Rice University Statistics for Prospective Undergraduate Students
Annotations
Selectivity, Students Entering Fall 1999
(as of September, 1999)

The information presented in this Annotation represents Rice University management's description of procedures and definitions used to compile and determine amounts presented on the page of statistics concerning selectivity. This information is presented to assist the reader in understanding that page.

Rice University, a small, private, and highly selective research institution in Houston, Texas, has created Statistics for Prospective Undergraduate Students . Detailed definitions and descriptions, sources, and methodologies used in this compilation are described in this and other appropriately linked pages of annotations and apply specifically to this web site. Different time periods reflect unique or official reporting dates and are used to present the most current information available.

A prospective student became an applicant when either the Rice University (Rice) application or the Common Application had been completed in its entirety and submitted with the full application fee (as determined by Board policy) or when a request for a fee waiver based on the College Board Guidelines was granted. Application deadlines are reported in the Rice University General Announcements 1999-2000 catalog, which is available from the Admission Office, and can be found on-line at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~catalog/. The applications were submitted in either paper or electronic form.
 

Freshmen

Number of applications: Total number of applications received in their entirety by the Office of Admission as specified in the Rice University General Announcements 1999-2000 catalog, which is available from the Admission Office, and can be found on-line at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~catalog/

Students admitted: Number of students duly admitted under the Early, Interim, and Regular decision plans (see below for further descriptions and deadlines)

Admit rate: Number of duly admitted students divided by number of applications received

Students enrolled: Number of students who, having been duly admitted, actually enroll for classes in the fall semester as of the official enrollment date, which is designated by the Registrar and Cashier

Yield rate: Number of students enrolled divided by number of students admitted
 

Sources: Exeter Educational Management Systems is the primary source. The number of applications, students admitted data, and students enrolled data were provided to the Office of Institutional Research by the Rice Admission Office using the Exeter Student Marketing System (SMS). The admit rate and yield rate were calculated by the Office of Institutional Research.
  Decision Plans

Early Decision: This plan was designed for those applicants for whom Rice was their first choice school. Early Decision applicants completed required standardized testing on or by the October testing dates in their senior year. Their applications were postmarked by November 1; and, while applications to other universities might have been made, only one was for the early decision plan. Admission notices were mailed by December 15, at which time the applicant was admitted, deferred, or denied. Deferred applicants were considered with the Regular Decision pool, and seventh-semester grades and additional standardized test scores were also then considered.

If admitted, the candidate had to commit to Rice by January 3 and submit a $100 nonrefundable deposit and a $50 housing deposit (for those who desired on-campus accommodations).

Interim Decision: The Interim Decision plan was designed for students who wished a decision by February 10 and who were considering other universities as well as Rice. First-year applicants completed their standardized testing on or before the December testing dates, and their applications had to be postmarked by December 1. Decisions were mailed by February 10, at which time the student was admitted, deferred, or denied. If deferred, applicants were considered with the Regular Decision pool, and seventh-semester grades and additional standardized test scores were then considered as well.

If admitted, the applicant made a $100 nonrefundable deposit by May 1 to reserve a place and a $50 housing deposit (for those who desired on-campus accommodations).

Regular Decision: The Regular Decision plan required a postmark by January 2 for a decision on April 1, and all standardized tests had to have been completed by February.

Regular Decision applicants who were offered admission made a $100 nonrefundable deposit by May 1 to reserve a place and a $50 housing deposit (for those who desired on-campus accommodations).

Sources: The Early Decision, Interim Decision, and Regular Decision statistics were accessed from SMS. Further information regarding the Decision Plans themselves, deadlines, and criteria is found in the Rice University General Announcements 1999-2000 catalog, which is available from the Office of Admission, and can be found on-line at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~catalog/ .
  Transfer Students

Total applicants: Total number of applications received in their entirety by the Office of Admission and by the deadlines noted above and as specified in the Rice University General Announcements 1999-2000 catalog, which is available from the Admission Office, and can be found on-line at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~catalog/

Number of students admitted: Number of students duly admitted after meeting the criteria specified below and deadlines noted above and in the Rice University General Announcements 1999-2000 catalog

Admit rate: Number of duly admitted students divided by number of applications received

Students enrolled: Number of students who, having been duly admitted, actually enroll for classes in the fall semester

Yield rate: Number of students enrolled divided by number of students admitted

Transfer students were those entering the institution for the first time, but known to have previously attended a post-secondary institution at the same level of transfer, and who had superior records from two-year or four-year colleges or universities. Transfer enrollments occurred in either the fall or at mid-year. These enrollments vary greatly from year to year, depending on current enrollment levels.

Transfer applicants had to file the following with the Office of Admission by April 1 for fall term admission and November 1 for spring term admission:

Notification of the admission decision was mailed by June 1 for fall term admission and December 15 for spring term admission.

Additional information and requirements for transfer are reported in the Rice University General Announcements 1999-2000 catalog, which is available from the Admission Office, and can be found on-line at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~catalog/.

Sources: The transfer student statistics were accessed SMS. Further information regarding the admission criteria and deadlines is found in the Rice University General Announcements 1999-2000 catalog, which is available from the Office of Admission, and can be found on-line at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~catalog/. SAT Scores

SAT scores were reported for those first-time, first-year, degree-seeking students who expected to enroll in Fall 1999. If a student submitted both an ACT score (see next section) and an SAT score, the higher of the two, as determined by a concordance table developed for this comparison, was used. The SAT I and three subject exams from the SAT II were required. Applicants to the humanities, social sciences, architecture, and music schools were required to take the SAT II tests in writing and two other subjects of their choosing. Natural sciences applicants were required to take writing, a math, and a science test. Engineering applicants took writing, a math, and either the chemistry or physics test. Home-schooled students took five SAT II tests, one in each of the following areas: writing, math, science, social sciences, and foreign language. Depending upon the Decision Plan desired (see Decision Plans section above for details), testing had to be completed by the October testing dates in the senior year under the early decision plan, by the December testing dates in the senior year under the interim decision plan, and by the February testing dates in the senior year under the regular decision plan.

Sources: SAT scores were transmitted by tape to Rice from the College Board upon the request of the examinee and were loaded into SMS. SAT scores were accessed from SMS. Further information regarding the standardized tests required and deadlines is found in the Rice University General Announcements 1999-2000 catalog, which is available from the Office of Admission, and can be found on-line at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~catalog/. ACT Scores

Range: The distance between the lowest and highest scores; the score at each end of the ranges listed is included within that range

Applied: Total number of applicants who submitted ACT scores in each listed range and completed applications in their entirety to the Office of Admission by the deadlines specified in the Rice University Rice University General Announcements 1999-2000 catalog, which is available from the Admission Office, and can be found on-line at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~catalog/

Admitted: Number of students duly admitted with ACT scores under the early, interim, and regular decision plans (see above section on Decision Plans for further descriptions, deadlines, and criteria)

Enrolled: Number of students who, having submitted ACT scores and having been admitted, actually enrolled for classes in the fall semester as of the official enrollment date (designated by the Registrar and Cashier)

ACT scores were reported for all first-time, first-year, degree-seeking students who were expected to enroll in Fall 1999 who requested that their ACT nationally standardized test scores be submitted to Rice by the American College Testing Program. If a student submitted both an ACT score and an SAT score (see section above), the higher of the two, as determined by a concordance table developed for this comparison, was used. Depending upon the Decision Plan desired (see Decision Plans section above for details), testing needed to be complete by the October testing dates in the senior year under the early decision plan, by the December testing dates in the senior year under the interim decision plan, and by the February testing dates in the senior year under the regular decision plan.

Sources: ACT scores were transmitted by tape to Rice from the American College Testing Program upon the request of the examinee and were loaded into SMS. ACT scores were accessed from SMS. Further information regarding the standardized tests required and deadlines is found in the Rice University General Announcements 1999-2000 catalog, which is available from the Office of Admission, and can be found on-line at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~catalog/.
  Advanced Placement

Students who scored at certain levels (a 4 or 5) on the Advanced Placement College Board exams were given university credit for corresponding Rice courses. Further requirements and information were reported in the Rice University General Announcements 1999-2000 catalog, which is available from the Admission Office, and can be found on-line at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~catalog/.

For Fall 1999 the advanced placement credits ranged from TBA for students receiving AP credits.

Sources: Advanced Placement scores were transmitted by tape to Rice from the College Board upon the request of the examinee and were loaded to SMS. Advanced Placement scores were accessed from SMS.

Further information regarding the standardized tests required and deadlines can be found in the Rice University General Announcements 1999-2000 catalog, which is available from the Office of Admission, and can be found on-line at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~catalog/.
 

 Class Rank

High school class rank was reported for degree-seeking, first-time, first-year students expected to enroll in Fall 1999 who submitted high school rank information. (Some schools do not submit high school rank information.)

Sources: Class rankings were accessed from SMS.


Other Entering-Class Distinctions

National Merit scholars: The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) selected Merit Program Finalists (Finalists) based upon a student's score on the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) and written applications. Scholarship recipients were chosen from the group of Finalists, and NMSC notified the Finalist's high school. While the PSAT/NMSQT may be taken while a student in high school is a sophomore and/or junior, only the scores from a student's junior year were used to award scholarships.

There are three types of Merit Scholarship awards that are offered each year: National Merit sponsored awards, Corporate-sponsored awards, and College-sponsored awards. A listing of recipients is published annually by the NMSC.

NMSC is an independent, non-profit organization that conducts privately financed competitions and co-sponsors the PSAT/NMSQT, which is conducted by the College Board. Information about the College Board and the PSAT/NMSQT can be found at http://www.collegeboard.org/.

Sources: National Merit Scholars data were loaded into SMS. National Merit Scholars data were accessed from SMS. High school varsity athletes, organization presidents, editors-in-chief (newspapers, yearbooks), community service activists: Source: These data were manually counted and compiled from student applications by the Office of Admission.


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Last updated March 24, 2000.