What is the Rice Purity Test? The Ultimate 2024 Guide

If you've spent any time on TikTok, Twitter, or a college campus recently, you've likely heard the question: "What's your Rice Purity Score?"

The Rice Purity Test is arguably the internet's most famous measure of life experience and innocence. But it's far more than just a viral trend. It's a century-old tradition with deep roots in university culture that has evolved into a global phenomenon.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore exactly what the test is, where it came from, how it works, and why millions of people take it every year.

The Core Concept: A Checklist of Life

At its simplest, the Rice Purity Test is a survey consisting of 100 questions. These questions serve as a checklist of life experiences, ranging from the mundane and innocent to the adventurous and tabular.

The premise is straightforward:

• You begin with a score of 100 (representing 100% purity).
• For every item on the list you have done, you subtract 1 point.
• Your final number is your "Purity Score."

A score of 100 means you have lived a completely sheltered life, having done none of the things on the list. A score of 0 (essentially impossible) would mean you have done absolutely everything.

Origins: A 1924 Tradition

While it feels like a modern internet quiz, the Rice Purity Test is actually 100 years old. It originated at Rice University in Houston, Texas, around 1924.

Created by the Student Association, it was designed as a bonding activity for incoming freshmen during Orientation Week (O-Week). The idea was to help students break the ice, share stories (or awkwardly avoid sharing them), and track how their innocence "faded" throughout their college years.

"The test was never meant to be a judgment of character. It was a snapshot of a student's journey from adolescence to adulthood."

What Does the Test Cover?

The modern Rice Purity Test covers a vast spectrum of human experience. The 100 questions are generally loosely organized by intensity:

The Categories of Innocence

1. Early Questions (1-40): These are generally mild. They cover romantic basics (holding hands, kissing), minor rule-breaking (skipping class, cheating on a test), and social activities (staying out past curfew).
2. Middle Questions (41-70): Here, things get more serious. Topics shift to more intense relationships, alcohol and substance use, and more significant legal infractions (like getting a speeding ticket or fake ID).
3. Advanced Questions (71-90): This section covers deeper intimacy, harder partying, and more adventurous life choices.
4. The "Unspeakable" Tier (91-100): The final 10 questions are often the stuff of legends—involving police trouble, hard drugs, or extremely niche sexual experiences. Very few people check many boxes here.

Why Did It Go Viral?

Why are we still talking about a 1924 college survey in 2024? The internet.

In the early 2010s and specifically during the 2020 pandemic lockdown, the test saw a massive resurgence on social media. Platforms like TikTok and Twitter turned it into a challenge.

• Quantifiable Social Currency: It gives people a single number to define their "wildness" or "innocence," making it perfect for bio lines and comparison.
• The "expose yourself" trend: Videos of people reacting to their own scores or friends revealing their scores went viral.
• Nostalgia: For college graduates, it's a trip down memory lane.

Is the Rice Purity Test Accurate?

It's important to clarify: The Rice Purity Test is not valid science. It is not a psychological evaluation, and it does not define your worth.

It is "accurate" only in the sense that it mathematically counts the boxes you check. However, it treats "holding hands" and "committing a crime" as mathematically equal (1 point each), which obviously doesn't reflect real-world morality.

Glossary of Terms

If you take the test, you might encounter some specific terms:

MPS

"Member of the Preferred Sex." This gender-neutral term allows the test to be inclusive for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation.

O-Week

Orientation Week at Rice University, where the test traditionally takes place.

Body Count

A slang term often conflated with purity scores, referring to the number of sexual partners. The Rice Purity Test touches on this but is much broader.

Should You Take the Rice Purity Test?

Absolutely! As long as you approach it with the right mindset.

• Take it for fun: Treat it as an entertainment quiz.
• Don't feel peer pressure: You don't have to do things just to lower your score.
• Don't judge others: Everyone is on their own timeline.