Best school--UT or A&M? (Austin, College Station: house, university, vs)

[Scientific]

Originally Posted by Htown2013

UT if she has any desire to leave Texas. Both are good if she plans to stay in Texas. FWIW, I hate that Texas colleges have the most liberal admissions policies in the country that strongly discriminate against parents that have worked so hard to get into a good school district that happens to be highly competitive. While many of these hardworking parents can afford to send their children to UT or A&M, they cannot afford comparably ranked out of state schools or private schools. Using a single highly relative and highly subjective admissions criteria is an insult to a student's hard work and complete picture.

With that being said, I do agree that the very top students from all schools be given a chance. No more than, say 30% of admissions be class rank - whatever rank fills 30% of capacity, be it 3%, 5%, or whatever. The remaining 70% should be traditional wholostic admissions. Admitting >75% of students based on the highly subjective class rank discriminates among the "less affluent" families who worked hard to buy into a nice area that has a strong but very competitive schools districts and their hardworking kids who fall just outside the top 10% and whom there are not spots left and the children and their families are forced to go elsewhere.

Why not UH or Texas Tech? Both are also good schools.

The problem is mostly because this state hasn't until recently pushed to get more tier one schools. We had to vote on that a few years ago. For all the bickering & rivalry between A&M and UT, they prefer to be the only highly ranked public universities in the state. Politics was played for far too long, now essentially handicapping our own state's talent. LSU & OU get their fare share of Texas kids who want to go to schools perceived as better than the two mentioned. Its a shame we'really just now pushing to get our other public universities into that tier.

[thenewtexan]

Originally Posted by Htown2013

UT if she has any desire to leave Texas. Both are good if she plans to stay in Texas. FWIW, I hate that Texas colleges have the most liberal admissions policies in the country that strongly discriminate against parents that have worked so hard to get into a good school district that happens to be highly competitive. While many of these hardworking parents can afford to send their children to UT or A&M, they cannot afford comparably ranked out of state schools or private schools. Using a single highly relative and highly subjective admissions criteria is an insult to a student's hard work and complete picture.

With that being said, I do agree that the very top students from all schools be given a chance. No more than, say 30% of admissions be class rank - whatever rank fills 30% of capacity, be it 3%, 5%, or whatever. The remaining 70% should be traditional wholostic admissions. Admitting >75% of students based on the highly subjective class rank discriminates among the "less affluent" families who worked hard to buy into a nice area that has a strong but very competitive schools districts and their hardworking kids who fall just outside the top 10% and whom there are not spots left and the children and their families are forced to go elsewhere.

This. I don't know why UT guarantees admissions for anyone in the top 8% of any school, when we they are fully aware not all schools are created equal. A straight A student, only ranked in the top third from Hob Nob High, will be passed over for a low B student, who received an inferior education at South Cholo High. Not fair.

[Westerntraveler]

I was in the top 10 percent of my class at Robert E.Lee and I had the opportunity to go to UT Austin but crazy as it seems but I had my reasons I chose Midland College.Starting out at a huge university straight out of high school is not best for everyone.So to the OP, i would suggest think long and hard about this and dont rule out junior college because she could flunk out or drop out before december if she went to UT or TAMU.

[Austinite101]

Originally Posted by Westerntraveler

I was in the top 10 percent of my class at Robert E.Lee and I had the opportunity to go to UT Austin but crazy as it seems but I had my reasons I chose Midland College.Starting out at a huge university straight out of high school is not best for everyone.So to the OP, i would suggest think long and hard about this and dont rule out junior college because she could flunk out or drop out before december if she went to UT or TAMU.

Just because they are large universities doesn't mean one can't find their niche. If you go 4 years to a large university and still feel like just a number, it's most likely your own fault.

For instance, I know UT offers FIGs, which are small study groups that take many of the same small classes together and meet every week.

[Westerntraveler]

Originally Posted by Austinite101

Just because they are large universities doesn't mean one can't find their niche. If you go 4 years to a large university and still feel like just a number, it's most likely your own fault.

For instance, I know UT offers FIGs, which are small study groups that take many of the same small classes together and meet every week.

Everyone is different.Some people feel lonely in 2000 student high schools.What about a person who has a learning disablity but can suceed at UT but is socially inept for lack of a better word?

[Austinite101]

Originally Posted by Westerntraveler

Everyone is different.Some people feel lonely in 2000 student high schools.What about a person who has a learning disablity but can suceed at UT but is socially inept for lack of a better word?

Notice I said most likely. If you want to feel like more than just a number, you can join clubs, form a study groups, volunteer, get to know your professors, intern, etc.

[Westerntraveler]

Originally Posted by Austinite101

Notice I said most likely. If you want to feel like more than just a number, you can join clubs, form a study groups, volunteer, get to know your professors, intern, etc.

I know most likely but I see where youre coming from.I always get attached to my professors so I can see your point.No hard feelings.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

This. I don't know why UT guarantees admissions for anyone in the top 8% of any school, when we they are fully aware not all schools are created equal. A straight A student, only ranked in the top third from Hob Nob High, will be passed over for a low B student, who received an inferior education at South Cholo High. Not fair.

Texas House Bill 588 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hopwood v. Texas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Westerner92]

Short Answer: In Texas, they're basically equals. In the rest of the world, UT has more recognition.

What kind of atmosphere does she want? What are her interests?

[Htown2013]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

This. I don't know why UT guarantees admissions for anyone in the top 8% of any school, when we they are fully aware not all schools are created equal. A straight A student, only ranked in the top third from Hob Nob High, will be passed over for a low B student, who received an inferior education at South Cholo High. Not fair.

THIS. This is completely unfair for a 11% ranked at a school like Clements in Sugar Land who both the student and parents worked very hars vs a person ranked 8% at a small school with little competition. This is completely unfair. That being said, the very best students from the poor districts should have a shot, but limit it to 25 or 30% of class size (that may be top 3% or whatever) but not fill the entire class with the highly subjective class rank. If the policies were changed, UT and other Texas Universities could be even more powerhouses.

I'm just very surprised that Texas has the most liberal college admissions policies in the entire country.