What Is the Rice Purity Test?

The Rice Purity Test is a 100-question, self-graded survey about personal experiences, traditionally framed around the idea of “innocence.” Covering topics from relationships and sex to alcohol, drugs, and rule-breaking, it belongs to a century-old tradition of informal campus purity tests.

History and Origins at Rice University

The test traces its roots back to 1924, when Rice University’s student newspaper, The Rice Thresher, published the results of a 10-question survey taken by 119 female undergraduates.

Over the decades, The Thresher periodically revisited and expanded the questionnaire—most notably in its satirical Backpage section. By 1988, the test had ballooned to 150 questions, reflecting how campus curiosity and social boundaries evolved over time before eventually settling into the modern 100-question format.

From Campus Tradition to Social Media

Throughout the 20th century, similar questionnaires circulated across college campuses. Folklorists studied these surveys as cultural parodies that mirrored shifting social expectations.

As purity tests moved online, the Rice version reached audiences beyond university campuses and later gained attention on TikTok.

Cultural Impact: A Reflection of Social Attitudes

The term “purity” has attracted criticism for attaching moral judgments to sexuality and personal choices. These debates place the test within broader discussions about social expectations and how people interpret one another’s experiences.

The Rice Purity Test is both a form of social entertainment and a reflection of changing attitudes toward personal experience.