rice essay prompts 2024

First Year Domestic Applicants

Let’s get started.

We value a diverse community of scholars, and our processes and policies are carefully designed to evaluate each applicant based on individual merits and potential to succeed at Rice.

* Dates are for 2020-2021 application cycle

Application Materials

• December Last applicable SAT (optional)
• December Last applicable ACT (optional)
• Dec. 2 Complete a Rice Senior Interview (optional)
• Apply Coalition with Scoir or the Common Application and Rice writing supplement
• $75 nonrefundable application fee (must be paid online)
• Official high school transcript
• School Counselor
• Architecture portfolio (Architecture applicants only)
• Jan. 6 Request an Alumni Interview (optional)
• September Last applicable ACT (optional)
• October Last applicable SAT (optional)
• Early decision agreement
• Nov. 3 Request an Alumni Interview (optional)
• Nov. 22 Complete a Rice Senior Interview (optional)
• Dec. 3 Complete a Rice Senior Interview (optional)

Application Policies & Procedures

First-year domestic applicants are those who will complete high school by the end of the current academic year and 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

Students enrolled in concurrent high school and college courses are considered first-year candidates.

Students who have elected to take time off from schooling between graduating from high school and enrolling in college are considered first-year candidates.

Completion of a high school diploma (or an equivalent) prior to enrollment is required for all new incoming students.

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. Those students participating in the QuestBridge program automatically qualify for application fee waivers from Rice.

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

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

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.

Applicants interested in Shepherd School of Music must submit additional materials depending on their area of study. All application materials must be completed by December 1. Music applicants are not eligible to apply through QuestBridge or Early Decision. Admitted students must pursue the music program for at least one year before changing schools. For more information, please visit the Shepherd School of Music Admission page.

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”.

Early Decision Plan

Early Decision is a binding decision plan designed for students who have selected Rice as their first choice. Students may initiate applications to other colleges under nonbinding plans but must withdraw those applications if admitted to Rice. Students who apply Early Decision must submit their materials by November 1. Admission decisions will be released by mid-December.

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

• Defer - Deferred applicants are considered with the Regular Decision pool.
• Deny - Denied applicants will not be considered with Regular Decision pool, but are welcome to re-apply in the following application cycle.

It is important to note that, if admitted under Early Decision, a candidate must withdraw all other college applications, may not submit any additional applications after accepting the offer, and must accept Rice’s offer of admission by submitting an enrollment deposit by January 1.

Those accepted under Early Decision who demonstrate financial aid eligibility and submit all required materials by the deadline will receive a financial aid package at the time of admission.

Regular Decision Plan

Regular Decision is a non-binding decision plan. Students who apply Regular Decision must submit their materials by January 4. Admission decisions will be released by April 1.

All admission decisions are final. There are three admission outcomes from Regular 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.
• Deny – Denied applicants are welcome to re-apply in the following application cycle.

Regular Decision applicants who are offered admission must submit an enrollment deposit by May 1.

Those accepted under Regular Decision who demonstrate financial aid eligibility and submit all required materials by the deadline will receive a financial aid package at the time of admission.

Rice is one of the original QuestBridge university and college partners (starting in 2004), and we are now one of only 45 university and college partners with a proven commitment to providing access to low-income students. Programs Rice supports include the College Prep Conferences (typically held in May and June) and the National College Match program which runs October through December. The National College Match is open to all U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents OR students, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the United States. Music applicants are not eligible to apply through QuestBridge.

Essay Prompts for students using the QuestBridge application (2023-2024)

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

One of Rice's long-standing traditions is “The Box,” a question on our application where we ask all of our applicants, including students using the QuestBridge application, to share an image of something that appeals to them. Read more about The Box under the Rice supplement tab.

For more information about applying to Rice through QuestBridge, please visit QuestBridge’s Rice University page or contact us directly at [email protected].

Official Transcripts

Official high school/secondary school transcripts must include grades from 9th through 11th grade as well as courses being taken in the 12th grade. Early Decision applicants are encouraged to submit first marking period grades, when they become available. Regular Decision applicants will be required to submit mid-year grades from 12th grade, when they become available.

Applicants studying in an international exam-based curriculum, must submit:

• All official high school transcripts
• Final exam results (for example IGCE/GCSE, CBSE X/AISSCE X)
• Predicted exam results, if available

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.

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

Course Requirements

Rice seeks students who demonstrate intellectual vitality through their course selection and their grade performance. Most applicants will challenge themselves by taking advantage of the rigorous coursework available to them. At a minimum, students must complete the following.

• At a minimum, the natural science and engineering divisions require trigonometry or precalculus and both chemistry and physics. Students may substitute a second year of chemistry or biology for physics.
• Students admitted with curriculum deficiencies will be asked to complete the required work by taking high school or college-level courses during the summer before enrollment at Rice.

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.

Please refer to our Class Profile for more information on the academic profile of admitted students.

Candidates must submit letters of recommendation from their counselor and two teachers.

Counselor Letter of Recommendation

The counselor letter of recommendation serves to highlight the accomplishments of a student within the context of their high school. The letter must come from an applicant’s assigned school counselor, college counselor, principal, or headmaster. Applicants will not be disadvantaged if their high school structure and counselor’s caseload does not allow students the opportunity to build a personal relationship with their counselor.

Teacher Letters of Recommendation

The two teacher recommendations serve to highlight the applicant’s academic strengths and contributions in the classroom. Both of these recommendations should be from teachers of core academic subjects, and ideally one recommendation would relate to the applicant's intended area of study. Though not a requirement, we would prefer letters come from teachers who have taught the student for a full course.

Supplemental Letters of Recommendation

The required counselor recommendation and two teacher 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, coach, mentor, or another teacher. 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].

We recommend an interview for first-year applicants, though they are optional and not guaranteed. Interviews are a great way to communicate your knowledge about Rice and an excellent opportunity to showcase academic and personal successes while learning more about the campus experience. An inability to schedule an interview will not negatively impact your application.

All interviews for the 2023 - 2024 application cycle will be conducted virtually. A trained alumnus or current Rice University senior will virtually meet with you to learn more about your accomplishments and academic interests and to answer your questions about studying at Rice.

A limited number of interviews with current Rice University seniors will be available beginning in late August through our campus visit website . You do not need to have submitted your admission application to schedule an interview with a current senior, but interview slots are on a first-come, first-served basis. Please follow the deadlines below when scheduling an interview with a current senior.

If you are unable to schedule an interview with a Rice senior, you will still have the opportunity to request an interview with a member of the Rice Alumni Volunteers for Admission (RAVA). Due to limited availability, you will need to submit your application for admission before requesting an interview with RAVA. Then access your online applicant portal and request your virtual interview by the deadlines below.

*Please note that you may only complete one interview. We have no preference between completing an interview with a Rice senior or a RAVA. In years of exceptionally high demand for interviews, all requests may not be fulfilled. We will try to match students who request an interview by the priority deadline first.

Rice University has concluded our participation in the Rice/Baylor Medical Scholars program.

We remain committed to supporting our current cohorts as they finish their studies at Rice and matriculate into Baylor College of Medicine. However, we will no longer accept new applications to the Rice/Baylor Program.

With Rice’s location situated next to the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, our students benefit from opportunities to work with leading researchers and medical professionals and are exceedingly successful pursuing their aspirations in medicine and healthcare. We will continue to advise students on the many avenues and pathways to becoming healthcare professionals, including the traditional medical school application process.

You will be notified via email how to access your Rice Admission Student Portal which is designed to assist you in tracking our receipt of your application materials and to communicate your final admission decision. The only valid notification of an admission decision is a formal communication from the Rice University Office for Enrollment. We reserve the right to close your application if you are admitted under a binding Early Decision plan at another institution.

Need-Based Financial Aid

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.

Merit-Based Scholarships

The Office of Admission offers merit-based scholarships to incoming first year students who distinguish themselves academically and personally within our highly competitive group of admitted students. These scholarships are based solely on merit and financial need is not taken into consideration. There is no separate application or interview required; the Admission Committee automatically considers all admitted students, both domestic and international, on the basis of the student’s application for admission. About 20% of admitted students are offered a merit scholarship each year. Students awarded a merit-based scholarship will be notified at the time of admission.

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams

Rice University awards transfer credit for the Advanced Placement (AP) Program, which enables high school students to earn transfer credit for college-level courses taken in high school upon completion of AP examinations with a score of 4 or 5. For more information about the AP transfer credit process, please visit the Advanced Placement (AP) Credit page.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams

Rice University awards transfer credit for International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations for students who hold the International Baccalaureate Diploma and have obtained a score of 6 or 7 on higher level exams. For more information about the IB transfer credit process, please visit the International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit page.

International Exams

Students who complete various international exams with a grade of A or B may receive transfer credit. These exams include A-Levels, the Abitur, CAPE, CEGEP (Science Option), French Baccalauréat (Science Option), Italian Maturita, and Swiss Federal Maturity Certificate. For more information about the international exams transfer credit process, please visit the International Exam Credit page.

Transfer/Dual Credit

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.

Transfer credit will not be awarded for courses included on a student’s high school transcript and used to satisfy high school graduation requirements, i.e. dual credit courses. Only those students who have more than 20 college preparatory courses may have the Office of the Registrar consider for Rice credit their college courses taken in high school. For more information about the transfer credit process, please visit the Transfer Credit page.

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August 25, 2023

2023-2024 Rice University Supplemental Essay Prompts

Rice University has released its 2023-2024 supplemental essay prompts for applicants to the Class of 2028. In all, Rice asks applicants to respond to three supplemental essay prompts — two essays of 150 words and one essay of 500 words. For the 500-word essay, there are two options from applicants are asked to choose one. In addition, as is tradition, Rice applicants are asked to include an image that represents them with their Rice supplement. So, what exactly are this year’s essays for the Rice Class of 2028?

2023-2024 Rice Essay Topics & The Box

Essay topics.

Rice applicants are asked to answer the first two essay prompts in a maximum of 150 words. These two prompts are as follows:

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

This prompt is a straight-up-the-middle Why Major essay. As such, students should write an origin story of their interest in their chosen field. The origin story should take place in high school rather than in childhood. Applicants should make the story interesting rather than tout their strengths in the given area since bragging is an implausible way to inspire admissions officers to root for applicants. 

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

This prompt is a straight-up-the-middle Why College essay . It should thus be filled with specifics on why a student wishes to attend Rice — programs, institutes, the culture, traditions, activities, and more. Notice we didn’t mention classes or professors. Classes change. Professors leave. It’s about capturing the enduring specifics of Rice.

If an applicant writes a sentence that can apply to schools other than Rice, we recommend deleting it. Every sentence in this essay should be specifically tailored to Rice. That’s the game!

For the third Rice essay, applicants are asked to answer one of the following two essay prompts in up to 500 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?

Rice’s admissions committee seeks to admit a diverse incoming class and while the United States Supreme Court outlawed the practice of Affirmative Action , Chief Justice John Roberts left an opening in college essays.

As he wrote in his majority opinion, “At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.”

Herein lies that opening. But, of course, students do not need to be underrepresented minorities to answer this question powerfully. The question is purposely broad. As such, students can write about the communities in which they were raised, their cultural traditions, their faith, or any other such topic that ideally showcases how they think and what makes them tick.

• 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?

This question is similar to the first option for the third Rice essay prompt, but it leans more heavily on being a change agent. Rice’s admissions committee wants to see how a student’s background or experiences shape who they are and how they hope to create the world they wish to see. Applicants should be specific instead of broad — think saving the bees rather than saving the world from climate change.

The Rice Box

One of Rice’s longstanding 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 image that a student uploads should be consistent with their hook. If they’re astrophysicists, the image should ideally relate to the stars. If they’re Classists, it should relate to the Classics. Too many applicants merely upload a silly image, a wasted opportunity. Beyond the essays, The Box is another opportunity to showcase intellectual curiosity.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with Rice Essays

If you’re interested in optimizing your case for admission to Rice by submitting essays that inspire admissions officers to root for you, fill out Ivy Coach ‘s free consultation form , and we’ll be in touch to outline our college admissions counseling services for seniors.

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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. 

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Rice University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

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.

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Rice University Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Advice

September 8, 2023

Rice University, the STEM powerhouse in Houston, Texas, accepted just under 8% of applicants into their Class of 2027. Given that the applicant pool—including the 92% who are ultimately rejected—are all immensely talented and qualified, any aspiring Rice student needs to find ways to stand out on their application. One such way is through the Rice supplemental essays.

 (Want to learn more about How to Get Into Rice? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get into Rice University: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

When evaluating applicants, Rice University places a strong emphasis on the quality of one’s essays. Below are Rice’s four supplemental prompts for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with our advice for creating a committee-swaying admissions essay.

Rice Supplemental Essays – Prompt #1

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

Share an authentic story here of why you are interested in your selected discipline (or disciplines). What books have you read on the subject? Which documentaries have you watched? What podcasts have you listened to? What subtopics most intrigue you? Did a teacher excite you about a topic or was it a parent or outside mentor? Do you know where you want to take this knowledge post-bachelor’s degree? Do you aim to one day go on to pursue a graduate/professional degree or is there an occupation you are shooting for right out of undergrad? Which classes are you excited to take? What do you hope to research as an undergrad? Include as much detail as possible in this very limited 150-word space.

You can structure the narrative of this essay as a succinct but comprehensive soup to nuts chronicling of your entire journey toward your discipline of interest (even in limited space) or you could share one or two vignettes that illustrate your burgeoning passion for engineering, history, French, computer science, business, psychology, etc.

Rice Supplemental Essays – Prompt #2

2) based upon your exploration of rice university, what elements of the rice experience appeal to you (150 word limit.).

The admissions committee wants to know why you desire to pursue your studies at Rice. However, with only 150 words to play with, you’ll have to make every sentence count.

In general, make sure to:

• Cite specific academic programs , professors , research opportunities , internship/externship programs , study abroad program s, student-run organizations , etc.
• Explain how you will take advantage of the university’s endless resources both inside and outside of the classroom.

Examples of items that quality “Why Rice?” essays touch upon include:

• Rice’s high marks for both race/class interaction and overall quality of life.
• Additionally, the small class size—69% of classes have fewer than 20 students.
• Ample opportunities for mentored research with faculty as an undergraduate.
• A 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
• Desire to participate in some of the  300 student-led organizations on campus.
• Lastly, one of Rice’s study abroad opportunities that appeals to you.

Rice Supplemental Essays – Prompt #3

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.

Your answer here could be about an ethnic, religious, or neighborhood community/identity or a group of individuals who gather for a club, sport, or service project. Perhaps you are the captain of a team, the editor-in-chief of your school paper, or the president of a club—on the other hand, you may simply be a valuable contributing member. Regardless of whether you are a leading man/woman or a still-essential bit player, make sure that you use your writing ability to show the admissions officer what type of community member you are rather than merely telling them. Of course, they are also interested in your “life perspectives” which are also typically more engaging when shown through examples versus delivered through “I” statements.

Rice Supplemental Essays (Continued)

You can also discuss how you have engaged with your high school local/community and what you have learned from interacting with people of a different ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual identity, etc. Draw on past evidence of your commitment to being a positive force in your community and speculate how that is likely to manifest on Rice’s campus. Research and cite Rice student-run organizations, local nonprofit groups, or anything else you are drawn to. The admissions committee wants to understand precisely how you will contribute to their campus community of 8,000+ undergrads. In summary, drawing the link between your past efforts and future aims is critical here.

For example, if you’ve done work with Meals on Wheels throughout your teens, it will be most impactful if you express your commitment to joining the local Meals on Wheels chapter which is located at a Jewish Community Center in Houston.

Rice University Supplement – “The Box”

The rice box: in keeping with rice’s long-standing tradition, please share an image of something that appeals to you..

Take them at their word here that “The Box” “not used for evaluative purposes”. As such, you shouldn’t spend hours assembling the perfect collage or designing your own symbol from scratch. Think of this as your signature on your Rice application. You can be straightforward, silly, serious, or sincere. Also heed their advice that the image can be something “aside from what you have achieved”. Therefore, you shouldn’t feel pressure to insert a picture of a robot you built or a trophy you won.

How important are the Rice supplemental essays?

The essays are “very important” to the Rice admissions committee. The following factors are equally important: the rigor of one’s secondary school record. GPA, class rank, recommendations, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities. Clearly, Rice University weighs your essays heavily in their evaluation of your candidacy.

Want personalized assistance?

Lastly, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Rice supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

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Rice University’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Architecture short response 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?

Architecture Short Response 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.

Select-A-Prompt Short Response

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?

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?

Why This Major Short Response

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

Why This College Short Response

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

Image Upload

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

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

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?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

Decoding Rice University's 2023-2024 Supplemental Essays

Welcome to our comprehensive guide for Rice University's supplemental essays. This blog post will provide an insightful approach for each prompt, supporting your journey towards becoming an Owl.

Prompt: "Why are you drawn to the area(s) of study you indicated in our Member Section, earlier in this application? If you are 'undecided' or not sure which Brown concentrations match your interests, consider describing more generally the academic topics or modes of thought that engage you currently. (150 words)"

This prompt focuses on your intellectual interests and how they align with what Rice has to offer. Here's a stellar response:

"As a child, I was enamored with the stars and constellations. I've grown to understand that my early fascination was actually an interest in Physics. I'm particularly drawn to Rice's Physics program because of its research opportunities in Astrophysics and Space Physics. The collaborative culture, coupled with the chance to conduct research at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, could provide an intersection between my interest in Physics and societal impact."

For this prompt, make sure to:

• Highlight your genuine interest: Describe why you are interested in a particular field and how it connects with your personal experiences or aspirations.
• Connect to Rice: Mention specific aspects about Rice's program that attract you. Whether it's a particular course, professor, or research opportunity, your answer should demonstrate that you've done your homework.

Short Answer Prompts:

The short answer questions are an opportunity to show a different side of you. When responding, be genuine and concise. Here are a couple of prompts and examples:

• "The quality of Rice's academic life and 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 words)"

Example: "Having lived in a multicultural household, I have experienced the confluence of different cultures and ideas firsthand. This has taught me the importance of diversity and open-mindedness. At Rice, I aim to bring this perspective by contributing to a diverse and inclusive campus culture."

• "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 experiences or cultural traditions will you bring to Rice? (500 words)"

Example: "As a member of the Kiwanis Key Club, I've organized numerous community service activities. This experience has ingrained in me a strong sense of community and collaboration, which I intend to bring to Rice. Furthermore, my Indian heritage has imbued me with vibrant cultural traditions, from the Festival of Lights, Diwali, to homemade samosas, which I'd love to share with the Rice community."

Remember to showcase your authentic self in your responses. Each essay and short answer is a new opportunity to demonstrate how your experiences and passions align with what Rice offers.

Wishing you all the best in your application process!

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Last updated March 22, 2024

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Blog > Essay Advice , Private University , Supplementals > How to Write the Rice Supplemental Essays

How to Write the Rice Supplemental Essays

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University Admissions

Key Takeaway

So you’ve decided to apply to Rice and now have to complete the Rice supplement? Never fear. In this post, I’ll break down all three essay prompts and go over how to pick an image for that pesky “Rice Box” question.

Let’s jump right in.

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

You’re starting with a simple, straightforward academic interest essay . Of course, you’ll want to choose academic interests that coincide with what Rice has to offer. In your essay, you’ve got a bunch of options. You can write about how you became interested in the areas you’ve selected or describe a pivotal moment in your educational path. You could highlight a particular problem you’re eager to solve or write about the work you’ve already done in the area. As you’re reflecting on multiple areas, you can also write about how you see the two subjects intersecting with each other.

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

Next on your supplemental list is this “why us” essay. As with any why us essay, you’ll want to start by researching specific details about Rice’s offerings that you find appealing. Feel free to look into academics, campus life, and institutional values and priorities.

The best place to start your research is Rice’s website. You can also use information you gather from speaking with an admissions representative or attending an information session or campus tour. Look for appealing majors or programs, courses, clubs, internships, research opportunities, faculty, student support services, educational approaches—anything that you think would enhance your time at Rice.

As you write your essay, consider why the factors you’ve listed are appealing to you. Do they relate to opportunities you’ve had in the past? Are they building on work you’ve already done? Would they make you feel at home? Would they help you achieve your goals?

By the time you’re done, your essay should make it clear to your Rice admissions officers that Rice is the perfect fit for you.

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.

With a 500-word limit, this one’s pretty hefty. That’s almost as long as your personal statement!

There are a few values from the first couple of sentences that I want you to draw out before you begin writing: collaboration, enhancing quality of life, reaching all members of the campus community, the Residential College System, and interactions between different life experiences and cultural traditions.

With those values in mind, think about the central question of the prompt: What life perspectives would you contribute to the Rice community?

As you’re thinking through your life perspectives, reflect on which ones align with the values we drew out of the first two sentences. Are there any in particular that would show that you’re a good, collaborative community member? Someone who’s able to interact with people from all different perspectives?

Since you have a lot of words, you have the space to elaborate on whatever perspectives you choose. Here are a few guidelines you might find helpful:

• You can focus on more than one life perspective that you’d bring to Rice, but be careful about writing an essay that tries to do too many things at once. Your essay should still have one main message.
• The perspective(s) you write about should be significant. You can throw a playful one or two in there if that’s your style, but you’ll still want to be able to reflect meaningfully on them.
• Consider what new information a Rice admissions officer will learn about you from this essay. It’s a long one, so don’t waste it. Which of your perspectives don’t appear elsewhere in your application? Which do you really want to drive home? Think about your overall application narrative .

Finally, you can also use this essay to show off some of your Rice knowledge. Since the prompt asks how you’ll contribute to the Rice community, you can sprinkle in a few specific details about the aspects of Rice’s community that draw you in the most.

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

And with this final question, Rice gets a little creative. Instead of writing a fourth essay, you’ll be submitting an image. It’s a chance for you to share something meaningful visually rather than in writing. Rice’s website says, “ 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.”

Rice admissions officers also advise that you pick an image that doesn’t need explanation, since you won’t have any accompanying text. You’ll upload it directly to your Common App or Coalition account or through your Rice admissions portal.

Your image should find a balance between being intriguing, being able to stand on its own, and revealing something about who you are.

Let’s take a look at a few examples to get you brainstorming. You might submit an image of…

• one of your activities.
• something related to your essays.
• you and your friends or loved ones.
• your artwork.
• your hobby or passion.
• a place you love or were influenced by.

Once you have your image selected, upload it alongside your essays.

And with that, you’re ready to get going on your Rice supplement. If you want to know more about how to craft a successful application to Rice, check out our How to Get into Rice guide.

Want even more college essay support? We’ve got you covered. Sign up for the Essay Academy , our all-in-one digital college essay course, to learn how to write your best college essays.

Happy writing! ✏️

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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.

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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 .

Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar.

Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges.

Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now :

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.

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Rice University Supplemental Essays 2024 | Strategies and Insights for Success

Rice University, a STEM powerhouse nestled in Houston, Texas, boasts an acceptance rate of just under 8% for the Class of 2027. Within this highly competitive applicant pool, comprising overwhelmingly talented individuals, aspiring Rice students must seize every opportunity to distinguish themselves. One such avenue lies in crafting compelling Rice supplemental essays.

When it comes to evaluating applicants, Rice University places significant weight on the quality of essays. Here, we delve into Rice’s four supplemental prompts for the 2023-24 admissions cycle, offering expert advice to help you craft essays that captivate the admissions committee and elevate your application to new heights.

Also read Rice University Precollege Program

Rice University Supplemental Essays

Rice Supplemental Essay #1:

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

This prompt beckons for an authentic narrative illustrating your profound interest in your chosen discipline. Despite the stringent word limit, aim for a comprehensive portrayal of your journey. You can opt for a succinct overview or spotlight pivotal moments igniting your passion. Dive into specifics:

• Share anecdotes of your engagement with the subject, whether through books, documentaries, or podcasts.
• Reflect on the subtopics within your discipline that intrigue you the most.
• Highlight influential figures—be it a teacher, parent, or mentor—who fueled your enthusiasm.
• Discuss your post-bachelor’s aspirations, whether it’s pursuing further education or entering a specific occupation. In this limited space, each detail matters, painting a vivid picture of your unwavering commitment to your chosen field.

Rice Supplemental Essay #2:

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

Conveying your enthusiasm for Rice within a tight word count demands precision. Dive into Rice-specific attributes that resonate with you deeply:

• Highlight academic programs, professors, and research opportunities tailored to your interests.
• Discuss how Rice’s small class sizes and student-to-faculty ratio foster an enriching learning environment.
• Express interest in engaging with Rice’s vibrant student life through student-led organizations, mentorship opportunities, or study abroad programs. Remember, specificity is key. Whether it’s the intimate class settings or the prospect of mentored research, each element should reflect your genuine excitement for the Rice experience.

Rice Supplemental Essay #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?

Crafting a compelling response requires a blend of introspection and forward-thinking. Delve into:

• Your cultural or community affiliations and how they shape your perspective.
• Leadership roles or contributions within your high school or local community.
• Specific initiatives or organizations at Rice that align with your values and interests. Articulate not just what you bring to the table but also how you envision contributing to Rice’s diverse residential community. Showcasing your past involvement and future aspirations demonstrates your readiness to immerse yourself in the vibrant tapestry of Rice’s residential life.

In navigating Rice’s supplemental essays, remember that brevity is your ally. Every word should pack a punch, illuminating facets of your personality, aspirations, and genuine connection to Rice University. By thoughtfully addressing each prompt, you can craft essays that resonate deeply with the admissions committee, positioning yourself as a standout candidate amidst the competitive applicant pool.

Also see Rice University Acceptance Rate | Strategies and Insights for Admission Success 2024

The Importance of Rice Supplemental Essays

The Rice supplemental essays hold considerable weight in the eyes of the admissions committee, being classified as “very important” factors in their evaluation process. Alongside them stand pivotal elements such as the rigor of one’s secondary school record, GPA, class rank, recommendations, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities.

This underscores the pivotal role these essays play in shaping the overall impression of an applicant’s candidacy. Each essay offers a unique opportunity for candidates to showcase their individuality, aspirations, and alignment with Rice’s values and community.

By meticulously crafting compelling narratives that resonate with the admissions committee, applicants can leave a lasting impression and bolster their chances of securing admission to Rice University. In essence, the supplemental essays serve as a powerful tool for candidates to articulate their readiness to thrive in Rice’s dynamic academic environment and contribute meaningfully to its vibrant community.

Related Rice University Transfer Acceptance Rate 2024 | Strategies and Insights for Success

The Rice supplemental essays represent a crucial aspect of the admissions process, carrying significant weight in the evaluation of candidates’ applications. As one of the “very important” factors considered by the admissions committee, these essays offer applicants a vital opportunity to distinguish themselves, showcasing their unique qualities, aspirations, and suitability for Rice University. By approaching each essay with thoughtfulness, authenticity, and attention to detail, candidates can effectively convey their readiness to excel academically and contribute positively to Rice’s diverse and vibrant community. In essence, the supplemental essays serve as a gateway for applicants to present a holistic picture of themselves, ultimately playing a pivotal role in shaping their journey towards becoming a part of the Rice University family.

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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

WAITLISTED? Act now. Get expert guidance to write a standout Letter of Continued Interest!

Command Education Guide

How to write the rice university essays, updated for 2023-2024.

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

Explanation:

While it may not be clear at first, this is really a two part question. First, it’s asking “Why do you want to study what you’ve selected?” Second, “Why do you want to study those topics at Rice?” With just 150 words to work with, you should try to be as specific as you can be when answering these big questions. Focus on your core interests, and find concrete reasons why Rice is the best place for you to explore those topics. While you won’t have space to list every class you want to take or everything you love about Rice, try to write about a few specific opportunities to show the admissions committee that you’ve done your research and that Rice is a good fit for you.

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

This short essay is a classic ‘Why this school?’ essay. It should highlight your knowledge of the unique opportunities at Rice and your own special interests and perspectives. This essay is intended to allow you to write about your other, nonacademic interests and how Rice will allow you to explore them. A great way to approach this essay is to do some intensive research on Rice’s website in order to find academic programs, research opportunities, extracurricular activities and student groups, and unique aspects of student life that interest you.

Just like in the first essay, you’ll want to provide some concrete examples. Focus on linking your past experiences and passions to your plans for making the most of your potential time at Rice. For example, you may want to have a diverse social circle with people of different perspectives and identities, and know that Rice ranks #1 for race and class interactions. Or, there may be an extracurricular or non-academic program that you want to explore. Allow the word “experience” to mean whatever you want it to mean!

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.

At 500 words, this essay gives you plenty of room to describe your perspectives! However, you’ll want to avoid listing too many ideas at once. Instead, consider the communities you are a part of now and the experiences you’ve had that are the most meaningful to you. To help narrow it down, research the values that the Rice community espouses, and see where your values and interests intersect with theirs. The admissions officers want to get a sense of the kind of student you’ll be at Rice, and how you’ll fit into the campus culture.

Get specific! Instead of just answering “what” perspectives you’ll bring, include “where” you want to bring them. Consider how you might bring your different perspectives to your social and academic life as well as to the 350+ clubs and organizations Rice has to offer. How might your community background enhance the Residential College System? Will your teamwork experience from your time on a high school athletic team inspire you to lead a club sport? Whatever your life perspectives, make sure to demonstrate how you will use your unique background to become a valuable member of the Rice community!

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 prompt asks you to reflect on the world you come from and how your background has shaped your worldview. It is important to think about and clearly express what your particular frame of reference is, and what you can bring to campus that no one else can. This may be related to a geographic identity, a religious community, a unique intersection of identities that you occupy, a family background, a place of work, a school you attend or have attended, or any other environment that has been meaningful to you. What are the life lessons you’ve gleaned from growing up in your particular neighborhood, or in your particular family? What are the most important communities you are a part of, and how have they shaped your values?

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Rice University Early Decision for Fall 2024 Admission

Ok. It seems we need to contact common app to figure out why that question didn’t show up.

Hope it gets resolved soon.

He’s applying RD…hopefully plenty of time.

I believe you have to select your major first or something like that. I don’t know where I read this but another parent on CC had this problem too and after they selected their major it “unlocked” the last question.

Yes. He selected ‘architecture’, but that essay is still not showing up. What major did your child select?

Maybe we should try different majors to check.

oh hmm does architecture have a different essay though. Thought I read that somewhere.

edit: or additional essay or something. let me see if i can find where i read that. my daughter is doing engineering but i think she still had to pick something more specific after first picking engineering

I don’t know how reliable collegevine is but they are saying if you are applying architecture you have 2 additional 250 word essays instead of that 3rd 500 word essay that other majors are required to answer

edit: Rice admissions page mentions the two 250 essays required for architecture but no mention about architecture applicants not having to do that 3rd 500 word prompt. I’m thinking it’s not required for your architecture applicant but maybe contact admissions to be sure…or maybe can look around in older posts on here I think others may have been wondering the same thing

Yes. We have the 2 architecture essays populate. We did contact admissions, and they seemed to imply that the 3rd essay was needed on top of the architecture essays.

We tried engineering and that did populate the 3rd essay. We should probably contact the school of architecture admissions to confirm.

Thank you for your help!

D24 chose Physics as her first choice and Computer Science as her second choice. The third supplemental essay did populate on our common app.

Good luck figuring it out !

Thank you! Contacted the school of architecture. Hopefully we’ll get an answer soon.

Hello, this post is 2 days after the fact, but I hope I could provide some info as a ED applicant myself. The common app writing supplement for Rice is conditional, meaning that the essay prompts given depend on what academic areas were chosen for the “Questions” portion of the Rice application. I also applied for architecture, and so I also answered the two architecture specific questions. Its important to note that for architecture applicants, there won’t be a prompt for the 500 word essay about the residential college system, but rather two 250 word limit prompts about architecture and why the applicant chose to study architecture and RiceARCH in particular. In addition, after you complete the application on commonapp, architecture applicants will also have to submit a creative portfolio through the Rice application portal (they email the login information within about 1-2 days of the common app submission). I, myself, spent quite a bit of time on the portfolio; I believe that it is perhaps one of the most important parts for architecture applicants. On the RiceARCH website and in other forum posts, people put alot of weight and emphasis on the portfolio. As far as information goes, I’ve found CollegeVine and CollegeEssayGuy to be extremely helpful in terms of insight and priming myself up for answering the questions. I’d assume you already have this information and somebody from Rice has answered back, but I just wanted to share the information I’ve gained just for posterity’s sake.

Rice Architecture admissions confirmed that the residential essay is not required for architecture applicants.

Good luck on your ED decision. Can I ask where else you plan to apply?

My son is still working through his EA apps and won’t even start his Rice app until Dec. He’s still finishing up his portfolio. It is so time consuming.

I definitely agree that it is very time consuming, I am quite stressed out from managing ecs, dual credit classes, and high school.

In all honesty, I’ve planned on keeping my career options open by choosing schools by the major they’re best well known for/ particularly good programs. Right now, I’m interested in MechE, AeroE, MSNE, and architecture.

Rice is obviously the first choice (given the preceptorship, being in Houston where I grew up from, and my affinity towards the study), but I’ve mainly applied to other colleges with different majors all around. As an auto-admit, I applied to UT for AeroE, University of Houston for B.ARCH, A&M for MechE, and (a wild card) Colorado School of Mines for MechE.

I’m also looking into Cornell for architecture, but besides that, not too many architecture schools. Considered doing UT architecture, but again, I wanted to keep my career choices open. I find myself equally passionate for all my interests, so it has been an interesting experience with managing a moral dilemma of “settling on a path.”

I’ve got a bunch of other unrelated schools, but I feel like that’s out of the scope of this thread.

Hope you receive some great options for the fall. I applaud you for sumitting different majors for different schools. Can imagine the time commitment for all those essays. Hope you get to enjoy your senior year.

Just popped in here to say good luck to everyone!!! D started her freshmen year at Rice and is loving it. She was an RD applicant though!

Came to know through her that Rice is already working hard to welcome the class of 2024!

My kido is planning to apply RD as ED/REA slot was already used up. Would you please share stats for your kido ?

Some people shared their stats in this thread from last year:

Most the kids accepted at Rice have pretty high stats. I personally think the biggest key to admission is expressing why exactly Rice is a good fit for you personally.

My daughter was accepted in the RD round and just graduated. It was a great experience for her!

does being a child of faculty help my ED chances?

glad she’s loving it. what major/school? are you from texas?

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news Education

Should college essays touch on race? Some feel affirmative action ruling leaves no choice

When the supreme court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions..

By The Associated Press

5:20 AM on Mar 28, 2024 CDT

CHICAGO — When she started writing her college essay, Hillary Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. About being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana and growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. About hardship and struggle.

Then she deleted it all.

“I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18-year-old senior at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.”

When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. For many students of color, instantly more was riding on the already high-stakes writing assignment. Some say they felt pressure to exploit their hardships as they competed for a spot on campus.

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Related: Gov. Abbott issues executive order fighting antisemitism at Texas colleges

Amofa was just starting to think about her essay when the court issued its decision, and it left her with a wave of questions. Could she still write about her race? Could she be penalized for it? She wanted to tell colleges about her heritage but she didn’t want to be defined by it.

In English class, Amofa and her classmates read sample essays that all seemed to focus on some trauma or hardship. It left her with the impression she had to write about her life’s hardest moments to show how far she’d come. But she and some of her classmates wondered if their lives had been hard enough to catch the attention of admissions offices.

“For a lot of students, there’s a feeling of, like, having to go through something so horrible to feel worthy of going to school, which is kind of sad,” said Amofa, the daughter of a hospital technician and an Uber driver.

This year’s senior class is the first in decades to navigate college admissions without affirmative action. The Supreme Court upheld the practice in decisions going back to the 1970s, but this court’s conservative supermajority found it is unconstitutional for colleges to give students extra weight because of their race alone.

Still, the decision left room for race to play an indirect role: Chief Justice John Roberts wrote universities can still consider how an applicant’s life was shaped by their race, “so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability.”

“A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination,” he wrote.

Scores of colleges responded with new essay prompts asking about students’ backgrounds. Brown University asked applicants how “an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you.” Rice University asked students how their perspectives were shaped by their “background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity.”

Do schools ‘expect a sob story’?

When Darrian Merritt started writing his essay, he knew the stakes were higher than ever because of the court’s decision. His first instinct was to write about events that led to him going to live with his grandmother as a child.

Those were painful memories, but he thought they might play well at schools like Yale, Stanford and Vanderbilt.

“I feel like the admissions committee might expect a sob story or a tragic story,” said Merritt, a senior in Cleveland. “And if you don’t provide that, then maybe they’re not going to feel like you went through enough to deserve having a spot at the university. I wrestled with that a lot.”

Related: Texas colleges risk millions if they break DEI ban, lawmaker says

He wrote drafts focusing on his childhood, but it never amounted to more than a collection of memories. Eventually he abandoned the idea and aimed for an essay that would stand out for its positivity.

Merritt wrote about a summer camp where he started to feel more comfortable in his own skin. He described embracing his personality and defying his tendency to please others. The essay had humor — it centered on a water gun fight where he had victory in sight but, in a comedic twist, slipped and fell. But the essay also reflects on his feelings of not being “Black enough” and getting made fun of for listening to “white people music.”

“I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to write this for me, and we’re just going to see how it goes,’” he said. “It just felt real, and it felt like an honest story.”

The essay describes a breakthrough as he learned “to take ownership of myself and my future by sharing my true personality with the people I encounter. ... I realized that the first chapter of my own story had just been written.”

Ruling prompts pivots on essay topics

Like many students, Max Decker of Portland, Ore., had drafted a college essay on one topic, only to change direction after the Supreme Court ruling in June.

Decker initially wrote about his love for video games. In a childhood surrounded by constant change, navigating his parents’ divorce, the games he took from place to place on his Nintendo DS were a source of comfort.

But the essay he submitted to colleges focused on the community he found through Word is Bond, a leadership group for young Black men in Portland.

As the only biracial, Jewish kid with divorced parents in a predominantly white, Christian community, Decker wrote he constantly felt like the odd one out. On a trip with Word is Bond to Capitol Hill, he and friends who looked just like him shook hands with lawmakers. The experience, he wrote, changed how he saw himself.

“It’s because I’m different that I provide something precious to the world, not the other way around,” he wrote.

As a first-generation college student, Decker thought about the subtle ways his peers seemed to know more about navigating the admissions process. They made sure to get into advanced classes at the start of high school, and they knew how to secure glowing letters of recommendation.

If writing about race would give him a slight edge and show admissions officers a fuller picture of his achievements, he wanted to take that small advantage.

His first memory about race, Decker said, was when he went to get a haircut in elementary school and the barber made rude comments about his curly hair. Until recently, the insecurity that moment created led him to keep his hair buzzed short.

Related: Dallas approves more than $30 million in contracts to improve sidewalks citywide

Through Word is Bond, Decker said he found a space to explore his identity as a Black man. It was one of the first times he was surrounded by Black peers and saw Black role models. It filled him with a sense of pride in his identity. No more buzzcut.

The pressure to write about race involved a tradeoff with other important things in his life, Decker said. That included his passion for journalism, like the piece he wrote on efforts to revive a once-thriving Black neighborhood in Portland. In the end, he squeezed in 100 characters about his journalism under the application’s activities section.

“My final essay, it felt true to myself. But the difference between that and my other essay was the fact that it wasn’t the truth that I necessarily wanted to share,” said Decker, whose top college choice is Tulane, in New Orleans, because of the region’s diversity. “It felt like I just had to limit the truth I was sharing to what I feel like the world is expecting of me.”

Spelling out the impact of race

Before the Supreme Court ruling, it seemed a given to Imani Laird that colleges would consider the ways that race had touched her life. But now, she felt like she had to spell it out.

As she started her essay, she reflected on how she had faced bias or felt overlooked as a Black student in predominantly white spaces.

There was the year in math class when the teacher kept calling her by the name of another Black student. There were the comments that she’d have an easier time getting into college because she was Black.

Related: Federal appeals court questions legality of Texas immigration law

“I didn’t have it easier because of my race,” said Laird, a senior at Newton South High School in the Boston suburbs who was accepted at Wellesley and Howard University, and is waiting to hear from several Ivy League colleges. “I had stuff I had to overcome.”

In her final essays, she wrote about her grandfather, who served in the military but was denied access to GI Bill benefits because of his race.

She described how discrimination fueled her ambition to excel and pursue a career in public policy.

“So, I never settled for mediocrity,” she wrote. “Regardless of the subject, my goal in class was not just to participate but to excel. Beyond academics, I wanted to excel while remembering what started this motivation in the first place.”

Will schools lose racial diversity?

Amofa used to think affirmative action was only a factor at schools like Harvard and Yale. After the court’s ruling, she was surprised to find that race was taken into account even at some public universities she was applying to.

Now, without affirmative action, she wondered if mostly white schools will become even whiter.

It’s been on her mind as she chooses between Indiana University and the University of Dayton, both of which have relatively few Black students. When she was one of the only Black students in her grade school, she could fall back on her family and Ghanaian friends at church. At college, she worries about loneliness.

“That’s what I’m nervous about,” she said. “Going and just feeling so isolated, even though I’m constantly around people.”

The first drafts of her essay focused on growing up in a low-income family, sharing a bedroom with her brother and grandmother. But it didn’t tell colleges about who she is now, she said.

Her final essay tells how she came to embrace her natural hair. She wrote about going to a mostly white grade school where classmates made jokes about her afro. When her grandmother sent her back with braids or cornrows, they made fun of those too.

Over time, she ignored their insults and found beauty in the styles worn by women in her life. She now runs a business doing braids and other hairstyles in her neighborhood.

“I stopped seeing myself through the lens of the European traditional beauty standards and started seeing myself through the lens that I created,” Amofa wrote.

“Criticism will persist, but it loses its power when you know there’s a crown on your head!”

By Collin Binkley, Annie Ma and Noreen Nasir of The Associated Press

The Associated Press

AT&T notifies users of data breach and resets millions of passcodes

First look: texas rangers world series championship ring loaded with diamonds, stories, ‘cloudy water’ in garland creek starts to clear as source investigated, city says, irs owes texans $107 million in unclaimed tax refunds. time is running out to file, arlington firefighter released from hospital after being shot during welfare check.

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Student Opinion

310 Prompts for Argumentative Writing

Questions on everything from mental health and sports to video games and dating. Which ones inspire you to take a stand?

By Natalie Proulx

Does social media harm young people’s mental health? Do video games deserve the bad rap they often get? Should parents track their children? Who is the greatest athlete of all time?

Every school day, we publish new questions for students based on the news of the day, including prompts, like these, that inspire persuasive writing.

Below, we’ve rounded up over 300 of those argumentative prompts, organized by topic, all in one place. They cover everything from parenting and schools to music and social media. Each one, drawn from our Student Opinion column , links to a free New York Times article as well as additional subquestions that can help you think more deeply about it.

You can use these prompts however you like, whether to inspire an entry for our new Open Letter Contest , to hone your persuasive writing skills or simply to share your opinions on the issues of today. So scroll through the list below and see which ones inspire you to take a stand.

If you enjoy these questions, know that you can find all of our argumentative writing prompts, as they publish, here . Students 13 and up from anywhere in the world are invited to comment.

Argumentative Prompt Topics

Technology and social media, college, work and money, health and relationships, gender and race, arts and entertainment, parenting and childhood, government and politics, animals, science and time.

Social Media

1. Does Social Media Harm Young People’s Mental Health? 2. How Much Should Speech Be Moderated on Social Media? 3. Should the United States Ban TikTok? 4. How Young Is Too Young to Use Social Media? 5. Should Kids Be Social Media Influencers? 6. What Should Be Done to Protect Children Online? 7. Should There Be Separate Social Media Apps for Children? 8. Are You a Fan of ‘School Accounts’ on Social Media? 9. Will Social Media Help or Hurt Your College and Career Goals? 10. Is It Ever OK to Use Strangers as Content for Social Media?

Phones and Devices

11. Should More Teenagers Ditch Their Smartphones? 12. Should the Adults in Your Life Be Worried by How Much You Use Your Phone? 13. Should Phones Ever Be a Part of Family or Holiday Gatherings? 14. What Are Your Texting Dos and Don’ts? 15. Does Grammar Still Matter in the Age of Twitter? 16. Is Your Phone Love Hurting Your Relationships? 17. Should Texting While Driving Be Treated Like Drunken Driving? 18. How Young Is Too Young for an Apple Watch?

The Internet

19. Do Memes Make the Internet a Better Place? 20. How Excited Are You About the Metaverse? 21. Should Websites Force Users to Prove How Old They Are? 22. What Is the Best Way to Stop Abusive Language Online? 23. How Do You Feel About Cancel Culture? 24. Does Online Public Shaming Prevent Us From Being Able to Grow and Change? 25. Do You Think Online Conspiracy Theories Can Be Dangerous? 26. Does Technology Make Us More Alone?

School Discipline and Attendance

27. Should Schools Ban Cellphones? 28. How Should Schools Hold Students Accountable for Hurting Others? 29. What Are Your Thoughts on Uniforms and Strict Dress Codes? 30. Should Schools Test Their Students for Nicotine and Drug Use? 31. How Can Schools Engage Students Who Are at Risk of Dropping Out? 32. Should Students Be Allowed to Miss School for Mental Health Reasons? 33. Should Your School Day Start Later? 34. Should There Still Be Snow Days? 35. Do Kids Need Recess? 36. Should Students Be Punished for Not Having Lunch Money?

School Quality and Effectiveness

37. How Do You Think American Education Could Be Improved? 38. Do Schools Need to Do More to Hold Students Accountable? 39. Are Straight A’s Always a Good Thing? 40. Should Students Have the Same Teachers Year After Year? 41. Do Teachers Assign Too Much Homework? 42. Should We Get Rid of Homework? 43. Should We Eliminate Gifted and Talented Programs? 44. Is It Time to Get Rid of Timed Tests? 45. What Role Should Textbooks Play in Education? 46. How Should Senior Year in High School Be Spent? 47. Does Your School Need More Money? 48. Do School Employees Deserve More Respect — and Pay? 49. Should Public Preschool Be a Right for All Children?

Teaching and Learning

50. Do You Think We Need to Change the Way Math Is Taught? 51. Should Financial Literacy Be a Required Course in School? 52. Should Schools Teach Students Kitchen and Household Skills? 53. Do We Need Better Music Education? 54. What Are the Most Important Things Students Should Learn in School? 55. What Is the Purpose of Teaching U.S. History? 56. Do Schools Need to Do More to Support Visual Thinkers? 57. Is School a Place for Self-Expression? 58. Should Media Literacy Be a Required Course in School? 59. Can Empathy Be Taught? Should Schools Try to Help Us Feel One Another’s Pain? 60. Should Schools Teach You How to Be Happy? 61. Should All Schools Teach Cursive? 62. Should Kids Still Learn to Tell Time? 63. How Important Is Knowing a Foreign Language

Technology in School

64. How Should Schools Respond to ChatGPT? 65. Does Learning to Be a Good Writer Still Matter in the Age of A.I.? 66. Is Online Learning Effective? 67. Should Students Be Monitored When Taking Online Tests? 68. Should Schools Be Able to Discipline Students for What They Say on Social Media? 69. Can Social Media Be a Tool for Learning and Growth in Schools? 70. Should Facial Recognition Technology Be Used in Schools? 71. Is Live-Streaming Classrooms a Good Idea? 72. Should Teachers and Professors Ban Student Use of Laptops in Class? 73. Are the Web Filters at Your School Too Restrictive?

Education Politics

74. Do You Feel Your School and Teachers Welcome Both Conservative and Liberal Points of View? 75. Should Students Learn About Climate Change in School? 76. Should Teachers Provide Trigger Warnings for ‘Traumatic Content’? 77. Should Teachers Be Allowed to Wear Political Symbols? 78. What Do You Think About Efforts to Ban Books From School Libraries? 79. What Is Your Reaction to the Growing Fight Over What Young People Can Read? 80. What Do You Think About the Controversy Surrounding the New A.P. Course on African American Studies? 81. Should Schools or Employers Be Allowed to Tell People How They Should Wear Their Hair? 82. Does Prayer Have Any Place in Public Schools? 83. Should Schools Be Allowed to Censor Student Newspapers?

College Admissions

84. Should Colleges Consider Standardized Tests in Admissions? 85. Should Students Let ChatGPT Help Them Write Their College Essays? 86. What Is Your Reaction to the End of Race-Based Affirmative Action in College Admissions? 87. Are Early-Decision Programs Unfair? Should Colleges Do Away With Them? 88. Is the College Admissions Process Fair? 89. How Much Do You Think It Matters Where You Go to College? 90. Should Everyone Go to College? 91. Should College Be Free? 92. Is Student Debt Worth It? 93. Should High Schools Post Their Annual College Lists?

Campus Life

94. What Should Free Speech Look Like on Campus? 95. Should Greek Life on College Campuses Come to an End? 96. Should Universities Work to Curtail Student Drinking? 97. How Should the Problem of Sexual Assault on Campuses Be Addressed? 98. Are Lavish Amenities on College Campuses Useful or Frivolous? 99. Should ‘Despised Dissenters’ Be Allowed to Speak on College Campuses? 100. Should Emotional Support Animals Be Allowed on College Campuses?

Jobs and Careers

101. Is High School a Good Time to Train for a Career? 102. Is There Such a Thing as a ‘Useless’ College Major? 103. Should All High School Students Have Part-Time Jobs? 104. Should National Service Be Required for All Young Americans? 105. Is It OK to Use Family Connections to Get a Job?

Money and Business

106. Do You Think the American Dream Is Real? 107. Should All Young People Learn How to Invest in the Stock Market? 108. Should We All Go Cashless? 109. When Should You Tip? 110. Should We End the Practice of Tipping? 111. Are You a Crypto Optimist or Skeptic? 112. Do Celebrities and Influencers Make You Want to Buy What They’re Selling? 113. Is $1 Billion Too Much Money for Any One Person to Have? 114. Are C.E.O.s Paid Too Much? 115. Is It Immoral to Increase the Price of Goods During a Crisis? 116. What Should Stores Do With Unsold Goods? 117. Is There a ‘Right Way’ to Be a Tourist? 118. Who Should We Honor on Our Money?

Mental Health

119. Is Teen Mental Health in a State of Crisis? 120. ‘Love-Bombing.’ ‘Gaslighting.’ ‘Victim.’ Is ‘Trauma Talk’ Overused? 121. Does Achieving Success Always Include Being Happy? 122. Is Struggle Essential to Happiness? 123. Should Schools Teach Mindfulness? 124. How Can We Bring an End to the ‘Epidemic of Loneliness’? 125. Does Every Country Need a ‘Loneliness Minister’? 126. What Ideas Do You Have to Bring Your Community Closer Together? 127. Are Emotional-Support Animals a Scam? 128. Is It OK to Laugh During Dark Times?

Dating and Relationships

129. Who Should Pay for Dates? 130. Do Marriage Proposals Still Have a Place in Today’s Society? 131. Should Your Significant Other Be Your Best Friend? 132. How Do You Think Technology Affects Dating?

Physical Health

133. Should Governments Do More to Discourage People From Smoking and Vaping? 134. How Should Adults Talk to Kids About Drugs? 135. Can Laziness Be a Good Thing? 136. Should There Be Requirements for Teens Who Want to Ride E-Bikes? 137. What Advice Should Parents and Counselors Give Teenagers About Sexting? 138. Should All Children Be Vaccinated? 139. Do We Worry Too Much About Germs?

140. Is It Becoming More Acceptable for Men and Boys to Cry? 141. Is It Harder for Men and Boys to Make and Keep Friends? 142. Should Award Shows Eliminate Gendered Categories? 143. Should There Be More Gender Options on Identification Documents? 144. Justice Ginsburg Fought for Gender Equality. How Close Are We to Achieving That Goal? 145. What Should #MeToo Mean for Teenage Boys? 146. What Is Hard About Being a Boy? 147. Should There Be More Boy Dolls? 148. Is Single-Sex Education Still Useful? 149. Are Beauty Pageants Still Relevant? 150. Should Period Products Be Free? 151. What Are Your Thoughts on Last Names? 152. What Rules Should Apply to Transgender Athletes When They Compete? 153. What Is Your Reaction to the Recent Wave of Legislation That Seeks to Regulate the Lives of Transgender Youths? 154. What Do You Wish Lawmakers Knew About How Anti-L.G.B.T.Q. Legislation Affects Teenagers?

Identity, Race and Ethnicity

155. How Should Schools Respond to Racist Jokes? 156. How Should Parents Teach Their Children About Race and Racism? 157. What Is Your Reaction to Efforts to Limit Teaching on Race in Schools? 158. How Should Racial Slurs in Literature Be Handled in the Classroom? 159. Should Confederate Statues Be Removed or Remain in Place? 160. Should We Rename Schools Named for Historical Figures With Ties to Racism, Sexism or Slavery? 161. How Should We Remember the Problematic Actions of the Nation’s Founders? 162. Does the United States Owe Reparations to the Descendants of Enslaved People? 163. What Can History Teach Us About Resilience? 164. Should All Americans Receive Anti-Bias Education? 165. Is Fear of ‘The Other’ Poisoning Public Life? 166. What Stereotypical Characters Make You Cringe? 167. When Talking About Identity, How Much Do Words Matter? 168. How Useful Is It to Be Multilingual?

TV and Movies

169. Is True Crime As a Form of Entertainment Ethical? 170. Should Old TV Shows Be Brought Back? 171. Does Reality TV Deserve Its Bad Rap? 172. How Closely Should Actors’ Identities Reflect the Roles They Play? 173. In the Age of Digital Streaming, Are Movie Theaters Still Relevant? 174. Do We Need More Female Superheroes? 175. Is Hollywood Becoming More Diverse? 176. When Does Lying in Comedy Cross a Line? 177. How Do You Feel About ‘Nepotism Babies’?

Music and Video Games

178. Will A.I. Replace Pop Stars? 179. If Two Songs Sound Alike, Is It Stealing? 180. Should Musicians Be Allowed to Copy or Borrow From Other Artists? 181. How Do You Feel About Censored Music? 182. What Are the Greatest Songs of All Time? 183. Do Video Games Deserve the Bad Rap They Often Get? 184. Should There Be Limits on How Much Time Young People Spend Playing Video Games? 185. Should More Parents Play Video Games With Their Kids?

186. Are A.I.-Generated Pictures Art? 187. What Work of Art Should Your Friends Fall in Love With? 188. If Artwork Offends People, Should It Be Removed? 189. Should Museums Return Looted Artifacts to Their Countries of Origin? 190. Should Art Come With Trigger Warnings? 191. Is the Digital Era Improving or Ruining the Experience of Art? 192. Are Museums Still Important in the Digital Age? 193. Can You Separate Art From the Artist? 194. Are There Subjects That Should Be Off-Limits to Artists, or to Certain Artists in Particular? 195. Should Graffiti Be Protected?

Books and Literature

196. Is Listening to a Book Just as Good as Reading It? 197. Should Classic Children’s Books Be Updated for Today’s Young Readers? 198. Should White Writers Translate a Black Author’s Work? 199. Is There Any Benefit to Reading Books You Hate? 200. Should Libraries Get Rid of Late Fees?

201. What’s the Best — and Worst — Part of Being a Sports Fan? 202. Who Is the GOAT? 203. Do Women’s Sports Deserve More Attention? 204. What Should Be Done About the Gender Pay Gap in Sports? 205. Should Girls and Boys Sports Teams Compete in the Same League? 206. Should More Sports Be Coed? 207. College Athletes Can Now Be Paid. But Not All of Them Are Seeing Money. Is That Fair? 208. Should High School-Age Basketball Players Be Able to Get Paid? 209. Are Some Youth Sports Too Intense? 210. Are Youth Sports Too Competitive? 211. Is It Bad Sportsmanship to Run Up the Score in Youth Sports? 212. Is It Ethical to Be a Football Fan? 213. Does the N.F.L. Have a Race Problem? 214. What New Rules Would Improve Your Favorite Sport? 215. What Sports Deserve More Hype? 216. How Should We Punish Sports Cheaters? 217. Should Technology in Sports Be Limited? 218. Does Better Sports Equipment Unfairly Improve Athletic Ability? 219. Is It Offensive for Sports Teams and Their Fans to Use Native American Names, Imagery and Gestures? 220. Is It Selfish to Pursue Risky Sports Like Extreme Mountain Climbing? 221. Should Cheerleading Be an Olympic Sport?

Related Writing Prompt

222. Should Parents Ever Be Held Responsible for the Harmful Actions of Their Children? 223. Where Is the Line Between Helping a Child Become More Resilient and Pushing Them Too Hard? 224. Should Parents Give Children More Responsibility at Younger Ages? 225. Should Parents Tell Children the Truth About Santa? 226. Should Parents Weigh in on Their Kids’ Dating Lives? 227. Should Parents Track Their Children? 228. How Should Parents Support a Student Who Has Fallen Behind in School? 229. Do Parents Ever Cross a Line by Helping Too Much With Schoolwork? 230. What’s the Best Way to Discipline Children? 231. What Are Your Thoughts on ‘Snowplow Parents’? 232. Should Stay-at-Home Parents Be Paid? 233. Should Parents Bribe Their Children?

Childhood and Growing Up

234. Is It Harder to Grow Up in the 21st Century Than It Was in the Past? 235. Is Childhood Today Over-Supervised? 236. When Do You Become an Adult? 237. Who Should Decide Whether a Teenager Can Get a Tattoo or Piercing? 238. Do We Give Children Too Many Trophies? 239. What Can Older Generations Learn From Gen Z? 240. What Is the Worst Toy Ever?

Legislation and Policy

241. Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished? 242. Should Marijuana Be Legal? 243. Should the United States Decriminalize the Possession of Drugs? 244. What Is Your Reaction to the State of Abortion Rights? 245. Should the Government Cancel Student Debt? 246. Should Public Transit Be Free? 247. Should There Be More Public Restrooms? 248. Should the U.S. Be Doing More to Prevent Child Poverty? 249. Should the Government Provide a Guaranteed Income for Families With Children? 250. Should Law Enforcement Be Able to Use DNA Data From Genealogy Websites for Criminal Investigations?

Gun Violence

251. Are You Concerned About Violence in America? 252. How Should Americans Deal With the Problem of Gun Violence? 253. What Should Lawmakers Do About Guns and Gun Violence? 254. Should the U.S. Ban Military-Style Semiautomatic Weapons? 255. Should Teachers Be Armed With Guns?

Voting and Elections

256. How Much Faith Do You Have in the U.S. Political System? 257. Is the Electoral College a Problem? Does It Need to Be Fixed? 258. Does Everyone Have a Responsibility to Vote? 259. Should We All Be Able to Vote by Mail? 260. Should There Be a Minimum Voting Age? 261. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? 262. Should Ex-Felons Have the Right to Vote? 263. Are Presidential Debates Helpful to Voters? Or Should They Be Scrapped?

Freedoms and Rights

264. How Important Is Freedom of the Press? 265. Why Does the Right to Protest Matter? 266. Does the U.S. Constitution Need an Equal Rights Amendment? 267. Do You Care Who Sits on the Supreme Court? Should We Care? 268. Should You Have a Right to Be Rude? 269. Should Prisons Offer Incarcerated People Education Opportunities?

Civic Participation

270. Are You Optimistic About the State of the World? 271. If You Could Take On One Problem Facing Our World, What Would It Be? 272. If You Were Mayor, What Problems Facing Your Community Would You Tackle? 273. Do You Think Teenagers Can Make a Difference in the World? 274. Do You Think It Is Important for Teenagers to Participate in Political Activism? 275. Is Your Generation Doing Its Part to Strengthen Our Democracy? 276. How Is Your Generation Changing Politics? 277. Why Is It Important for People With Different Political Beliefs to Talk to Each Other? 278. Are We Being Bad Citizens If We Don’t Keep Up With the News? 279. Why Do Bystanders Sometimes Fail to Help When They See Someone in Danger? 280. When Is It OK to Be a Snitch? 281. Should Reporters Ever Help the People They Are Covering? 282. Should Celebrities Weigh In on Politics? 283. Should Athletes Speak Out On Social and Political Issues? 284. Should Corporations Take Political Stands? 285. What Do You Think the Role of the First Lady — or First Spouse — Should Be Today?

286. Is Animal Testing Ever Justified? 287. What Is Our Responsibility to Lab Animals? 288. What Are Your Thoughts About Hunting Animals? 289. Should We Be Concerned With Where We Get Our Pets? 290. What Do You Think of Pet Weddings? 291. Is It Wrong to Focus on Animal Welfare When Humans Are Suffering? 292. Should We Bring Back Animals From Extinction? 293. Are Zoos Immoral? 294. Do Bugs Deserve More Respect?

Environment and Science

295. What Role Should Young People Play in the Fight Against Climate Change? 296. Should We Be More Optimistic About Efforts to Combat Climate Change? 297. How Far Is Too Far in the Fight Against Climate Change? 298. Should Plastic Bags Be Banned Everywhere? 299. Is It Ethical to Create Genetically Edited Humans? 300. Should We Still Be Sending Astronauts to Space? 301. Do You Think Pluto Should Be a Planet? 302. Should We Treat Robots Like People?

Time and Seasons

303. What Is the Best Month of the Year? What Is the Worst? 304. Would Life Be Better Without Time Zones? 305. Do You Think It Is Time to Get Rid of Daylight Saving Time? 306. When Do Holiday Decorations Go From Festive to Excessive? 307. Should We Rethink Thanksgiving? 308. When Does a Halloween Costume Cross the Line? 309. Should School Be a Place to Celebrate Halloween? 310. Should the Week Be Four Days Instead of Five?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Natalie Proulx joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2017 after working as an English language arts teacher and curriculum writer. More about Natalie Proulx

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Rice with low methane emission

Facts for prelims (ffp).

Source: TOI

  Context: The IRRI-South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC ) aims to develop rice varieties with low methane emissions and improve the productivity of nutritious rice.

• ISARC is promoting agronomic practices like Dry Seeded Rice (DSR) and Alternate Wet and Drying (AWD) to achieve these goals.
• The focus was discussed during the 7th ISARC Coordination Committee meeting , attended by officials from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal .

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March 30, 2024

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Food scientists show rice malt has potential to play a bigger role in beer

by University of Arkansas

Rice is showing potential to play a more prominent role in beer brewing, and it helps that Arkansas produces a lot of it.

Arkansas grows about half of the rice in the United States, mostly long-grain. Meanwhile, climate change and international conflicts are leading to a shortage of the raw materials traditionally used for brewing beer, especially barley.

A new study titled "Investigating the Malting Suitability and Brewing Quality of Different Rice Cultivars," published in February in the journal Beverages , suggests the potential for malted rice to yield robust fermentations in gluten-free, all-malt beer and also in styles that use high adjunct inclusions. An adjunct is an additional source of sugar for beer fermentation.

Rice and corn have been used as an adjunct grain by American brewers since the 1860s. But the rice has been milled white rice, and not malted. Since the malting qualities of U.S. rice cultivars had not yet been evaluated for brewing qualities, one goal of the study was to identify rice cultivars with high malting potential.

U of A food science graduate student Bernardo P. Guimaraes was the lead author of the malted rice study, which provides the first publicly available data on 19 rice varieties important to the U.S. rice industry that were malted and analyzed for brewing qualities. Scott Lafontaine, a flavor chemist and assistant professor in the Food Science Department, served as Guimaraes' adviser on the research.

"Does rice have what it takes? Scientifically, yes, it is possible," Lafontaine said.

They have found rice malts with enough enzymatic capacity to fully convert their starch source into fermentable sugar, also known as self-saccharifying malts, that produce a sugary liquid called "wort" in brewing. Lafontaine says the wort from rice malt "seems to yield healthy fermentations with a standard yeast, without adding enzymes or nitrogen supplementation."

No extra vessel with rice malt?

Malting is the process of germinating a grain through hydration and then drying and heating it to halt germination. The process forms enzymes required to turn the starch into sugar when soaked in hot water for the phase of brewing called "mashing." Where rice is concerned, brewers have typically used milled white rice and not rice malt. Using milled white rice calls for an additional brewing vessel because it needs to be boiled to gelatinize the starch so it can be converted into that sugary liquid called wort.

Malted rice, on the other hand, may not require a second vessel. Guimaraes and Lafontaine showed the malted rice to be self-saccharifying with the appropriate mashing conditions. In other words, with the right temperature and time, the starch could be broken down to fermentable sugars that yeast can assimilate and turn into alcohol.

As wheat flour is to bread, malted barley is to beer, with recipes calling for varying levels of a barley as a base malt along with other grains like wheat, rye and oats for different styles of beer. Additional ingredients like roasted barley, and roasted malted barley, develop different flavors and aromas.

In the study, long-grain rice when malted showed the most promise as a competitor to malted barley for sugar content and other brewing qualities. The study looked at short, medium and long-grain varieties of "paddy rice," or rice with the chaff removed but not the husk. Interestingly, wild varieties of rice that had purple-pigmented brans produced naturally colored gluten-free beers with hues similar to wine.

New findings

Previous public studies on rice malt were performed on Italian and Indian varieties, and the study of U.S. rice malts offered two interesting discoveries, Lafontaine said. For one, the rice varieties had different gelatinization temperatures and mashing parameters seemed to have an impact on the onset of gelatinization.

"While we are not sure exactly what is occurring yet, this is likely due to the unique enzymatic profile of the rice malts and shows that brewers just have to alter their mashing conditions to effectively leverage this material in the brewery," Lafontaine said of the lower gelatinization temperatures.

The other unexpected finding was that the malted rice showed higher protein levels than previously reported, which offers potential applications as an alternative protein source in foods, Lafontaine said. The new study showed the protein content ranged from 7% to 10.5%, and some rice cultivars had protein content comparable to malted barley.

Depending on the variety of rice grown, the study indicates the potential for a value-added product for farmers whose rice turns up with a high level of chalkiness during milling. Chalky rice is opaque and tends to break when being processed, making it less valuable as a food product. However, chalkiness would not have as much of a bearing on quality if sent to a maltster and turned into rice malt. High nighttime temperatures during a rice kernel's development have been shown to contribute to chalkiness. As the climate warms, this will be a continual issue for farmers and scientists to contend with, Lafontaine noted.

Economics and flavor

Although the chemical analysis of the malted rice is promising, Lafontaine is working with the Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Department to conduct a feasibility study considering many economic factors that compare malted rice and malted barley.

One of the most pressing economic factors is the cost of barley, which has increased in the past four years. The increase has made long-grain rice "cost equivalent" to barley, Lafontaine said. Barley is grown in areas with cooler climates, while rice is grown in warmer climates. So, climate change and global warming are other factors for long-term economic impacts of barley and rice as beer ingredients, he added.

"By offering a more locally sourced grain for Southern and U.S. brewers, despite paddy rice being proportionally more carbon dioxide intensive to grow than malted barley, the lack of international shipping may potentially make up the difference in carbon dioxide," the study notes. "Additionally, rice is a gluten-free source of starch for brewers and beverage/food producers."

Lafontaine intends to conduct a sensory panel with the various beers produced from rice malt. He and Guimaraes have noticed, for example, that some aromatic varieties of rice produced elevated levels of diacetyl, which has a buttery popcorn aroma often considered an off flavor in beer.

"As a sneak peak of the next part of this study, I can say that the rice varieties had many different and interesting aromas and flavors," Guimaraes said. "I firmly believe they have great potential either as a stand-alone raw material or in conjunction with barley malt."

The rice varieties were malted in small quantities during the study using techniques comparable to industry standards. With each small test batch, the researchers measured protein content, enzyme levels and other characteristics important to brewing. Lafontaine's lab is licensed and bonded as the U of A Beverage Development Facility with an electric, 15-gallon brewing system to provide hands-on experience to students in the U of A Certificate of Proficiency in Brewing Science program.

Provided by University of Arkansas

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Easter 2024

Should college essays touch on race? Some feel the affirmative action ruling leaves them no choice

Hillary Amofa listens to others member of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. (AP Video: Noreen Nasir)

Hillary Amofa listens to others member of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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Hillary Amofa, laughs as she participates in a team building game with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Hillary Amofa stands for a portrait after practice with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Max Decker, a senior at Lincoln High School, sits for a portrait in the school library where he often worked on writing his college essays, in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

Hillary Amofa stands for a portrait after practice with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Hillary Amofa, second from left, practices with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Max Decker, a senior at Lincoln High School, stands for a portrait outside of the school in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

*Hillary Amofa, reflected right, practices in a mirror with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Max Decker, a senior at Lincoln High School, sits for a portrait outside of the school in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

Hillary Amofa, left, practices with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Hillary Amofa sits for a portrait after her step team practice at Lincoln Park High School Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

FILE - Demonstrators protest outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, in this June 29, 2023 file photo, after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, saying race cannot be a factor. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

CHICAGO (AP) — When she started writing her college essay, Hillary Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. About being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana and growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. About hardship and struggle.

Then she deleted it all.

“I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18-year-old senior at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.”

When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. For many students of color, instantly more was riding on the already high-stakes writing assignment. Some say they felt pressure to exploit their hardships as they competed for a spot on campus.

Amofa was just starting to think about her essay when the court issued its decision, and it left her with a wave of questions. Could she still write about her race? Could she be penalized for it? She wanted to tell colleges about her heritage but she didn’t want to be defined by it.

In English class, Amofa and her classmates read sample essays that all seemed to focus on some trauma or hardship. It left her with the impression she had to write about her life’s hardest moments to show how far she’d come. But she and some of her classmates wondered if their lives had been hard enough to catch the attention of admissions offices.

“For a lot of students, there’s a feeling of, like, having to go through something so horrible to feel worthy of going to school, which is kind of sad,” said Amofa, the daughter of a hospital technician and an Uber driver.

This year’s senior class is the first in decades to navigate college admissions without affirmative action . The Supreme Court upheld the practice in decisions going back to the 1970s, but this court’s conservative supermajority found it is unconstitutional for colleges to give students extra weight because of their race alone.

Still, the decision left room for race to play an indirect role: Chief Justice John Roberts wrote universities can still consider how an applicant’s life was shaped by their race, “so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability.”

“A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination,” he wrote.

Scores of colleges responded with new essay prompts asking about students’ backgrounds. Brown University asked applicants how “an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you.” Rice University asked students how their perspectives were shaped by their “background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity.”

Hillary Amofa, reflected right, practices in a mirror with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

WONDERING IF SCHOOLS ‘EXPECT A SOB STORY’

When Darrian Merritt started writing his essay, he knew the stakes were higher than ever because of the court’s decision. His first instinct was to write about events that led to him going to live with his grandmother as a child.

Those were painful memories, but he thought they might play well at schools like Yale, Stanford and Vanderbilt.

“I feel like the admissions committee might expect a sob story or a tragic story,” said Merritt, a senior in Cleveland. “And if you don’t provide that, then maybe they’re not going to feel like you went through enough to deserve having a spot at the university. I wrestled with that a lot.”

He wrote drafts focusing on his childhood, but it never amounted to more than a collection of memories. Eventually he abandoned the idea and aimed for an essay that would stand out for its positivity.

Merritt wrote about a summer camp where he started to feel more comfortable in his own skin. He described embracing his personality and defying his tendency to please others. The essay had humor — it centered on a water gun fight where he had victory in sight but, in a comedic twist, slipped and fell. But the essay also reflects on his feelings of not being “Black enough” and getting made fun of for listening to “white people music.”

“I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to write this for me, and we’re just going to see how it goes,’” he said. “It just felt real, and it felt like an honest story.”

The essay describes a breakthrough as he learned “to take ownership of myself and my future by sharing my true personality with the people I encounter. ... I realized that the first chapter of my own story had just been written.”

Max Decker, a senior at Lincoln High School, sits for a portrait in the school library where he often worked on writing his college essays, in Portland, Ore., March 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

A RULING PROMPTS PIVOTS ON ESSAY TOPICS

Like many students, Max Decker of Portland, Oregon, had drafted a college essay on one topic, only to change direction after the Supreme Court ruling in June.

Decker initially wrote about his love for video games. In a childhood surrounded by constant change, navigating his parents’ divorce, the games he took from place to place on his Nintendo DS were a source of comfort.

But the essay he submitted to colleges focused on the community he found through Word is Bond, a leadership group for young Black men in Portland.

As the only biracial, Jewish kid with divorced parents in a predominantly white, Christian community, Decker wrote he constantly felt like the odd one out. On a trip with Word is Bond to Capitol Hill, he and friends who looked just like him shook hands with lawmakers. The experience, he wrote, changed how he saw himself.

“It’s because I’m different that I provide something precious to the world, not the other way around,” he wrote.

As a first-generation college student, Decker thought about the subtle ways his peers seemed to know more about navigating the admissions process . They made sure to get into advanced classes at the start of high school, and they knew how to secure glowing letters of recommendation.

Max Decker reads his college essay on his experience with a leadership group for young Black men. (AP Video/Noreen Nasir)

If writing about race would give him a slight edge and show admissions officers a fuller picture of his achievements, he wanted to take that small advantage.

His first memory about race, Decker said, was when he went to get a haircut in elementary school and the barber made rude comments about his curly hair. Until recently, the insecurity that moment created led him to keep his hair buzzed short.

Through Word is Bond, Decker said he found a space to explore his identity as a Black man. It was one of the first times he was surrounded by Black peers and saw Black role models. It filled him with a sense of pride in his identity. No more buzzcut.

The pressure to write about race involved a tradeoff with other important things in his life, Decker said. That included his passion for journalism, like the piece he wrote on efforts to revive a once-thriving Black neighborhood in Portland. In the end, he squeezed in 100 characters about his journalism under the application’s activities section.

“My final essay, it felt true to myself. But the difference between that and my other essay was the fact that it wasn’t the truth that I necessarily wanted to share,” said Decker, whose top college choice is Tulane, in New Orleans, because of the region’s diversity. “It felt like I just had to limit the truth I was sharing to what I feel like the world is expecting of me.”

Demonstrators protest outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, in this June 29, 2023 file photo, after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, saying race cannot be a factor. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

SPELLING OUT THE IMPACT OF RACE

Before the Supreme Court ruling, it seemed a given to Imani Laird that colleges would consider the ways that race had touched her life. But now, she felt like she had to spell it out.

As she started her essay, she reflected on how she had faced bias or felt overlooked as a Black student in predominantly white spaces.

There was the year in math class when the teacher kept calling her by the name of another Black student. There were the comments that she’d have an easier time getting into college because she was Black .

“I didn’t have it easier because of my race,” said Laird, a senior at Newton South High School in the Boston suburbs who was accepted at Wellesley and Howard University, and is waiting to hear from several Ivy League colleges. “I had stuff I had to overcome.”

In her final essays, she wrote about her grandfather, who served in the military but was denied access to GI Bill benefits because of his race.

She described how discrimination fueled her ambition to excel and pursue a career in public policy.

“So, I never settled for mediocrity,” she wrote. “Regardless of the subject, my goal in class was not just to participate but to excel. Beyond academics, I wanted to excel while remembering what started this motivation in the first place.”

Hillary Amofa stands for a portrait after practice with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

WILL SCHOOLS LOSE RACIAL DIVERSITY?

Amofa used to think affirmative action was only a factor at schools like Harvard and Yale. After the court’s ruling, she was surprised to find that race was taken into account even at some public universities she was applying to.

Now, without affirmative action, she wondered if mostly white schools will become even whiter.

It’s been on her mind as she chooses between Indiana University and the University of Dayton, both of which have relatively few Black students. When she was one of the only Black students in her grade school, she could fall back on her family and Ghanaian friends at church. At college, she worries about loneliness.

“That’s what I’m nervous about,” she said. “Going and just feeling so isolated, even though I’m constantly around people.”

Hillary Amofa reads her college essay on embracing her natural hair. (AP Video/Noreen Nasir)

The first drafts of her essay focused on growing up in a low-income family, sharing a bedroom with her brother and grandmother. But it didn’t tell colleges about who she is now, she said.

Her final essay tells how she came to embrace her natural hair . She wrote about going to a mostly white grade school where classmates made jokes about her afro. When her grandmother sent her back with braids or cornrows, they made fun of those too.

Over time, she ignored their insults and found beauty in the styles worn by women in her life. She now runs a business doing braids and other hairstyles in her neighborhood.

“I stopped seeing myself through the lens of the European traditional beauty standards and started seeing myself through the lens that I created,” Amofa wrote.

“Criticism will persist, but it loses its power when you know there’s a crown on your head!”

Ma reported from Portland, Oregon.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .

I thought I had partied at Freaknik

A hulu film explores the glory days of atlanta's notorious spring break scene, and it's not what i had experienced, by d. watkins.

The kind of PTSD that comes with weekly shootings, teenage funerals and that third world American experience in general, makes phone alerts scary. A chirping and glowing phone past 1 a.m. is a horror film because you know that no good news is waiting on the other side. This is what happens when you grow up in a rough environment, what happened to me a few months ago. 

I was in bed reading myself to sleep, my wife next me, "Law and Order: SVU"-ing herself to sleep, until my phone, buzzed and buzzed.  Not again, I thought .

“Who is that?" she said, well aware of my trauma and the bad news that hunts me. 

I picked it up, punched the text bubble and gave a quick skim.  No one is dead.

“There's a Freaknik documentary coming out,” I laughed, “The young kids don’t want to see their moms twerking, and my older homies don’t want to caught acting crazy on camera.” 

We giggled and dozed off. I already knew the doc was coming but got a kick out of some of the reactions in my group chats. As a collective, everyone was excited about the film. 

Hulu has since released "Freaknik: The Greatest Party Never Told," the Mass Appeal P. Frank Williams-directed documentary. Freaknik started in the '80s as a small outdoor party for Black students in Atlanta who couldn't always afford to travel home over Spring Break but quickly grew into a cultural phenomenon, big enough to shut down the entire city by the '90s. Industry heavy hitters and hip-hop legends Luther Campbell and Jermaine Dupri are amongst the film's producers. The two also appear in the film and enjoy taking a stroll down memory lane before we had iPhone apps, Eventbrite or group chats that made us aware of the parties. This was truly an era where you had to be in the know or risked being left out. I didn't get a lot right as a child, but I was always in the know.

“Yo, y'all wanna roll down Freaknik? We tryin' be like 40 deep down there,” Hawk said to me, DI and Willie. Hawk was an older guy from these projects I used to like to play basketball in. He was a trendsetter, a street philosopher on government conspiracy theories, most importantly, he was fly. That dude had all the new Jordans first, introduced us to Avirex leather jackets, scolded us if we wore Avirex clothes, because “They only make good leather coats and nothing else,” and even had access to lookbooks and catalogs.  Who had access to lookbooks and catalogs from designers back in the '90s?  Hawk did, that's who. 

I was 16. Willie was two years younger and greener than a frog holding a cucumber. DI was one year older than me and maybe more mature than all of us. He wasn't trendy, wore Timberlands all year round and constantly listened to music. It's kind of like music was the only thing that would allow him to function.

DI didn't really have structure. He lived with his mom, but she had her own issues that didn't require clocking a 17-year-old. Besides, where we were from 17 was a man anyway, at least to the system.

“We gotta go. I heard Atlanta was crazy,” DI said.  

“I can’t,” Willie answered instantly. “My grandma would flip out.” 

“You can’t do nothin',” DI spat back. “Like come on, man. You gotta grow up at some point!” 

I quickly said I was down before it turned into a thing. The three of us came from three different kinds of households. While I had parents who sometimes required explanations for things like me venturing to Atlanta, I also had freedom. The freedom to stay at a friend's house for extended amounts of time, the freedom to not call or check in daily, the freedom for me to shoot to Atlanta, and get back without anyone noticing. DI didn't really have structure. He lived with his mom, but she had her own issues that didn't require clocking a 17-year-old. Besides, where we were from 17 was a man anyway, at least to the system. 

Willie was being raised by his grandparents because his mother had a new man who she started a new family with. His grandparents were strict, like overseers on a slave plantation – he couldn't really go anywhere, stay out too late or wear anything too flashy. So I knew he wouldn't be going down, and a conversation about him participating would be a tremendous waste of time. 

“There’s no time to bulls**t,” Hawk said, “Y'all gotta be ready because you gonna see the girl of your dream 1,000 times in one weekend. So many dream girls, you won’t have a dream girl anymore.” 

Willie stomped off. DI and I grew evil grins. 

Des, who was my age, had attended with Hawk and those older guys a year before. He couldn’t stop talking about Freaknik. He didn't have a car his first time out, but now owned a gold Acura Legend that had gold BBS rims and peanut butter-colored leather. He also had custom sheepskin chair covers for the front and back. Those Legends seated four to five people comfortably. I told him I had all the gas money, if me and DI could roll down with him. 

“I wanted you to come anyway, boy, keep ya money,” Des laughed, waving a wad of cash at me, “Just bring your best fit, because you will never see this amount of badass girls all together in one spot.” 

Des explained Freaknik as a Mecca of beauty. A place where our smarts and looks or the amount of game we had didn’t matter because there so many women. Tall women, short women, genius women, fun women, serious women – every shade of Blackness, in bikinis, in booty shorts, in love, in lust with us. Writing this feels awful, and out of control, but you must remember, this was 1996, and I was 16 and as tall as I was gullible. 

“You see, most guys who go don’t have money,” Des continued, waving his cash, digging into his sock to reveal another fluffy green stack of bills, “They be sleeping on people's couches and in tents like bums. We gonna have 10-star luxury suites with champagne and all that!” 

My eyes widened as Willie buried both of his hands deep into his palms, and said something like, “Man, f**k my grandparents!” 

I can’t remember my actual response, but I probably agreed, which was messed up because his grandparents did the best they could. 1996 was an extremely violent year in Baltimore City, if you weren't using drugs coming, then you were selling them as you floated in between the 333 homicides that happened in our small town that year. Honestly, Willie's grandparents were just trying to protect him the best way they knew how.

Fashion was the first and maybe the most important step for this big trip. There was no online shopping or social media, and the trends didn't run together like they do now. You normally dressed based on what was sold in your region. Our region was big on Guess jeans, Boss, Polo by Ralph Lauren, Nautica and Tommy Hilfiger. As far as sneakers, we always rocked Air Jordans, Nike Uptempos, Nike Air Max and New Balance. DI and I, both street kids, both with pockets full of street money, went to Downtown Locker Room, and Macy’s and Hecht’s and blew thousands on our outfits. We were ready. 

I was ready, as DI got booked for drug possession, a few days before we were supposed to leave. Spring break rolled around, and now I'm in the back of Des’ Legend next to a stranger that Hawk stuck with us. Des was behind the wheel, and his cousin who didn't speak much, sat in the front holding a map. 

It was easy for me to sleep, because Des was the best driver, especially to be so young. He drove us to New York often, where we’d use to get our Pelle Pelles and now Avirexs. The previous summer he drove us from a basketball tournament in New York, all the way down to Virginia Beach, and still had enough energy to party as soon as we pulled up to our hotel – which was impressive to me because I was tired from riding, so I couldn't imagine what the driver felt like. 

Hawk’s plan wasn't perfect, because we weren’t 40 deep, but there were about 12 guys from East and West Baltimore linked up and headed down 95 South to Atlanta. It should be about a 10-to-11-hour trip if you are only stopping for gas and bathroom breaks, but we were young and immature, so we drank too much, stopped too much, we burned down the fast food stands at rest stops and did this over and over again. None of our stops were coordinated; you’d think everyone would go to the bathroom at one particular exit, but we couldn't get it together as we stopped over and over again. And complained to each other about the frequent stops, but never stopped stopping. 

The new documentary gave me a chance to relive that trip, making me realize that we've probably spent more time in the car than at wild parties.

Des’ sound system and 12-disc CD changer was my favorite part of the trip, because Nas had music out, and Biggie had music out and Wu Tang had music out and Tupac had music out, and Mobb Deep had music out and AZ had music out I imagine we had to sound like a ghetto chorus as we gunned down the highway, because we knew all the words to "Ready to Die," and all the words to "Doe or Die," and all the words to "If I Die 2Nite." And we sang and sang and sang. DI would’ve been in heaven, just by being on the open road and zoning out to our favorite artist, but instead, he was in a cell. 

Unfortunately for us, a lot of singing would occur, because we arrived . . . and Freaknik should have been called Trafficnik. The only cool thing about being stuck in traffic, was there sometimes girls would jump on the hoods of cars and dance for those of us who could do nothing but inch forward down along the busy streets.

The new documentary gave me a chance to relive that trip, making me realize that we've probably spent more time in the car than at wild parties. I do remember the Olympic signs all around town, but we had no idea at that particular time what that could have meant to our trip. As a character on the documentary put it, and I'm paraphrasing, “Freaknik brought millions to Atlanta. The Olympics will bring billions.” 

Some people in the film had credited Atlanta winning the bid to host the 1996 Summer Olympics, with the beginning of the end a Freaknik. The party used to take place at Piedmont Park until popularity and outsiders from around the country made it a citywide thing. To combat the traffic from Black outsiders, the city of Atlanta attempted to block off many exits, which caused the nightmarish traffic we were in. 

So how does a pack of teenage drug dealers, drug dealer affiliates and street runners, who had no plans of attending college at the time, and thought all of that fraternity and Greek life stuff was the corniest thing anyone could ever do end up at this party?  The answer is simple: nothing sells like the combination of sex and beautiful people who are looking to have a good time. We were told that took place in Atlanta over Spring Break, and we all wanted in. 

My very presence helped turn Freaknik from a healthy gathering of young intellectuals into I don't know what. I didn't have a gun on me, but I'm 1,000% sure some of my friends did, and some of them were always eager to use them. Baltimore had a reputation for being a city of gunslingers, and some of those guys were very excited about keeping that stereotype alive and well. 

When we finally got out of traffic, we found our way into a few parties. I will say that Des wasn't lying. Freaknik was the Mecca of beautiful women who all seemed to have one thing in common: they were all out of my league. 

These cultured women were dancing, and having fun and turning up, but who were they, and better yet, who was I to insert myself into their reality? I didn't trust them, I couldn't trust them, I like plenty of them, but not enough to talk to them. And what if they had boyfriends who were jealous, boyfriends done with college and church that would have to face my friends who were gangsters? A conflict between my homeboys and those college kids could have ended badly. 

I remember thinking about talking to some of the women, just so the trip wouldn't be a total waste, but then changing my mind because what if a woman wanted me to go to a hotel? And what if I follow her to the hotel and she tried to set me up and have some guys rob me and take all my money like some of the women do to horny out-of-towners back home in Baltimore? I spent most of my night checking my money, patting my pocket like it was on fire, making sure my knot was still there. I spent most of my time people-watching the partiers, people-watching others talk, wondering what their conversations were about, and noticing some of the guys I came with having fun, while other guys looked just as paranoid as me. I wasn't in the right headspace to be at Freaknik and probably should have canceled the trip once DI was arrested. 

Wille sat alone on the corner when Des dropped me off after the trip. 

“Yo, I want to know everything!” he said, “Don’t skip any details!” 

“Willie my boy,” I grinned. “You missed the best trip ever.” 

Eventually, I told him the truth, but I had to get a laugh out of the situation. 

What’s funny is that I hate festivals now, and that's probably because I tried to grow up too fast and insert myself in places that were for adults. What’s not funny is that the Hulu documentary taught me that . . . I actually didn't go to Freaknik. Yes, I was at the wild event, but the glory years had passed long before I ever got a chance to attend.

about this topic

• Watching Netflix's "Old Dads" reminded me why I should’ve had kids in high school
• In Max's hilarious and heartfelt "Young Love," I saw my own life
• College was necessary for me. Will my own child need it like I did?

D. Watkins is an Editor at Large for Salon. He is also a writer on the HBO limited series "We Own This City" and a professor at the University of Baltimore. Watkins is the author of the award-winning, New York Times best-selling memoirs “ The Beast Side: Living  (and Dying) While Black in America ”, " The Cook Up: A Crack Rock Memoir ," " Where Tomorrows Aren't Promised: A Memoir of Survival and Hope " as well as " We Speak For Ourselves: How Woke Culture Prohibits Progress ." His new books, " Black Boy Smile: A Memoir in Moments ," and " The Wire: A Complete Visual History " are out now.

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Should college essays touch on race? Some feel the affirmative action ruling leaves them no choice

Collin Binkley, Annie Ma And Noreen Nasir

Associated Press

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

Hillary Amofa listens to others member of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. "I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping," said the 18 year-old senior, "And I'm just like, this doesn't really say anything about me as a person." (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

CHICAGO – When she started writing her college essay, Hillary Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. About being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana and growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. About hardship and struggle.

Then she deleted it all.

Recommended Videos

“I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18-year-old senior at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.”

When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. For many students of color, instantly more was riding on the already high-stakes writing assignment. Some say they felt pressure to exploit their hardships as they competed for a spot on campus.

Amofa was just starting to think about her essay when the court issued its decision, and it left her with a wave of questions. Could she still write about her race? Could she be penalized for it? She wanted to tell colleges about her heritage but she didn’t want to be defined by it.

In English class, Amofa and her classmates read sample essays that all seemed to focus on some trauma or hardship. It left her with the impression she had to write about her life's hardest moments to show how far she'd come. But she and some of her classmates wondered if their lives had been hard enough to catch the attention of admissions offices.

“For a lot of students, there’s a feeling of, like, having to go through something so horrible to feel worthy of going to school, which is kind of sad,” said Amofa, the daughter of a hospital technician and an Uber driver.

This year’s senior class is the first in decades to navigate college admissions without affirmative action . The Supreme Court upheld the practice in decisions going back to the 1970s, but this court’s conservative supermajority found it is unconstitutional for colleges to give students extra weight because of their race alone.

Still, the decision left room for race to play an indirect role: Chief Justice John Roberts wrote universities can still consider how an applicant’s life was shaped by their race, “so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability.”

“A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination,” he wrote.

Scores of colleges responded with new essay prompts asking about students’ backgrounds. Brown University asked applicants how “an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you.” Rice University asked students how their perspectives were shaped by their “background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity.”

WONDERING IF SCHOOLS ‘EXPECT A SOB STORY’

When Darrian Merritt started writing his essay, he knew the stakes were higher than ever because of the court’s decision. His first instinct was to write about events that led to him going to live with his grandmother as a child.

Those were painful memories, but he thought they might play well at schools like Yale, Stanford and Vanderbilt.

“I feel like the admissions committee might expect a sob story or a tragic story,” said Merritt, a senior in Cleveland. “And if you don’t provide that, then maybe they’re not going to feel like you went through enough to deserve having a spot at the university. I wrestled with that a lot.”

He wrote drafts focusing on his childhood, but it never amounted to more than a collection of memories. Eventually he abandoned the idea and aimed for an essay that would stand out for its positivity.

Merritt wrote about a summer camp where he started to feel more comfortable in his own skin. He described embracing his personality and defying his tendency to please others. The essay had humor — it centered on a water gun fight where he had victory in sight but, in a comedic twist, slipped and fell. But the essay also reflects on his feelings of not being “Black enough” and getting made fun of for listening to “white people music."

“I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to write this for me, and we’re just going to see how it goes,’” he said. “It just felt real, and it felt like an honest story.”

The essay describes a breakthrough as he learned "to take ownership of myself and my future by sharing my true personality with the people I encounter. ... I realized that the first chapter of my own story had just been written.”

A RULING PROMPTS PIVOTS ON ESSAY TOPICS

Like many students, Max Decker of Portland, Oregon, had drafted a college essay on one topic, only to change direction after the Supreme Court ruling in June.

Decker initially wrote about his love for video games. In a childhood surrounded by constant change, navigating his parents’ divorce, the games he took from place to place on his Nintendo DS were a source of comfort.

But the essay he submitted to colleges focused on the community he found through Word is Bond, a leadership group for young Black men in Portland.

As the only biracial, Jewish kid with divorced parents in a predominantly white, Christian community, Decker wrote he constantly felt like the odd one out. On a trip with Word is Bond to Capitol Hill, he and friends who looked just like him shook hands with lawmakers. The experience, he wrote, changed how he saw himself.

“It’s because I’m different that I provide something precious to the world, not the other way around,” he wrote.

As a first-generation college student, Decker thought about the subtle ways his peers seemed to know more about navigating the admissions process . They made sure to get into advanced classes at the start of high school, and they knew how to secure glowing letters of recommendation.

If writing about race would give him a slight edge and show admissions officers a fuller picture of his achievements, he wanted to take that small advantage.

His first memory about race, Decker said, was when he went to get a haircut in elementary school and the barber made rude comments about his curly hair. Until recently, the insecurity that moment created led him to keep his hair buzzed short.

Through Word is Bond, Decker said he found a space to explore his identity as a Black man. It was one of the first times he was surrounded by Black peers and saw Black role models. It filled him with a sense of pride in his identity. No more buzzcut.

The pressure to write about race involved a tradeoff with other important things in his life, Decker said. That included his passion for journalism, like the piece he wrote on efforts to revive a once-thriving Black neighborhood in Portland. In the end, he squeezed in 100 characters about his journalism under the application’s activities section.

“My final essay, it felt true to myself. But the difference between that and my other essay was the fact that it wasn’t the truth that I necessarily wanted to share,” said Decker, whose top college choice is Tulane, in New Orleans, because of the region’s diversity. “It felt like I just had to limit the truth I was sharing to what I feel like the world is expecting of me.”

SPELLING OUT THE IMPACT OF RACE

Before the Supreme Court ruling, it seemed a given to Imani Laird that colleges would consider the ways that race had touched her life. But now, she felt like she had to spell it out.

As she started her essay, she reflected on how she had faced bias or felt overlooked as a Black student in predominantly white spaces.

There was the year in math class when the teacher kept calling her by the name of another Black student. There were the comments that she’d have an easier time getting into college because she was Black .

“I didn’t have it easier because of my race,” said Laird, a senior at Newton South High School in the Boston suburbs who was accepted at Wellesley and Howard University, and is waiting to hear from several Ivy League colleges. “I had stuff I had to overcome.”

In her final essays, she wrote about her grandfather, who served in the military but was denied access to GI Bill benefits because of his race.

She described how discrimination fueled her ambition to excel and pursue a career in public policy.

“So, I never settled for mediocrity,” she wrote. “Regardless of the subject, my goal in class was not just to participate but to excel. Beyond academics, I wanted to excel while remembering what started this motivation in the first place.”

WILL SCHOOLS LOSE RACIAL DIVERSITY?

Amofa used to think affirmative action was only a factor at schools like Harvard and Yale. After the court's ruling, she was surprised to find that race was taken into account even at some public universities she was applying to.

Now, without affirmative action, she wondered if mostly white schools will become even whiter.

It's been on her mind as she chooses between Indiana University and the University of Dayton, both of which have relatively few Black students. When she was one of the only Black students in her grade school, she could fall back on her family and Ghanaian friends at church. At college, she worries about loneliness.

“That’s what I’m nervous about,” she said. “Going and just feeling so isolated, even though I’m constantly around people.”

The first drafts of her essay focused on growing up in a low-income family, sharing a bedroom with her brother and grandmother. But it didn’t tell colleges about who she is now, she said.

Her final essay tells how she came to embrace her natural hair . She wrote about going to a mostly white grade school where classmates made jokes about her afro. When her grandmother sent her back with braids or cornrows, they made fun of those too.

Over time, she ignored their insults and found beauty in the styles worn by women in her life. She now runs a business doing braids and other hairstyles in her neighborhood.

“I stopped seeing myself through the lens of the European traditional beauty standards and started seeing myself through the lens that I created,” Amofa wrote.

“Criticism will persist, but it loses its power when you know there’s a crown on your head!"

Ma reported from Portland, Oregon.

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