Rice University Precollege Artificial Intelligence: Leading the Tech Revolution

Everything is asynchronous, with no live classes or Zoom calls. You watch Rice's pre-recorded video lectures and work through the assignments whenever it suits you, as long as everything is submitted by your session's end date. There are no deadlines for individual assignments along the way, so it's easy to leave too much for the last few days.

Your mentor is a real person rather than a chatbot, and answers questions and gives feedback through the Canvas inbox, discussion boards and assignment reviews. Mentors are most active during US daytime hours, so replies may be slower if you live in a very different time zone. You keep view-only access to the materials for a month after the course ends.

The course was designed by Adam Wulf, a Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at Rice who spent two decades in consumer software startups and teaches Product Management to Rice undergraduates and MBA students. He has also mentored startups in Houston for 14 years, which suits a course about directing AI tools more than building them. The teaching itself comes through pre-recorded video, while day-to-day help comes from your assigned mentor, whom Rice describes as well versed in the course subject.

You leave with a Certificate of Completion from Rice University and your capstone, the AI tool or concept you designed, which Rice says you can use as a portfolio piece. The certificate needs a satisfactory evaluation on at least 70% of the assignments plus the whole capstone by your end date. Work is marked Complete or Incomplete, with no letter grades.

You get no college credit, grades or transcript, and taking the course gives you no preferential treatment in Rice's own admissions. Rice suggests listing it on college applications as an extracurricular or experiential activity rather than under educational experience.

The course costs $1,795 whichever session length you choose, and Rice says there are no additional fees, although its terms leave your own computer, software and internet connection to you. The full amount is due the day before your session starts, and your place isn't confirmed until it's paid, so Rice recommends paying as soon as you're accepted.

Cancel at least seven calendar days before the start and you get everything back. From six days before, nothing is refunded and there are no partial refunds, although you may be able to switch to another session or course. Need-based scholarships are available for students with high potential who can't pay full tuition, and you request one on the confirmation page after submitting your application. Rice doesn't say how much a scholarship covers.

You need to be at least 13. The course is built for high school students, although Rice says you can start as early as middle school, and students within a year of graduating can take it on a gap year. It isn't meant for college students or adults. There's no transcript, recommendation letter or English test to provide. Rice doesn't publish an acceptance rate or cohort size, and it calls the personal statement the most important part of the application, so that's where to put your effort.

Applications go through Rice's online application page, and one application can cover several courses if you want more than one.

1. 1

   Choose your session and start the application. It asks for basic contact details for you and a parent or guardian, takes about 20 to 30 minutes, and saves your progress if you stop partway.

2. 2

   Write a short statement in English on why you want to take the course, using writing, video, photos or any other medium you like.

3. 3

   If cost is a concern, click Apply for a need-based scholarship on the confirmation page after you submit.

4. 4

   Expect a decision by email within about a week, or a few days longer at busy times.

5. 5

   Pay in full by the day before your session starts, then watch for your Canvas course invitation, which arrives at least two days before the start.