Rice University

Houston, TX · founded 1912 · 8,000 students · private research university · American Athletic Conference

Known for: Rice is renowned for its exceptional engineering and science programs, residential college system, and quirky campus culture. The university offers an Ivy League-caliber education in Texas with a collaborative rather than competitive atmosphere and strong ties to Houston's energy and medical industries.

Rankings

U.S. News national: #17
QS World: #140
Times Higher Education: #136
ARWU Shanghai: #101
Forbes: #27

Top programmes

Engineering
Computer Science
Architecture
Physics
Economics
Biochemistry

Notable alumni

Larry McMurtry — Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lonesome Dove
Howard Hughes — Aviation pioneer and business magnate (attended but did not graduate)
Alberto Gonzales — 80th U.S. Attorney General
Robert Curl — Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate
Brent Scowcroft — U.S. National Security Advisor
Lance Berkman — MLB All-Star and World Series champion
Elizabeth Seton — NASA astronaut

Traditions

Beer Bike race and party
O-Week (Orientation Week)
Night of Decadence party
Baker 13 runs
Willy Week before finals

If Rice University were…

As a food: Kolache from Shipley Do-Nuts — Houston-specific, unpretentious, surprisingly sophisticated underneath, and beloved by locals who know. It's the perfect fuel for grinding through problem sets—sweet, savory, and deeply underrated by outsiders.
As an athlete: Shane Battier — Smart, team-oriented, analytically-minded Duke/NBA player who won through collaboration and high IQ rather than raw ego. Rice produces people who succeed by working together and thinking differently, not showboating.
As a person alive today: Lance Berkman — Rice's own baseball legend turned Astros star—humble, Houston-loyal, deeply Christian, and respected for substance over flash. He embodies Rice's quiet excellence and Texas roots without the bluster.
As a historical figure: Howard Hughes — The eccentric billionaire engineer-aviator who left his fortune to create the Hughes Tool Company that funded Rice. Both are brilliant, quirky, Houston-based, and a little obsessive about their projects.
As a movie or TV show: Apollo 13 — Houston's Mission Control solving impossible problems through collaboration, ingenuity, and sleepless nights. Rice kids are the ones doing the math to bring everyone home safely, not the glamorous astronauts.
As a US president: Jimmy Carter — Engineer, deeply thoughtful, service-oriented, humble despite brilliance, and more respected in hindsight than in the moment. Both are underrated by flashier peers but built on substance and integrity.
As a city: Melbourne — Cultured, livable, artsy, diverse, and perpetually underrated compared to flashier rivals. Both are quietly excellent, collaborative rather than cutthroat, and beloved by those who actually live there.
As an element: Silicon — Foundation of semiconductors and modern tech, essential but not flashy. Rice is the nerdy backbone of innovation—strong STEM, collaborative culture, and building the future without the Ivy ego.
As a car: 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club — Rice is the nimble, overachieving roadster—top-tier academics without the Ivy attitude, residential colleges, Beer Bike, and Houston heat. Lightweight, fun, surprisingly powerful, and punching way above its price point w

Campus life

Rice's residential college system creates tight-knit communities where students live, dine, and compete in intramural sports together. The campus culture is quirky, collaborative, and unpretentious with a strong emphasis on work-life balance. Students enjoy Houston's diverse food scene, museums, and professional opportunities while maintaining a close campus community.