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Wellesley College
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
• Yale University

Want free stuff?

We thought so. Sign up for free instructional videos, guides, worksheets and more!

One-On-One Advising

Common App Essay Prompt Guide

Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

• YouTube Tutorials
• Our Approach & Team
• Undergraduate Testimonials
• Postgraduate Testimonials
• Where Our Students Get In
• CEA Gives Back
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• Private School Admissions
• International Student Admissions
• Common App Essay Guide
• Supplemental Essay Guide
• Coalition App Guide
• The CEA Podcast
• Admissions Stats
• Notification Trackers
• Deadline Databases
• College Essay Examples
• Academy and Worksheets
• Waitlist Guides
• Get Started