Discover the big questions you’ll explore this year—and how innovation can supercharge your answers.

Rice University.
The upgraded way.

Rice Supplemental Essays
— The Class of 2026 Guide —

  • Start your Supplemental Essay Success below by previewing this guide’s three sections:

    Information ⋄ Inspiration ⋄ Innovation

    Discover strategies designed by an Ivy Alum and over three hundred success stories!

  • — Rice University —

    Explore The Three Sections
    Inside This Upgraded Guide

    — Preview The Guide —

  • — Information —

    In this section, explore this college’s supplemental essay prompts for Class of 2026 applicants—along with this college’s Supplemental Styles to streamline your essay-building process!

    — 1 of 3 —

  • — Inspiration —

    In this section, read successful supplemental essays from our own Accepted Alumni! See the ideas, values, and missions that stand out to admissions at even the most selective colleges.

    — 2 of 3 —

  • — Innovation —

    In this section, learn success-proven methods to streamline your application and essay-building process. Discover methods designed by an Ivy alum with over 300 student success stories!

    — 3 of 3 —

  • — The Rice Guide —

    Find aligned inspiration,
    discover time-saving innovation,
    and build inspiring supplemental essays.
    Ready to start your success story?

    — Scroll Down To Explore —

  • — Supplemental Essay Prompts —

    Through Guide Section 1 of 3—Information—explore this college’s supplemental essay prompts for Class of 2026 applicants, along with this college’s Supplemental Styles to streamline your essay-building process!

Supplemental Length


150 Word Maximum

Supplemental Style


Major & Missions

Supplemental Essay Prompt 1


— Rice University —

  • — Rice University Prompt 1 —

    Please explain why you wish to study in the academic areas you selected above. (150 word limit)

    — 150 Word Maximum —

Supplemental Length


150 Word Maximum

Supplemental Style


College & Curriculum

Supplemental Essay Prompt 2


— Rice University —

  • — Rice University Prompt 2 —

    Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you? (150 word limit)

    — 150 Word Maximum —

Supplemental Length


500 Word Maximum

Supplemental Style


Diversity & Difference

Supplemental Essay Prompt 3


— Rice University —

  • — Rice University Prompt 3 —

    Please respond to one of the following prompts to explore how you will contribute to the Rice community:

    The Residential College System is at the heart of Rice student life and is heavily influenced by the particular cultural traditions and unique life experiences each student brings. What life experiences and/or unique perspectives are you looking forward to sharing with fellow Owls in the residential college system? (500 words)

    Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice? (500 words)

    — 500 Word Maximum —

Supplemental Length


One Image Upload

Supplemental Style


Unique & Uncommon

Supplemental Material 4


— Rice University —

  • — Rice University Supplemental 4 —

    The Rice Box:

    In keeping with Rice's long-standing tradition, please share an image of something that appeals to you.

    — Image Upload —

Supplemental Length


Two 250-Word Essays

Supplemental Style


Major & Missions

Architecture Applicant Essays


— Rice University —

  • — Rice Architecture Prompts —

    Architecture Essay Prompt 1

    Why are you determined to study architecture? Could you please elaborate on your past experiences and how they have motivated you to apply to Rice University and the School of Architecture in particular? (250 words)

    Architecture Essay Prompt 2

    Please expand on relevant experiences and motivations outside of your academic trajectory that have inspired you to study architecture, focusing on aspects that are not accommodated by other prompts in the application. (250 words)

    — Two 250-Word Essays —

Supplemental Essay Information


— Rice University —

Supplemental Strategy


Class of 2026 Applicants

Supplemental Essay


Insider Information

  • — Supplemental Essay Strategy —

    Streamline your supplemental essay process with our Supplemental Strategy—and bring Rice within your reach!

    Throughout our Supplemental Essay Guides, we provide clarity through our Supplemental Essay Styles. The Styles streamline the entire supplemental essay-building process—and create more success stories.

    Streamline your application process with the Supplemental Style Strategy—upgraded for Class of 2026 Students who dream of studying at Rice University!

    — Upgraded Class of 2026 Essentials —

  • — Supplemental Essay Examples —

    Through Guide Section 2 of 3—Inspiration—read Successful Supplemental Essays from our Accepted Alumni! Discover ideas that stand out to admissions at Rice, and find inspiration for your own success story.

Accepted Alumni


Essay Example

Supplemental Style


Major & Missions

Supplemental Essay Example


— Rice University —

  • Featured Supplemental Essay Prompt For Rice University Applicants:

    Please explain why you want to study in the academic areas listed above. 150 Word Maximum.

    Successful Supplemental Essay Example From Our Accepted Alumni Student:

    Watching science shows as a kid, I stumbled upon the elephant’s toothpaste lab. At first, it was the speed of this reaction that piqued my interest, but it turned out to be much more.

    In AP Chemistry, I was fascinated by the applications of kinematics and thermochemistry, and I can’t wait to further explore these engaging concepts in Chemical Kinetics and Reactor Design at Rice. 

    I also enjoyed tutoring high school chemistry students, and encouraging younger kids to problem-solve with engineering projects at Camp Invention—a STEM based tinkering camp for elementary school kids. Rice’s emphasis on project-based learning in Chemical Engineering Design would allow me to use these very problem-solving skills to engineer solutions to real life chemistry problems.

    While EMT training revealed that blood made me queasy, researching wound healing and immune responses to foreign substances in the body, makes me thrilled about further exploring cell reactions at Rice.

  • — Supplemental Essay Strategy —

    Through Guide Section 3 of 3—Innovation—learn success-proven methods to streamline your entire supplemental essay process. Our methods are designed by an Ivy Alum and 300+ student success stories!

  • — Rice Application Upgrade —

    From guiding hundreds of students, we know that your success story takes much more than one essay—especially in 2025.

    We are passionate about helping students master the process from start to submission—and to have clarity and confidence at every step. That’s why our innovative guides are curated for Class of 2026 students with big dreams.

    A successful Rice University Application requires the Supplemental Essays you see above, and much more. Below, learn what success looks like—from start to finish.

    Start Your Admissions Success Story

  • — Start-To-Submission Success —

    Embrace our success-proven methods to build your application essays—and find inspiration to help you at every step.

    During the Upgraded Process, College Application Phase Five is the time to embark on some of the most challenging yet rewarding college application components—the specific Supplemental Essays essential for most colleges.

    During this phase, learn to master the process of crafting successful College-Specific Supplemental Essays—and bring more colleges within your reach!

    Explore More Successful Applications

  • — Upgraded Application Process —

    Start your admissions success story with methods built by our Ivy League Founder and over 300 student success stories!

    Our success-proven Five Phases Application Approach helps students streamline the entire college application process through success-shaping frameworks and more opportunities for aligned action.

    We are passionate about guiding students through our start-to-submission application approach—because success stories require much more than one essay.

    Explore The Consulting Process

  • — Supplemental Essay Strategy —

    Streamline your supplemental essay process with our Supplemental Strategy—and bring Rice within your reach!

    Throughout our Supplemental Essay Guides, we provide clarity through our Supplemental Essay Styles. The Styles streamline the entire supplemental essay-building process—and create more success stories.

    Streamline your application process with the Supplemental Style Strategy—upgraded for Class of 2026 Students who dream of studying at Rice University!

    Supplemental Guides & Success Stories

Rice University.
The upgraded way.

Start Your Success Story