The work of the school is good, theyve had at least 2 SOM fellows recently. google SOM fellowship and you'll see a geaduate student's work on the site. One guys won this year, i think a girl won 2 or 3 years ago.

I thought this was going to be about food...

thanks fadetoblack interesting work they have there! i have just submitted Rice my online application, portfolio sent, i'm more comfortable with this decision now..
imsleepy i like rice too!

I recently finished the post professional (option 3) program there, and I am very happy with the overall experience. Rice gives a great deal of freedom to the students who already have a professional degree, and in addition to numerous seminars in the school of architecture, there are a good bit of interesting classes that you can take in other colleges. The only thing I would say – and this applies to all post professional programs (not just Rice) – is that your time in school is too short. Figure out what classes you may be interested in taking as far in advance as possible. With only three semesters in a program you may only have one chance to take some classes.

While I was at Rice, Lerup’s direction as dean made Houston an interesting laboratory for much of the discourse going on in the school. This was actually more important than I realized when I applied there, and has shaped a lot of what I am now researching. I am not sure exactly what Sarah Whiting’s view will be regarding Houston and the modern metropolis, but from what I’ve read of her writings she will bring an interesting perspective as well…And you’re correct, she is very smart.

In terms of reputation, I’ve found that Rice is world renowned, and even in this economy I’ve had a very good reception to my degree in both the professional and academic settings. The faculty is excellent. This applies to both permanent and visiting professors. I can’t stress that enough, but you should research them to see if they correspond to your interests.

Let me know if there are any specific questions you have.