Admissions Details
- Acceptance Rate
- 8.7%
- Average SAT
- 1,530
- SAT Range (25th–75th)
- 1,490–1,570
- ACT Composite (avg)
- 35
- Total Enrollment
- 4,562
Admissions Overview
Rice University is highly selective with an 8.68% acceptance rate. Fewer than 9 out of 100 applicants gain admission, making it one of the most competitive universities in the country. Test scores reflect this selectivity, with the middle 50% of students scoring between 1490-1570 on the SAT and averaging a 35 on the ACT. The 97.58% retention rate shows students who get in tend to stay. Rice seeks intellectually curious students who thrive in small classroom settings and collaborative research environments. The university particularly values students interested in STEM fields, given its engineering and science reputation, though it welcomes diverse academic interests within its residential college community.