U. of St. Thomas vs. Houston Baptist U. (Sugar Land, Katy: apartments, crime)

[LindaIL]

What are your thoughts on the differences, good/bad, between University of St. Thomas and Houston Baptist University (other than Catholic vs. Baptist)? My daughter is looking into transferring to one or the other - majoring in Accounting. How would a daily commute be from Katy or Sugar Land?

[hbcu]

Sugar Land is closer to both.....

HBU is trying to break away from its religious stigma (to a point) and trying to move towards Baylor's platform (there was a news story that chronicled that). HBU wants to create campus life and will impose football on students thinking the enrollment will boost but the stadium is years away from opening on campus.

How long will HBU transform into a viable campus? Who knows as it takes time but HBU is trying to buy the area around them as opposed to embracing it.

St. Thomas is a small school with limited sport options but close to Montrose if they were on campus. However, nothing really exciting about it socially but solid academically.

[texas7]

St Thomas seems to have a lot of On Campus activities for those who live on campus or near campus and who are outgoing and social types who like to get involved in stuff. I attended as an older, commuter student so I just went to class after work and went home.

[LindaIL]

My daughter would be commuting daily from either Cypress, Katy or Sugar Land areas so on campus activities, etc. would not be of much interest. Concerned about academics, travel times, safety, etc.?

Thanks.

[westhou]

Originally Posted by LindaIL

My daughter would be commuting daily from either Cypress, Katy or Sugar Land areas so on campus activities, etc. would not be of much interest. Concerned about academics, travel times, safety, etc.?

Thanks.

Academics= Both schools are excellent and students get a lot of attention from faculty and staff because of how small the classroom sizes are. HBU ranks pretty high at the graduate level.

Travel time= This easily goes to HBU. Easy access to HBU from Sugar land and Katy along 59 or Westpark Tollway. Cypress will give you a heavy commute to both schools so it won't matter.

Safety= St Thomas is a bit safer as it is in Montrose and HBU is in Sharpstown. HBU has great on campus security but there will still be random acts of crime just like any university can experience but nothing like the crime that occurs at U of H which seems to top all the area universities.

I think your daughter will do just fine no matter which one she chooses.

[Schumacher713]

I don't know a ton about either school. St Thomas is in a great location. HBU is in the hood with nothing around it.

[hbcu]

hood? lol....that was the epicenter of suburban Houston at one time....it ain't "hood"....just a bunch of old 1950s ranch style homes on one side and old apartments on the other

Hood is deep in the heart of 5th ward on chew street or across from EO Smith in a shotgun house

[LindaIL]

Thanks, everyone, for the information!