Rice University — Attraction in Houston

Beautiful and highly selective Rice University offers a truly world-class education but is not widely known outside Texas and the cloistered academic community. Exceptionally diverse and generous with financial aid, Rice has it all. Rigorous academics, athletics, college life, and a beautiful setting. Here is a real hidden gem, by all means the Princeton of the South, and an excellent place to visit for its lovely park-like setting, architecture, outdoor art, and public cafes. It's a great place for a casual stroll. The University is welcoming of the entire surrounding community to its museums, public spaces, music performances and athletic events. Try one of the excellent on-campus cafes too.

Rice is in a lovely part of the city, squeezed in between the museum district, Hermann Park and the Medical Center. The surrounding neighborhoods, with their canopy of huge live oak trees, are particularly beautiful.

There are quite a few liberal snowflakes on campus who have come here with a mission to "help people". The corresponding emphasis on pre-medicine, biomedical engineering and biochemistry really sets the tone for the campus, because that community tends to be vocal and overachieving, and the terms "health care" and "physician" are rigorously chanted by the faithful. We can't forget, however, that Rice is a comprehensive university with excellence in humanities, social sciences, business, music, architecture and (especially) engineering and physical sciences. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone at Rice is pre-med. A high percentage of graduates go on to earn Ph.D. degrees in the country's most prestigious...

About this place: #letsguide

William Marsh Rice University, commonly known as Rice University, is a private research university located on a 300-acre (121 ha) campus in Houston, Texas, United States. The university is situated near the Houston Museum District and is adjacent to the Texas Medical Center.

Student life: Situated on nearly 300 acres (120 ha) in the center of Houston's Museum District and across the street from the city's Hermann Park, Rice is a green and leafy refuge – an oasis of learning convenient to the amenities of the nation's fourth-largest city. Rice's campus adjoins Hermann Park, the Texas Medical Center, and a neighborhood commercial center called Rice Village. Hermann Park includes the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Houston Zoo, Miller Outdoor Theatre and an 18-hole municipal golf course. Reliant Park, home of Reliant Stadium and the Astrodome, is two miles (3 km) south of the campus. Among the dozen or so museums in the Museum District is the Rice University Art Gallery, open during the school year. Easy access to downtown's theater and nightlife district and to Reliant Park is provided by the Houston METRORail system, with a station adjacent to the campus's main gate. The campus recently joined the Zipcar program with two vehicles to increase the transportation options for students and staff who need but currently don't...

Rice University, located in Houston, Texas, is a distinguished private research institution known for its academic excellence and innovative spirit. The university offers a wide range of programs across undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels, with strengths in fields such as engineering, natural sciences, humanities, and business.

Rice is celebrated for its close-knit community and personalized approach to education, boasting one of the lowest student-to-faculty ratios among top universities. Its campus spans 300 acres, featuring tree-lined pathways and state-of-the-art facilities that create an inspiring environment for learning and discovery.

With a strong emphasis on research, Rice has made significant contributions to fields like nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and space science. Its collaborations with institutions like NASA further highlight its commitment to advancing knowledge and innovation.

Rice's diverse community of students and faculty fosters cultural exchange and intellectual growth. Its alumni network includes Nobel laureates, leaders in various industries, and pioneers in science and technology, reflecting the university's global...