The Big Number

Fall 2023

Rice’s acceptance rate this fall was the lowest ever reported, according to the Office of Admission. All told, there were 31,059 applications for the Class of 2027.

In addition to the lowest-ever acceptance rate, the number of new first-year students — 1,127, plus 42 transfer students — was also lower in comparison to the two previous years. “We intentionally aimed to enroll a smaller class this year, given the two previous enrolling classes were over 1,200 students,” says Yvonne Romero da Silva, vice president for enrollment.

Rice reports 982 total new students from the U.S., a figure that includes every state except Vermont. As is typical, students from Texas continue to choose Rice for their undergraduate education, but other top states include California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Florida.

Also, 145 new international students arrived on campus from 47 countries. Top countries represented include China, India, Canada, Taiwan and South Korea.

“We are pleased that the incoming class is very diverse — 32% of our domestic students identify as underrepresented students of color,” Romero da Silva says. “[The class] is an incredible reflection of President DesRoches’ vision for the future of Rice and where Rice is headed. They are a talented and gifted group of students who bring their unique gifts, passions and perspectives to Rice from all across the world.”