Caution: This is a fun self-reflection checklist of life experiences. Check off every item you have done. Your score will be calculated as 100 minus the number of checked boxes.
I first took the Rice Purity Test during my college orientation week, sitting in a dorm room with my roommate, both of us laughing at the questions and comparing scores by the end of the night. That's really what this test is: a simple checklist quiz, not a real exam or anything official. If you've never taken it before and are wondering what is a Rice Purity Test, think of it as a casual purity exam that measures life experience, not intelligence or morals.
It goes back to 1924 at Rice University in Houston, Texas, where students made a short survey to see how "pure" someone was based on their life experiences. By the 1980s, it had grown into the full 100-question version people take today, sometimes just called the rice purity score quiz by students who share results in group chats.
It was originally made for freshmen during Orientation Week, meant as a fun icebreaker to help new students bond instead of the usual awkward small talk.
Taking it is simple. You check the boxes next to anything you've experienced from the list, and once you finish all 100 rice purity test questions, you get a score between 0 and 100. A higher score usually means fewer boxes checked, so more "innocent." A lower score means more life experiences checked off.
There's no good or bad number here. When I took it, I scored in the low 70s, and by my second year it had dropped, which just reflected normal college life, new experiences and all. Most versions online don't ask for your name or email, so it's safe and anonymous to take — which is exactly why so many people search "the rice purity test" instead of a random personality quiz that wants your details.
When I finished the Rice Purity Test for the first time, I stared at my score for a solid minute trying to figure out if it was "good." Nobody explains the score meaning when you take it — you just answer a hundred yes-or-no style questions, hit submit, and get thrown a number between 0 and 100 with zero context. That confusion is exactly why this section breaks it down properly.
Your score isn't a grade and it's not judging your character. It's simply a reflection of how many life experiences from the 100-question list apply to you. The fewer boxes you check, the higher your score climbs. The more boxes you check, the lower it drops. No hidden math, no weird algorithm — once you understand how it works, the number stops feeling mysterious.
The test has 100 statements, each describing something you may or may not have done. Here's the process:
Every box you check subtracts one point from 100. Check 4 boxes and your score lands around 96. Check 55 boxes and it drops to around 45 — a simple subtraction system dressed up as a quiz.
These aren't official categories, but they're a fairly accurate picture of how most people interpret the numbers:
| Score Range | Category | What It Usually Means |
|---|---|---|
| 91–100 | Very Innocent | Limited exposure so far — common among incoming freshmen in their first week. |
| 77–90 | Relatively Pure | Mostly small experiences like casual dating or minor rule-breaking. |
| 45–76 | Moderately Experienced | A balanced mix — some relationship and social experience, nothing extreme. |
| 9–44 | Quite Experienced | A wider variety of experiences, often deeper relationship history. |
| 0–8 | Highly Experienced | Rare range where almost every item on the list applies. |
Based on wider discussion across online communities, the average tends to sit somewhere between 60 and 80 for college-aged test takers. Some sources cite a number close to 72 as the average specifically among Rice University students, though this depends heavily on the group and year. Don't treat any single number as a universal benchmark.
Yes — this pattern is fairly predictable. Younger test takers naturally score higher simply because they've had less time to check off boxes on the list. As people get older, the score trends downward.
| Age Group | Typical Score Range |
|---|---|
| High school age | 85–100 |
| College freshmen (18–20) | 70–90 |
| Early twenties (21–25) | 50–75 |
| 25 and older | 40–70 |
These are general trends, not exact numbers — your actual score depends on personal lifestyle, not just age.
Not really. A high score just means you haven't experienced many of the specific things listed — it says nothing about your personality, values, or character. A low score works the same way in reverse. The healthiest way to treat this test is as a lighthearted personal reflection, not a scoreboard to compete over.
The range is simple: 0 to 100. A score of 100 means "no" to every question — extremely rare once people reach college age. A score of 0 means every box is checked — just as rare on the other end. Most people land comfortably somewhere in the middle, which is completely normal.
Yes — there's no rule against retaking it, no cooldown period, and no account tracking previous attempts. Many people retake it a year or two later purely out of curiosity, and use it as a fun way to track how their life has shifted over time. It's a personal snapshot, not a scientific measurement.
At the end of the day, your score is just a number reflecting which boxes you checked on a list built by college students almost a hundred years ago. Take it, have a laugh, and don't overthink the number too much.
Long before social media trends and interactive web apps, students passed around printed paper questionnaires in college dorm rooms. Here's how a 1920s freshman orientation survey evolved into one of the most recognized self-reflection quizzes online.
The test originated at Rice University in Houston, Texas, created by students during freshman orientation as a lighthearted survey to measure social experiences and help new students bond. It comprised roughly 100 checklist items covering everyday high school experiences, social etiquette, and minor rebellious acts of the era.
The test remained a staple of American college culture, passed down through orientation committees, fraternities, and sororities via handwritten and mimeographed copies each autumn. Campus newspapers regularly printed updated versions reflecting each decade's social norms.
With the rise of the early internet, the 100 questions were digitized into basic HTML pages and shared via Usenet groups, AOL Instant Messenger, and early blogging platforms — letting the test reach an international audience for the first time.
The test resurged on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit, where users share and compare score cards. Modern versions have expanded well beyond the original list into specialized editions — College, Clean & Safe, Couples, and Wild Adventure — each with its own 100 questions.
Curious where you land today? Jump back up and take the test in any of the five editions above.
Common questions about how scoring works, privacy, and which edition is right for you.