Have the interview, and be yourself! It's a lot of fun.

Do well in school and on standardized tests (well that's a given).

It helps to have found something you're passionate about, of course, to list under extracurriculars.

Recommendations: from someone who knows you well.

I'm convinced they see how NICE students are, because it seems that Rice students are nicer and friendlier than at a lot of other schools. I noticed it when I was visiting colleges, and I still notice it. But I might be wrong; that's just a guess.

A good fit: they want someone who will fit into this university well.

The essay prompt was difficult for me, so I just ended up writing in detail about one of the most inspiring and passionate "aha" moments of my life. I guess it didn't really address the prompt they gave us, but I loved the essay and felt it represented me well, so I sent it in. Hey, it worked for me.

Don't ignore The Box on the application. Most people I know put a lot of effort into it, and came up with very creative things.