What Is the Rice Purity Test? Meaning, History & Scoring
What the Rice Purity Test is
The Rice Purity Test is a 100-question self-assessment that asks whether you have done a series of life experiences — from innocent firsts like holding hands and going on a date, to drinking, rule-breaking, and progressively more adult territory. You answer each question honestly, and the test converts your answers into a single number between 0 and 100: your “purity score.”
Despite the name, the test does not measure purity in any moral or scientific sense. It is a conversation starter — a structured way to look back at your experiences, laugh about them, and compare notes with friends. Millions of people have taken it, and almost nobody takes the number too seriously.
History: from Rice University O-week to the internet
The test began at Rice University in Houston, Texas, as a bonding activity for new students during O-week — orientation week, the stretch before classes when freshmen meet their classmates for the first time. Incoming students would take the test together and compare scores as an icebreaker, a lighthearted way to swap stories and get to know each other.
From there it spread the way college traditions do: students carried it to other campuses, versions circulated on paper and then by email, and eventually the internet gave it a permanent home. Dozens of websites now host their own version of the 100 questions, but the structure has barely changed in decades — which is exactly why it still feels familiar.
Its second wave of fame came from social media. Score reveals became a TikTok trend, group chats turned it into a party game, and “what did you get?” became a standard question among friends. The test endures because the format is perfect for sharing: one number, instantly comparable.
How scoring works
Scoring could not be simpler. You begin with 100 points, and you lose one point for every question you answer “yes” to — that is, for every item on the checklist you have done. Check 12 items and your score is 88. Check none and you keep the full 100.
That means a higher score indicates fewer checked experiences (“more pure” in the test’s playful framing), while a lower score indicates more. The scale runs from 100 (nothing checked) down to 0 (everything checked).
What your score means
- 100–90Very innocent. You have kept things remarkably clean so far.
- 89–70Mostly innocent. A few experiences under your belt, but still on the innocent side.
- 69–50Moderately experienced. A balanced mix of innocence and real-world experience.
- 49–30Experienced. You have lived quite a bit — plenty of stories to tell.
- 29–0Very experienced. Very few boxes left unchecked.
Average scores
No official body tracks Rice Purity Test scores, but large testing sites commonly report figures along these lines: around 91 for people under 18, 85 for people under 25, 76 for people under 35, and roughly 64 for everyone older. Treat these as rough, self-reported averages rather than precise statistics — but they explain why scores in the 85–91 range are often described as typical for younger test-takers.
Why it is still popular
Three things keep the test alive. First, it is effortless: no account, no waiting, just 100 checkboxes and a number. Second, it is social — the score is made to be shared, debated, and compared, which is why it thrives in group chats and on TikTok. Third, it hits a nostalgic nerve: for many people it is a snapshot of their teenage or college years, and retaking it later is a way of measuring how much has changed.
A note before you take it
The Rice Purity Test is for fun and self-reflection, not judgment. A low score does not say anything bad about you, and a high score does not say anything good — they are just two different sets of life experiences. Answer honestly, do not treat it as a bucket list, and remember that the only score that matters is the one you are comfortable with. Ready? Take the 100-question test here.