The Rice Purity Test
In 1924, as part of an orientation program, students at Rice University in Houston, Texas, created the Rice Purity Test as a form of entertainment. New freshmen would pass it around, laugh at their responses, and use it as a way to build relationships with their peers before college life began. It was never taken too seriously back then, and there is no reason to take it too seriously now.
Over the years, this test has grown in popularity across the globe. It has been taken by students, couples, groups of friends, and simply the curious. Some people take it to see what their personal score is. Others do it to compare with friends. Some want to satisfy their curiosity. Whatever your reason, the process is simple — select everything on the list that applies to you, and your score will be calculated automatically at the end. There are no right or wrong answers. Just be fully honest.
Your answers and personal data are not and will never be collected. Feel free to take this test without any personal concern whatsoever.
This is not a challenge. This is not a bucket list. This is simply an honest reflection of your personal experiences. Please take your time, be honest, and remember — every score is the result of your own unique life story.
What Is the Rice Purity Test?
The Rice Purity Test is made up of one hundred questions covering a person’s individual life experiences. These include romantic relationships, sexual experiences, use of recreational and illegal substances, interactions with the law, and various social situations. If a question applies to you, you check the box. Your score is calculated by subtracting the number of checked boxes from 100.
The test was created by students at Rice University and published in The Rice Thresher, the university’s student newspaper. It was designed as a fun bonding activity for students during O-Week — Rice University’s orientation week. First-year students would take the test in groups, compare their scores, and use it as a way to meet new people and start conversations.
The test eventually made its way onto the internet and exploded in popularity on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. What began as a university tradition grew into something much bigger. Its simplicity allowed people of all walks of life to take it — it was no longer just aimed at college freshmen.
The Rice Purity Test is not meant to be insulting or to measure what kind of person you are. It is simply a reflection of what life experiences a person has had up to that point. Everyone’s experiences are different and are shaped by their upbringing, environment, and personal choices.
What Is the Scoring System?
Everyone starts with 100 points. Each checked box subtracts one point from your total. More experiences mean a lower score. Fewer experiences mean a higher score. A score closer to 100 reflects a more sheltered past. A lower score reflects a more experienced past. Neither is good or bad — just different.
What Does Your Rice Purity Score Mean?
The global average score sits between 60 and 65 for most adults, but without context that number means very little. Your age, background, culture, and personal values all shape where your score lands. Do not compare your number to someone else’s and feel good or bad about it. Your score belongs to your story alone.
- 100 – 98 — Extremely Innocent: Very few or no boxes checked. Minimal exposure to the experiences on this list. Most common among younger users or people from very sheltered backgrounds.
- 97 – 80 — Quite Pure: A small number of minor experiences, mostly romantic or social in nature. Very common among high school students or those just starting college.
- 79 – 60 — Moderately Experienced: A healthy mix of romantic, social, and possibly some substance related experiences. This sits close to the global average for most adults. Normal and typical.
- 59 – 40 — Quite Experienced: A wider range of experiences across multiple categories. Life has taught you far more than any classroom could. You have made your own choices and lived with the consequences.
- 39 – 20 — Very Experienced: You have lived an eventful life and explored widely. Very few experiences on this list are new to you. Your experiences have shaped you in ways that are entirely your own.
- 19 – 0 — Extremely Experienced: You have checked off almost everything on the list. Your life has been unconventional, eventful, and full in ways that most people never get to experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, completely anonymous. No personal information, answers, or data of any kind are collected or stored. You leave absolutely no trace behind.
MPS stands for Member of the Preferred Sex — whichever gender you are personally attracted to. This term was chosen to make the test welcoming and relevant to everyone regardless of their sexual orientation.
There is no good score or bad score. Your number reflects your experiences and nothing else. It is not a competition and it is not a judgment of your character or your worth as a person.
It was created by students at Rice University in 1924. They published it in The Rice Thresher, the university’s student newspaper, and it was first used during orientation week as a freshman bonding activity.
Of course — it can be taken an unlimited number of times. Many people retake it yearly to track how their score changes over time. Nothing from previous attempts is ever recorded or remembered.
Whatever your score turned out to be — own it. Every experience you have had is uniquely yours, and no number on a scale can ever fully capture who you are. Share it with friends, compare results, and take it for what it was always meant to be — fun, honest, and completely yours.