The official Rice Purity Test
The official Rice Purity Test is published by the Rice Thresher, Rice University's student newspaper, at ricepuritytest.com. Its current 100 items were written by the paper's Backpage editors in 2012[1][2].
What "official" means here
There is no governing body for purity tests. "Official" simply means the version the Thresher itself publishes, because the paper first printed Rice's purity test in 1924[1]. Rice University does not run the test; its students' newspaper does.
How this site differs
| Feature | The Thresher's test | This site |
|---|---|---|
| Wording | The 2012 Backpage list | Our own wording of the same ground |
| Structure | 100 items, 1 point each | 100 items in 10 sections of 10, 1 point each |
| Gender terms | "MPS" (member of the preferred sex) | "Someone" or "a partner" |
| Score meaning | Not published | Our scale, marked as ours |
| Breakdown | One number | Points per section |
| Affiliation | Rice Thresher | Independent |
Will my score be the same?
Close, not always identical. Both lists cover the same experiences in a similar order, but the wording differs, so scores can differ slightly.
"Updated", "new" and "modern" versions
Many sites call themselves the updated or official test. Only the Thresher can update its own test, and the list it publishes still dates from 2012[3]. Every version, from 1924 to today.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the official Rice Purity Test?
At ricepuritytest.com, published by the Rice Thresher, the student newspaper of Rice University.
Who wrote the official Rice Purity Test?
The Rice Thresher's Backpage editors, who wrote the current list in 2012.
Is this site the official Rice Purity Test?
No. It is an independent version with our own wording, not connected to Rice University or the Thresher.
Is there an updated official version?
Not that we know of. The current Thresher list dates from 2012; sites calling themselves the updated or new official test are not from the Thresher.
Ready? Take the Rice Purity Test. Your answers never leave your device.
Sources
- Emily Abdow, "Purity Test evolves, spreads beyond Rice", The Rice Thresher, 23 August 2017. Link
- The Rice Purity Test as published by the Rice Thresher, ricepuritytest.com. Link
- Frannie Edwards-Hughes, "The Impure Truth About the Rice Purity Test", The Trail (University of Puget Sound), 11 April 2024. Link