Nina Lam 

Professor Weaver 

Mar 09, 2022 

English Comp 1102 

Rice University, Houston, Texas 

Summary 

Rice University is to be considered as one of the top schools in the United States, it is also recognized as a top 10 in top schools for resources. They are involved in helping students with relaxation during what they call the Dead Days, which is also known as final exam days. Rice University looks for students who are true to their beliefs as well as those who believe that they can succeed in life. Rice University is a school that accepts all its students for who they are and thrives to help them as they navigate through their lives. They use the rhetorical style of ethos to persuade new potential students by having their current students appeal to the likes of new students. 

Analysis  

On the website of Rice University, they use the large rhetorical strategy of Inhabiting/ Engaging Social Roles and the rhetorical style of ethos to make the readers more engaged. The website was made to help students easily navigate around and find information. It was made in a way that was pleasing to the eye to persuading new potential students like freshly graduating high school students. As they would navigate the website, they would see sections of the website devoted to different audiences. There are sections for staff and faculty, potential new students, graduate students, and a page dedicated to their alumni. And with everything going on in the world and everyone worrying about Covid-19, the school has made a section to explain how the campus will continue while doing it safely.  

Before students are admitted into the admission interview process, Rice University has provided them with advice on how to successfully ace their interviews by having their current students give their own experiences and advice on how the process was for them. One graduate by the name of Grace C. Baker majoring in Sports Management and Health Sciences had said, “Before going into the interview, make sure to research Rice and know why you want to go to school here. Also, be sure to let your personality shine through, we are excited to get to know you in the interview!” Another student whose name is Valencia S. Sid Richardson said,” Be yourself! Schools want well-rounded human beings rather than academic robots.” With a big community like Rice University, it is only right that the deans there also provide some advice. Thomas Killian, the Dean of Wiess School of Natural science, had said, “Use your time in college to explore broadly and find interests that will sustain you for a lifetime.” By reading some of these pieces of advice, it is easy to say that rather than the school being nitpicky about what students they accept, they would rather have students who are true to themselves.  

As you browse through the website, you can tell that the school is highly involved in helping its students during their hardships. At Rice University, they have this thing called Dead Days. In other words, it can also be known as finals. During these “Dead Days,” many student organizations and the residential college at Rice host many activities such as slumber parties. This is to help their students relieve stress and give students energy before upcoming finals. In these sections, you can see that they are trying to persuade a target group, and in this case, it will potentially be new students looking for something that will make them interested and apply. 

On the website of Rice University, there is a section called “Rice Memories Last a Lifetime,” this is a place where the alumni of Rice University can share some of their favorite memories and experiences. Brandon Mack, the Associate Director of Admission from the college of Wiess, said, “One of my favorite moments at Rice was attending the first ever Rice Drag Show that was put on by Queers & Allies (now known as Rice Pride). It was a huge turn out of the Rice queer community, supportive students and staff and the Houston LGBTQ+ community. We had local drag performers who were part of the Imperial Court come out and support. We had students who performed as drag queens and kings. It was amazing to be in such a supportive environment and to see the queer community of Rice being embraced and celebrating each other.” After reading this, it is possible that he is reaching out to students who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community to let them know that they are accepted at Rice University for who they are. Another graduate by the name of Sneha Kohirkar, also an Associate Director of Admission of Rice University has expressed that she studied abroad in Jordan to learn Arabic for a semester and absolutely loved my visit to Wadi Rum, a desert in the region. By hearing this, it allows current students at Rice University to learn more about the study abroad programs that their school provides them.  

Response 

After analyzing the website of Rice University, I have many thoughts on whether I would attend the school. And to answer this, I would say yes. This is because as I browse through the site, I could tell that all my questions would be answered, and I would also be provided with how the school was from the graduates of Rice University. What intrigued me the most was how they went about helping their students with relaxing and dealing with stress during the final weeks. To say that the school is helpful is an understatement because they go out of their way to personally help individuals. Another thing that makes me interested in Rice is that by reading some of the stories from current students, I believe that the students there are heard and that their opinions matter. 

Citation 

“Rice.” Rice University, https://www.rice.edu/.