Rice University admits approximately 7.9% of applicants, meaning roughly 1 in 13 applicants receives an offer of admission. This places Rice among the most selective universities in the United States, with admission standards in the Most Selective category (less than 10%). The peer median admission rate of 70.6% highlights the stark difference between Rice's selectivity and typical four-year institutions. Even among elite private research universities, Rice's acceptance rate falls well below average, making admission highly competitive for all applicants regardless of qualifications. This level of selectivity means that many exceptionally qualified students—those with near-perfect test scores and outstanding academic records—face significant uncertainty in the admission process. Students who would excel at Rice do not receive admission due to the volume of highly qualified applicants competing for limited spots. For this reason, students considering Rice should build comprehensive college lists that include schools with higher acceptance rates but comparable academic quality and career outcomes. Treating Rice as a reach school regardless of qualifications represents sound application strategy, and the alternatives sections below provide options that deliver similar post-graduation outcomes with more accessible admission processes.
A directional estimate — not a prediction
Admitted students at Rice University demonstrate exceptional academic credentials across standardized testing measures. SAT scores typically range from 1500 to 1570, with a median of 1553, representing among the highest we track nationally. The middle 50% of enrolled students score between 770-800 on SAT Math and 730-770 on SAT Verbal, indicating strength across both quantitative and verbal reasoning. ACT scores range from 34 to 36 with a median of 35, again representing exceptional performance. These ranges represent the 25th to 75th percentiles of enrolled students, meaning 25% score below the lower bound and 25% score above the upper bound. Rice's peer median SAT score of 1,256 demonstrates how significantly Rice's academic profile exceeds typical selective institution standards, with Rice students scoring 297 points higher on average. Students scoring below 1500 on the SAT or 34 on the ACT should expect to be at a competitive disadvantage in the admission process but are not automatically excluded. Applicants should consider whether their academic profile aligns with these ranges when building their college lists and developing realistic admission expectations. The exceptional nature of Rice's admitted student profile reflects both the institution's academic rigor and its position among the most selective universities nationally.
Understanding institutional priorities and student support
Rice University enrolls 16.1% Pell-eligible students and 14.5% first-generation college students, indicating the institution does admit students from diverse economic backgrounds alongside those from more privileged ones. These shares are lower than at public research universities but represent meaningful diversity within Rice's highly selective context. The transfer student share of 3.5% reflects limited opportunities for transfer admission, with Rice primarily enrolling traditional first-year students. The combination of high academic credentials and moderate economic diversity suggests Rice seeks academically exceptional students while maintaining some commitment to socioeconomic access. However, the relatively low Pell share compared to national averages indicates that Rice's student body skews toward higher-income families, which aligns with its Selective Achiever designation. First-generation students should know that 14.5% of enrolled students share their background, providing some peer support but indicating they will be part of a minority population. Students from lower-income families should consider the 16.1% Pell share when assessing whether Rice's campus culture and student composition align with their preferences and comfort level within the institutional environment.
Given Rice's 7.9% acceptance rate, most applicants—even those with exceptional academic credentials—will need alternative options with more accessible admission.
Schools with comparable admission profiles — useful for building a balanced list.
Rice University demonstrates exceptional retention and completion outcomes that indicate strong institutional support systems. 97.6% of freshmen return for sophomore year compared to a peer median of 83.1%, and 95.7% graduate within six years compared to a peer median of 70.0%. These metrics place Rice well above comparable institutions on measures of student persistence and degree attainment. Pell-eligible students graduate at 89.4%, creating a 6.3 percentage point gap between overall and Pell completion rates. While this gap indicates some challenges for lower-income students, it remains relatively modest compared to many selective institutions and still represents strong absolute outcomes for Pell recipients. The combination of exceptional overall completion rates and solid Pell student outcomes suggests Rice provides effective academic support and campus environments that enable student success across economic backgrounds. Students who gain admission can expect strong institutional commitment to degree completion and access to resources that support academic persistence. Prospective students should view these retention and completion rates as indicators of the supportive academic environment they would experience, though lower-income students should weigh the moderate Pell completion gap when considering institutional fit and support systems.
Similar quality tier (#4173 ranked)
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