During the 2024–2025 admissions cycle, Rice University posted an acceptance rate of 7.99%, one of their lowest ever. But that headline number doesn’t really tell the whole story. How is that percentage calculated? And what trends drive it downward year after year? While Rice does make portions of its admissions data public, truly understanding what’s going on requires a deeper dive. Each year, we analyze this underlying data to help students approach selective admissions with clarity, pragmatism, and a smart strategy.
To start, most colleges and universities in the U.S. complete the (CDS). The CDS exists to standardize how schools report information to organizations like U.S. News & World Report, the College Board, and Peterson’s. It covers a wide range of topics, but for our purposes, we’re going to zero in on one specific section of : first-time, first-year admissions.
Trend Spotting: Five Years of Rice Admissions
Before focusing on this most recent cycle, it’s helpful to zoom out and look at Rice’s broader admissions trajectory. Unlike some peer institutions that have seen application totals explode, Rice’s applicant pool has grown more gradually.
| Year | Total Applicants | Number of Admitted Students | Overall Acceptance Rate | ED Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32,473 | 2,597 | 7.99% | 16.81% |
| 2024 | 31,059 | 2,447 | 7.88% | 16.46% |
| 2023 | 31,443 | 2,730 | 8.68% | 18.75% |
| 2022 | 29,544 | 2,802 | 9.48% | 18.14% |
| 2021 | 23,455 | 2,555 | 10.89% | 19.57% |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers
Why This Matters: Admission overall is becoming more competitive, and Early Decision is following the same trend – slowly but steadily tightening.
When you apply to Rice, you’re up against tens of thousands of applicants who look strong on paper. As we’ll dig into, high grades and solid scores are the baseline, not the deciding factor. The data helps clarify what academic preparedness typically looks like, but simply meeting those benchmarks won’t set you apart. Differentiation comes from depth, intentional choices, and a profile that goes well beyond checking the boxes.
C1: First-Time, First-Year Admission, Applications
Let’s break down the numbers further, including how applications shake out by geography and gender:
| First-time, first-year applicants | Total | Admitted | Acceptance rate | Enrolled | Yield rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 17,033 | 1,330 | 7.81% | 587 | 44.10% |
| Women | 15,436 | 1,267 | 8.21% | 561 | 44.20% |
| Another gender | 4 | 0 | 0% | n/a | n/a |
| Total | 32,473 | 2,597 | 7.99% | 1,148 | 44.20% |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers.
| First-time, first-year applicants | Total | In state | Out of state | International |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 32,473 | 9,164 | 15,314 | 7,995 |
| Admitted | 2,597 | 762 | 1,519 | 316 |
| Acceptance rate | 7.99% | 8.32% | 9.92% | 3.95% |
| Percent of total applicant pool | n/a | 28.20% | 47.20% | 24.62% |
| Enrolled | 1,148 | 433 | 559 | 156 |
| Yield rate | 44.20% | 56.80% | 36.80% | 49.40% |
| Percent of incoming class | n/a | 37.70% | 48.70% | 13.60% |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers
Key Takeaways for Acceptance Rates:
More men apply, are admitted, and enroll than women
The low acceptance rate for international students is on par their peer institutions
Rice is undeniably selective – but that shouldn’t be surprising. What does matter is moving beyond reputation and gut feeling. If you want to approach this strategically, you need real data. Without clear benchmarks or insight into who actually earns admission, it’s nearly impossible to assess competitiveness or plan intentionally. Remember – an 8% acceptance rate means a 92% rejection rate.
C9-C2: First-Time, First-Year Profile, or Scores and Grades
Rice currently allows students to apply test-optional, but that policy shouldn’t be mistaken for a lack of emphasis on academic metrics. Across higher education, institutions are paying closer attention to how students perform after enrollment, and many have observed that students admitted without scores often struggle academically more than their score-submitting peers. That reality has prompted some schools to reinstate testing requirements, but for now, Rice remains test-optional. We will see how long that lasts!
Even in a test-optional landscape, the data is revealing. Looking at how many students submit scores and how strong those scores are provides valuable insight into how Rice assesses academic readiness and what competitive applicants bring to the table.
Breakdown of enrolled students who submitted test scores:
| Percent | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| Submitting SAT Scores | 48% | 546 |
| Submitting ACT Scores | 22% | 248 |
| Total Submitting Scores* | 70% | 794 |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers
Why This Matters: 70% of enrolled students submitted scores – that’s a significant chunk for a test-optional school. You should submit, too!
About 2/3rds of Rice applicants still opted to report SAT or ACT scores, despite having the option not to. As expected, the submitted scores were extremely high. That tells us two things very clearly: students with strong testing results aren’t holding back, and when your scores are competitive, submitting them can meaningfully strengthen your application.
Sure, it’s tempting to say the averages are higher because only high-scorers are submitting. However, when we compare this data with earlier cycles (including years when testing was required), the score ranges barely change. In other words, this level of performance has long been the norm at Rice.
| Test | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Composite | 1510 | 1540 | 1560 |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading + Writing | 740 | 760 | 770 |
| SAT Math | 770 | 790 | 800 |
| ACT Composite | 34 | 35 | 36 |
| ACT Math | 33 | 35 | 36 |
| ACT English | 35 | 35 | 36 |
| ACT Science | 33 | 35 | 36 |
| ACT Reading | 34 | 35 | 36 |
First-time, first-year students with scores in each range:
| Score Range | SAT Evidence-Based Reading + Writing | SAT Math |
|---|---|---|
| 700-800 | 95.20% | 96.90% |
| 600-699 | 4.20% | 2.60% |
| 500-599 | 0.60% | 0.40% |
| 400-499 | 0% | 0% |
| 300-399 | 0% | 0.20% |
| Score Range | SAT Composite |
|---|---|
| 1400-1600 | 97.30% |
| 1200-1399 | 2.20% |
| 1000-1199 | 0.40% |
| 800-999 | 0.20% |
| Score Range | ACT Composite | ACT English | ACT Math | ACT Reading | ACT Science |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30-36 | 99.60% | 98.80% | 92.70% | 99.60% | 98.80% |
| 24-29 | 0.40% | 1.20% | 7.30% | 0.40% | 1.20% |
Standardized Test Score Takeaways:
The typical admitted + enrolled Rice student is scoring a 1550+ SAT or 35+ ACT
Rice’s testing profile rivals that of many Ivy League schools
Submitting scores below roughly a 1400 SAT or 30 ACT significantly weakens your odds, and we’d argue that anything under a 1500 or 34 puts you at a real disadvantage
The tiny sub-5% score bands do not indicate a meaningful chance of admission with low scores
Even though Rice continues to allow students to apply test-optional, applicants who submit scores at the top of the admit pool are doing so with truly elite results – think 1550+ SATs or 35+ ACTs. Yes, that’s intense! We know! But this isn’t about scaring you; it’s about transparency. The numbers are what they are, and understanding them helps you make smarter decisions.
The same pattern shows up when you look at class rank data, too:
| Class Rank | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Top 10th of HS graduating class | 89% |
| Top Quarter of HS graduating class | 96% |
| Top Half of HS graduating class | 100% |
| Bottom Half of HS graduating class | 0% |
| Total submitting class rank | 44% |
Key Class Rank Takeaways:
Most admitted and enrolled students are in their school’s top 10%
Not all schools track and publish rank, so 44% makes sense to us here
Your odds go down significantly the lower your class rank is
Before moving on, let’s address the very small group of admitted students who appear in lower statistical brackets – those with ACT scores in the high-20s or an SAT Math score of less than 400. These students are outliers, not proof of flexible standards.
In reality, we have no insight into who those students are or what circumstances shaped their admissions outcomes. At a place like Rice, they might be recruited athletes, but they could just as easily be first-gen students, applicants from under-resourced schools, or students with extraordinary life contexts. Exceptions happen, but they don’t reveal how admissions decisions work for the vast majority of applicants – and odds are, you’re not the exception.
TL;DR: If you want the strongest possible shot at Rice, you should be aiming for near-perfect grades and top-tier scores. Full stop.
Early Decision
Rice has consistently treated Early Decision as a meaningful part of its admissions strategy. For years, ED applicants have enjoyed higher admit rates than those applying Regular Decision – though that edge has gradually shrunk as more students pile into the early pool. It’s tempting to see the higher percentage and assume ED is a fast pass. The reality is more nuanced:
| Number of ED applications | 3,087 |
|---|---|
| Number of ED acceptances | 519 |
| Number of ED enrollees | 505 |
| ED acceptance rate | 16.81% |
| ED yield rate | 97.30% |
| Percent of admitted students accepted through ED* | 20% |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers
Why This Matters: Rice’s Early Decision acceptance rate remains clearly higher than its overall rate. ED is never a sure thing, but for applicants who are already academically and contextually strong, applying ED can still offer a real strategic advantage.
Each year, more students apply for roughly the same number of seats, which pushes acceptance rates downward across the board. That pattern holds true in Early Decision as well – Rice has been admitting a smaller share of ED applicants over time. Roughly one-fifth of Rice’s incoming class comes from the ED pool (not that high compared to some peer schools), which is an important factor to weigh when deciding how to apply.
Regular Decision
The Common Data Set doesn’t spell out Regular Decision admit rates directly, but we can estimate them by backing ED numbers out of the total. While these figures aren’t exact, they’re reliable enough to inform smart decision-making:
| Number of RD applications | 29,386 |
|---|---|
| Number of RD acceptances | 2,078 |
| RD acceptance rate | 7.07% |
| Percent of admitted students accepted through RD | 80% |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers
Why This Matters: The majority of Rice’s class is ultimately filled through Regular Decision, but RD is far more competitive than ED. If Rice is truly your first choice and your application is already in strong shape, Early Decision is often the most strategic route.
Waitlist
Rice also releases waitlist statistics – something many elite schools choose not to include. We’re big fans of this transparency because it gives applicants a clearer sense of what movement off the waitlist can realistically look like. This year’s numbers, however, are more… generous than in the past.
| Students placed on waitlist | 3,920 |
|---|---|
| Percent of students offered waitlist spot | 12.10% |
| Students accepting a spot on the waitlist | 2,794 |
| Students admitted off the waitlist | 122 |
| Waitlist acceptance rate | 4% |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers
Why This Matters: Getting off the Rice waitlist is hard – most years, it’s even harder – but we help students get off the waitlist and into their dream schools every year.
When we examined the last five years of admissions data, this figure was very surprising. 122 off the waitlist is record-breaking to the max. In the last three cycles, Rice was admitting somewhere between 1-8 students off the waitlist.
Getting off the Rice waitlist is challenging, but it’s absolutely possible. We would know! We help students achieve that every year, at Rice and beyond.
Considerations
This portion of the Common Data Set is where admissions stops feeling tidy and starts getting a bit murky. Yes, Rice evaluates concrete academic inputs like grades and testing, but layered on top of that is a set of broader “considerations” that are inherently subjective. These are the elements that don’t come with a rubric or equation. And, inconveniently, they’re also where thoughtful strategy matters most. First let’s look at academics:
| Academic Factors | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of secondary school record | X | |||
| Class rank | X | |||
| Academic GPA | X | |||
| Standardized test scores | X | |||
| Application Essay | X | |||
| Recommendation(s) | X |
Key Takeaways for Academic Factors:
Everything is weighted heavily at Rice, and we love that they say this because it is the truth of how admissions works
Not all high schools report class rank, so the absence of it won’t hurt you
Strong performance in the most rigorous courses available to you is non-negotiable
| Nonacademic Factors | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interview | X | |||
| Extracurricular activities | X | |||
| Talent/ability | X | |||
| Character/personal qualities | X | |||
| First generation | X | |||
| Alumni/ae relation | X | |||
| Geographical residence | X | |||
| State residency | X | |||
| Religious affiliation/commitment | X | |||
| Volunteer work | X | |||
| Work experience | X | |||
| Level of applicant’s interest | X |
Key Takeaways for Nonacademic Factors:
Rice does track demonstrated interest
Rice does not care about legacy status
Focusing on your extracurricular development is extremely important
Some of Rice’s nonacademic markers are fairly straightforward. Factors such as your geographic origin or whether you’re a first-generation applicant are clear, factual data points. Others are much harder to pin down. Traits such as character, curiosity, or talent can’t be measured cleanly. Admissions officers piece those together by reading across your entire application – your essays, recommendations, involvement patterns, and overall tone. You can be intentional in how you show up on the page, but you can’t fully control how those qualities are interpreted. Ultimately, Rice is reading for fit, which means you should also be honest with yourself about whether your values and interests align with the campus culture.
Rice also considers demonstrated interest, which is something you can control. Easily. Subscribe to their emails and actually read them. Sign up for a campus visit if you can — and if travel isn’t possible, virtual sessions still count. Attend info sessions, whether they’re hosted locally or online, and follow up with a thoughtful thank-you note to the AO. If events aren’t available in your area, contact your regional admissions officer with specific, genuine questions.
This is also where extracurriculars really start to mean something – just not in the way most students think. For applicants who are truly competitive at Rice, surface-level involvement won’t cut it. The strongest applications aren’t packed with random clubs, a bunch of sports, and resume fluff. Successful students commit deeply to a small set of interests, often in ways that feel purposeful, personal, and sometimes a little unexpected. Their activities tell a coherent story about what they love, how they think, and what motivates them. Long-term investment and originality matter here, and helping students craft that kind of profile is exactly what we do every year.
Conclusion
There’s no debating that Rice University sits firmly in the ultra-selective tier of colleges nationwide. Hopefully, after working through this breakdown, you now have a clearer, more concrete understanding of what being a strong applicant to Rice actually looks like in practice.
Still, admissions can’t be reduced to charts and cutoffs. Data helps illuminate trends, but it doesn’t fully capture Rice’s institutional priorities, and it certainly doesn’t capture you. When we guide students through the process, whether they’re applying ED or RD, being recruited, or navigating other avenues, there’s no cookie-cutter approach. Every strategy is built from the ground up around the student’s individual interests, strengths, and trajectory. There’s no magic formula for getting into Rice, but there are smart, intentional choices that can meaningfully improve how your application stands out.
One way to increase your odds? Working with college consultants who are experts in the field and have a high rate of success getting students into Rice. We help countless students gain admission to top universities every single year – reach out to us today to get started.