AUSTIN VS HOUSTON to settle down

[Neo45]

As a recent Houstonian and former Austinite, I can say that Austin will always be home and a place I “frolicked”. It is a great engine for technology, place to eat trailer food, drink at bars with porches, and enjoy college sports. But, Houston is the big city that’s happening, and this “ad” is the precise reason why Austin will be the Boston of Texas and never the thriving metropolis of the state. It is “selective” in who they want and rarely looks beyond anything that isn’t “Austin”. Houston is a place where arts thrive, not just live music. It is a place foreigners immigrate to live and not to just get educated. Houston is where diversity, cuisine, and commerce occurs. I never felt more white than in the urban core of Austin and could never find a good selection of cuisine from Asia, Africa or Europe there. Austin is a great place and love visiting it, but it’s Austin, the Boston of Texas.

Latest Houston-Boosting Guerrilla Marketing Effort Details All the Reasons You Shouldn’t Move to Austin | Swamplot

[Cpl.USMC]

I am super confused now. Most of y'all are saying ATM is better thn UT Austin, after doing my research UT Austin is the # 1 ranking school for PE. Also, i have been looking for apartments in both cities and honestly the price is pretty much same. Yes, my primary goal is to get my degree first and No i wont have any out of state tuition problem because they will waive it if i show the intent to establish residency along with MY DD-214. Both cities have VA hospitals which is a big big plus as I am disabled vet. I have not applied for any university yet. I need two more math classes before i can be eligible to apply for PE. I kinda wanna go to Austin community college and after couple of semesters apply to all the the schools and see where i get accepted but I am routing for UT Austin. Do guys have more suggestion to help plan this. Again I really appreciate everyones concern and honest suggestions. Thanks again

[Trainwreck20]

Depending on where you look or how the rankings work, it is a toss-up between UT and aTm as to which is a 'better' PE school (this coming from a UT alum), and they are both in the top 3 in almost every ranking. You can't go wrong with either, as long as you can get in.

I kinda wanna go to Austin community college and after couple of semesters apply to all the the schools and see where i get accepted

That is not a bad plan, as it can be difficult to get into either of those schools. Do you get out of 'state' (really, out of Austin area) tuition waived for ACC too? It is a well funded community college with campuses spread out over a large area, allowing you to pick your area of residence more flexibly (and helps keep the housing low). I am pretty sure, though, that Houston has community college(s) that offer the same thing.

Some differences that may (or may not) be material to your decision:
- Do you want to move after college? PE jobs are much rarer (but not non-existent) in the Austin area, especially compared to Houston. OTOH, many, many PEs end up in remote locations regardless - you don't often get to start at that desk job in a tower in Houston.
- Houston is much bigger than Austin. Austin is well beyond the 'college town' years, but no where near as big as Houston. There are advantage and disadvantages, but that is up to your personal preference at the end of the day.
- Houston is more humid but not as hot as Austin in the summer. I know people that hate one place and love the other for those reasons - some like the (relatively) dry heat, some prefer the lower heat/higher humidity. Houston definitely is warmer in the winter (Austin spends a significantly longer amount of time below freezing, for example).
- It is easier to travel out of Houston via air - big international airport and smaller Hobby for Southwest Airlines flights.

I am sure there are other items, but just a few. Honestly, you can do 'it' either place, just pick what you want .

[hoffdano]

Your career in PetE will not be different whether you go to UT or TAMU. They are both fine factories for engineers of all types. There is no way your cost of living in Austin will be comparable to College Station. Austin housing is 25-50% higher in rent than Austin right now.

Separate school city from career city!

[winkosmosis]

Dallas... better quality of life than Houston

[sxrckr]

Beware of "advice" from known bashers who claim to have lived in "Houston" by living in a treeless family exurb, and repeat the same nonsense over and over.

[madrone2k]

Um, I thought the OP was asking about where would be the best place to get a PE degree, for a person in his situation. I don't understand what "Dallas is better than Houston" has to do with that. Please explain.