Rice University Essay Guide

Rice University Overview

Founded in 1912, Rice is a private research university in Houston, Texas. It has a beautiful and shady 300-acre campus in the heart of Texas’s Medical Center - the largest in the world. Walkable from campus is Houston’s rich museum district and the expansive Hermann Park. Rice is consistently ranked in the Top 20 schools by U.S. News and rated #1 in Quality of Life by the Princeton Review. Core aspects of Rice that prospective students should understand are its 6:1 student to faculty ratio, its unique residential college system, the breadth of research opportunities and the diverse and tight-knit student body. In my opinion, Rice has an unbeatable combination of a top tier academic program and a strong collaborative social environment. 

The major I applied to was Bioengineering and that is the major I plan to declare. The Bioengineering program at Rice is ranked #9 nationally by U.S. News and the strong neighboring programs focusing on Biomedical Engineering and Global Health further bolster the major. Rice’s Engineering faculty have unique experience in a wide range of fields, from industry to start-ups to international non-profits. I would recommend the Bioengineering major for students like myself that are interested in medicine and problem solving. The program is very supportive and is growing every year.

Typical Student Profile

Students at Rice are generally very high-achieving and have worked hard throughout high school to prepare themselves for college. That being said, I would not let the following numbers discourage you from applying. Scores and GPA are certainly important, but Rice’s admissions team is focused on identifying students that have great potential to grow and make an impact on the world. There will be thousands of applicants with “perfect” numbers; you will stand out much more by demonstrating your passions and the experiences you will bring to Rice. 

The following statistics are from the class of 2025: 

• The average GPA of admitted students is an unweighted 3.9. 
• The average SAT/ACT scores for admitted students were 1500-1560 on the SAT and 34-35 on the ACT. 
• The admission rate for Early Decision applicants was 18%, and 9% for Regular Decision. Overall, Rice accepted 9% of its applicants for this class.

Applying to Rice

The Rice application is done through both the Common Application or Coalition Application. All students that apply will submit a $75 application fee, official high school transcript, recommendations from two teachers and a counselor, one long essay, three short essays, and The Box. The Rice admissions process is holistic, with the team focusing on coursework rigor, academic performance, extracurricular activities, achievements, essays, and Rice knowledge. All the aspects of a student’s application are reviewed collectively, with an emphasis on understanding both opportunities and challenges that the student may have had. An optional part of the application is completing an interview with a current senior at Rice, which I would strongly recommend. These interviews tend to be relaxed and conversational, usually with a senior that shares some of your interests, and at minimum, it will strengthen your application simply by showing your dedication to the process. My interview took less than an hour, and it was a delightful conversation with a senior that was able to give me a lot of insight into life at Rice. It was easily the most enjoyable application interview I had throughout the entire cycle!

The Rice supplement has three short essay prompts which are usually very similar year to year, and a single photo submission called The Box (which is optional, but I would advise you to consider it mandatory). This is an opportunity to really emphasize why you see Rice as a good option for you. You can touch on how your personal interests align with various opportunities at Rice, or how you see yourself becoming a part of the Rice community. 

The three short essays are required, and though they are fairly short, I would encourage future applicants to put the most effort into these. Personally, I really enjoyed writing the Rice supplement. I was familiar with the university and its student culture, and I appreciated the space to write more about why Rice appealed to me personally and how I saw myself fitting in there. Picking my photo for The Box was actually the part that took me the longest, but in hindsight, I should have relaxed and had fun with it. Your Box submission will certainly not make or break your application, but it’s an opportunity to show the admissions team something about yourself that you may not have gotten to explore in your essays. I have friends that submitted photos of landscapes, selfies, food, and even an action figure. Don’t let The Box scare you - it’s one of the most unique and fun opportunities in the college application process.

Common Application Prompt

The prompt I selected for the Common App was: 

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

My Essay Response:

I’ve been fascinated with engineering since I was young. The concept of solving real-life problems through innovative design strikes me as the most rewarding kind of work possible. I read an article in my freshman year about the work of Rice University’s 360 Institute for Global Health, a biomedical engineering program working to design low-cost medical devices for hospitals in low-resource settings. The article detailed their development of a collection of devices nicknamed the NEST, or Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies, which was specifically aimed at serving mothers and infants in neonatal wards.

I contacted Dr. Rebecca Richards-Kortum, director of the program, hoping to somehow observe the laboratory’s work. She invited me in for an interview that spring, and I was offered a position as a summer intern. I was placed within the NEST office, and joined three senior engineers programming and testing a mechanical syringe pump. I was given my own independent projects, and I was able to do extensive research while calibrating the device. 

I woke up each morning that summer impatient to get back into the lab. Whether I was 3D printing device components, collecting and processing data, troubleshooting circuitry, or sketching new design plans, I was incredibly excited by everything I was getting to do and learn. My favorite days over the summers in the lab were the ones I got to spend in the Design Kitchen, working with a computer assisted design program to generate, print, and perfect device components. I'd stay at my workspace for hours, adjusting my sketches and prints until I was happy with them. At the end of that first summer, I was able to present my project results to the program director and the entire NEST team. In the heart of Houston’s medical center, I was tackling real problems, using state-of-the-art equipment to innovate new solutions. Using art, math, and design to solve technical problems is an incredible feeling, and I knew in those moments that I wanted to continue this work.

I was offered the chance to return to the lab after my sophomore and junior years, and eagerly continued my research and design projects. Over the course of my internship, I worked on three different medical devices, all of which are now in use on the ground in Malawi. I’ve developed a deep passion for both global health and biomedical engineering. As a woman interested in a male-dominated field, I’ll be the first to say I have been incredibly lucky to have the female mentors and role models that I do. My strongest inspiration has been Dr. Richards-Kortum herself. Seeing a deeply rooted issue in global health, she started Rice360 and assembled a team of mostly female engineers to work to solve it. It was incredibly impactful for me to be able to learn and work alongside such brilliant women, and there were several instances in which I was able to have candid discussions with my colleagues about the challenges specifically faced by women in engineering. 

I always felt comfortable asking questions about design issues, or for help from someone on another team. My female mentors and partners in the lab, as well as the projects’ ties to motherhood and infant care, enabled me to become deeply connected with the work I was doing, and to pursue solutions to any obstacles I encountered. I’ve become incredibly engaged with this engineering design work, and I hope to continue learning about the field in college. I’m excited for the opportunity to collaborate with other students passionate about STEM and global health, and I hope one day to serve as a role model for younger women interested in engineering as I am now.

Highlights:

Reflecting back on this essay after being admitted, I recognize that I was certainly lucky to be writing about research I had done and experiences I had through Rice. But this alone was not enough to get in; I would highlight two main things from my essay response, which will strengthen your own essay.

• First, I touched on my past experiences, how I thought they fit in with Rice’s values and opportunities, and how I hope to apply them in the future. I think using your long essay to touch on past, present, and future is important, and demonstrates that you are thinking of how you want to develop skills and grow while at college.
• Secondly, I used this essay to highlight both my personal and academic interests. It is important to talk about your passions, even if you aren’t sure exactly what you want to study. Showing how your various hobbies or work experiences have shaped your career goals or interests helps a university’s admissions team understand you as an applicant and what you might bring to the school.

Supplement Essay Prompt 1: Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected above. (150 word limit)

My Response: 

Engineering combines my love for design and innovation with my love for problem solving, so it has always interested me as a choice for my major. Through a summer internship in a Rice University bioengineering lab, I was able to merge a passion for global health with a field of engineering. Over the course of two summers working with Rice 360: Institute for Global Health, I was able to research and witness firsthand the disparities present throughout global health. I worked on the project teams for three different medical devices, redesigning mechanical components, resolving code issues, and conducting calibration testing. I realized through my work that bioengineering would allow me to use my skills to tackle these disparities, and improve hospital conditions in developing countries. I hope to study engineering to continue developing the skills needed to seek innovative and cost-effective solutions to prevalent problems on an international scale.

Highlights:

This essay response is less about showing commitment to one area of study and more about exploring your motivations. I talked about my past experiences in engineering and how my personal passions align with choosing bioengineering. It is totally okay to not be sure what you want to major in yet. I would not recommend trying to game the system by picking a major that is supposed to have a higher acceptance rate. The admissions team is looking for the underlying personal experiences and interests that are informing your initial decision, not looking for a certain number of a specific major.

Supplement Essay Prompt 2: Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? (150 word limit)

My Response: 

I've been lucky enough to get familiar with the engineering department and facilities at Rice through my internship, especially the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen, and I would love to be able to study and continue working within them. Beyond my love for the engineering program at Rice, the opportunities for undergraduate research and collaboration with both renowned faculty and other passionate students are incredibly appealing to me. The campus is beautiful, and in talking with Rice students I've gotten excited about the student life as well. The college system has always been appealing to me, both for forming relationships with other students and for extracurricular opportunities like art and recreational activities. I think I would be really happy at Rice, both as a student in a fantastic engineering program and as a young adult in an engaging and exciting college environment. 

Highlights:

I was able to talk about my direct experience with Rice as an intern, and emphasize my desire to keep working in that environment. I also went beyond my major and my academic interests, which I think is important. Really demonstrate here that you’ve done research into all the aspects of the university, including social aspects and the campus itself. Rice has a rich history with lots of fun traditions (look up Beer Bike), and talking about how these aspects appeal to you shows that you are truly interested.

Supplement Essay Prompt 3: 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)

My Response:

My family moved to Houston when I was about 4, and we've lived here ever since. I've always attended public schools, and as a result, much of my perception of the world has been formed by learning alongside peers with backgrounds very different to my own. Growing up in the urban south has allowed me to experience and understand a myriad of cultures represented across the United States and beyond. My family is part of a Presbyterian church near downtown, and though I'm not particularly religious myself, I'm an active member on the Mission Committee as the youth outreach coordinator, and I've always appreciated the community that the church has provided. St. Philip Presbyterian Church has been devoted over the past decade to providing services to refugees at the Texas border, with our official message becoming "We choose welcome." This aspect specifically has always been incredibly important to me and my religious identity, and I'm thankful to be from a Christian faith that is accommodating, open to all, and dedicated to helping the less fortunate. It's been important to me in my college search to seek schools within vibrant communities. As such, staying in Houston has always been appealing to me for being so rich with varying cultural identities and perspectives. As a woman interested in studying engineering, I’ve always found it incredibly important to form communities with other women in STEM. Through clubs at school and female-led teams within my internship, I’ve been able to share my own experiences and learn about the hardships and disparities faced by other women in these fields. Working and learning alongside these women has been incredibly impactful for me, and I plan on finding these same communities wherever I attend college. As someone who has always studied alongside a diverse group of peers, I would come to Rice prepared and excited to do the same. 

Highlights:

I touched on several different aspects of my identity and how they each might influence my contributions to the Rice community. I demonstrated that I was knowledgeable about the university and its students, as well as knowing about the broader Houston area. This is the longest supplemental essay prompt, and I would advise you to really reflect on all the different aspects of your identity. Rice is an extremely inclusive environment and you should really dig into how you will both benefit and benefit from that community.

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

My Submission:

Highlights:

As I’ve said, I highly doubt that your submission to The Box greatly affects your application. That being said, it is an opportunity to show some aspect of yourself that you may not have with the rest of your application materials. I submitted this photo of me doing a structural engineering challenge when I was around ten. I thought it would show that I had been interested in engineering and taking on group challenges since I was young. Know that you can’t caption your photo or provide any context - your submission will speak for itself! Don’t stress about this part of the application, it’s mostly for fun.

Written by Eleanor Kimbro, PathIvy Rice University Ambassador