"Small classes + the trust in students" - Why I am applying to Rice

Here is the first in a line of many essays that I will need to post. Yay for applying to 6 schools.

Please be honest!

What motivated you to apply to Rice University? Please be specific and limit your response to 200 words.

I appreciate the fact that 82% of Rice's classes have a size of less than 30 people. From experience, I know that the easiest way for me to understand material is in a small classroom setting. I thrive in the sort of setting where I can ...

After edit:

In reviewing Rice's qualifications, two main elements pique my interest: class size and honor code.
To start, 82% of Rice's classes have a size of less than 30 people. It has an impressive 5:1 student to faculty ratio, causing a faculty accessibility that is unprecedented among universities of the same level. As a tactile learner, I can see the advantages of a learning environment in which a student can easily reach a professor for any questions, comments, or concerns they may have.

Another positive quality of Rice would be the trust that they place in their students. This trust can be seen in many manifestations throughout the school. For instance, most finals are allowed to be taken outside of the classroom without a proctor. The Honor Code that Rice has established proves that mutual trust can exist between the students and the teachers. With trust comes maturity, and I believe that with the Honor Code, Rice has succeeded in promoting the mature learning environment that is vital to any education.

This is 170 words.

Thanks in advance!

Overall, it is pretty good. You should probably have some sort of introduction also. It doesn't have to be a paragraph. Just a sentence saying something like "I think that Rice is a great fit for me." would do fine. To really utilize the extra word space you have, you should probably find something about Rice that you like specifically and talk about why you like it. Something that Rice has that not a lot of other schools have would be good. You have 200 words to show them that you really are interested in them and I say use every single one.

i agree, overall it is pretty good. But try avoiding the word I in every sentence, just to really focus on what RICE has to offer. Though only 200 word limit, really make sure every word and sentence is meaningful.

Pretty good but I think 142 words are too short.

I would have to disagree with jjenny9301. This should absolutely not focus on what Rice offers, in my opinion. Rice already knows what it offers, it knows its stats. This essay is an opportunity for you to express why these things are important to you and why they drew you to Rice.

"To start, 82% of Rice's classes have a size of less than 30 people. It has an impressive 5:1 student to faculty ratio..."
-this information is probably on the Rice website, which means it is nothing new to them. focus more on how small class sizes influenced your decision to apply and focus less on stating numbers.

I like the honor code part.

You need something else. You have thirty more words. Make them count.

Hope I helped :)